Hope Solo Dancing with the Stars: Will Solo's Popularity Be Enough to Save Her?

If we were to judge Hope Solo's second dance on Dancing with the Stars by audience reaction alone, there would be no doubting that her version of the "Jive" was pretty solid.

Come to think of it, the audience couldn't seem to get enough of it. And in retrospect, it's easy to see why.

For starters, there's something about the Jive itself. It's a spunky dance that is rife with innuendo, and Solo looked quite at home doing it. Her outfit, I think, had a lot to do with that, and the packed audience seemed particularly amused by her booty shake in the opening moments of the performance.

By the time it was over, it was clear that Solo had won the crowd. Many will tell you that's the hard part when it comes to these things.

But the judges were less than impressed. They scolded Solo for missing steps and for having bad timing, and they made it clear that her kicking needs some serious work. A strange thing to tell one of the best soccer players in the world, to be sure.

For her missteps, the judges hit Solo with a score of 19 out of a possible 30 points. It would end up being one of the worst scores of the night.

Given that, it is entirely conceivable that Solo's second dance on DWTS could be her last. The show's second elimination is tonight, and Solo will only advance if the show's legions of voters deem her fit to advance.

Such is the fatal flaw of Dancing with the Stars. Whenever you let the masses decide something, the cream doesn't always rise to the top. This is something that has been particularly true of Dancing with the Stars since its inception, as there have been several stars who have advanced much further than their abilities suggested they should have. Bristol Palin comes to mind.

So as lame as it is to say it, there is hope for Solo. She proved on Monday night that she's not quite as good a dancer as she is a goalie, but that won't matter to all the people who want to see more of her anyway.

If I had to make a guess here and now, I'd say that Solo's days on Dancing with the Stars are not over quite yet. She's arguably the most popular star on the show this season, and I think that will be enough to save her.

If not, Hope will follow World Peace out the door. Grace could very well be next.

Yup, it's a tough business.