Season 12 of Dancing With The Stars resumes Monday evening, and we're down to the final four celebrities. Still alive to take home to Mirror Ball are Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, Disney star Chelsea Kane, Kirstie Alley (I'm not really sure why she's famous these days), and Ralph Macchio, aka The Karate Kid. The big news was the neck injury sustained by Ward's dancing partner Kym Johnson last Friday during rehearsal. When it was revealed that she had been rushed to Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles to treat the injury, fans naturally wondered if she'd be able to continue on with the show.
↵Fortunately, Johnson updated fans on Monday via Twitter to say: "I'm feeling better today and I am so happy my mom is here with me. Thanks again everyone for the lovely messages."
↵Ward hinted on Sunday that Johnson would be ready to go by Monday evening when he shared with his Facebook fans:
↵↵↵Man, Kym is a SOLDIER! She's dancing in her neck brace and will not quit! I want to do my best for her because she's busted her tail to get me where I am today. To me, she is one of us and exemplifies the Steeler way. So thanks the prayers and continue to keep voting for us because every point counts. When we get thru this week because of your VOTES, we intend to bring home the Mirror Ball!
↵
Steeler Nation keeps on growing!
↵Now, despite Johnson appearing as if she'll be okay and able to dance, one has to wonder if she'll at all be affected by the neck injury. I'm no dance expert, but based on what I've seen on the show this year, the dancers - particularly the professionals - are quite fluid in their body motion, including in the neck area. If she'll be wearing a neck brace, won't she be fairly limited and appear much more rigid than she might usually be?
↵We'll see, I suppose, but the injury hasn't kept odds makers from keeping Ward/Johnson as the heavy favorite to win the competition. On Monday, Bodog released its updated odds for the competition. Here they are:
↵Odds to Win Dancing With the Stars 12
↵Hines Ward....... 2/3
↵Chelsea Kane... 4/1
↵Kirstie Alley........5/1
↵Ralph Macchio....5/1
↵Let's hope Bodog is spot-on here! Ward clearly wants to win this puppy and it sure would be fun to see it happen.