Michael Irvin is eluding elimination on 'Dancing With the Stars' almost as deftly as he did NFL cornerbacks, although the odds are long against him making it to the 'end zone' on ABC's hit dancing competition.The former Dallas Cowboys star wide receiver survived the first double-elimination show of the season Tuesday night, as he and professional partner Anna Demidova edged snowboarder Louie Vito and partner Chelsie Hightower in the season's first dance-off.Earlier in the evening, actress Melissa Joan Hart ("Sabrina the Teenage Witch," "Clarissa Explains It All") was eliminated outright with partner Mark Ballas, finishing last among the nine remaining couples when viewer votes were added to judges' scores.The elimination was a tough one for the judges, who made their choice by a split decision. Bruno Tonioli revealed his vote first, choosing Vito and Hightower, but after Len Goodman cast his vote for Irvin and Demidova, Carrie-Ann Inaba chose to keep the gridiron star and his partner alive for one more week.The good news for the former Cowboy? By surviving this week, he assured that he won't have the earliest exit by an NFL star on the show. If he's eliminated outright next week, Irvin will tie Giants great Lawrence Taylor, who finished seventh last season.
Michael Irvin is eluding elimination on 'Dancing With the Stars' almost as deftly as he did NFL cornerbacks, although the odds are long against him making it to the 'end zone' on ABC's hit dancing competition.The former Dallas Cowboys star wide receiver survived the first double-elimination show of the season Tuesday night, as he and professional partner Anna Demidova edged snowboarder Louie Vito and partner Chelsie Hightower in the season's first dance-off.Earlier in the evening, actress Melissa Joan Hart ("Sabrina the Teenage Witch," "Clarissa Explains It All") was eliminated outright with partner Mark Ballas, finishing last among the nine remaining couples when viewer votes were added to judges' scores.The elimination was a tough one for the judges, who made their choice by a split decision. Bruno Tonioli revealed his vote first, choosing Vito and Hightower, but after Len Goodman cast his vote for Irvin and Demidova, Carrie-Ann Inaba chose to keep the gridiron star and his partner alive for one more week.The good news for the former Cowboy? By surviving this week, he assured that he won't have the earliest exit by an NFL star on the show. If he's eliminated outright next week, Irvin will tie Giants great Lawrence Taylor, who finished seventh last season.
