DwtS 3 In-Season Update: 10-21-06

Last week's non-elimination episode of Dancing with the Stars revealed who's most likely to be eliminated this week, and who are we at MOIB to disagree? At this point in the competition, there aren't too many surprises in the weekly Power Rankings.

5. Jerry Springer & Kym Johnson
Jerry's literally told his fans to stop voting for him. And, with last week's ridiculous Paso Doble, he's told them figuratively, as well. I've enjoyed watching Jerry on the show, but as he's said more than once, "It's time."

4. Joey Lawrence & Edyta Sliwinska
Spending time in the Bottom Two alongside Jerry was a real wake-up call for Joey & Edyta. But with the competition this tight, I'm not sure if there's much they can do to make it to the finals. They should squeak through this week, but they need to be absolutely perfect after that.

3. Monique Coleman & Louis van Amstel
Monique vented in the Week 6 Unaired Confessionals video that the judges have scored her more harshly than they have her male competitors. Looking back at her scores, compared to those of the men, she may be on to something. If only two couples will participate in the finals, Monique may have a tough time garnering the fan support she needs to overcome the judges' scores.

2. Emmitt Smith & Cheryl Burke
Emmitt has no fan support issues, which is why he has yet to face the red glare of the Bottom Two lights. He's popular and charming, and he's got the partner who best knows how to make magic from the producers' sometimes strange song selections. I'll be shocked if Emmitt and Cheryl aren't in the finals, and that's the only week they need to win.

1. Mario Lopez & Karina Smirnoff
Based solely on the number of people who've viewed the YouTube video of Mario & Karina's most recent dance, you may want to bet the house on them. As of today, their video had received over four times as many views as their closest competitors, Emmitt & Cheryl.

Mario just needs to keep things status quo until the finale (without making it seem like he's coasting, of course).

Once there, he and Karina have the talent and athleticism to perform a Freestyle routine that all but dares fans not to vote for them. It's obvious they have the highest skill level, so it will be all about the routine.

The Freestyle's choreography is what sunk Stacy & Tony last season -- and what helped lock up the victory for Drew & Cheryl. I have a feeling that, like Cheryl last season, Karina won't go conservative. So Mario's in a great position to win.

More DwtS News:
In an interview with AOL, Cheryl confirms that she and Drew Lachey will be a part of the upcoming Dancing with the Stars tour. Maksim's rep has published the tour schedule at Max's site.

Speaking of Max, he and Willa Ford aren't doing much to put rumors about their alleged romance to rest.

In the Sara Evans divorce case, her husband, Craig Schelske, denies many of the charges made against him. He claims that Sara was the one guilty of cheating. According to Schelske, he learned of her affair on October 11 -- the same night the couple was seen arguing in a restaurant, after Sara's last Results Show. The woman Sara has accused of having an affair with Schelske, Alison Clinton, denies any kind of inappropriate relationship.