On Monday night (February 28th), the 11-member cast of the new season of "Dancing With the Stars" was unveiled during an episode of "The Bachelor." In typical "Dancing With the Stars" fashion, it's a motley mix of Hollywood types, musicians, reality stars and athletes, including professional wrestler Chris Jericho, legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, rapper Romeo, talk show host Wendy Williams, next big "Disney" thing Chelsea Kane, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, radio host Mike Catherwood, model Petra Nemcova, original "Karate Kid" Ralph Macchio (a development predicted right here), actress Kirstie Alley and Playboy icon Kendra Wilkinson. That's quite a collection of personalities, and it should make for some delightful television.
This particularly lineup is interesting because it bucks the trend of previous incarnations of the show. There's no "old person" entry (like Buzz Aldrin or Donny Osmond), nor is there an obvious ringer (none of the musicians or actors have dance in their background). As a result, it's more difficult to tell exactly who will be good until the cameras actually start rolling. However, that hasn't stopped us from making predictions before, so here is how we think they might finish.
Mike Catherwood
Probably the least famous of the group, Catherwood will have an uphill battle as far as popularity goes. Since we have no indication of what kind of dancer he is, he'll probably make an early exit.
Kendra Wilkinson
Wilkinson may be adept at a certain type of dancing, but it's doubtful she'll be able to translate her skills to the cha-cha, which makes her another short-lived contestant.
Romeo
His father (rapper Master P) had an unspectacular run on the show a few seasons back, so look for Romeo to stumble as well.
Wendy Williams
Williams has personality to spare, but will she be able to translate that to the dance floor?
Chris Jericho
Jericho draws fans from both his work as a professional wrestler and as a musician — two demographics who probably don't watch "Dancing With the Stars." That may spell an early exit for the charismatic Jericho, making him the first travesty of justice of the season.
Petra Nemcova
Models usually have a certain amount of grace and balance, but the "Dancing With the Stars" judges demand character and attitude, which is where Nemcova will probably come up short.
Ralph Macchio
Macchio will likely be a sentimental favorite coming into the competition, and something tells us that he's actually a pretty solid dancer. The middle of the pack seems about right for him.
Hines Ward
Football players tend to perform pretty well on "Dancing With the Stars" (Emmitt Smith won his season and Jerry Rice came in second), but there is usually an athlete who gets sent home slightly before his time (see Rick Fox from last season). This is where Ward goes home.
Chelsea Kane
Kane is young, active and a star on the Disney Channel, which basically gives her a free pass to the finals.
Kirstie Alley
The veteran actress seems to be on the perpetual comeback trail, and she seems to be a huge star among the people who are likely to watch "Dancing With the Stars." That combined with what seems like a secret set of skills should take her far.
Sugar Ray Leonard
As a boxer, Sugar Ray was always known for his footwork. That agility, combined with his charming personality and his commitment to competition, will make him this season's "Dancing With the Stars" champion (in our humble opinion, anyway).
Who do you think will win "Dancing With the Stars"? Let us know in the comments!