It was the first time in several seasons that there was no lone
frontrunner leading into the "Dancing with the Stars" final, but after
10 weeks of competition, one team has emerged as the winners of the
mirrorball.
He missed out on a Super Bowl ring back in February,
but with the help of professional dancer Kym Johnson, Pittsburgh
Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward now has a mirrorball for his trophy
shelf.
"Starting
this competition, I never thought I'd be in the finals, but I owe it
all to Kym. She's an amazing teacher," a humbled Hines said after
learning the news that he and his partner beat out Kirstie Alley and
Maksim Chmerkovskiy for the top spot.
Chelsea Kane and Mark Ballas took third, as they were the first team eliminated on Tuesday's finale.
Hines
thanked the judges for their constructive criticism over the weeks, but
also threw his gratitude to the football fans back in Pittsburgh.
"We love Steeler Nation, Bulldog Nation (University of Georgia)... I hope I represented well," he said.
Kirstie,
who took second, reflected on her journey, telling co-hosts Tom
Bergeron and Brooke Burke, "Dancing" was a special time in her life.
"It's
like the most extraordinary adventure I've ever been on in my life and I
want to thank Maks," she said turning to the newly tamed ballroom bad
boy. "I love Maks."
Read more: Yahoo
