Sapp moves, grooves in 'Dancing' debut

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive star Warren Sapp made a bit of a splash during tonight's debut of ABC's hit reality competition Dancing With the Stars -- landing near the top of the competition with a spirited cha cha that earned 21 points and brought the crowd to its feet.

"Big boys can dance," exclaimed excitable judge Bruno Tonioli after the performance by Sapp, who stepped confidently around partner Kym Johnson to the strains of Stevie Wonder's hit Do I Do. "You showed us all."

Given 21 points by the judges, Sapp and Johnson now must depend on votes from the audience to stay in the game. In a new twist, one of the show's 13 couples will be ejected Tuesday night, and a second pair will leave Wednesday. Sapp's score placed him in the top of the middle, tied with beach volleyball Olympic champion Misty May-Treanor and behind singer Lance Bass, TV host Brooke Burke and R&B diva Toni Braxton.

Comic Jeffrey Ross, who suffered a scratched cornea after his dance partner poked him in the eye during a rehearsal, earned the lowest score for a lumbering routine that didn't seem that much worse for his lack of sight. Eighty-something actor Cloris Leachman earned the only bleeps from the ABC censors, cursing her low score (16) just minutes after host Tom Bergeron announced "I have this image of ABC censors doing tequila shots to get ready for (her)."

After one night's competition Burke and Bass seem the two to beat, with Sapp poised for an Emmitt Smith-style upset. Sapp was uncharacteristically silent for much of tonight's show, confessing a serious case of nerves. (Photos of Sapp's rehearsals courtesy of ABC)

"I hope I just survive right now," he said, just after finishing his dance. "My feet are shaking so bad."

Comments

[Dani22]

Warren Sapp was AWESOME last night!!! I actually think he was my favorite performer. he was so full of energy and while they said technically it wasn't all there, he didn't miss a step.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkaTp1UIVE0

[Nofreeride]

"like most fans do" sorry my bad-

[Nofreeride]

Ashley-"Ticket prices will never be a problem" must be nice to have someone 'pay your way' to the game. because nobody... would say that,If (he) or (she) had to work to pay for the ticket. like most have fans do!!

[Ashley]

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers , as a professional team of NFL, is one of the major teams that have fans all around the world. It’s quite normal if Tampa Bay Buccaneers are so pricy because such worth any price. It doesn’t matter if we pay a respected amount of money for Buccaneers tickets because we satisfy our eagerness to watch good games and more than that, when we get Tampa Bay Buccaneers ticket , It’s because we love this team. Thus, Tampa Bay Buccaneers tickets prices will never be a problem for a real fan of the team.

[not a fan here]

Sapp,we just want to thank you for showing us,(bucs fans),just how much of a jerk you really are,I was at Ray Jay hoping to get some autographs,(not yours),but there were some children that wanted yours,and what did the Fat Man do,blew them off like they weren't even there,you should of seen the hurt on there little faces,when there hero just walked on by without even acknowledging they were there,even though we the fans payed your salary,now your nothing but a fat chump on some dance show,KARMA,fat boy,KARMA

[Pat]

Rise up Gator Nation and vote for anyone except Mr. Sapp.... sending him back to his recliner. The comments he made about UF and Urban after the Miami game were fightin' words. Go Gators!!

[Tim]

Cracker ... no Prozac in your corn flakes this morning I see ????