Clyde Drexler & Elena Grinenko - Season 4

[ShrinkingViolet]

NAME:
Clyde Drexler

PROFESSION:
NBA Hall of Famer

PARTNER:
Elena Grinenko

BACKGROUND:
Named One of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, "Clyde the Glide" was a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Dream Team. He began his career in 1983 with the Portland Trailblazers and retired in 1998 with the Houston Rockets, a team he led to the 1995 NBA Championship.


NAME:
Elena Grinenko

ACHIEVEMENTS:

* 2006 World Rhythm Champion
* 2006 Emerald Ball Open American Rhythm Champion
* 2006 American Ballroom Challenge - American Rhythm Champion
* 2005 Yankee Classic Champion
* 2005 World Cup finalist
* 2005 Masters Gala finalist
* 2003 All England Champion
* 2003 Ohio Star Ball Champion (Closed North American Championship)
* 2003 Philadelphia Dance Festival winner

CELEBRITY PARTNER:
Clyde Drexler

STATS:
Style: Latin
Nationality: Russian
Based in: New York
Status: Competing with Tony Dovolani in the American Rhythm section.

BACKGROUND:
During Season 3, Elena partnered journalist Tucker Carlson, who was eliminated after week one.

Elena began dancing Russian folk, ballet and ballroom at the tender age of seven. Under strict and often brutal Russian instructors she quickly became a champion and by the time she was eight, she was the best ballroom dancer in Moscow for her age.

Driven by an insatiable ambition, Elena was a Junior Soviet Union Finalist in all divisions of ballroom dancing. In 1994, whilst competing in the youth category, Elena won the Moscow and National Championship titles in the Latin Division. That same year, she became a world semifinalist in Latin, a national finalist in standard and national champion in the 10-Dance category.

After graduating from high school in 1995, Elena was accepted into the very prestigious Russian Art Academy where she furthered her study of dance.

At the age of 21 Elena left her family and motherland behind her to pursue her dream of dancing in the United States. She now lives in New York.

[Google]

 

[Krom]

So I see they've changed sports this year. A female boxer instead of a female wrestler, and a male B-Ball player instead of the usual Football guy.

To be honest, I don't follow Basketball religiously enough to have strong feelings one way or the other about Mr. Drexler.

[ShrinkingViolet]

'The Glide' is ready for Dancing

By BRUCE WESTBROOK

Houston's Clyde Drexler will try to glide his way past achy-breaky line dancer Billy Ray Cyrus and other celebrity contestants on ABC's Dancing With the Stars, whose fourth season of pasa dobles and cha chas launches March 19 with a two-hour performance show.

One of TV's top-rated shows, Dancing chose an 11-member cast. Also in the hoofer hunt for the show's cheesy disco-ball trophy are a flock of celebs, many of them prefaced by "former" or "ex": Paul McCartney's estranged wife Heather Mills; former 'N Sync singer Joey Fatone; former Miss USA (2004) Shandi Finnessey; TV personality Leeza Gibbons; former supermodel Paulina Porizkova; former Beverly Hills, 90210 star Ian Ziering; former Sopranos star Vincent Pastore; five-time Olympic gold-medal skater Apolo Anton Ohno; and former boxer Laila Ali.

Each contestant is supposed to be a non-pro at dancing but is partnered with a top dancer from ballroom competitions. Drexler's partner will be Elena Grinenko, who danced with last season's first-week loser, Tucker Carlson.

Like former Dallas Cowboy Emmitt Smith, who won last season's dance-offs, Drexler will compete by commuting. Drexler is home-game commentator for his former team, the Houston Rockets, and will continue doing that during Dancing's season. He was courtside for Wednesday night's game with the Miami Heat.

Rockets director of broadcasting Joel Blank said Drexler will fly to Los Angeles for Monday and Tuesday shows but will rehearse largely back home.

"It shouldn't be that bad," Blank said. "He won't miss as many games as people might think."

When unable to work games, Drexler will be replaced by former Rockets player Matt Bullard, the road-game TV commentator, or Mario Ellie, who does pre-game, halftime and post-game commentary.

Nicknamed Clyde "the Glide" for his fluid court moves as a collegiate star and NBA all-star, Drexler graduated from Sterling High School and was a member of the University of Houston's "Phi Slamma Jamma" teams that twice reached the NCAA Final Four.

He was a member of the United States' "Dream Team" that won a gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games, and he won an NBA championship with the Rockets in 1995, having been traded to Houston during his 12th season with the Portland Trail Blazers.

A 10-time NBA all-star, Drexler retired in 1998 and coached his alma mater's basketball team for two seasons. Since then he coached briefly as an assistant for the Denver Nuggets, then became a Rockets commentator.

Given the success of big-time pro athletes on Dancing's last two seasons, the odds are in Drexler's favor. The season before Smith won, ex-NFL star Jerry Rice reached the finals.

Dancing co-executive producer Izzie Pick noted Drexler, at 6 feet 7 inches, is the show's tallest competitor to date.

"We're looking forward to seeing whether he can hold onto his nickname 'The Glide' once he's shown the world his cha cha cha," Pick said.

Mills is the new cast's big surprise. She's not only embroiled in a messy divorce that has drenched British tabloids, but since a 1993 traffic accident, she's worn an artificial leg.

Cyrus brings the most show-biz momentum. He's not only a multiplatinum country-music recording artist, but is starring on the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana, along with daughter Miley.

Fatone follows such boy-band contestants as Drew Lachey of 98 Degrees, who won the show's second season. Finnessey follows 1995 Miss USA Shanna Moakler, who competed last season.

At 28, Finnessey is the cast's youngest female member, while Ohno, 24 is the youngest male.

Czech-born Porizkova is married to Ric Ocasek, leader of major '80s rock group the Cars. She appeared in the band's music video for Drive and twice was on the cover of Sports Illustrated's "swimsuit" issue.

No elimination is set for Dancing's the first week; one-hour results shows based on judges' and viewers' votes will begin March 27.

Link

[Muduh]

I like him, can't remember who she is.

[jasmar]

Clyde was the last of the generation of honorable men on the court here in Portland. Since then it's been a long string of miscreants - drugs, sexual assaults, drunk driving, domestic disputes… So I have fond memories of Clyde. I hope he does well.

[tinkcrzy1972]

Originally Posted by Muduh

I like him, can't remember who she is.

She was with Tucker Carlson last year, first one voted off. Good reason to not remember her... If you've followed America's Ballroom Challenge either of the last two years its been on PBS, she was Tony Dovalani's partner.

[Nemeses]

Just like with any sports figure, all I can say is "who?". I know nothing about any of these sports guys they've had on, until I see them on the show. So all I can say at this point is okay, I'll watch and see what he's got.

His partner is Elena Grinenko, who we only got to see in one episode last season, since she and Tucker Carlson were the first voted off. So I really have no idea what to expect with this combination.

[aname]

Is he real tall and gangly like most basketball players? If so, he may look strange dancing with a much shorter partner. However, if he moves well and has a bit of rhythm, they may pull it off. He certainly isn't eye candy.

[tinkcrzy1972]

Have a look at the first part, our wonderful Shrinking Violet has added their publicity photo. I'm not so sure about this....I could be swayed, but it looks awkward in still photos.

[Unklescott]

I've always liked "Clyde the Glide" Drexler. He's a class act. I totally agree with you jasmar. I was glad to see him get a championship ring.