Cheryl Burke may be Dancing's MVP

Professional dancer Cheryl Burke helped her partner football legend Emmitt Smith win the highly-popular Dancing with the Stars reality competition -- the second time for her in the last two seasons.

Judge Len Goodman said the Filipino American Burke "should be MVP -- Most Valued Partner" after bringing her partner the trophy for the second straight season.


Emmitt Smith and Cheryl Burke, celebrate their win and display the mirrorball trophy on 'Dancing with the Stars the Results Show,' in Los Angeles on Wednesday Nov. 15,2006. AP Photo/Adam Larkey-ABC handout via Yahoo News.

Smith, who confessed to having only club dancing experience previously, learned quickly under Burke's tutelage and quickly mastered the required steps.

Sherri Bautista Burke, the mother of the dancing instructor and a dancer herself, served as an early inspiration for her daughter and helped rally support for the dancing couple during the competition.

Ronato Alcano wins world pool championship

Unseeded Ronato "Calamba" Alcano of the Philippines defeated seventh-seed Ralf Souquet in convincing fashion to win the 2006 World Pool Championship (WPC) in Manila.

Alcano led the match most of the way surprising many as Souqet was a big favorite after beating a number of the top seeds in the tournament.

The Laguna native whose previous win in the WPC was the round of 64 in 2005, pocketed the $100,000 top purse, while Souquet earned $40,000.


Ronato Alcano of the Philippines lifts his trophy before a jubilant hometown crowd after winning against Germany's Ralf Souquet during the World Pool Championship final in Manila, Philippines, on Sunday, Nov. 12, 2006. Alcano beat Souquet 17-10. AP Photo/Aaron Favila via Yahoo News.

Liu, Luat move on to world pool quaterfinals

Rodolfo Luat of the Philippines and Taiwan's Liu Cheng-chuan secured berths in the world pool championship quaterfinals in Manila on Friday.

Lie defeated Cananda's Tyler Edey, and Luat barely held off Spain's David Alcaide known as "El Matador."


The world's best pool players hold the prize trophy before the start of a news conference for the World Pool Championships at a hotel in Manila November 3, 2006. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco via Yahoo News.

Filipino players have been under pressure to perform before their hometown crowds. The two best-known locals Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante have fallen out of the tourney.

Fourteen other players are competing for the remaining six quarterfinal slots leading to a $100,000 check for the tournament winner.