Jordin Sparks Wins American Idol Season Six

When they made Taylor Hicks, he broke the American Idol mold....literally! Last year's season six finale held a reported 36.4 million viewers at the edge of their seats. When Jordin Sparks took the American Idol crown on Wednesday night, only a reported 29.5 million viewers tuned in. That's a 19 percent drop! So what happened?

As a self proclaimed Soul Patroller, I loved Jordin Sparks. I thought either she or Melinda Doolittle would take the crown. Many of us Soul Patrollers were severely disappointed at the lack of support given to Taylor Hicks this season. I know many of us failed to watch season six because of the lack of respect for the season five winner. Taylor wasn't even announced or interviewed as last year's winner. All of the glory always seemed to be given to rocker Chris Daughtry. Don't get me wrong, I think that Daughtry is extremely talented and should be praised, but he didn't win! It's no wonder Taylor is ready to give up the crown and move on with his career. With no support from the show, who wouldn't be ready? I say that American Idol dug their own grave when they decided to show lack of respect to a great musician.

Season Six had some wonderfully talented people on board, but there were those that didn't deserve to be there...Sanjaya, for one. I was bored this season. Blake Lewis, 25, is an unbelievable beat boxer, but I don't feel he should've beat out Melinda. Well, that's how American Idol works...I can vote unlimited amounts of times and they are taking it right to the bank. How it really should be done is that you should get ONE vote per contestant. I know someone that had voted 1200 times, and that was by text alone. She doesn't even know how man times she called. They always say, "That's more people than what voted in the last presidential election!" WRONG! That is how many VOTES came in...not how many people voted. There may only be a million people voting.

Jordin Sparks is amazingly talented, and I hope and pray that she gets the respect that she deserves in this industry. Being so young, 17, and unfamiliar with fame, I know that the next year of her life is going to feel overwhelming and exhausting. I look at Taylor and how he looks wiped...the industry definitely takes a toll on your life. Taylor craves privacy, but lives for the stage. The life of a famous musician is give and take, but not easy.

Sparks has had a little taste of it as she toured with Michael W Smith on his 2005 and 2006 Christmastime tours. She may not have been the front liner, but she saw a small taste of fame where Michael W Smith was concerned. He even campaigned heavily for her on his personal website and on MySpace. I would say that the Christian community banded together to see one of their own come into success!

No matter what you think of American Idol, my feeling is that it is on a downward spiral to doom. I know that members of the Soul Patrol, who have been faithful Idol followers, are fed up with the lack of support for their winner. And lastly, the newness is fading...and with a 19 percent decrease in viewers, I'd say it's fading fast. Lookout, Simon. Your baby is slipping from your grasp, but I know you're still laughing all the way to the bank!