Rubbertoe's Countdown to the Next American Idol

So I was 4 of 6 for each of the boys and girls on my top 12 prediction. I really thought that Eben would make it onto the top 12. There have been many young guys before and I thought with his talent and his Bieberish looks he would get on. I also thought that Jenn Hirsch would get picked at least as a wild card. The judges have been pushing her from the beginning. I was happy to see that neither Creighton Fraker or Grimm Reed got on though....I couldn't have sat through many more shows with either of them. The biggest robbery in the selections was the fact that Aaron Marcellus wasn't selected. I believe that had they not brought back on Jermaine and the sympathy votes, Aaron would not have been denied his rightful place in the top 13. Anyway....on to my predictions

13. Jessica Sanchez - Because a girl almost always gets voted off first...and honestly, I don't know anything about her. She doesn't stand out to me. I don't remember her from any of the shows...I slept through her top 12 girl performance (Not her fault)....

12. Ericka Van Pelt - Although there are more guys than girls, I believe the first two to go will be women. This is the pattern that he have seen for a couple of seasons.

11. Heejun Han - I was surprized that he made the top 13, not because he doesn't have a good voice, I think that he does. He just isn't the AI mold and I don't think that he will stick around long

10. Jermaine Jones - I am a little worried about my pick here. I am suspicious of AI's "X-Factor" imitating. I fully expect a Jermaine Jones win so that like X-Factor Idol can claim in all its feigned drama glory "OMG....and we almost let this golden child go". Ok....maybe its me being dramatic here. Either Jermaines sympathy votes are going to wear off quick or he is going to go a whole lot further.
(Maybe they'll use the judges "save" to save him once again before they crown him this years AI...and then they will have one-upped X-Factor and be able to say...."OMG...we almost let this gem go TWICE)

9. Deandre Brackensick - He's cute....he can sing..and he might go a lot further...but I think he'll go fairly quickly once the competition gets into full force.

8. Hollie Cavanaugh - She is going to be this years Phil Stacey/Josh Gracin for me. I hope that she gets cut earlier....and I suspect that she'll make it closer to the top 5...but I'm picking her at #8. She has a good voice, but ZERO stage presence. America wants more personality in its Idol. But in either case....we are going to have to endure several weeks of interviews with her not ENUNCIATING!!!! Hopefully they'll give her a coach and teach her how to speak when she talks.

7. Jeremy Rosado - I honestly don't get this guy. People seem to really like him, but I don't think he is all that good. This is the guy that I expect that the judges will actually use their lame-ass "save" on. Primarily because they almost always save the guy that I don't really like...(e.g. Casey).

6. Elise Testone - I put her out of the top 5 mainly because she doesn't stand out to me. I looked back and some of my previous postings and I have commented on how good her voice is....but she doesn't spark much in my memory.

THE TOP 5

5. Joshua Ledet - This guy is probably the most talented one in the bunch. He very likely could be eliminated much earlier because I don't see America embracing him. I think he's a little too "gay" for the typical AI voter (although I'm not sure that he is) and I think this will hurt him.

4. Phil Phillips - I'm afraid that we are going to have to endure at least several weeks of this guy doing the same song week after week after week. The guy has some charm to him, but honestly, he only knows how to perform 1 song and ever title is just his version with different lyrics....seriously.....SNL could do a great skit on him. For whatever reason, America will vote for him for many weeks to come.

The TOP 3

3. Shannon McGrane - She'll get her hometown moment...complete with a parade in the backseat of a limo with her ex-MLB pitcher father...but she'll be denied a spot in the finale (Unless its a girl v. girl finale)

The Finale

2. Colton Dixon - He's good...he's young...he's hip....he's a throwback to the 80's. AI have been pimping him from the start....beginning with the "He wasn't even going to compete" card. This is straight out of the AI scriptbook for stories and kinda runs with AI's X-factor fascination. He could win the whole thing in a "OMG...he's the next American Idol and we had to talk him into auditioning" drama....but I think this year...Its gotta be a girl.

1. Skylar Laine - C'mon....she's got the perfect name for an Idol superstar...she's got the stage presence and the voice. She's the complete package. Idol has always liked country....but my only hesitation is that last year we had a country finale.... and a Country Idol. However....I don't see that derailing this Reba-eseque girl from the crown.

There ya have it.....my predictions....which I predict will be almost all completely wrong. This is a hard year to predict. Unlike in years past, there have been some easy standouts. I don't have much hope for this bunch. I see this as probably the weakest group since season 6....but maybe they will grow.....

Onto the competition.....

Rubbertoe.....out!