Blaze Of Glory

Plato once said, ~Laws are partly formed for the sake of good men, in order to instruct them in how they may live on friendly terms with one another, and partly for their sake of those who refuse to be instructed, whose spirit cannot be subdued, or softened, or hindered from plunging into evil.~ If you think about it, American Idol is a lot like the old west and the contestant each week are in a showdown with each other but instead of six shooters their voices are the weapon of choice. Like any "town" it must have its resident peacekeepers to lay down the law in this so-called High Noon type setting where sound or unsound criticism either sends them to an early grave or live to fight another day.

For the most part, the "town" of American Idol has had its share of memorable gunfighters, but none has created more buzz around the world than a gray haired cowboy named Taylor Hicks otherwise known as the Silver Fox. A man who not only made his presence known when he walked into town in Nevada but also brought something along with him that inevitably became a force to be reckoned with and that is soul. Since then there has been a following of mass proportions to where the mention of his name causes a disturbance in a positive way of course. Yet, that positive disturbance hasn't been sitting well with one of the three lawmen who has taken upon himself to take him down any way possible and his name is Simon Cowell.

Without a doubt, Simon Cowell is considered one of the meanest and toughest hombres whose quick to judge attitude branded the Silver Fox an outlaw due to the fact that he does not fit what he thinks an American Idol should be thus making him a wanted man, in a manner of speaking. His unique and one of a kind style of gunfighting, so to speak, has not only wowed the crow to the point of bringing them to their feet but it has also brought tears to the eyes of the female population as well. In Simon's "town" he's branded public enemy #1 and the barrage of flying criticisms have consistently been aimed towards the Silver Fox, which has wounded him deep but as the saying goes what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Essentially, the Silver Fox has taken off the gloves so to speak and is not going to comply with laws that have been set before him, which has subdued the once gray haired stranger that America, as well as, the world grew to love back in Nevada. The Silver Fox is considered a free spirit and the apparent refusal to no longer play by the rules that have been set forth shows that he's going back to what brought him to the dance, in a manner of speaking. In a sense, Taylor Hicks is bringing everything he's got in his arsenal for a showdown of a lifetime. A showdown that may in fact turn either good, bad, or ugly and by the end of the night it will hopefully be the gray haired cowboy who will be the last man standing.

In retrospect, Simon Cowell considers Taylor Hicks a serious threat because he's such an unpredictable and dangerous foe. Tuesday night, The Silver Fox is heading into a fight and right behind him is his posse who has been with him every step of the way with itchy dialing trigger fingers locked and ready to dial. Most certainly a tombstone marked with not only his name but also the names of each and every member of the soul patrol posse too. In the end, two days from now The Silver Fox is prepared to walk in six shooters firing at all cylinders and in the end I ask you this question Soul Patrol, are you prepared...are you ready to go down in a blaze of glory, which is a song by Jon Bon Jovi from the movie Young Guns II.