On the eve of this season's American Idol finale it's only natural to relish the plethora of articles the talented contestants and controversial judges have generated. So, of course, I poured my coffee and settled in this last Sunday to read the local paper's take on who was best qualified and/or most likely to win (not always one in the same!). Imagine my disappointment, though perhaps not surprise, to read what the Sunday Denver Post writers offered up.

At a time when there are so many fun recollections of what has been a fairly talented season, the Post columnists preferred to rag on the contest's very validity. Were these kids really that talented? Had any of the previous winners achieved anything more than fleeting pop star success? Was there anything lasting/worthy/contributory/unique about them? What, they seemed to be asking, really was the point?

Let me put it this way. If you've watched ABC lately you can't have missed the build-up for the finale of Dancing with The Stars. In the interest of time, I won't even quibble about what a misnomer "Stars" is.

Here's my quibble instead. Once the top duo twists and twirls their way to the Dancing with The Stars pinnacle...then what? They put out an Academy Award winning Dancing with The Stars movie? Produce a Tony nominated Dancing with The Stars Broadway musical? How about a Grammy grabbing recording of Music to Dance Along with the Stars?

I don't think so.

The columnists over at the Post may have generated print about the contest, but clearly they aren't fans of it. At least Mike Pearson over at the Rocky seems to have a genuine Idol fascination, appreciating that this somewhat sagging ratings megalith has managed to find everything it needs, from A. to C., in its very talented, yet diverse David vs. David finale.

What fans "get" is the answer to that aforementioned question, "Then what?" What puts American Idol ahead of all other reality contests isn't Paula's motherly words of encouragement blended liberally with the results of whatever really fills her Coke cup, or Simon's tough but-especially this season-on target criticism (NEVER argue with him-will they never learn?), or Randy's enthusiastic nomination of a new Dog to his Pound. No, it's not even the growing realization that Ryan's is the star that, in the end, is likely to rise highest.

What puts Idol at the top of the reality heap is that there really is a "what" after the "then".

The contestants have paid varying amounts of dues before their exposure, but none of them got to the top 12 without talent. And if they are smart, and work hard and take the good advice that will come their way-whether they win or not-they have a genuine chance at a real career doing what they love to do. Name one other reality show that delivers that kind of result.

Come this Wednesday, when at last we crown our Season 7 American Idol, the fans will know that, like the seasons that came before, there is more than one winner. While it takes time for cream to rise to the top, in the decades to come, as the multitude of kids that got a shot they might never have gotten otherwise take varying advantage of their greatest opportunity, they will provide the answer again and again to the question, "then what?", only to leave us with the realization that the biggest winners on American Idol are the fans who can enjoy the results for a lifetime.