And acid-tongued Simon Cowellwhom critics call the show's real star gave several interviewsin which he contemplated an exit when his

And acid-tongued Simon Cowell,whom critics call the show's real star, gave several interviewsin which he contemplated an exit when his deal ends next year. "You take out one person like Paula or Simon, (and) you'reaffecting every other player in this grid," said Time magazinetelevision critic James Poniewozik. "They're a family, adysfunctional family, and it's tough to mess with that." At risk for the Fox Broadcasting Co., which is owned byRupert Murdoch's News Corp. (NWSA.O), are millions of dollarsin annual advertising revenue that would be lost if viewerstune out following a departure by Cowell or Abdul. The pair are the most talked-about judges on thefour-person panel that critiques performances of pop starwannabes competing to be the next "American Idol" and win arecording contract. They are joined by Randy Jackson and newjudge Kara DioGuardi, as well as show host Ryan Seacrest.

This week, Cowell told the New York Times that when heagreed to his contract through next season, it felt like itwould be his last, and he said in The Hollywood Reporter thatif "Idol" dropped from No 1, he would want to leave "I have had a great eight years. But inevitably you get toa point in life when you think maybe it's time for a change,"he told reporters on Friday at an event in Los Angeles. Cowell said he had not talked about his contract with Foxexecutives "I have not even sat down with them yet Maybe I'mbeing premature Maybe they don't want me!," he said. Leaving the show likely would be a big let-down for fans ofthe celebrity judge who earns an estimated $36 million a seasonby often heaping criticism on the program's pop star wannabes. "He's the villain that people like to cheer against, andalso I think people don't give him enough credit for this, he'sactually also a really good critic," Poniewozik said. IDOL THREAT? Fortunately for Fox, the show has retained its lofty titleas No 1 on U.S. airwaves despite a slip in its audience sizethat could be tied to lower viewership for TV shows overall.

Now in its eighth season, "Idol" has seen its audience sizedecrease by about 8 percent compared to last year, and it isaveraging about 26.3 million viewers per show, Fox said. Still, it retains a 68 percent ratings lead among viewers18 to 49 years-old, a key group that advertisers covet, overits nearest competitor, ABC sitcom "Desperate Housewives." "'Idol' at the moment is the most dominant it has everbeen," said Mike Darnell, president of alternative programmingat Fox Broadcasting. When asked about the show's prospects if Cowell or Abdulwere to leave, Darnell said only that he hoped they would not. "It is our hope and my personal wish that both of them stayfor as long as the show is on," Darnell said Industry experts, however, are more forthcoming. "Simon Cowell, if he left the show after next season, therewould be a much bigger drop-off in terms of viewing; he'sreally the focal point," said Brad Adgate, a vice president atadvertising agency Horizon Media. The loss of Abdul would be a blow, too, as critics say sheis crucial, if only for her often unpredictable behavior. "Paula is a liability for any number of reasons people talkabout, just the sort of crazy, scatterbrained responses shegives during the judges' criticism," Poniewozik said.

"But that's 'American Idol,' the things people complainabout are a big chunk of the reason the audience watches." (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Bob Tourtellotteand Eric Walsh) Stocks Global Markets Media. As my beloved New York Knicks prepare for yet another afternoon in ping-pong land, I find myself continuously researching all sorts of draft analysis and watching YouTube clips trying to figure out who might land in Gotham next season.USC 'one-and-doner' O.J Mayo is predicted to be a top three pick. He is a likely candidate for the Knickerbockers and we could certainly use an athlete with hisskill-set to help turn our franchise around.There, that's it, there should be no other talk about Mayo other than where he might play next season and whether or not he'd fit in with his newteammates and/or new coaching staff.Instead I have to endure all of this incessant dribble about Mayo accepting payments from a sports promoter who works for the agent who nowrepresents Mayo in his professional endeavors. My response to the allegations: so what?!I am a former Division I scholarship athlete.

In fact, I was an All-American at the University of Nebraska in track & field. Do you know who paid for my athletic scholarship, Head Coach Tom Osbourne, or more appropriately QB Steve Taylor, Linebacker Broderick Thomas or defensive end Neil Smith? Since I left Nebraska, there have been several wonderful additions to the campus in the form of student activity centers, new dorms and too may things for me to list here. Guess who paid for it?  It sure as hell wasn't the math department.There will more than enough pieces written that will argue the validity of paying Div-I athletes salaries (a concept that not only am I in favor of, but I think would actually help collegiate athletics), so I won't waste my time trying shout louder than everyone else on the page. What is true, however is that as long as schools have television contracts, bowl payouts and shoe company endorsements, athletes will get paid under the table. As long as coaches are biting their nails wondering whether or not that 20 win season is enough to allow them to keep their multi-million dollar salaries, then athletes will get paid under the table.