Will the Spirit Snag the Statue?

The academy awards are tonight and the average viewer basically has one category in mind: Best Supporting Actor. I saw the Dark Knight this summer and really enjoyed it. We all know, however, that the Joker stole the show. Heath Ledger was great, but will the academy choose him? I feel like his nomination is overly hyped. If Heath Ledger weren't dead, would his role receive the same amount of attention? I don't think so, but basically everyone I talk to about this subject begs to differ. They think he's a great actor and that he deserves it, regardless if oxygen isn't flowing through his lungs at this point in time. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve it, but it's pretty obvious that he will win tonight. I'll be sitting at home, slightly disappointed. I really hate when people hype things for me. It just ruins my outlook on the movie; I expect more than the people who saw it first, going in with little to no expectations. Especially if this hype involves a beloved dead man--an attractive man, who plays an unconventional role for a nomination: a super villain. I mean, if best supporting actor means that this actor steals the entire movie from all other characters, making the audience focus on them the entire time, then yes, Heath Ledger deserves it. Call me cynical, but this was not my favorite year for movies.