I agree about Mike Richards. If Vegas was taking odds on the next permanent host, he would have to be near the top of the odds list.
I disagree, if for no other reason than the fact that oddmakers wouldn't know who he is. I would imagine Sony would want some sort of known entity to be the permanent host. Despite having a couple of shows under his belt as a host, Mike would not qualify.
I do think Mike would do a very good job and would be a great option if they needed a fill-in on short notice during this transition period. But not permanent. Would he really want to give up his job as EP on J! and Wheel to be host of one show? I doubt it. He seems like a guy who likes to run things, not be a cog in the machinery.
Finding the permanent replacement is tricky because you need not only someone fans will recognize, but also someone who can do the technically complicated job of hosting that show. It's not like other game shows where a teleprompter and heavy editing can bail out someone who lacks the technical chops. That's the thing that makes Ken an obvious choice: He is a known entity on the show, and also undoubtedly capable of being a trivia competition host.
That said, I was not exactly bowled over by the job he has done as a clue reader this season... he has come across as a little robotic. I think he'll have to up his game a little bit as a fill-in if he wants the permanent job.