The 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee is here. The way I see it, there's really no better way to resurrect this page than to write my annual Spelling Bee running diary. The bee ended last night, and I've yet to watch either the preliminary rounds or the finals. Fortunately, I'm spoiler free thus far and plan to watch about 6 hours of spelling bee as I write seemingly random thoughts. I'll begin with the preliminary rounds and will move on to the final rounds afterwards.
Preliminary Rounds:
- This time around, I'm watching in HD. I can't think of any other occasion where I have thought, "You know, this might be better in SD."
- Nice job with the intro. Bees and honey. Clever.
- An 8th grader named Alex has the craziest, long hair. He also looks like he's 6 foot 2 and plays center for a varsity football team. They need to be checking for HGH next year.
- I feel like I'm getting far more words correct this year. It must be an early round thing. There's no way my spelling abilities have gotten any better.
- There needs to be a Hevad Khan kid. One that just goes nuts every time he gets a word right, high fiving the other kids, judges and camera crew.
- I've asked this before and I'll ask it again. Why are Canada and Jamaica allowed in the NATIONAL spelling bee?
- Some real young kid named Sriram got eliminated early. He was interviewed while eating a chocolate chip cookie, with gooey chocolate mess all over his face. He couldn't have been happier. Ah, to be a kid again.
- Speaking of interviews, Erin Andrews is smoking hot. She might kickstart puberty for half of these kids. Between talking to her and the cookies, it might be the first time that losing is better than winning.
- There is going to be a massive spelling bee scandal in the next five years. You don't think that someone could either signal words to a kid from the audience? Or, they could go high tech with an earpiece. Either way, it's happening. Mark my words.
- Kennyi looks to be as Hevad Khan as it's going to get. He came up there all super cool and confident. Then he nailed voussior. I'm not sure if I really like him or I'm concerned that he's the next Chad Ochocinco.
- Round 4 = words I can spell. Round 5 = words I cannot spell. At this point, I'm very impressed.
- These kids give more level headed analyses than Lebron James.
- 20 spellers were knocked out during round 5. The final one was Eleanor Runde, who, to be blunt, seems to be too good looking to be in the spelling bee. How wrong is that to say? And on how many levels?
- Serena Skye Laine-Lobsinger. With a name like that, you have to learn how to spell. She also has a self-confidence you rarely see among adults.
My DVR cut off. So, that's it for the preliminaries. When I get a chance to watch the finals, I'll continue here....
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