So ABC was doing a wonderful job covering the Scripps National Spelling Bee, up until they tried to put up a graphic illustrating what the winner receives. How a network could misspell a word at Spelling Bee is hilarious, but especially so when said word is "Educational". Via Bklyn Josh....


Too funny. Other than that it was a great broadcast, and very entertaining. If I learned anything, it's that contestant Kennyi needs his own show and/or Youtube channel, and the winner Kavya Shivashankar knows every word known to man....including Laodicean. Congrats!

The Scripps National Spelling Bee finally ended late Friday night after hours and hours of words I had never heard of......well besides Travis Diener. The kid's name is Sameer Mishra from Lafayette, Indiana and the word was Guerdon. And are you ready for this? He was the same kid that had to spell Diener earlier in the day! How about that for closure?

guer·don (noun)- [Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin widerdnum, alteration (influenced by Latin dnum, gift) of Old High German widarln : widar, back, against; see wi- in Indo-European roots + ln, reward; see lau- in Indo-European roots.]

Good stuff Sameer, but I was more mesmerized by the second place finisher's mustache. Seriously, try and tell me this kid is 12 years old.....


I call shenanigans. What in the name of Danny Almonte is up with that 'stache!

So the Scripps National Spelling Bee is in full swing this morning and people are getting knocked out a feverous pace. Erin Andrews is on hand and Chris McKendry is doing her best to make analogies to Sports to make the viewing audience interested. She seriously compared the Dr. Jacques Bailly to a pitcher throwing a no-hitter after nine people in a row got the word wrong. Good stuff.

The current word is xerach, and I'm currently praying for some kid to pass out either at the mic or when EA interviews them. Until that happens please be trying your hands at spelling obscure NBA or MLB names!

1st Annual Ball Don't Lie NBA Spelling Bee (Ball Don't Lie)
Addition of MLB player names expected to wreak havoc at National Spelling Bee (The Sports Hernia)

It's good to see Erin Andrews dressed in bee colors for the Spelling Bee....


Please to be spelling for me....Travis DIENER.....

Who knew that Travis was a laboratory assistant? Good times. Now if they fit in Krzyzewski I'll be really impressed.

In years past it has been Mike and Mike that hosted the annual spelling be for ESPN, but it looks like that has changed. This upcoming year will be Dancing with the Stars host Tom Bergeron and someone by the name of Erin Andrews. Via The Futon Critic....

Emmy Award-winning Tom Bergeron ("Dancing with the Stars," "America's Funniest Home Videos") hosts live television coverage of the final championship rounds of "The 2008 Scripps National Spelling Bee," FRIDAY, MAY 30 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET), live from Washington, DC. Preliminary championship rounds will air live earlier in the day on ESPN, which has televised the Bee in its entirety since 1994. ESPN's live telecast (simulcast on ESPN360.com) is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., ET. ESPN360.com will provide coverage of the quarterfinal rounds from 2:00-5:30 p.m., ET on Thursday, May 29 on ESPN 360.com. ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews will be a correspondent for both the ABC and ESPN broadcasts.

Mike and Mike had done it for the past few years, and I don't know if they are just spread to thin to do it, but this is just another thing in a laundry list of assignments they've been taken off of. Chris McKendry is also involved in the broadcast to some degree.

Tom Bergeron Hosts "The 2008 Scripps National Spelling Bee" (The Futon Critic)