# National Spelling Bee **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 30, 2014, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-spelling-bee/689611 "2014-05-30T01:29:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-spelling-bee/689611/1 "2014-05-30T01:29:50Z")
It’s on ESPN and so riveting that I’m skipping the NBA and NHL. Why do some kids ask the part of speech when it’s sometimes obvious? The definition of one word was some kind of church. Obviously it’s a noun. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-spelling-bee/689611/2 "2014-05-30T02:43:25Z")
It gives them time to think. My Mother detests the National Spelling Bee, she hates seeing these kids suffering like they do. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-spelling-bee/689611/3 "2014-05-30T03:49:20Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > It gives them time to think. > > My Mother detests the National Spelling Bee, she hates seeing these kids suffering like they do. I cringe at any competition involving kids. But these kids seem to almost live for this. As long as it’s not because of parents forcing them I can deal with it. It was nice to see a tie this time. They have a time limit so don’t need to waste any time. There must be another reason. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-spelling-bee/689611/4 "2014-05-30T03:57:29Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > I cringe at any competition involving kids. Yes, it’s a regular _marasmus_ games. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-spelling-bee/689611/5 "2014-05-30T04:59:27Z")
I can’t believe it ended in a tie. That’s not the American way. They should’ve made the last two kids fight or something. With swords! ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-spelling-bee/689611/6 "2014-05-30T14:07:05Z")
Double nerd score! ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-spelling-bee/689611/7 "2014-05-30T15:17:13Z")
I was hoping the boy in the red plaid shirt would win. He’s obviously autistic, and had to overcome a lot to get here - and that’s not including the fact that he was 2nd place in regionals for the past two years, just a heartbeat away. I almost made it there when I was in 8th grade. The word that got me dinged was “justification”; I left out one of the "I"s in the middle. :smack: When I hear about multiple siblings participating, I do wonder if some of them were indeed forced into it. There was a story a few years ago that broke after the youngest of 5 kids who all made it to the finals turned 18; they had been homeschooled, and had been taught spelling words and not much else under the threat of death if they didn’t make it. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-spelling-bee/689611/8 "2014-05-30T15:46:34Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I almost made it there when I was in 8th grade. The word that got me dinged was “justification”; I left out one of the "I"s in the middle. :smack: It’s your mom’s fault! She bought the wrong cereal and you were distracted that day! Or is that more of a rationalzation? ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-spelling-bee/689611/9 "2014-05-31T04:03:15Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > He’s obviously autistic, and had to overcome a lot to get here - and that’s not including the fact that he was 2nd place in regionals for the past two years, just a heartbeat away. What leads you to the obvious autism spectrum diagnosis? Hasn’t come up at work, where the autism related alias doesn’t miss many feel good spectrum stories. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-spelling-bee/689611/10 "2014-05-31T12:56:32Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > I can’t believe it ended in a tie. That’s not the American way. They should’ve made the last two kids fight or something. With swords! I’m sorry to inform you that you must hand in your American card for not suggesting guns for the final fight. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-spelling-bee/689611/11 "2014-05-31T17:21:19Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I’m sorry to inform you that you must hand in your American card for not suggesting guns for the final fight. This is the National Spelling Bee, not the Hunger Games! 😛