Can you Spell A-W-E-S-O-M-E?

What's better than watching a bunch of college students crumble under the pressure of competition? Watching a bunch of pre-teens crumble under the pressure of competition. It may not get the same ratings, but Sunday's Regional Spelling Bee is where the real March Madness is. It has all the drama and suspense of the NCAA tournament, but has the benefit of being over in just a few hours.

Last year's Spelling Bee had the benefit of being a Stranger Suggests, so Town Hall was filled with a healthy crowd beyond the family members of the participants. There was comfort in knowing that I wasn't the only linguaphile in the room. I don't know if the others in attendance were also keeping track of every word that lead to an elimination, or if they were mentally picking favorites, but I like to think that I wasn't the only one taking the event that seriously. The crowd noticeably thinned at the mid-way point, but at the end there was enough of an audience to fill Town Hall with thunderous applause for the winner. Without the Stranger's endorsement, the crowd will probably skew more to relatives, but it's hoped that the wordsmith contingent shows up in full force once again.

If the drama inherent in a single-elimination tournament isn't enough for you, here's another reason to show up Sunday (in the case that last year's setup is repeated): free cookies at intermission.