Thursday, June 3, 2010

OUR 2010 NATIONAL SPELLING BEE POOL: Our rules are only slightly different from previous years, to account for the veteran-light nature of this year's Bee.

So select two spellers, only one of whom can be one of the three who competed in primetime last year (Tim Ruiter, Anamika Veeramani and Neetu Chandak). You will get one point for each word your spellers correctly spell during tomorrow's rounds of the Bee, which resumes at 10am on ESPN. Most points wins; tiebreaker will be whoever has the individual speller going the furthest. While individual spellers can be used more than once, you cannot repeat the same pairing that someone else has already submitted. First come, first served, and the pool will close when the kids start spelling tomorrow morning.

Previous pool winners are Elicia Chamberlin (Close/Hooks), Professor Jeff and Amy (O'Dorney & Thomas/Horton), KJ in 2008 (Mishra/Shivashankar) and Cagey (Shivashankar/Pastapur) last year.

Since it's my blog, I go first, and I'm taking four-timer Neetu Chandak and Canada's Laura Newcombe. Every other pair is up for grabs. Also, a reminder below the fold:




75 comments:

  1. Jennifer J.8:00 PM

    Neetu Chandak and Sonia Schlesinger please.

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  2. BeeFan8:01 PM

    Tim Ruiter
    Laura Newcombe

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  3. Heather P8:02 PM

    I'm going with Hannah Evans and local boy Neel Mehta, who's representing the same paper who sponsored me in 1983.

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  4. Tim Ruiter and hometown girl Joanna Ye.

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  5. Marsha8:04 PM

    I'll take Laura Newcombe and Esther Park. I've got a feeling about Esther.

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  6. Shonda Rhimes8:05 PM

    I'm going with Tim Ruiter and Hannah Evans.

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  7. DadofTwins8:10 PM

    If experience counts, it's hard to go against Neetu Chandak and Shanatu Srivatsa.

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  8. patricia8:12 PM

    I'm going with Neetu Chandak and local girl Julia Deniss. 

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  9. Maddy8:15 PM

    Tim Ruiter and Esther Park (because Shonda already took Tim and Hannah, and I trust Marsha's feeling about Esther.  Basically, I'm a big ol copycat).  I'm graduating tomorrow so I may be celebrating and not Bee-watching, but my DVR is set.  My best friend and I are going to have a belated Bee watching party this weekend.

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  10. CharlotteinPa8:16 PM

    <span>Neetu Chandak and wild card David Phan, please</span>

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  11. Christy in Philly8:19 PM

    Neetu and Esther Park.

    I am going to my 10 year college reunion tomorrow night. I can't believe I'm going to miss the finals! Tivo set but it's not the same!

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  12. Congratulations, Maddy!

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  13. scottru8:20 PM

    Ruiter/Chemudupaty - that's my pair for this year...

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  14. Maddy8:23 PM

    Thanks!  I am so very excited to be done with high school.

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  15. Congratulations on your graduation, Maddy! 

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  16. Neetu Chandak and Hannah Evans.

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  17. Sue Downey8:26 PM

    I am excited to play! I would like Neel Mehta and George Jose please!! How much fun! 

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  18. isaac_spaceman8:27 PM

    Hannah Evans, sister of beloved speller Matthew Evans, and Vaidya Govindarajan, because SpongeBob reminds me that they're just kids. 

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  19. Jennifer J.8:28 PM

    I almost picked your 2nd choice. He's from Houston and I live in Dallas. I got burned choosing a hometown person last year so I didn't do it...I might regret that decision. :)p I'm curious why you picked him. Care to share? Thanks!

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  20. Timothy Jaxon8:29 PM

    I'll take Cortez and Newcombe this year (some local rah-rah and a hope that this Bee will crown a non-American finally!)

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  21. isaac_spaceman8:29 PM

    Congratulations, Maddy!  Now she's done and they're calling someone such a familiar name. 

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  22. Jennifer J.8:36 PM

    I almost went with this combo, Sue. Much luck! :)

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  23. BeeFan8:43 PM

    Actually, there was a Jamaican champ in 1998.  So it wouldn't be a first.

    I picked Laura as well (plus Tim Ruiter).  Laura's won Canspell twice.  Only Finola Hackett ever did that before, and I consider Finola to easily be the best speller never to win Scripps.  She probably would have won with that performance nine times out of ten, but Kerry Close was just too good that year.

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  24. Maddy8:44 PM

    Thanks guys! 
    Gah I love those lyrics... and all of his lyrics.  I also really enjoy the fact that we have extremely similar tastes in music, Isaac. 

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  25. lauri8:48 PM

    laura newcombe and hannah evans

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  26. Professor Jeff8:50 PM

    Is the pool like the Bee, where once you win you can't compete anymore?  If so, I guess I'll have to be content with my fame and/or glory (I can't remember which one Amy chose).  If not, count me in for Tim Ruiter and Neel Mehta.

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  27. Devin McCullen8:51 PM

    Tim Ruiter & Gina Liu (I like her taste in books)

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  28. You're in.

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  29. Donyala8:58 PM

    I'll take Olathe's own <span>Vanya Shivashankar and Tim Ruiter.</span>

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  30. BeeFan9:01 PM

    Vanya didn't qualify for the semis.  :-(

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  31. Jenn.9:01 PM

    Congrats!  It's such an exciting time---so many options are ahead of you. 

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  32. Anonymous9:01 PM

    No very good reason, I'm afraid: well-rounded, comfortable, likes to read, seems reasonably well-adjusted. That got me partway through last year. I was very close to pulling the trigger for Aberle and changed my mind at the last moment. (Also, I was in a rush. :) )

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  33. Jenn.9:03 PM

    I'll take Anamika Veeramani and Georgia's Julia Dennis.

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  34. Professor Jeff9:03 PM

    Much obliged, Adam.

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  35. Jenn.9:07 PM

    For the record, I knew that her last name has two esses.  I just mistyped.  (D'oh.)

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  36. Eric J.9:07 PM

    Tim Ruiter and Dakota Jones

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  37. Julen9:14 PM

    I would like Tim Ruiter and Sarah Anne Allen (hometown picks!)

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  38. Roger Ford9:18 PM

    <span><span><span><span><span>Speller No. 259, Tim Ruiter<span><span><span><span><span><span>Speller No. 80, Modhura Chakravarty</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>

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  39. Roger Ford9:20 PM

    Hmm, that was a wacky copy/paste error. Anyway, Ruiter and Chakravarty.

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  40. calliekl9:41 PM

    I'd like fellow Nashuan Anjithaan Radakrishnan and Shivani Angappan, who "can be found day dreaming". Let's go ladies!

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  41. Alison9:49 PM

    Tim Ruiter and Sukanya Roy (hometown pick)

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  42. Tim Ruiter and Anvita Mishra

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  43. Donna J10:42 PM

    I'm pulling for a couple of underdogs: George Jose because he collects cool shoes and Jeremiah Cortez since he knows the answers to many questions.

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  44. Greg W.10:48 PM

    Neel Mehta because he lives just up the road and Karen Laska because she sings.

    I would have taken George Jose because he's from Wapakoneta, Ohio -- birthplace of Neil Armstrong and the cutest kid from SYTYCD last night. 

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  45. Anamika Veeramani and Hannah Evans

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  46. I will pick Owayne Rodney and Julianna Rodriquez

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  47. Laura Newcombe and Dakota Jones (I picked Laura because of the reasons stated above and Dakota because I can relate to the fact that his "other interests include anything related to food.")

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  48. Amy (not the winner)11:42 PM

    Tim Ruiter and Sonia Schlesinger

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  49. Tim Ruiter and Tom Winter.

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  50. Neetu Chandak and Aditya Chemudupaty

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  51. Heather K12:08 AM

    Chicagoan Minock and Chandak.  I will be with my family tomorrow evening, and I am hoping that I will be able to convince them that spelling is a sport because it is shown on ESPN so I get to watch some bee!!!

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  52. Neetu Chandak and Nicholas Rushlow

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  53. Adam C.12:56 AM

    Work has me too busy to study up on the contestants this year, and I'm too late to get any good pairs anyway.  So good luck everyone, and enjoy watching tomorrow!

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  54. Marnie1:07 AM

    Ah, I missed prime picking time.  Not sure if this is taken already but Neetu Chandak and Neel Mehta. I probably won't be able to join in the fun tomorrow as I will be at a bachelorette. Enjoy everyone!

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  55. StvMg1:08 AM

    I nearly went with that combo as well. It was basically a coin flip for me between Aditya and Rushlow.

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  56. sconstant5:00 AM

    <span><span>Sukanya Roy and Anamika Veeramani</span></span>

    Won't be CoverItLiveing this year, sadly.

    Sad to see no Tom Bergeron on the national broadcast, because I always root for the hosts to be cover clueless confused appreciation with suavity, and Tom Bergeron seemed as close as we would get to Fred Willard in Best In Show without being too grating or offensive to the contestants.

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  57. Sarah8:56 AM

    Laura Newcombe and Anamika Veeramani

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  58. Anonymous9:27 AM

    Dang it, Sarah, you took my pair!  I'll go with all foreigners, since I'm not American - Owayne Rodney and Laura Newcombe (because I'm pretty sure they take away my Canadian citizenship if I don't pick the Canadian)

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  59. D'Arcy9:28 AM

    Oops.  That was me picking Rodney and Newcombe.

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  60. Gina Liu (a fellow oboist) and Anamika Veeramani (a fellow Ohioan).

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  61. Bob Loblaw9:38 AM

    I can't believe nobody's taken the Anamika/Aditya combo, so I will - Anamika Veeramani and Aditya Chemudupaty for the win.

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  62. jessica9:38 AM

    i didn't get to watched yesterday at all, and am picking mostly based on cuteness in the pictures on the site, which means that Arvind Mahankali will win in a landslide. I also choose Tim Ruiter. 

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  63. Barbara Williams9:58 AM

    Tim Ruiter and Sarah Gadre.

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  64. Andrew9:59 AM

    Ruiter and O'Donoghue (gotta go with the kid who plays the bass clarinet.)

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  65. lindab10:00 AM

    Brandon Whitehead and Tim Ruiter

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  66. Vanessa H.10:00 AM

    Local girl Anna Beth Swoap and Neetu Chandak because I remember enjoying her spelling style last year.

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  67. POOL IS CLOSED.

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  68. Mary Ann G10:15 AM

    Oh man..... I missed the pool!!  I'm too late for it to "count", but just for fun, I'm picking Ruiter and Wisconsin speller Andrew Grose.

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  69. since neither has spelled yet, okay.

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  70. Andrew11:34 AM

    And that was quickly proven to be a bad choice! First up, first out. 

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  71. Andrew11:34 AM

    <span>And that was quickly proven to be a bad choice! First up, first out. </span>

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  72. Marsha11:37 AM

    Congratulations on your graduation! Did you ever tell us where you're going to college?

    Hope I don't steer you wrong on Esther...

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  73. Genevieve11:52 AM

    Mazel tov, Maddy!  Enjoy yourself to the fullest.

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  74. Genevieve11:54 AM

    Oh, Finola Hackett was terrific.

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  75. Jennifer J.6:46 PM

    Adam: I couldn't resist looking. I know many people are in it still with "one" person going into tonight. Correct that as of now (still in mid-round 6) that only one person, Bob Loblaw, has 2 people still in it to win it? Just curious. :)

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