Contestants at Scripps National Spelling Bee are really excited to be there

Do you have your Scripps National Spelling Bee party planned? The finals are just two days away, and the preliminary rounds started today in Washington, D.C., where contestants fought and clawed their way towarZZZzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzz.

The first round is on ESPN 3, followed by the final two rounds on Thursday and Friday on ESPN. As per usual, Shaquille O’Neal was on hand to MC, which begs the question: Did he plan on retiring during the NBA Finals when he signed competing contracts with the Spelling Bee and the Celtics last year?

Fun fact from the Scripps web site: The spellers’ favorite words include tchotchke, pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis and weissnichtwo. Of course they are. But shouldn’t that be: among the spellers’ favorite words? Can you spell GRAMMAR FAIL, Scripps National Spelling Bee web site?

Meanwhile …

You’re not winning the spelling bee dressed like that. Now spell tchotchke and direct me to Oz.