The Scripps-Howard Spelling Bee...you've come a long way, baby!

I remember back when ESPN first decided to air the spelling bee how whacked that seemed. Come on, who wants to give up an afternoon of Australian Rules Football reruns for a spelling bee?

And look at 'em now, airing the spelling bee live on Primetime television. That tells me one of two things: either the spelling bee is at an all-time popularity high or the primetime lineup on Thursday night's on ABC this summer is horrendously bad.

And maybe at this point I should pause and ask: do you hear any bitterness in my tone and words about the spelling bee? You should.

Leading up to my eighth grade year, I had routinely breezed through spelling bees at school. Science and math never peaked my interest much, but when it came to spelling, look out. I'd typically spelled most of my classmates out of the contest when it came to the spelling bee.

And then eighth grade came -- that fateful year when the spelling bee really counted. The year in which, if a person won the school spelling bee, it was off to the state spelling bee and then, potentially, the Scripps-Howard Spelling Bee.

I was certain that a free trip to New York City was in my future. But on the way to the trip, I was tripped.

Want to guess what word I missed?

Doorjamb.

That's right.

Doorjamb.

Now before you're too hard on me, would you have thought at the age of 13 to spell "doorjam" with a silent "b" on the end?

And ever since that day, silent "b's" and spelling bees have caused me great consternation!

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Interesting article in Tuesday's USA Today combining two of my most beloved interests.

Faith and Baseball.

The Colorado Rockies, presided over by former University of Arkansas Associate Athletic Director, Keli McGregor, have taken faith to a whole new level among professional sports franchises.

Bob Nightengale notes in the article the overhwelming role that faith plays in the Rockies' clubhouse. Give it a read and tell me what you think.