Is Samir Patel The Next Bee Champion?

ESPN's Darren Rovell's latest article talks about how the ABC network will now host the Scripps National Spelling Bee contest. The contest has steadily moved from the shadows to the nation's limelight, often featuring desi kids. Among Rovell's top eight picks to win it all this year are three desis.

For an interesting perspective on all of this read Amar Shah's take on the contest called Keepers Of The Hive. To access it you will need a ESPN Insider account – sorry.

Want to know more about this cultural jamboree? Watch the movies Spellbound, Bee Season or Akeelah and the Bee. Or, read American Bee: The National Spelling Bee and the Culture of Word Nerds.

Tempted to give this a shot yourself? If you are an armchair word warrior, you may want to receive Anu Garg's excellent A Word A Day to start brushing up. ESPN's SportsNation has a fun [but good God, tough] spelling test. Take it and post your score here.