Ben Nuckols

Best in the business. Fortunately I get to work with Steve wherever he happens to be.

The Panthers won the Stanley Cup again, and we covered the heck out of it. 🧵

My story on Dick Vitale getting a contract extension and an event named in his honor -- all announced on the 86th birthday of a man many consider the voice of college hoops.

I asked Phil about Oakmont yesterday. He gave a short answer, and I put it at the bottom of my story. Media outlets that weren't there are running with his comments anyway. That's fine, but just noting that those stories don't exist if no one asks. apnews.com/article/liv-go…

Reactions to Faizan Zaki’s rollercoaster ⁦@ScrippsBee⁩ win: Last year’s champ, Bruhat Soma: “I think he cared too much about his aura.” Faizan’s dad: “He’s the GOAT. I actually believe that.” apnews.com/article/scripp…

Once again I refused to be kicked out

In 100 years of the @ScrippsBee, Faizan Zaki may be the first champion remembered more for a word he got wrong than one he got right. All the details on his shocking path to victory, including insight from last year's champ, Bruhat Soma. apnews.com/article/scripp…

Faizan Zaki, the trophy nearly in his grasp, started spelling his word incredibly fast without asking any questions, realized his mistake and told judge Mary Brooks to go ahead and ring the bell. Three in a row miss and they're all still in.

Aishwarya Kallakuri bows out on "Keighley," a town in northern England. Geographical words do it again. Vikram Raju, 2022 runner-up: "That might have been the hardest word in the whole bee."

Four spellers left and we'll see if anyone can stand between Faizan Zaki and the title.

Harini Murali and her brother, Navneeth, join the Dasari siblings, Shobha and Shourav, as the most gifted brother-sister spelling duos without a Scripps bee title.

Harini Murali finally breaks the streak at 26 by misspelling "tekke" -- she went with "tekki."

Three straight perfect rounds, 24 words in a row spelled correctly.

Two perfect rounds, and in the prior round, these six spellers also got six words right in a row. Total of 21 in a row correct.

Another perfect round. Scripps may want to break out the tougher words now.

Another perfect round, 6 for 6. Bruhat called it with two spellers to go.

Bruhat Soma says both of the two who misspelled asked too many questions and didn't give themselves time to think.

Esha Marupudi is the first to misspell. Her word was "aromorphosis" and she missed the first schwa (the first "o"). She went with an "a." She improved by one place over the best finish of her coach, friend and fellow Arizonian, Aliyah Alpert.