Down Goes Canada

Previously defeated Canadians.

When I just wandered back into the ballroom during a commercial break, the reporters were whispering about a Canadian bloodbath. "This must be what it was like when the Nordiques and Jets left," e-mailed Adam from Throwing Things, the very best source for Spelling Bee blogging.

Seven straight Canadian contestants, all that remained in the competition. Seven straight dings. Seven straight misses. A septet of softspoken sadness. Many of the fans and previously eliminated contestants had brought little Canadian flags to wave; one flag sat, sadly, on a vacated chair as the Canadians beat a hasty retreat. And this after yet another all-American Stanley Cup finals.

I caught up with a few compatriots of the hard-luck Canucks out in the lobby; they were surprisingly, let's say, "well-adjusted" compared to a few of the other contestants. They explained that there are fewer rounds required for Canadian contestants, and that some Americans thus have more extensive preparation, and yet Canadians have done remarkably well in the finals in recent years.

"We broke the streak; now we just have to start it over again," said Logan Turner, a previously eliminated 11-year-old from Thunder Bay.

"We'll come back next year," promised 13-year-old Jonathan Schut of Cornwall, who also was eliminated before today's drama.

It was his fault; he's wearing too much Canada," Logan said of Jonathan.

"You're wearing the exact same amount of Canada stuff as I am," Jonathan pointed out, accurately.

As for the seven-in-a-row thing, they suggested it was coincidence and bad luck. "It's luck of the draw, a lot," Jonathan said.

Fans of Things Northern may now wish to throw their support behind Catherine "Cat" Cojocaru from Fargo, North Dakota. She's virtually Canadian.

(In fairness, I learned of the Canadian Catastrophe from the AP's Joseph White, the very best MSM Spelling Bee reporter in the land, whose Day One report can be found here.)