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As Mina Kimes prepares to host the Scripps National Spelling Bee later this month, the ESPN star is leaning on her experience as an NFL analyst for inspiration.
“It is obviously a little bit different from what I do at ESPN where we talk about NFL players and NFL games and break those down. But I actually think there’s a lot of similarities too,” Kimes told Front Office Sports’s Baker Machado this week. “Some of the past spelling bees, including last year’s finals … it does feel like a big game. It has, like, a Super Bowl quality to it. And it’s kind of the vibe that I hope to bring to the table.”
Although Kimes is best known for her work covering football, her ties to the spelling world have been well documented. Not only is the NFL Live star an avid observer of the Scripps event, but she was a second-grade spelling bee champion at her elementary school, as she eagerly shared on social media after her new hosting gig was announced.
Asked what she would tell her second grade self about her latest gig, Kimes joked that the child version of herself would be disappointed that she never won the National Spelling Bee. As for how her hosting role came to fruition, the Yale alum pointed to Embassy Row CEO Michael Davies, who she got to know during her past appearances on Celebrity Jeopardy!
“The Spelling Bee is going to be produced by Embassy Row and [CEO] Michael Davies, who is in charge of that,” Kimes said. “In some of our conversations, I think he probably learned what a nerd I am—because there’s no other way of anyone guessing that. I was positively elated when I found out this is something that I could do. Growing up, I did spelling bees, idolized kids who did spelling bees. I think they’re the coolest kids in the world and I’m so just pumped to be a part of this.”
As is often the case with Kimes, the conversation inevitably shifted back to football. Asked which NFL players she believes would make for the best spelling bee participants, the recent Sports Emmy nominee highlighted a pair of pass-rushers.
“It would have to be somebody who’s willing to really dive into non-football,” she said. “Myles Garrett comes to mind as a pretty cerebral player who’s pretty nerdy and focused. Von Miller also, another pass-rusher who I lost to in the Great American Baking Show. The thing that struck me the most was how much he had prepared … because preparedness is really the key to the spelling bee. And I think it would be guys like that who are willing to just really put in the hours and study.”
The semifinals and finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee will air on ION May 27-28.
