(This is a repost, but on the eve of the finalist's announcement,  I though it would be good to post one more time.) 

While trying to think of a sport that I could compare this with this contest, I realized it would be more difficult than I first imagined.  In basketball if you hit a shot at the buzzer the crowd will erupt, or go completely silent, and you know what you have done is great.  In football if you catch a game winning touchdown pass, your teammates will pile on top of you and you realize you have done something spectacular.  In baseball if you hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of ninth, and trot slowly around the bases, you know the glory that will be waiting for you when you touch home plate.  In a sports-writing contest, with little rules, you have know idea what will happen after clicking the "post to blog" icon.  You only have yourself, your mind and the confidence in yourself to continue to write blog after blog.  All for a hope that the NGS fairies will sprinkle the dust on your blog, and you will be selected as one of the sweet 16. 

That is when I realized NGS isn't a sport, it is practice.  It is shooting 500 jump shots in a row in the gym until the lights go off, and the shots go in, even when it is pitch black.  It is coming to practice early and staying late to watch game film or to fix a weakness.  It is running one extra lap around the track just because you feel like you have to.  It is giving everything you possibly can, because of a fear that your opponent could be going just a little bit harder. 

There is no coach, there is no one chearing you on, it is just you and hard work.  When you are alone in the gym, or in the film room, or in the locker room; you only have yourself, your mind and the confidence in yourself to continue to go hard even if you have doubts.

This contest requires a self-confidence that is rivaled by no sport.  You don't have teammates, you don't have coaches, you don't even have very much feedback.  All you have is hope.  Hope that all the practice pays off, and that when it comes time for the coach to annouce the team, that your name is called.

NGS II is writing one more blog before you go to sleep, just because you feel like you have to.

It's 3:43am, I'm still awake.....are you?