I have posted a few of these ideas in some different people's comments and now I would like to sum up a few of those ideas here... plus a bonus feature...

What is NGS?        A Competition or an Exhibition?

 Both or Neither? A hybrid?

Well, Gentle Readers, (minus WesP and a few other degenerates), I must say this a hybrid of the two !

Of course it is a competition, as evidenced in its very nature: this is a contest where there are finalists and winners! However, as I have argued previously elsewhere, this is more like ice skating than say, basketball.

Now basketball (maybe my favorite sport of all time, depending on the day or month) also has the element of subjectivity due to its very nature: refs make calls: (was that walking? was that a foul? was that an illegal screen? offensive foul? flagrant contact? abusive behavior meritorious of a technical foul? etc.). And then there are the NCAAs in March. But the field of 65 is pretty inclusive. And the NIT is no chump change in my opinion. That's 97 teams who get a chance to prove their mettle post season.

Ice skating on the other hand (I can watch it occasionally, but again, my favorite part is seeing the spills and goofs), is a sport of athletic skill and tremendous discipline. But it is very subjective based on the judges. And the very criteria: (You have to do a trip axle (sp.?), a quadruple lutz, a bow-to-your-partner, a doe-si-doe*, etc.)

So what is my point in comparing these two types of sports competition? To assert that the NGS competition is subjective and judged, much more like ice skating (exhibition) than basketball (competition). Now don't get me wrong, both are competitive and require great skills. But I happen to like one much more due to its nature and dynamics. I am from Indiana. Southern Indiana. We don't get as much ice there as Fort Wayne.

And...I like certain NGS writers (MeanD, SoCal, etc.) more than I like a few of the finalists (no need to name names; those I have interacted with already, don't feel threatened here, you have earned your keep, mostly).

But let me also say I ref (judge) differently in the game of basketball than do a lot of of people. Offensive players, in my opinion, get away with a lot more than they should, generally. Many defensive fouls are of the ghost variety. I let defenders play defense; contact is incidental at times if you defend and stop the ball. That is just me, and yes, I am highly subjective in my own opinions and sentiments...

So there you have it: NGS is a fun contest, but it is not the NCAAs of writing, per se. It is a low level ice skating exhibition (only three judges? Which one was the French bribed one? Ty? Nah, just kidding, bro!)

And I have enjoyed the spills and the thrills, and by blogging with two posts,I have pretty much decided that I do this to improve my skills and knowledge with little expectation to appease or wow the card holders on the edge of the rink.

But I do, I repeat, I do get a big thrill from the "crowd" , the general public passing by, and I enjoy learning new tricks and lutzes from my fellow skaters.

By the way, in real life I am horrible at skating! My feet point in a bit and my ankles or balance don't like to cooperate...This might explain some of my misgivings... Put me in high tops and I can do a few more things...While not pretty always, at least effective.

And so goes my writing. Thanks all for the chances to blog in this big rink! 

Part II: Bonus Feature---The World as we Know It---

The planet (2006) has a few more than 6 billion people. 1.3 billion live within the US- sized China. Another billion plus live in the subcontinent of India. Next door are two population Top 10 giants, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

My mom lives currently on the most populated island in the world: not Honshu, nor all of Japan combined, Java, Indonesia. Other countries with more than a 100 million people? Brazil, Russia, Nigeria and Mexico.

Now, everybody says soccer is king. OK, that it is. This is the main reason I love the World Cup and the Olympics, their international draw and the pure spectacle. But my point here is that we Americans have some great opportunities to export our traditions, and we need to expand our big sports across the planet...Football leagues in China? You bet! Homerun hitters in India? Of course! Basketball tournaments in Jakarta? YES, Marv Albert!

Now the question is, how do we do this?  These questions should be analyzed and probed, more so than Babe vs Barry, black versus white, boiling beat frying, better taste/less filling. The world needs our sports...and we need them.

Just a thought. And something for some of our underage genius/go-getter bloggers to chew on...And us legally responsible folks to contemplate for a brief, yet perhaps significant part of our very American days...

Blog on, comrades! Dos vedanya, paka, kudahafaz!

(Guess those languages and win a prize!)

And may the best remaining bloggers in the competition/exhibition have fun and do well! Salaam.

*Yes, I realize those last two things may only exist in American square dancing, further demonstrating my bias...