JOOOOOOOOEEEYYY CHESTNUT!!!!!

[knapplc]

Guys - the announcers were hamming it up. The comparisons to Gretzky, Jordan and Schilling were just a joke.

I understand that and it still bothers me. I think it is humiliating to the participants. They really are a freak show. Everyone basically makes fun of them while they do this to themselves. They're a punchline. I'm not laughing.

They are laughing at themselves, though. It's schtick.

Now if you want to get into a conversation about the evils of gluttony and how the food they waste in this competition could be used for better purposes I'm cool with that, but the guys as a "joke" conversation - I'm not too concerned about it. The "competitors" take themselves quite lightly.

[Omaha Red Sox]

The "competitors" take themselves quite lightly.

I never got the impression that they ever took themselves lightly. Quite the opposite. I have very little experience watching or reading about competitive eating, but I got the impression the competitors were very serious and devoted to their 'sport'.

[dream_017]

The "competitors" take themselves quite lightly.

I never got the impression that they ever took themselves lightly. Quite the opposite. I have very little experience watching or reading about competitive eating, but I got the impression the competitors were very serious and devoted to their 'sport'.

They step up to the podium announced like Apollo in Rocky IV. I think they take themselves very lightly

[joelamosobadiah]

The "competitors" take themselves quite lightly.

I never got the impression that they ever took themselves lightly. Quite the opposite. I have very little experience watching or reading about competitive eating, but I got the impression the competitors were very serious and devoted to their 'sport'.

They step up to the podium announced like Apollo in Rocky IV. I think they take themselves very lightly

I think the perceived devotion is from the hamming it up. however, like any competition, there will be competitiveness. That was a bit redundant, wasn't it.

Anyway, even though they go along with the hype and fun, there is a certain truth to the fact that they are somewhat serious about it all. It is a world record and I have seen devotion to much more ridiculous things.

[Omaha Red Sox]

Man, GT really heats up when Joel wakes up.

[joelamosobadiah]

Man, GT really heats up when Joel wakes up.

Actually, I was up at like 7 this morning.

Yeah, I am between jobs right now so didn't have to work the past two days. That won't stay for long though.

I miss my days of 200 posts a day.

[Metroid]

Yeah, I am between jobs right now...

You get yourself fired already?

I told you that you shouldn't be playing with your dolls at work.

[joelamosobadiah]

Yeah, I am between jobs right now...

You get yourself fired already?

I told you that you shouldn't be playing with your dolls at work.

Nooooooo.... just movin on up in the world.

[Mercer Boy]

Just throwing in my obligatory 2 cents without reading most of the responses...

Yeah, the announcers sensationalized the contest. It's freaking competitive EATING. Most people aren't going to take it seriously, so why not make a slight farce of things to get some ratings? It is a very serious business to the "elite" people in the competition, but some of the personalities involved make it a show. Think about it...it's Coney Island...a carnival/sideshow atmosphere.

Good going to Chestnut to finally beating Kobayashi...although I wasn't happy at all because I like Kobayashi and wanted him to win again. It was only a matter of time though; he's been really close at other competitions, and this time he finally did it. It will be interesting to see what other competitions Jaws can beat Kobayashi in. It's decent competition if nothing else.

[knapplc]

Chestnut triumphs again! Chestnut breaks another Kobayashi record!

Holy cow! 103 hamburgers in 8 minutes


CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - A competitive eater who has already triumphed at a famous hot dog eating contest swallowed 103 small hamburgers in 8 minutes Sunday to take home $10,000.

Joey Chestnut, 23, of San Jose, Calif., surpassed the previous record of 97 Krystal burgers — 2 1/2 inches square — held by Japan's Takeru Kobayashi, set at last year's Krystal Square Off.

"We never thought we'd see someone anywhere near, let alone past, the century mark when we started the Krystal Square Off in 2004," said Brad Wahl, vice president of marketing for The Krystal Co.

Chestnut beat 12 other contestants. Kobayashi, who won all previous Krystal Hamburger Eating Championships, didn't compete this year because of lingering jaw pain from having a wisdom tooth extracted in June.

The 29-year-old Kobayashi received chiropractic treatment before losing his hot-dog-eating belt in the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July tussle in New York.