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Monday, June 30, 2008
National hot dog hopes rest on ‘Humble’ man
By Peter Mucha
Inquirer Staff Writer
The final belches cleared on Saturday, with contests in Camden and California.
But only one Philadelphia-area competitor has made it to Friday's legendary hot-dog eating contest on Coney Island, which will be televised live at noon on EPSN.
He's "Humble" Bob Shoudt of Royersford, a world-ranked eater who gobbled 38 Nathan's franks last month to win the Philadelphia qualifier.
And he's a better burger eater, the vegetarian says.
Drexel Hill's Eric "Steakbellie" Livingston ate 20-3/4 in Camden Saturday, but lost to New York hip-hop artist Eric "Badlands" Booker, who ate 27-1/2.
On Thursday, Micah "Wing Kong" Collins, also of Drexel Hill, ate 22 at the West Chester qualifier, but lost by a measly half a dog-with-bun to Pat "from Moonachie" Philbin of North Jersey.
Shoudt's total was fourth highest among the 19 qualifiers who'll be at the July Fourth gorgefest, so you might think Shoudt stands a chance.
After all, he's ranked No. 5 in the world by the International Federation of Competitive Eaters and this will be his third straight appearance at the Nathan's national contest.
Frankly, though, everyone knows this will be a two-man race.
Joey "Jaws" Chestnut of San Jose last year inhaled a world record 66 to defeat Japan's six-time champ, Takeru Kobayashi, who ate 62.
Competitors will have only 10 minutes this year, down from 12, so the winner probably won't wolf down as many, said Shoudt, who's a vegetarian outside competitive eating events.
But he's not optimistic about reaching the high 50s, since he hasn't trained hard for this event.
"For me it is early in the competitive eating season. ... I am just going to have some fun and enjoy the day."
His sights are set on a Tennessee burger chowdown instead.
"My focus is on the Super Bowl of competitive eating - the Krystal Square Off V that will take place in October this year. This is the contest that most competitive eaters agree is the big one," he said.
Shoudt's personal best, according to the contest website, is 95 burgers - just two behind Kobayashi's 97, the old world record, busted last year by Chestnut's 103.
Don't expect to see any Krystal's qualifying events near Philadelphia. The closest store is in South Carolina.
June 30th, 2008 by Brian Ries in Contest Fireworks? Barbecue? Boston Pops? A celebration of independence? Bah!
As far as I’m concerned, the Fourth of July begins and ends on Coney Island, at the Nathan’s Famous World Hot Dog Eating Contest. For 93 years, people have been lining up to see this freakish intersection of speed and gluttony, fascinated and appalled by the enormous capacity of today’s competitive eaters. Last year, professional gurgitator Joey Chestnut performed a feat reminiscent of the Miracle On Ice, defeating six-time world champ and seemingly unstoppable force Takeru Kobayashi. Not only did Chestnut soundly beat the diminutive Japanese competitor, he set a new world record by eating 66 dogs and buns in just 12 minutes, 11 more than the previous top score.
Don’t think you can just show up and join the fun; these days you have to win a qualifying contest to enter the Nathan’s Championship. Go to the International Federation of Competitive Eating to check out other upcoming events, and get tips on how the pros do their grotesque thing.
St. Pete’s own Dairy Inn will also hold their, much more relaxed competition on July 4th, starting at 11:30 a.m. Stop by the restaurant to pick up an entry form, along with a great burger and a shake.
You can also read my piece on competitive eating to get a little more background, as well as a glimpse into my own mercifully brief foray into the stomach-stretching arts.
On the path to ‘gurgitator’ glory
By Dana Yates
Alex Shamis/Daily JournalThe winner: Kevin Ross ate 17 hot dogs in 10 minutes.
How much could you stomach for 10 minutes and the chance to bring home $20,000 and a the title of the world’s best competitive eater?
Think you could down seven hot dogs? 15? 25? How about 66? Could you scarf down 66 hot dogs and their buns in front of a national audience for a chance to be called Nathan’s Famous Hot dog’s champion? Would you re-digest your own “reversal?”
The competition is harder than you think.
Each year, “gurgutators” from across the country compete for the Superbowl of competitive eating. Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest is held annually on Conney Island, New York, on Fourth of July. The final spot in the contest was awarded Saturday during an qualifying eat-off at the Shops at Tanforan in San Bruno. Kevin Ross, 26, of Temecula, Calif., took home the trophy and will travel to New York for Friday’s face-off of internationally known superstar eaters.
“Most of it, honestly, is mental. If someone would have pushed me harder, I would have eaten more,” Ross said between hot dog infused post-game burps.
Ross downed 22 hot dogs and at times he looked like he might “reverse” - to borrow a term from last year’s ESPN broadcast of the Conney Island challenge.
He kept it together, though, with the help of fruit punch. A common technique among competitive eaters is to dip the hot dog buns in water to help them go down easier and take less room in the stomach. Ross’ twist includes water and fruit punch.
“Anything goes down easier with fruit punch,” he said.
Ross traveled from his Southern California home to Dallas for a qualifying competition last week. He ate more hot dogs there, but didn’t win the spot at Friday’s competition.
He knows the odds are against him. After all, he was competing Saturday in the home territory of San Jose’s Joey Chestnut, the current champion. Chestnut downed 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes last year and became the first American in years to win the the title.
He’s sort of a hero in these parts.
Chestnut, 23, made a short appearance Saturday at Tanforan. He signed paper Nathan’s hot dog hats and posed for pictures.
“I’m a really big fan, Joey. We’re all rooting for you,” one woman said.
The hometown glory doesn’t translate to dollar signs for Chestnut, who admits he “gets no love” when it comes to corporate sponsorships. He works construction by day.
Just because sponsors aren’t serious, doesn’t mean Chestnut’s not. He’s in serious training, eating only hot dogs for solid food meals. He’ll fast for two and a half days at a time and drink lots of water to expand his muscles. He will start fasting Tuesday to defend his title on Friday.
His goal is to eat the same amount, 66 hot dogs, in two less minutes. This year’s contest runs 10 minutes instead of the usual 12.
He’s nervous, but not worried. He’s ready to take on his top competition, Takeru Kobayashi, of Japan. The former champion met Chestnut chew for chew last year, but lost by a few bites and likely made ESPN history for the number of slow motion reruns of someone regurgitating their own food. He blamed his poor performance on a jaw problem before the competition.
“I’m going to do my best. I’m not worried about him or his jaw,” Chestnut said.
Dana Yates can be reached by e-mail: dana@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
World’s fastest pizza makers? They live here
BY JOHN ARUNDEL
June 26, 2008
Times Staff Photo/John Arundel FAST PIE THROWER: On Tuesday, Eman Dicks of Alexandria tied last year’s record for world’s fastest pizza maker. 
Times Staff Photo/John Arundel District Operations Manager Robert Donner spurred Dicks on to pizza-making greatness. | |
In the end, it came down to a split second between the two local pizza makers at the “World Series” of pizza making, who both returned to defend their austere titles as two of the world’s fastest pizza makers.
With lightning speed, the two had to hand-stretch fresh dough, pizza sauce and top three large pizzas - one pepperoni, one mushroom and one cheese - as quickly as possible at Tuesday’s competition in Ann Arbor, Mich. “The competion was pretty intense,” said Ester Tadena, a spokesperson for Domino’s Team Washington, based in Falls Church. “While speed was important, it was only part of the recipe.”
But when the stopwatches ended, the two local pizza makers came out ahead as the two fastest in the world. And just maybe perhaps the universe; it has not yet been confirmed by NASA scientists whether the moon is made of cheese. Domino’s Pizza bestowed the title of 2008 World’s Fastest Pizza Maker to Dennis Tran, a manager for the local franchise which includes Alexandria, with manager Emmanuell Dicks of the West End taking third place, beating out dozens of finalists from Domino’s Pizza stores from around the world, as far away as India.
What does this all mean? “Alexandria arguably has some of the fastest pizza makers in the world,” said Robert Donner, Team Washington’s Operations Manager, and Dicks’ pizza-making coach. “We’ve won this competition every year but twice.”
Greater Alexandria also boasts another important distinction: Its residents are some of the most voracious consumers of home-delivered pizza in the nation. With 190,000 residents of Greater Alexandria, its households gobbled up 850,000 Domino’s-made pies last year — or about 4.47 pies per man, woman and child living here, Donner said.
At the Michigan competition, Tran made three large pizzas in an impressive 46.4 seconds, averaging about 15 seconds per pizza. Dicks, 32, clocked a time of 49.1 seconds to make three pies, edged out only by Pali Grewal from England, who took second place with a time of 47.9 seconds.
Dicks, who lives near Landmark Mall, has earned third place in the competition for the second year in a row. Tran, who lives in Silver Spring, won $5,000 in prize money, the Frank Meeks Trophy and the coveted title.
The beloved Meeks, who died in 2004, lived in Alexandria for most of his adult life, where he ran one of the biggest, most profitable Domino’s franchises in history (its Duke Street location alone makes about 90,000 pizzas per year). Meeks, a runner who lived in Mount Vernon, was famous for leading his army of pizza delivery managers in morning runs down the George Washington Parkway, and he liked to challenge his employees to see who could build a pizza the fastest.
While Meeks nearly always won, one Alexandria employee, an Afghan immigrant named Waheed Asim put even him to the test, capturing the title of “World’s Fastest Pizza Maker” seven years running, from 1987-2004. Asim now lives in Kingstwone, where he runs small business.
Tran took up the mantle from there. “Taking second place was not an option,” he said. “This competition brings out my competitive nature. I brought speed and confidence to the table to defend my title. I came here to take first place, and I did.”Tran, a Domino’s team member for 18 years, was the returning champion.
He won the 2006 World’s Fastest Pizza Maker title with a time of 55 seconds and the 2007 title with a time of 49.1 seconds. His 2008 time of 46.4 seconds sets a new world record for Domino’s.
Quality was moderated as two judges highly qualified in Domino’s standard pizza-making practices. “If the pizza was not perfect, it was returned to the competitor who remade the entire pizza, while still being timed,” said Tadena, who watched from the sidelines.
Alexandria food-makers go back into the ring next week at Nathan’s Famous July Fourth International Hot dog Eating Contest on Coney Island, when the petite Sonya “Black Widow” Thomas of Alexandria returns to defend her American title on July 4th.
In 2005, Thomas, a 100-pound, 37-year-old Korean-born manager of a Burger King franchies, set a new American hot dog-eating record by consuming 32 hot dogs and buns. She has been winning the American title ever since. She will most likely face four-time world champion Takeru Kobayashi of Japan, who will return to defend his world championship title.
At stake is the possession of the Coveted Mustard Yellow International Belt, the World Cup of competitive eating. The competition will be televised on ESPN.
Tons of fun booked for Raspberry Fest Saturday
Webster City will be a fun place to celebrate on Saturday, during the 10th annual Raspberry Festival at the 7-B Ranch.
The schedule of events kicks off at 7 a.m. with an all you can eat pancake breakfast and self-guided nature walks.
Those entering the dessert contest need to drop off their items by 9 a.m. Booths, ticket sales, and many other scheduled events will start at 10 a.m. including: a Lewis and Clark Presentation by Roger Wendlick, open shuffleboard, sand volleyball and Island Golf; leisure canoeing, the inflatable amusements and games will be ready for the kids, and the building of the world's largest raspberry dessert will also get underway. Free train rides for the kids will start at 1 p.m.
The public is welcome to join in on the many contests that will get started at 11:30 a.m., including a hot dog eating contest, a laughing contest, which is set to start at 12 p.m., a dessert eating contest at 12:30, and a trivia contest at 2 p.m..
Sweet tooths will also be satisfied with many goodies to chose from with desserts, ice cream, kettle korn, and Tropical Snow available. Hy-Vee will also be opening their food court at 11 a.m.
Those in the mood for entertainment will have a wide variety with vocal performances by Patti Triebel at 11 a.m., members of the Dance Connection will perform at 1 p.m.; and Mark Gillette and Melissa Borer will play live Celtic music at 2 p.m. The day's entertainment will continue with WCCT's performance of "Anything Goes" at 3 p.m., a talent show at 3:30; and winners of the Raspberry Idol contest will perform at 8:30 p.m. to kick off the performance of Inpulse-a men's high energy vocal group, which begins at 8:45.
Anyone looking for prizes and mementos will have a great deal to chose from with raffle and auction items, t-shirt and cookbook sales. Some of the raffle and auction items include gift cards from local businesses, woodcarvings, a washer and dryer from Electrolux, a Eureka Central Vacuum from Estlund Heating and Cooling, and signed sports memorabilia.
The fun will come to a close after the fireworks display that is set to begin at 10:15 p.m.
The public is invited to come out and enjoy this year's events. For more information visit www.raspberryfestival.com.
Newnan eater 1.25 dogs shy of spot at Nathan's
By Megan Almon
The Times-Herald
Loren "Bubba" Yarbrough was less than two Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs shy of clinching a seat at this year's Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island, N.Y.
Yarbrough, who officially downed 18.5 dogs at the end of Saturday's Georgia Hot Dog Eating Contest at Lenox Square Mall -- a qualifier for the world-famous Nathan's eat-off on July 4 -- was one-and-a-quarter hot dogs shy of Massachusetts' Pete Davekos' 19.25. Yarbrough thought he'd clinched the win but was deducted one-and-a-half dogs because his eating area was excessively "messy," said a Major League Eating official.
Yarbrough was followed by fellow Newnan resident and competitive eater Larry "Legend" McNeil, whose 17 hot dogs took third place.
Yarbrough and McNeil entered the competitive eating circuit in 2005. The two have chowed down together since then, their repertoire stretching from hot dogs to pizza, Krystal burgers, pulled pork, ribs, meatballs, keylime pie, chili-cheese fries, bratwurst and jalapenos -- for which Yarbrough recently broke a record.
The Nathan's contest -- aired annually on ESPN -- is "the Super Bowl of competitive eating, as big as it gets," Yarbrough said.
Not only does the winner receive the coveted Yellow Mustard Belt, but a $20,000 check.
Eating a Nathan's Famous Hot Dog is no easy feat. For those familiar with the dogs, their origin traceable to a vendor cart at Coney Island in 1916, Nathan's dogs are not your average wieners.
"There's an audible snap when you bite into one," Yarbrough said.
The thick sausage and spiced meat is wrapped in a thick casing.
"After about 10, the spices and the thickness get to you," he added.
Yarbrough's personal record is set at 20. According to Yarbrough, the trick is to "build a rhythm."
His training regimen for such an event isn't as gruesome as some may picture. Like other competitive eaters, Yarbrough builds up his stomach's stretch-ability as a competition approaches. He opts for low-calorie solutions. Every day last week, he ate his lunch, set the timer on his watch, and did his best to guzzle a gallon of water in less than a minute.
He and McNeil also train with filling, high-water foods like watermelon. Occasional trips to local buffets are on the agenda as well, just to keep them conditioned.
The pals, both Atlanta city employees, are members of the International Federation of Competitive Eating who enjoy the extra money that comes with wins.
"We like it," Yarbrough said. "It's something fun to do."
To read more about competitive eating, or about Yarbrough and McNeil, visit www.ifoce.com.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Freedom Festival will have a hot dog eating champion
Wednesday, June 25, 2008By Timberly Ferree, Staff Writer
If hot dogs are your thing then the Linton Freedom Festival has something for you. Linton's Double Dog will sponsor its first hot dog eating contest at 6 p.m. on July 4 at the Linton Bandstand at Humphreys Park.
The winner will be the contestant who eats the most hot dogs in a 12 minute time frame.
Jared Albright, Double Dog operator, explained, "Hot dogs are fun and we thought it (contest) might add something extra to the Freedom Festival activities. You hear of all the eating contests and Linton doesn't have one."
The winner will receive prizes courtesy of the Double Dog.
"If it (contest) goes over well we'd like to make it an annual event," he added. "It's all in fun."
You must be 18 years of age to enter and the contest is limited to 30 contestants, he noted. There's a $5 registration fee to enter the contest and all proceeds will go back to the community.
Forms can be picked up at the Double Dog's 40 E. Vincennes St. Linton location or the Linton-Stockton Chamber of Commerce.
For more information contact the Double Dog at 847-4900. All contestants must also sign a waiver before entering. Deadline to enter is July 4 prior to the contest.
Is Skinnyboy Lane Jumping Ship?.According to anonymous post on Eat Feats ''Link Buffet''. Andrew Skinny Boy Lane is disenchanted with MlE over a refusal to be a participant at a Nathans Near is Home town and has had enough , this has yet to be officially confirmed. but members have voiced many complaints over the past year only to fall on deaf ears talk of unions . dissatisfaction with judging are just a few , we will keep you poste dif any more developments occurs..The Editor
Summer Vacation With An Edge: Stick To Your Ribs In Oregon
Where: Lincoln City, OR, United States6/25/2008 at 4:30 PM
Don't bring ketchup to this sauce show: Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs may get all the glory when it comes to competitive eating for its Fourth of July contest, but in order to get to New York City you'll have to out-eat your neighborhood at one of several qualifying events. (It's like "American Idol" for the stomach!)
Bragging rights come easier at one of many other events sponsored by the International Federation of Competitive Eating, like the Chinook Winds World Rib Eating Championship held in Oregon on July 13.
In rib-eating contests, contestants are judged by the amount of meat consumed in pounds when their pile of bones is accounted for. Nathan's defending champ Joey Chestnut will be there to strap on an industrial-sized bib. (Prepare yourself: He ate 8.4 pounds of meat at the contest in 2006).
Even if you don't win, you can still chow down at the Smokin' at the Ocean event at Chinook Winds all weekend. Related Stories· World's Easiest Event Registration Page [IFOCE]· Smokin' at the Ocean Rib-Eating Championship Belt [Flickr]· Nathan's Famous and More at Coney Island [Jaunted]
[Photo: donita-reason]
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Who needs to survive a Japanese game show?by Heather Mallick June 24, 2008 Fans of reality television — this is the polite way of describing people who revel in the humiliation of others — are in for shameful extremes of pleasure next week. Japanese game shows are coming our way.
Ritualized humiliation festivals are not my field, but daily life has its reality show moments. Most of us limit it to those toothpaste-on-the-lapel moments that seem not so bad until you wake at 2 a.m. and realize fellow diners might have thought it was something that was not toothpaste.
But we avoid the major agonies, the ones where you have to smile through a spreading pool of dignity blood. Like that U.S. cable reality show combining competitive eating and extreme sports. It is called Hurl. We will neither watch nor appear on Hurl, we announce.
In Japan, the equivalent declaration would be "I will not tie slabs of raw meat to my face, stick my head out of an onstage hole and try to be the last contestant standing before a ballistic Komodo dragon bites into my skull and dredges my thinker. I find this degrading."
Esquire offered an online sampling of what they consider the most gnarly Japanese shows, but Esquire was too polite. They included the eating game where your face is on a bungee cord and marshmallows dance around your head. And they also chose the one where contestants attempt tongue-twisters.
In our part of the world, you fail and you get that buzzer sound. There, they are whacked hard in the genitals by a slapping machine.
Candid Camera, the toilet version
The worst show is the Japanese version of Candid Camera. Perfectly nice people stroll along on a sunny day and decide to use a public toilet stall, like the ones we have in Canada for construction workers, but bigger and nicer.
These unfortunate men are filmed inside the stall pulling down their pants and squatting on the toilet when suddenly the interior of the stall, toilet included, is hydraulically whisked up into public view. Some men freeze and attempt to blend in with the landscape, but the rest desperately try to get their pants back on, and you can imagine.
They're lucky. Sometimes they pull out the floor and toilet horizontally on a Jet-Ski. But these horrified toilet-goers are naked from the waist down, clinging to a pole at high speed and then nearly drowned if they overturn while trying to dress, or perhaps kill, themselves
Monday, June 23, 2008
The 4th of july is less than 2 weeks away and it's crunch time in terms of training and preparation. Joey Chestnut is the king of hot dogs with Kobeyashi a close second. Last year, no doubt was left as to the champion of hot dogs and bun. Joey dominated, crushing the world record and forced kobeyashi to have multiple reversals. My memory is studded with a vivid recollection of the massive crowd, joeys overall dominance with conquest of mind over body, and a branded memory of joey en-robed in the stars and bars. The roar of those fans is not a sound I will forget.
To sum up my performance, I gave it my best shot, but fell flat on my ass. In a marathon I tripped on my shoe laces at the 20th mile and stopped to put Vaseline on my my nipples at the 22nd mile, only to limp/ waddle across the finish. I finished but not with the force and power I had visualized. I felt a surge of power and adrenaline all bottled up and a by product of the stadium size crowd. After 5 minutes the edge faded and the speed like effect once pumping through my arteries dissipated. To sum it up, my jaws got tired and I ran out of capacity.
Looking forward to 7/07/08 I am taking measures to overcome these barriers. It will be difficult to offset the jaw fatigue because nathans does not keep promises of awarding a year supply of hot dogs(for 2 years in a row). Besides this cheapness the realization occurred in that joey and kobey have both accomplished the holy grail of eating contests. Any past victory against either is bush league in comparison. No one will tout my victories over both in chicken wings and turkey as the reason I will win nathans. They don't mean much to me. This is a contest to hang your mustard belt and gastric band on. In that sense it's the last and eluding major victory that my career desperately needs to elevate it greatness. It's my thought that upon retirement I will be know as a good eater, but there is not much evidence to support the case that my legacy will be marked as a "great" eater.
I am a year behind them both in everything quite consistently. My style of eating is composed, reckless, and barbaric. Cooking and eating are my passionate traits, I am putting every ounce of passion, focus and strength into this competition. Joey can be beat, but it's going to take a perfect day with mind and body operating in maximum output mode. I will do everything from my steamer pack of tricks to prepare. I will have no regrets when all is left at the table(minus the dogs) meat sweats and all, and if another garlicky salchicha crammed down my esophagus is a human impossibility.
I can feel the excitement starting to build within and in all likely hood my abilities will be peaking on the 4th of july.
chow.
Patrick Deep Dish Bertoletti
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Maki: All hail the man who man who us laugh
Allan Maki, today at 12:55 PM EDT
The dearly departed George Carlin wouldn't want a moment's silence in his honour. He'd want someone to crack a joke, maybe a beer and a joke.
So let's have a few laughs by recalling some of the great comic's funniest sports-related material. You remember the best of his biting commentaries, don't you? His take on the differences between baseball and football?
“Baseball is played on a diamond, in a park, a baseball park. Football is played on a gridiron, in a stadium sometimes called Soldier Field and War Memorial Stadium … In baseball, they have the seventh-inning stretch. In football, it's the two-minute warning.”
Carlin took great delight in noting how football was all about violence, which was why teams had nicknames like the Raiders. “What about the victims? The Virginia Victims have the ball, first and 10.”
`Here are a few more of Carlin's sporting observations as found on the Internet as news of his death circulates:
“Competitive eating isn't a sport. It's one of the seven deadly sins. ESPN Recently televised the U.S. Open of Competitive Eating, because watching those athletes at the poker table was just too damned exciting. What's next, competitive farting? Oh wait, they're already doing that. It's called 'The Howard Stern Show.'
“If you need to shave and you still collect baseball cards, you're a dope. If you're a kid, the cards are keep sakes of your idols. If you're a grown man, they're pictures of men.
“Stop giving me that pop-up ad for classmates.com. There's a reason you don't talk to people for 25 years. Because yu don't particularly like them! Besides, I already know what the captain of the football team is doing these days - mowing my lawn.”
Rest in peace, George. We'll miss your wicked observations and your imaginative use of profanity, too.
Lambtown finds its way
Article Launched: 06/23/2008 05:11:51 AM PDT
After a rocky 21st birthday last year, Lambtown USA has re-emerged as a grown-up community festival. It has regained its space at the Dixon Mayfair grounds, which means the return of sheepdog trials and the shearing competition, both of which were absent last year when the venue moved to Hall Park.
It has worked out the issues raised by the Health Department, which means guests should have little trouble sampling the results of the cooking competition.
And the accompanying Fiber Fair just keeps growing, with the addition of an angora rabbit show and demonstrations to a lineup that already includes wool, alpaca and mohair.
The festival also is expanding its focus on lamb by sponsoring Lamb rib eating contest.
Toss in the entertainment lineup and assorted vendors and contests, and visitors should find plenty to keep them busy from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. July 19.
In the 1980s, Lambtown was conceived as a community festival that celebrated Dixon's biggest claim to fame. The festival has had some growing pains through the years, but it always manages to get through them, probably because it never lost its focus. It is a festival run by the community, for the community.
Some residents volunteer their time to organize the various aspects of the fair. Others are called upon to demonstrate their skills, provide entertainment or compete in the contests. Even more are invited to attend, and while Lambtown draws people from outside the area, too, it is primarily a local
festival. Last year, Lambtown needed some extra help to keep it going and found assistance through Dixon's City Council. This year, the festival appears to be standing on its own, ready to continue its traditions.
It's a welcome return of Lambtown USA.
Olga ''The Old Gal'' Meets With Don Lerman.Olga met yesterday with Don Lerman and wished him a speedy recovery on the removal of his upper teeth.
Use Paypal at the Moses store to purchase partial dentures on sale now $500 EACH. ..What a buy!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
TAKE 2: An alternative look at the day in sports
By JOE WALLJASPER Tribune sports editor
It was inevitable that someone would take the undeniably stupid but kind of cool sport of competitive eating and twist it into something completely revolting. That someone is Neal Tiles, the Take 2 Person of the Week.
Tiles is the president of the G4 television network. He is the one who gave the green light to “HURL!” The gameshow, which will debut July 15 on Tiles’ obscure cable outpost, is described as follows on G4’s Web site:
“ ‘HURL!’ participants are subjected to a series of challenges: Spiraling down a tunnel in a steel cage ball after eating mounds of Mac ’n Cheese … saddling up for a bucking, spinning, spew-inducing thrill ride on the mechanical bull after downing a passel of franks ’n beans … and much more! Last contestant to spew can win a cool grand plus bragging rights as ‘Iron Stomach Champion.’ ”
Safe to say that not many viewers will be flipping back and forth between this and “Charlie Rose.”
I’m not a prude about bodily-function humor, but stop the ride, I want to get off. Waiting eagerly to watch people vomit? If this isn’t rock bottom, I don’t want to imagine what is.
It will be Neal Tiles’ legacy that he took America’s least-common denominators and made them even stupider than they were a half-hour before.
Newnan man comes up one link short in hot dog eating contest
By JEREMY REDMON
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 06/22/08 Loren "Bubba" Yarbrough followed an impressive training routine on the road to Saturday's annual Georgia hot dog eating contest at Lenox Square.
To expand his stomach, the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Newnan resident guzzled a gallon of water a day.
Elissa Eubanks/Staff |
Loren 'Bubba' Yarbrough wished he could have eaten cleaner in the Georgia qualifier for the Nathan's July 4 hot dog eating contest.
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Readying himself for the challenge, he joked that he tried to put Atlanta area buffet restaurants out of business, gobbling as much as 13 pounds of food in one sitting.
Yarbrough entered all kinds of food-eating contests, competing over jalapenos, chocolate and meatballs.
He even enlisted the help of a training partner, his best friend, Larry "the Legend" McNeil, a fellow Atlanta sewer plant manager from Newnan. The two ate together and plotted strategy in the days leading up to the contest.
Yarbrough, 35, said he also perfected his "power nibble" technique, eating frankfurters like Bugs Bunny powers through a carrot.
But all this training wasn't enough for a victory on Saturday. A Yankee took the state title. Pete "Pretty Boy" Davekos, a Bostonian who is ranked 25th by Major League Eating, beat a field of 14 other competitors by downing 19 1/4 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. Yarbrough said he should have been credited for 20, but a judge took away some of his total for the pile of gooey mush that accumulated before him on the table, leaving him with 18 1/2 eaten.
"I got robbed," Yarbrough insisted afterward. "I didn't come here to lose."
It was Yarbrough's fifth attempt at the state title, a regional qualifying event; the winner advances to the Nathan's Famous July 4 International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, N.Y.
Yarbrough and Davekos were neck and neck all the way through. Yarbrough shoveled hot dogs into his mouth three and four at a time, dunking the buns in water to make them easier to swallow.
Last year's state champion, Dale Boone of Buckhead, showed up to cheer Yarbrough on.
Davekos, meanwhile, pulled two hot dogs from their buns at a time, breaking them in half, slamming them into his mouth and then eating a single bun. When he started feeling full, he began eating hot dogs the traditional way.
With a mouth full of hot dogs and buns at the end of the competition, Davekos appeared as if he was going to vomit. His wife, Mia, urged him on, shouting: "It's all mental. Deep breaths!"
Davekos managed to keep it all in, claiming a green and gold trophy. Yarbrough walked over and patted Davekos on the back, later promising that he would return next year. He said he would perfect his swallowing technique and work on eating "cleaner."
"He's an awesome competitor," Davekos said of Yarbrough. "It could have gone either way."
April 22nd, 2008 Picnic Style Rules are rules that acknowledge the tradition, culture and heritage of a particular food item. Simply put “Picnic Style Rules” are rules of a contest that do not allow for the mutilation, desecration, improper destruction of a food item.
The Association of Independent Competitve Eaters (AICE) believes that eating a particular food item the way it was intended, is not only playing proper tribute to the culture and heritage of the food but also makes for a more interesting and easiier to follow contest. Over the years, many competitive eating fans have gasped in horror as they suffered the indignity of watching Eaters separate, dunk, mush and mash and perform other unmentionable “Picnic profanities.”
Fans, Eaters, sponsors and other concerned citizens have reinforced the need and importance of “Picnic Style Rules” to increase the entertainment value of competitive eating and to eliminate the tricky business connected to the massacre of food.
It is the goal of AICE to encourage the development picnic style rules in all eating contests.
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March 31st, 2008 
Battle Creek’s Jake “The Butcher” Casey pushed eventual victor Joe Menchetti, “The Food Warrior,” into a new world record last year nearly out-eating the champion in the 2nd Annual World Reuben Eating Championship in Marshall.
Now, Jake’s announced he’ll be back Saturday, July 19, when the Association of Competitive Eaters sends a team to the City of Hospitality to once again raise funds for the Fountain Clinic. The 3rd Annual World Reuben Eating Championship will be held from 2-4 p.m. on North Jefferson Street, in front of Pastrami Joe’s Deli, sponsor of the event. If Jake has improved as much from last year to this as he did between the first two events, he may just flat out-eat ALL the competition this year.
Casey, who is an education major in college, seems to be a quick learner. And if last year’s any indication, he can be counted on to “school” his fellow competitors in the science of speed eating and mass consumption and may just take home the 2008 trophy.
However, he’s going to have to watch out for more than Menchetti, who has dozens of eating titles to his name. Several other professional eaters will be in Marshall that day as well.
Back for a third go-round in the Reuben competition will be Chris “The American” Schlesinger, presently the New York Hard Boiled Egg Eating Champion, who ate an amazing 10 hard-boiled eggs in just a minute and 16 seconds to gain that title. Schlesinger also has recorded victories for consuming potato latkes, milk and cookies, ribs, hot dogs, strawberries, and other delicacies too numerous to mention. Schlesinger has 11 top three finishes in National and World Eating Championships.
Also gracing the stage at the July 19 Reuben event will be Tom “Goose” Gilbert, making his first appearance in Marshall. He is the current world record holder in Chicken Wings, as well as the National Canadian Back-Bacon Eating Champion. This 26-year-old counselor from the State of Massachusetts has smashed both the world record in meatballs and potato latkes and has consumed 46 hard-boiled eggs in five minutes to win the National Hard Boiled Egg Eating Championship in Brick, NJ. A Combat Medic in the Army Reserves, Gilbert has a disciplined style of eating that has earned him the honorary nickname, the “Green Beret of Grub.”
Rounding out the professionals registered to date is Pierre “Food Machete” Vincelette from Canada who recently won a hamburger-eating contest in Ontario by downing a 2.5-lb. burger and an order of fries in 15:32 seconds.
The day’s events will also include a Reuben Relay for kids as well as an amateur eating contest pitting various community rivals against each other. Anyone wanting to sign up may do so by contacting Michael Caron at P.J.’s for all the details.
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March 26th, 2008 Professionals, amateurs and kids participated Saturday, July 21, 2007, when Pastrami Joe’s Deli and the Association of Independent Competitive Eaters vied for championships in the 2nd Annual World Reuben Eating Contest in downtown Marshall.
The eating was great to watch, but the overwhelming benefit of the day’s activities was that $5,600 was raised for Marshall’s Fountain Clinic, the free clinic dedicated to providing needed health care for those unable to pay for it. The proceeds from the contest were dedicated primarily to purchasing medications.
Five professionals put their elbows on the table and downed a phenomenal number of sandwiches, led by Gentleman Joe Menchetti of Wallingford, CT, who barely broke a sweat as he set a new world record (six meat-filled delights) on his way to the win. Amateur honors went to Dale Greer of Marshall.
Twenty-four amateurs competed in bright sunshine, including the Mayors of both Marshall and Albion, Bruce Smith and Bill Wheaton, and a cadre of police professionals from the State Police, Sheriff’s Department and Marshall Police Department.
For the first time, a dozen children competed in the first annual Reuben Relay, constructing sandwiches from one end of an obstacle course to the other and drawing loud praise from the spectators gathered to watch.
The 2008 competition is slated to be held Saturday, July 19, 2008, beginning at 2 p.m. Those who want to compete may obtain entry forms at Pastrami Joe’s on Jefferson Street in Marshall.
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Eatin big in the Southland
Professional eating is gaining momentum - even in the Southland
BY David H. Montgomery, Correspondent
Palos Heights native Patrick Bertoletti is going to be on ESPN this Fourth of July, and he's preparing intently for his moment on national TV. He sizes up the physical and mental challenges facing him like Tiger Woods before a long drive.
But Bertoletti isn't a professional golfer, nor a baseball player or Olympic athlete. He's simply ranked No. 2 in the world in a new sport that demands nerves of steel and a cast-iron stomach: competitive eating.
Professional eating is mostly known for the ESPN-televised Nathan's International July Fourth Hot Dog Eating Contest, held at Coney Island. But it's also growing around the country, including in Bertoletti's native Southland.
"There's some good talent out here in Chicago," said Arnie Chapman, the founder and chairman of the Association of Independent Competitive Eaters (AICE), one of the two major competitive eating federations.
Set the table
Chapman sees this talent as largely unrealized. Bertoletti is the only big-name competitive eater from Chicago, and he said that the Chicago eating scene isn't as big as that in New York or Houston. He thinks that could change quickly, though. The weak scene is "just based on the lack of sponsorship here in Chicago," Bertoletti said.
Two men who are hoping to change that are Christopher and Dominic Bartolini, owners of Bartolini's restaurant in Midlothian. With sponsorship from companies such as Kohler (maker of toilets "tough enough for big eaters") the Bartolini brothers have established a meatball eating contest now in its third year.
"Some places do candlelight bowls," Christopher Bartolini said. "We do meatball eating contests." The brothers hope to make their contest "the meatball eating competition of the world" and to raise the profile of competitive eating in the Southland.
Last year, the meatball eating contest packed 350 people into Bartolini's, prompting them to move to St. Christopher Church. The contest has a $3,000 grand prize - with a $1,000 bonus for any amateur who can beat the professional eaters to win.
Bring your appetite
Competitive eating can look daunting, particularly when watching professionals such as Bertoletti and past Nathan's champions Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi wolf down 50 or more hot dogs in 12 minutes. In order to do those feats, though, professionals train their bodies and minds as hard as baseball or football players.
"You have to slowly inch your body so you can consume more and more over time," said Bertoletti, who belongs to the second, larger competitive eating organization, the International Federation of Competitive Eating. To prepare for this year's hot dog eating contest, Bertoletti will also try eating smaller quantities as quickly as possible in order to improve his speed and eating technique. At the highest levels of competitive eating, Bertoletti said, you have to push your body past "your breaking point, your maximum capacity."
It's this kind of training that has drawn some criticism to competitive eating. Medical professionals have warned that extended periods of binge eating could possibly lead to medical problems. And Chicago nutritionist Jennifer Vimbor said that binge eating too often wouldn't be healthy.
"These people tend to take in thousands of calories at one time, thousands more than they actually need," Vimbor said.
Because competitive eating competitions often involve unhealthy food such as hot dogs and desserts, Vimbor said regular competitive eaters "may have higher risk of heart disease, cancers and gastrointestinal disorders."
Bertoletti disagreed with the notion that competitive eating was automatically unhealthy. He pointed out that most of the really successful competitive eaters are fit, not overweight. However, Bertoletti acknowledged that binge eating too frequently could be unhealthy.
"I don't see any problem with (competitive eating) - as long as you balance it with a good diet," Bertoletti said.
Clear the table
But competitive eating involves more than just these intense contests. At its heart, competitive eating descends from things such as county fair pie eating contests, and there's still a big role for amateurs.
"One good thing about competitive eating is that it's a way for someone to get publicity and recognition without a ton of equipment," Chapman said. "You just bring yourself and your appetite."
That amateur spirit is what the Bartolini brothers hope to capture with their meatball-eating contest. Anyone can try out for the contest (by devouring a pound and a half of meatballs as quickly as possible)- even those who have never eaten before, like Mark Huguelet, 33, of Midlothian.
"I've seen the past few years of meatball-eating competitions and kind of wanted to try it once," Huguelet said. He finished his meatball plate in 3:45 and thinks he can do better next time. Despite having never done competitive eating before, Huguelet was impressed by the openness of the contest. "It gives everyone an equal shot at going through," Huguelet said.
The Bartolini's meatball contest is the only major sanctioned competitive eating contest in the Southland at the moment, but just about everyone seems to think that eating in Chicago has room to grow.
"Chicago has a lot of untapped talent for food warriors," said Chapman. "Guys from Chicago like to have a lot of fun. It's a great match for (competitive eating)."
Ex-Texan eats 25 hot dogs to earn spot in Nathan's July Fourth contest
10:45 PM CDT on Saturday, June 21, 2008
By KARIN SHAW ANDERSON / The Dallas Morning News
ksanderson@dallasnews.com The name evokes childhood days with red wagons, lemonade and pinwheels spun by breezes.
Wichita Falls native wins Texas qualifying for Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest (DMN - Video/editing: Ron Baselice)
06/21/2008
But frankly speaking, there was nothing breezy about Texas' qualifying round for the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in Plano on Saturday.
"Nasty" Nathan Biller had hot dog debris hanging from his eyebrows and lashes. His cheeks billowed with each bite. He clamped a hand over stretched lips to force another swallow. His eyes squeezed shut in agony.
Next to him, Kevin Ross gobbled two wieners at a time. His fingers were stained the shade of the fruit punch he used as dipping sauce. He kept a strong pace. But then his face grew pale, and his mind went dizzy.
"You need experience to learn how to not get really nauseous," said Mr. Ross, a Southern California native.
The 26-year-old, who is normally a vegetarian, has sucked down raw oysters, blueberry pies, french fries and deep-fried asparagus in previous eating contests.
"I think hot dogs are the hardest," Mr. Ross said.
He started Saturday's match with an empty gut.
Chris Floyd, a former Plano resident and the crowd favorite, snacked on cantaloupe for breakfast. Dinner the night before was green beans and a biscuit.
"I drink lots of water," Mr. Floyd said. "It helps stretch the stomach and keep the system clean."
Mr. Floyd now lives in Austin, where he works as a hospital administrator.
His pre-contest regimen included eating 15 hot dogs in one sitting several times a week.
He has been top dog in four other eating contests. Saturday's winner will go to the championship at Coney Island, N.Y.
"This is my first chance at the big stage," Mr. Floyd said as he mapped his strategy. "I'm going to start off fast and go as fast and as long as I can and push strong in the final minutes."
Before the battle, runners stacked five HDBs – competitive-eating lingo for "hot dogs in buns" – on each plate. Each participant had two plates to start and water to help smooth the way down.
Personal condiments and beverages were allowed in the 10-minute race.
One stout fellow calmly striped each dog with his own honey mustard and dined at a leisurely pace.
Others tore the wieners in half and crammed water-soaked segments into their gullets.
Mr. Biller's plan was to consume two dogs a minute.
He recently moved from Wichita Falls to Queens, N.Y., but felt compelled to return to his home state for the showdown.
He thinks it helped to be stationed next to his toughest adversary, Mr. Ross.
"I was watching him most of the time," Mr. Biller said. "I was doing good, but I kind of felt like I hit a wall right there at the end."
Still, Mr. Biller shoveled in an entire dog in two seconds as the 10-second countdown wound down.
Each man had to finish swallowing before the tally was taken.
Mr. Floyd tied for fourth place with 15 dogs consumed. A Florida man placed third after gobbling 17 franks.
Mr. Biller and Mr. Ross were tied with 20 hot dogs each.
Then came the brutal part: a two-minute eat-off. Fresh plates of franks were stacked in front of the men. Overstretched stomachs would have to endure more.
Mr. Ross felt woozy but wasn't backing down. He plowed through two wieners and stuffed in two more.
But when time was called, Mr. Ross realized he was still one dog down. He pulled a slimy pink mass from his mouth, spit out some more and walked away.
The crowd groaned in disgust.
"I feel awful," Mr. Ross said after the duel. "I ate more than I've ever eaten before. I feel really disoriented."
Mr. Biller was in pain but glowing with victory.
"It feels great to win," he said.
His goal was to keep the 25 wieners down for the rest of the day.
"If you allow it to come back up, it trains your body to react that way during a contest," he said. "I've been lucky so far."
Watching from the crowd, Melissa Miles of Dallas shuddered.
"I highly doubt I'll ever eat another hot dog again," she said.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
June 21, 2008 at 10:19 am by ojrifkin · More posts about: Contest Results, Nathan's Hot Dog Contest
Results from IFOCE.com
1. “Nasty” Nate Biller 25 HDB (20 at end of regulation, 5 in 2 minute eatoff)
2. Kevin Ross 24 (20 at end of regulation, 4 in 2 minute eatoff)
3. Ken Mansfield 18
4. Timm Dilling 15
4. 15
Goldstein wins Myrtle Beach with 23 HDB.
2nd place 16Damon Serginet
3rd place 8 more to come..standbye
Austin hosts 2nd annual Veggie Dog Eating Contest
Posted: June 21, 2008 11:02 AM
