In other sports related news

[dashDustin]

""I know he brings 100% to the Fourth of July and he is a legend of the sport," he told ESPN2, which broadcast the event.

"To beat him by a couple...this year is... you know I trained hard for this and I can't say I came in confident, but I came prepared," Stonie said."

Nathan's hot dog contest shocker: Down goes Chestnut - CNN.com

[robin3mj]

Not a sport.

[Too Tall]

Saw that. Incredible. Can't condone this weirdness yet I can't look away.

""I know he brings 100% to the Fourth of July and he is a legend of the sport," he told ESPN2, which broadcast the event.

"To beat him by a couple...this year is... you know I trained hard for this and I can't say I came in confident, but I came prepared," Stonie said."

Nathan's hot dog contest shocker: Down goes Chestnut - CNN.com

[e-RICHIE]

I will not stop until I reach 70. This sport isn't about eating. It's about drive and dedication, and at the end of the day hot dog eating challenges both my body and my mind.

I have no opinion atmo.

[Mabouya]

Oh, the fate of marginal sports / activities: doomed to be the butt of jokes and accusations that we aren't "real" athletes, despite life-long dedication to our respective sports and long hours of training under grueling conditions.

Signed:

Joey Chestnut
Sumo Wrestlers of Japan
Michael Rasmussen
et al.

[Too Tall]

Tiddly winks professionals
Xtreme bubble wrap competitors
....

Oh, the fate of marginal sports / activities: doomed to be the butt of jokes and accusations that we aren't "real" athletes, despite life-long dedication to our respective sports and long hours of training under grueling conditions.

Signed:

Joey Chestnut
Sumo Wrestlers of Japan
Michael Rasmussen
et al.

[Matthew Strongin]

Oh, the fate of marginal sports / activities: doomed to be the butt of jokes and accusations that we aren't "real" athletes, despite life-long dedication to our respective sports and long hours of training under grueling conditions.

Signed:

Joey Chestnut
Sumo Wrestlers of Japan
Michael Rasmussen
et al.

These guys are awesome. Impressive speed and explosiveness, and not just for their size. Way more fun to watch than a hot dog eating contest, too.

[dashDustin]

I'd say equally fascinating.

Sumo - "how the hell do the move like that?"

Hot Dawgs - "how the hell do they eat like that, and where does it go?"

[monadnocky]

Sport or not, it is absolutely revolting.

[Bob Ross]

Hot Dawgs - "how the hell do they eat like that, and where does it go?"

This is a question one asks about sleight-of-hand magicians, not competitive hot dog eaters.

[defspace]

Thanks guys, this thread sucked me into a 30 minute wikipedia vortex.

These guys are nuts. So are we. I can appreciate the dedication. I cannot appreciate eating 20 lbs of food in 15 minutes.

[ldamelio]

Three quarters of the world doesn't have enough to eat. We have this as 'sport' and thousands of people having their stomachs stapled every day. And we wonder why third world countries hate us.

[Chad]

Three quarters of the world doesn't have enough to eat. We have this as 'sport' and thousands of people having their stomachs stapled every day. And we wonder why third world countries hate us.

What in this county isn't done to excess? Hard to put all the blame on competitive eating. $15K bicycles, NASCAR, sports salaries, this could be a long list.

[ldamelio]

Chad, we agree. Not putting all (or any, since I doubt people in caves are following hot dog eating contests on Twitter) of the blame on this as a specific entity. Like you, I see it as an example of a culture gone somewhat awry. The Coney Island hot dog eating contest is a societal metaphor reflecting our excesses.

PS - I do my part - not one of my own nine bicycles is worth more than $10,000 :}