7 part Patrick Michels article in the Dallas Observer

In a seven-part article for the Dallas Observer, Patrick Michels uses Nathan Biller’s career as a starting point to explore the history of the IFOCE/MLE and competitive eating in general. While quite thorough, the article does not mention the cancellation of the Krystal Square Off or the admission by Mortimer Matz, Nathan’s promoter in the 1970’s, that the 1916 “origin story” of the Coney Island contest was a fabrication.

Comments (11)

11 Comments »

  1. Matt "Mega Toad" Stonie said (Registered June 22, 2010)

    October 13, 2010 @ 10:35 pm

    thorough, yet not as through and OJ
    =]

  2. Matt "Mega Toad" Stonie said (Registered June 22, 2010)

    October 13, 2010 @ 10:36 pm

    ^^^ as

  3. Crawfish said (Registered May 24, 2008)

    October 13, 2010 @ 10:42 pm

    Great article!

  4. Wrecking Ball said (Registered May 6, 2010)

    October 13, 2010 @ 11:34 pm

    Very good article

  5. Don "Moses''Lerman said

    October 14, 2010 @ 12:37 am

    .” Don “Moses” Lerman tempted Shea’s Biblical side with a crossover from matzo balls to hot dogs”should have been the beginning and highlight of the article, That was in spark that started the sport ,like the big bang theory that started the Universe , like Louie Armstrong joined the Fletcher Henderson orchestra in 1926 was th e start of the big band era, Ive said it a hundred times before, Thou I didn;t start the internet , I started the sport of competitive eating, I was the first to use my own nickname before that the e promoter , sponsor or press gave the eater a nickname ,I change all that for good with my asking to be known as ”Moses” first eater to go out of state for a contest etc etc etc ” SO LET IT BE WRITTEN , SO LET IT BE DONE”

  6. the ghost of eaters past said

    October 14, 2010 @ 2:06 am

    Sheas initial relationship with Lerman is almost like the young man trying to make an impression on his first love. Rich Shea showered Donald with affection and made him feel like he was the next coming of Julius Erving. Don tell them about the time you called the office and Rich Shea eagerly yelled out to his brother/ George you wont believe this i have Don Lerman on the line” Times have chenged havent they?

  7. beautifulbrian said

    October 14, 2010 @ 2:22 am

    This is a pretty decent article considering the fact that the eater in mention whispered to another competitive eater that my Elvis impersonation stunk when i performed in Biloxi MS in Jan of this year. I hung out with him a few times when he was living in NYC but after i heard that comment about me through a reliable source , i defriended him immediately on facebook
    Good thing my name came up at some point in the article as one of the pioneers of the sport or i would have had a shit fit

  8. anonymous said

    October 14, 2010 @ 8:14 am

    article sucks not enough mention about the great Butiful Brian

  9. thief said

    October 14, 2010 @ 8:18 am

    It would have been nice if it mentioned how eatfeces stole all BB ideas and basically stole most of his fans away withoutt plugging the site he stole it from ever again. How low can you get

  10. lawman said

    October 14, 2010 @ 1:00 pm

    No lover of the Shea$ and their Ivy league jokes but is this the second time Ryan’s slammed them in the news. What went down to cause him to bite the hand that feeds a book deal and an apearance on Colbert Report.

  11. Patrick Michels said

    October 15, 2010 @ 1:09 pm

    @lawman – Just to be clear, I did ask Ryan specifically about that Salon interview. The circumstances around his leaving weren’t anything he brought up on his own, and I doubt he would’ve if I hadn’t asked.

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