104.5 FM The Team has an interview with Tim Janus. Like Bob Shoudt, "Eater X" thinks cheating is a significant problem and he would like to see rule-breakers receive a contest ban.

July 9, 2013 at 9:21 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Tim "Eater X" Janus | Permalink * Comments (43)

43 Comments »

  1. Anonymous said

    July 9, 2013 @ 10:12 am

    Worst is when the rules change for a guy

  2. Anonymous said

    July 9, 2013 @ 1:02 pm

    Yeah boone is a cheater lol world league of cheat eating

  3. Jackie said

    July 9, 2013 @ 1:34 pm

    or a Gal

  4. Truth teller said

    July 9, 2013 @ 5:07 pm

    Janus wants cheaters banned. Did him and CLC have a falling out and he doesn’t want to eat with his roomie?

  5. anonymous said

    July 9, 2013 @ 7:08 pm

    You had to see janus in action at pulled pork slider contest in ohio. last year.He nominated himself as official plate separator

  6. Notorious B.O.B. said

    July 9, 2013 @ 8:07 pm

    Wow, out of nowhere I suddenly have to chime in. I have been getting many Google alerts with my name and cheating. I am pretty sure that I have never said those words to a reporter, ever. I never said others cheat and I never said that I cheat. Kind of like I go by the moniker “Notorious B.O.B.” yet I only get Google alerts from OJ with “Notorious” Bob Shoudt. Since OJ thinks those two are identical, it is obvious that any quote I make (or allegedly make) OJ feels free to turn into any quote she/he wants to make.

    When I say ‘allegedly” you can refer to my post from 11/2012 on my site where I post a link to the article and the exact two emails that I sent to the author for the story. You can see how the author in this case writes what they want to, and not necessarily what I wrote. Without knowing what I wrote, at least you could say that I actually said what the author wrote. I do not agree that any reasonable person can do what OJ does, where they see something in print (that may or not be true) and then they CHANGE those words to whatever words they want, to convey whatever message they want.

    I do not visit this site although it always makes numerous appearances in Google Alerts. I even saw an alert about my Dad’s coaching career. This OJ is working overtime, that is for sure. But just as certain, she/he has an AX to grind. What, I do not know. I can guess that I am not on her/his favored list, but when it comes to the end of the day, using any yardstick you can think of, I am happy with myself, with my family and with my place in this world.

    What people on this site say is probably very important to them and they have every right to say it. That said, any sane person should not take anything that is written here and use those words to evaluate any of their self worth.

    In conclusion, I need to go back to my Krav Maga, my vegetarian ways and my mountain climbing. After all reporters wrote about these things, so it must be true. Go Erik, say what you feel bro. I got your back.

  7. anonymous said

    July 9, 2013 @ 9:27 pm

    Way to go BOB First post kn 7 yrs and worth the wait .Calling out the cowardly no life troublemaker for what she is a sneaky coward !

  8. ojrifkin said (Registered July 27, 2005)

    July 9, 2013 @ 9:38 pm

    I’m just relaying what was reported in:

    http://www.gq.com/news-politics/newsmakers/201211/jon-ronson-competitive-eating-contests-gq-november-2012?currentPage=4

    Bob looks at me. And then something happens. Perhaps this forlorn casino has made him feel forlorn about the sport he loves so much. But it all pours out. Competitive eating, he says, is rife with unfair advantages.

    “I’ve seen everything,” he says. “People throwing hot dogs under the table. People making the biggest messes you can imagine.”

    My eyes widen. “So there’s such a mess under the table it’s impossible to determine what counts as an eaten thing?” I ask.

    “Oh, there’s techniques,” says Bob. “People suddenly get happy feet.” He mimes an eater dropping an item of food and then covertly stamping it into the ground. I’m appalled. Cheating makes everything pointless. And then Bob confesses that—if need be—he will be one of those cheaters. When his wife is in the crowd, they use pre-arranged signals. “If the eaters are dropping stuff like crazy, she’ll give a meaningless cheer. I’ll understand. Suddenly the food gets very slippery for me.”

    He gives me a look that says: Don’t judge me until you’ve walked in my shoes. Leave the Gandhi-like behavior to the fools who don’t mind losing to the cheaters.

    If anyone has an issue with what Jon Ronson wrote, here is his twitter

    http://twitter.com/jonronson

  9. anonymous said

    July 9, 2013 @ 11:22 pm

    Oj you’re doing a fine job . Whatever you do just dont pull another Helen. Haggerty hiatus.

  10. anonymous said

    July 9, 2013 @ 11:28 pm

    Humble my ass. Anyone that rents out a booth at a card show so he can make money signing his own notorious bob card is anything but humble.

  11. anonymous said

    July 10, 2013 @ 2:06 am

    After Bob Shoudt went from 16 hot dogs in 2005 to 38 the next year , his personality changed completely

  12. Anonymous said

    July 10, 2013 @ 8:35 am

    It is interesting that BS plays both sides or all sides. He wants OJ to fail or look bad so he highjacks repeatedly, then complains he is being victimized. What does this have to do with the post. Well kind of everything. Other people add to this as well. OJ seems to have an agenda, a big one more and more. He seems stubborn in some ways but in thinking about it he has a completely valid point. It applies to HB, Janus, and every other eater who complains about “cheating” which is a catch-all. It is an ugly accusation for sure, and people do different things. Messy eaters, eating before and after, plates get miscounted etc. Two things here and they should apply to everyone at every contest. First, if you have a problem with the results, speak up right then. If you do not, keep it to yourself forever. Or take up something privately with MLE. The call is the call. It is called sports. So be a man or woman, do not complain unless it is with dignity and at the contest itself. Whatever happens, that is it, done and over.

    Secondly, about Humble Bob’s post saying he never reads here etc. Maybe yes, maybe no, it doesn’t matter. If HB had a problem with what a reporter wrote, he should have written to him and asked for a retraction. If he did not, and he did not or if he did none was published, what is in the press is in the press. We all know things are taken out of context etc. But OJ can, just as he says, only go on what is printed. HB did not think this was important enough then to set the record straight. Cannot speak for Janus. Maybe the same thing applies. Janus said a lot of things in the interview. Obviously any reporter is going to report about that kind of accusation. It is “entertainment” and gossipy and you really cannot say yes or no.

  13. Rhonda Evans said (Registered March 6, 2008)

    July 10, 2013 @ 9:08 am

    Some reporters write what they want to write. Around here, the Washington Post, for example, is much, much more reliable than the Washington Times, whose reporters seem to write more untruths than legitimate, factual, as-given accounts.

    Getting back to allegations of cheating, a great way to reduce questionable tactics is to nix dunking altogether. Allowing dunking not only facilitates, breeds, creates an atmosphere for, and reinforces less-than-desirable practices, it gives a less-than-true picture of actual competitive eating talent.

    One need only look at the 2009 Krystals Finals to ascertain who the best competitive eaters, overall, were, at that time, and in what order, at least in bread-laden, sandwich-type foods.

    Here’s the link: http://eatfeats.com/query.php?_table=contests&id=3213. The placings help put things in perspective.

  14. anonymous said

    July 10, 2013 @ 9:17 am

    After the 2009 Krystal finals some eaters still with IFOCE were very cruel to Juliet. One in particular is the focus of this thread. The other resides in PA and passed on the Pitts Nathans qualifier this year

  15. Anonymous said

    July 10, 2013 @ 9:22 am

    Deterrents (harsh penalties) not more rules are what’s needed

  16. Rhonda Evans said (Registered March 6, 2008)

    July 10, 2013 @ 11:15 am

    9:17: I must say that at the time Juliet may have done a bit to bring that on herself. Over the years she has definitely gotten better. Also, all is not her fault.

    The imposition of the 5-second rule, as well-intended as it may have been meant to be, only confounded the already- questionable, confusing issue, as after a full 4, let alone 5, seconds, you pull out half (or less) of the sandwich you initially dunked.

    Also, and in response to 9:22, elimniating the augmentation of dipping food that is to be EATEN–not drank–in a foreign substance is the antithesis of imposing another rule.

    Who knows for sure what to do, whether it’s to 1) dip the bread in liquid and let it half-way dissolve before pulling out pieces of the originally-dunked sandwich, or 2) leave it in the cup with the intention of drinking (the water-soaked sandwich) later.

    Food drinkers, of course, will disagree. Pure, talent-laden competitive EATERS will not; they don’t need to rationalize.

    I say just flippin’ EAT the food! Drop the water-laden, smoke-and-mirror tactic of dunking!

  17. anonymous said

    July 10, 2013 @ 11:30 am

    Bob says it best with this quote from his comment

    What people on this site say is probably very important to them and they have every right to say it. That said, any sane person should not take anything that is written here and use those words to evaluate any of their self worth.

    For the ignorant what he is trying to convey is plain and simple. Pay zero attention to others that try to bring people down when they themselves have serious holes in their lives . Seiken haters should take note

  18. anonymous said

    July 10, 2013 @ 11:32 am

    Bob makes tons of sense. Take the Goldstein cousins for instance. Both of them have suffered though personal issues in their lives and the best way to target their anger if they feel they are backed in the corner is ATTACK. Attack one person and his name is Brian Seiken.

  19. Rhonda Evans said (Registered March 6, 2008)

    July 10, 2013 @ 12:52 pm

    Whoever made the 8:35 post is dead-on! Take note!

  20. Anonymous said

    July 10, 2013 @ 1:20 pm

    Thank you Rhonda, that would be anonymous me. BS, you will always be BS in spades. You attack everywhere yet play the victim. First its so and so, then so and so. You are maybe like someone in one of those duck shooting games at a carnival. With so many people going after you, maybe they have a good reason. Dont you always say if you attack someone it is never done unless there is a good reason. We know how many comments you make about people, they are all nasty nasty nasty. And what is your shining moment? You are better than Gavonne? Well you are not. That’s the old fascist rascist and every other kind of move. Pick someone you think is “lower” to justify your own actions and raise yourself up. HB is supposedly your friend. So if people say not good things about you why not follow his advice and do not judge yourself based upon what you read here. I have as valid an opinion as anyone.

  21. Anonymous said

    July 10, 2013 @ 1:37 pm

    @8:35, Janus seems very pleased with the interview. He thanked the reporter for the accuracy of the quotes. So I think his feelings about cheating were accurately reported.

  22. ojrifkin said (Registered July 27, 2005)

    July 10, 2013 @ 1:41 pm

    Here is Janus’ review of the article

    https://twitter.com/eaterx/status/354356111945646081

  23. Anonymous said

    July 10, 2013 @ 2:13 pm

    Rhonda, in your opinion, does anyone eat “clean” (within the rules, as they stand)? Are there any eaters that actually meet your standards?

  24. anonymous said

    July 10, 2013 @ 2:42 pm

    who cares

  25. Anonymous said

    July 10, 2013 @ 3:25 pm

    Now that is good reporting and verification. Janus stands by the report and the reporting.

  26. Anonymous said

    July 10, 2013 @ 3:46 pm

    I honestly believe that the single biggest reason that top eaters rarely visit and post comments here is because of the presence of Rhonda Evans. Her constant stream of comments are ill-informed (in spite of their effort to sound otherwise), hypocritical, inconsistent, contradictory, often negative, and designed almost always to stir the pot. She creates a bullying atmosphere that drives away the people who have the most interesting things to say and enrages those who remain but have little to contribute beyond their own negativity. If Rhonda would do us the favor of leaving (And why shouldn’t she? She’s nobody, she claims, just a fan.) forever, I think this site could become a useful medium of exchange of information and opinion.

  27. anonymous said

    July 10, 2013 @ 3:57 pm

    Just proves how interesting this site is. If its not gavonne complaining. about seiken being afraid of hkm , its that other nut trying to convince everyone that seiken is the culprit leaving negative posts about everybody. No wonder Bob nor anyone else in MLE never visit here

  28. Anonymous said

    July 10, 2013 @ 3:58 pm

    Janus needs to bow out.

  29. Anonymous said

    July 10, 2013 @ 4:13 pm

    first of all if that was really HB or BOB or notorious or whatever that commented why didnt it say registered user anyone who is an eater that has an account always has (reistered Month,date Year) next to their name so it had to be a phony

  30. Joplin said

    July 10, 2013 @ 4:51 pm

    Janis is his own problem.

  31. Anonymous said

    July 10, 2013 @ 5:39 pm

    If some cat named Rhonda Evans is driving you fuckers away, you fools don’t belong here any way!

  32. Anonymous said

    July 10, 2013 @ 8:20 pm

    5:39 points to something true in general. If you complain about something here, how OJ doesn’t moderate comments, how so and so keeps doing such and such and how you wish more eaters would comment here or why they do not, that is really foolish. Why should anyone except those who want to read or comment. About certain eaters and many eaters, some big name eaters have never left a comment. They may read or not. Why should we decide the value of eatfeats based on this. Too many comments are made though as if playing mercy. Tell a lie here, insult someone or their family, then wait for them to defend themselves or set the record straight. You do not know if they even read. Rhonda is the ultimate fan. She is a solo act too, the only one I can remember who consistently comments (weekdays only) and for years, who knows CE, who has wit, humor and yes, she even forgives the scumblebum who does drive people away but again. cannot be helped. It is really ass backwards and sick to write lies about people and expect them to come here to deny them.

  33. Anonymous said

    July 11, 2013 @ 6:10 am

    After re-reading I am struck by one major thing. The article OJ cites about HB is in a real magazine of long standing. http://www.gq.com/?us_site=y GQ is on newstands and online. The article cited is if not in print virtual and archived. It seems absolutely impossible to imagine that HB did not say those things. It is one thing to say such and such was taken out of context but this article is pages and pages and excellently written professionally. Stand down Notorious One, you have absolutely no legs to stand on. Coming on here and backtracking, if you really wrote that comment (it also seems beyond unlikely that it was not you) makes zero sense. Janus is saying what he wants to say too. It is called independence. Printed stands. OJ has every right to spin anything he wants. It is his site. Interesting this eatfeats stuff. Who is he? she? We do not know. Maybe if we did know we wouldn’t come here so often. Mystery is intriguing.

  34. Rhonda Evans said (Registered March 6, 2008)

    July 11, 2013 @ 7:53 am

    Every person has an inalienable right to express one’s views. However, even that comes at a price. If you want to throw stones at others, you are setting yourself up for the boomerang affect, whereby what goes around comes around.

    Even if you are right, even if people actually do “cheat,” and you point it out, you need to do it in such a way as to not take away their dignity.

    Oftentimes, it’s not so much as what you imply, but how it is implied (e.g. the way you go about it). Life can be a treacherous journey for those who don’t abide by this.

  35. Rhonda Evans said (Registered March 6, 2008)

    July 11, 2013 @ 8:16 am

    For 3:46: Well, after reading your comments, I know three things: You: 1) are fairly intelligent, 2) feel threatened / angered by the talk of imposing nondunking rules; 3) feel that I’m a threat to your sense of self-worth (for whatever reason).

    Also, for someone that is as intelligent as you seem to be, either you rarely read the comments on eatfeats or you are ignorant of them. I have refrained from posting on eatfeats for durations of a week or more at least twice in the last year, and the tone of the comments never changed during my absences.

    Here’s a deal for you. Given that so many people post anonymously, making it so that I can’t distinguish among the plethora of people who post that way, first get an eatfeats account, using whatever name you want, just as long as I have a name of reference to whom I can address. Then ask me to stay away and I will make it a point to refrain from posting for the remainder of July 2013.

    Then, if I am convinced that the site has become a virtual utopia of positivity and constructive comments, I will indeed stay away forever. There you go. The onus is on you.

    Though I already know what your response will be … surprise me!

  36. Anonymous said

    July 11, 2013 @ 8:28 am

    Rhonda’s response to 3:46 is, like so many of her comments, way too generous imo. Of course, as she writes, she already knows she will not be in danger of having to live up to her promise to stay away forever. And I for one would work to convince her otherwise. I have said many times Rhonda Evans is Rhonda Evans. What she posts gets read immediately because she is registered and is to be trusted by OJ. She contributes tons to this board with everything she writes. And she is completely trackable. You do not have to spend any time speculating, like so many do including me, about who wrote such and such. I really wish I could not be anonymous or I might even choose a new moniker like Rhonda has so that at least my opinions can be looked at as one person. I have my reasons, and yes, they have to do with others being attacked. Being anonymous like OJ is anonymous allows me to both monitor myself and tell what I think is okay to tell and keep private what I think should stay private. And no one is going to come to me and ask me questions thinking that I have something private to give to them and be spread. I will ponder further. Thanks Rhonda, you are quite the person. Never go away……..please.

  37. Anonymous said

    July 11, 2013 @ 8:31 am

    If Bob and Janus really believe that cheating, so called is going on, they should have taken it up privately with MLE and still can. It is surprising that Janus would make these comments publicly and stand by them in print. He is not really independent, he is MLE. As such he represents MLE and they represent him.

  38. Rhonda Evans said (Registered March 6, 2008)

    July 11, 2013 @ 9:26 am

    Thank you 8:28. I appreciate you saying whay you did. … I’m humbled.

    8:31: I look at it this way. Tim and Bob, both may have valid points in their assertions. I also believe that Tim and B.O.B. are, for the most part, rule-abiding competitors.

    However, by going public and saying what they did, does that not put the powers that be in MLE in a precarious position? Does that not imply that MLE is not doing its job by “allowing” it to happen?

    Perhaps going public that way is a last resort to get MLE attention, but if I were in the Sheas’ shoes I would feel very awkward, and I would lose a certain amount of trust in those two, in representing the MLE brand.

  39. ojrifkin said (Registered July 27, 2005)

    July 11, 2013 @ 10:59 am

    Here is Bob’s review of the GQ article

    https://www.facebook.com/bob.shoudt.9/posts/4751936400079

  40. Anonymous said

    July 11, 2013 @ 12:16 pm

    Rhonda nails it again. And for those too lazy to even click the link, OJ nails it too. So click on it before you make more comments. There are some eaters who have never commented here to the best of my knowledge. They may be the most loyal to MLE. If I were the Sheas I wouldn’t trust people who go and make accusations knowingly telling a reporter something like this. There is always bounce back. If the top ten eaters left MLE, MLE would rebound because they always have Nathans. Nathans is more important than any single eater no matter whether or not some people think it is boring now. We are in the tiny minority who even know the differences between eaters and organizations. MLE’s pocketbooks may have less or more money but they are way more than just MLE. But both hang together, so if they have to do damage control, they not only will, they likely already are.

  41. Yep! said

    July 11, 2013 @ 12:42 pm

    you got it 12:16

    as long as MLE has Nathan’s and as long as Nathan’s has ESPN, the eaters really don’t matter. Ifoce is dependent on Nathan’s and ESPN (to broadcast Nathan’s) for it’s ultimate survival.

    Seems as though within the last two years or so, Nathan’s has been put on the back burner (no live broadcast in 2012 and ESPN 2 this year)… I wonder if they are slowly gonna phase it out.

  42. anonymous said

    July 11, 2013 @ 12:43 pm

    OJ why dont you point out for the not too bright readers that the recent comments on right hand side are not the only comments in a thread. Some are either too stupid or too lazy to read the entire comments thread

  43. Anonymous said

    July 11, 2013 @ 1:11 pm

    Nathans contest was popular with or without ESPN. No crystal ball but I do wonder what ESPN has to do with any plus in the Nathans profits. Does it really have any positive effect on their dollar income. And of course the eaters are important. I think the person just meant that for most eaters, one is almost as good as another or there are always replacements and newbies who come along.

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