AOL on IFOCE Guantanamo Bay trip

AOL News has a report on the report on the trip to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base by three IFOCE members on Labor Day weekend:

Tim “Eater X” Janus, “Pretty Boy” Pete Davekos and “Crazy Legs” Conti — the fourth-, 13th- and 14th-ranked eaters in the world — boarded a C-40 Clipper at a private airstrip in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Saturday, for the special Pro-Am Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.

The plane — a military version of a Boeing 737 — circled Castro’s island nation, so as not to invade Cuban airspace, before reaching the base.

“Every moment was completely thrilling,” Janus told AOL News. “I don’t know if it was top secret by a military definition. But it was definitely secret. They told us we weren’t allowed to talk about it.”

Comments (24)

24 Comments »

  1. Anonymous said

    September 16, 2009 @ 7:47 pm

    SO F’ ING AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  2. anonymous said

    September 16, 2009 @ 8:23 pm

    When you dont see them eating in big contests it usually means ifoce has bigger and better plans for them

  3. Anonymous said

    September 16, 2009 @ 8:47 pm

    Seems as though Pretty Boy has entered ‘the club’ Good for him. Well spoken and a solid ambassador for the sport. Cheers!

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

    September 17, 2009 @ 7:14 am

    Agreed! You’ll find no better trio to market competitive eating, and that’s good news for ALL competitors of that pastime/sport/vocation.

  5. Mega Munch said

    September 17, 2009 @ 9:56 am

    Agree Rhonda. Glad to see no one is hating on the latest PR performance by the Conti X duo. Not yet at least.

  6. Anonymous said

    September 17, 2009 @ 11:16 am

    I heard they asked Arturo and Shredder but they had other plans.

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

    September 17, 2009 @ 2:03 pm

    Unfortunately Mega, not yet is right. There’s a handful of people in CE who somehow interpret media opportunities for others as a slight against them, as indicated by the comment just below yours. It was made for that very reason by neither Arturo nor Shredder.

  8. Anonymous said

    September 17, 2009 @ 6:04 pm

    Who is Shredder? I’m kinda new to this site. Does he suck?

  9. Jealous said

    September 17, 2009 @ 6:49 pm

    Why is it always them? What has Pretty Boy done to deserve this? Eaten spinach? No Arturo on a trip to Cuba? somebody’s not only eating meat, they are also su..ing a..!!!!

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

    September 18, 2009 @ 9:00 am

    I knew these comments would come …

    Pretty Boy Davekos (like X and Legs) is one of the most composed, eloquent, intelligent spokesmen you’ll find in ANY sport, let alone CE. He’s young, physically fit, easy on the eyes, and he earned a spot at the Nathan’s Finals. What more could one want to endorse/promote CE?

    Frankly speaking, if the IFOCE’s marketing practice were to ensure equal air time among all eaters, past and present, that org would soon lose business.

    Furthermore, no one is “owed” marketing opportunities by the IFOCE. If that organization ran its business using that premiss, or metric, the growth rate of CE would be much less than it currently is.

    As much as I like Koby and Sonya, I would not be the least bit dismayed if Legs, Tim, and Pete were used EXCLUSIVELY for ALL media opportunities.

    To not look at the big picture is a bit self-serving, and perhaps based on one’s own insecurity.

    Grow up!

  11. anonymous said

    September 18, 2009 @ 11:23 am

    So Rhonda we are all supposed to just sit back and watch others bask in the glory 24/7 ?

  12. Jealous said

    September 18, 2009 @ 12:45 pm

    wah…I not!

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

    September 18, 2009 @ 1:20 pm

    Refer to my earlier comments.

  14. Jealous said

    September 18, 2009 @ 3:02 pm

    Tim, despite exciting facepaint and great results, gives interviews that are as exciting as watching paint dry – see today’s 5 questions on Krystal Square Off site.
    Peter is a good guy, handsome, and extremely boring.
    Only Crazy Legs continues to impress in every interview he gives, and in every appearance he makes.
    To only have three people do all media – stupid. Should only Alex Rodriguez, Derek Lee, and Chipper Jones speak on behalf of baseball? Terrell Owens, Ray Lewis, and Donovan McNabb for football? Rhonda, sometimes your comments are stupider than mine. This is one of those times – where’s our input from Beautiful Brian on this?

  15. SPBBBMBBB said

    September 18, 2009 @ 4:28 pm

    This makes a good poll question – if we only had three IFOCE eater spokespeople, who should they be?

  16. Gentleman Joe said (Registered December 8, 2005)

    September 18, 2009 @ 5:22 pm

    1. Crazylegs

    2. Crazylegs

    3. Crazylegs

    Man Vs Food should have been his.

    Depends on what the interview or whatever is for, if Crazylegs isn’t available.

    Bertoletti could be good. If you want a female Juliet would be good. If you want someone of color &/or a stereotypical c-eater Booker interviews well as does Hardy. Eater X is good BUT, only w/the face paint. Erik the Red has a bit of C-legs in him.

    As important as it is to interview well, so you don’t have others grumbling, the people have to be quality eaters as well. C-legs has worked to become that.

  17. anomymous said

    September 18, 2009 @ 5:44 pm

    I find it amazing that lerman or seiken mame is not even considered, I guess both those names are considered crap in your eyes right Joe?

  18. Anonymous said

    September 18, 2009 @ 6:31 pm

    As much as I like Juliet, a spokesperson she is not. She is very difficult to understand.

    Brian Seiken would actually be a good spokesperson because he brings humor with everything he says. Does not eat well, but why not? WOuld be like bringing George the Animal Steele to a wrestling seminar.

    Another possibility would be Steakbellie Livingston. The guy is witty, well spoken and very charming.

  19. Anonymous said

    September 18, 2009 @ 6:32 pm

    Lerman and Seiken are heavyweights in the sport.

  20. Anonymous said

    September 18, 2009 @ 6:40 pm

    I endorse the team of Juliet and two janitors.

  21. anonymous said

    September 19, 2009 @ 2:20 am

    Joe i can verify that Crazy Legs does not like you one bit so kissing up to him is not going to help . Lerman and Seiken dont even get a mention? You consider them that bad???

  22. Don '' Moses''Lerman said

    September 19, 2009 @ 9:12 am

    Anonymous 632 I’m a heavyweight alright, all 250lbs of me, you help build up a and in the end wind up with Squat tossed away like an old shoe

  23. Gentleman Joe said

    September 19, 2009 @ 12:03 pm

    I’m not trying to kiss up to anyone, just conveying facts.

    To the anony’s asking about others, the answer is yes.

  24. Anonymous said

    March 4, 2010 @ 8:20 am

    OJ with Memorial day on the horizen, maybe you could put up a poll on who should be the next eaters to visit the military. We might be able to drum up enough interest to get a whole uso type tor going. A group of eaters traveling to differnt US military bases supporting the troops. How cool would that be. Someone get on this so we can see it this year. Support our troops by eating hot dogs and apple pie with them. Skip the baseball, eating is where its at.

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