competitiveeatingnews.com announces Badlands Booker’s retirement
competitiveeatingnews.com has an announcement that Eric “Badlands” Booker has retired from competitive eating. Neither badlandsbooker.com or Booker’s myspace page have any mention of Booker retiring and Booker’s myspace calendar says he intends to defend his Buffalo Wing Festival title Labor Day weekend.
If Booker has competed in his last eating contest, the competitive eating scene will defenitely miss one of its greatest champions who had a career spanning almost a decade during which he helped raise the profile of competitive eating as much as any other American gurgitator. Hopefully Booker will continue his pre-contest rapping.
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Kevin Carr said (Registered April 21, 2006)
August 24, 2006 @ 10:18 pm
The latest press release on the IFOCE site also mentions that Booker (along with Cookie) has retired…
http://www.ifoce.com/news.php?action=detail&sn=446
beautifulbrian said
August 25, 2006 @ 1:45 am
Booker says he is retired . I spoke to him last night. He is not defending the wing title. He is focusing in on other concepts but he will appear at contests and continue rapping.but not eating.
badlands booker said
August 25, 2006 @ 9:16 am
It’s true, I am officially retired. I will still be rapping at events and working behind the scenes as far as the IFOCE goes, and working on the new album due out thanksgiving, so I’m not going to be retired and gone, like the Godfather I will still be a driving force in the competitive eating community. Everyone stay hungry and focused and I will see you soon
badlands booker said
August 25, 2006 @ 9:58 am
Yes, It’s true, I am officially retired from competitive eating as of yesterday. although, I will still be rapping at events and working behind the scenes as far as advancing the sport which I still love very much, and I’m still working on the new album due out thanksgiving, so I’m not going to be retired and gone. like the Godfather, I will still be a driving force in the competitive eating community.
I would like to thank the whole MLE of if you’re old school like me, the IFOCE for making me the sportsman that I am today, and for their continued support as well. all the major league eaters, past and present for their kindness and for keeping me inspired to compete at my very best, also the AICE for their hateful comments and gestures towards me over the years, I’ve dedicated a track on my new album to them bunch of lames! And last but not least, all the fans that stood by me and showed love whether I came in first or last place, and I hope that you will continue to stand by me in the future, I love you ALL! Everyone stay hungry and focused, and I will see you soon.
Hoo-Ah!
Badlands Booker
LadyLenore said (Registered August 14, 2006)
August 25, 2006 @ 11:00 am
AlthoughI don’t know you, from all I’ve read and heard, you’re a gentleman in the sport. I’m new to competitive eating – as a “groupie”, but I’m learning. You set the stage for the new guys…and I hope to have the opportunity to meet you at some point and shake your hand.
Best of luck in your current endeavors!
the boy king said
August 25, 2006 @ 12:05 pm
I hope you “dedicated a track on my new album” and also considered the members of AICE who never made “hateful comments and gestures” toward you.
Those are eaters who are breaking into the sport, and you wouldn’t want to discourage any new talent.
They may not have held a spot at the MLE/IFOCE tables yet, but maybe they strive to someday. Or maybe they never will, knowing that if they perform well they will never be able to compete on their own without the threat of legal action.
Rhonda Evans said
August 25, 2006 @ 12:47 pm
Eric, to me you are a celebrity, and it is very nice of you just to grace this blog with your presence from time to time. Like Lady Lenore, I’ve never met you in person, but I feel I know you in spirit. I read about you everywhere. I hope to meet you one day. You’re such a positive person and I really like that.
Locust said
August 25, 2006 @ 12:49 pm
Badlands, you will be greatly missed at the table. I have really enjoyed competing against you for the past four years as you have always been a true gentleman, a great competitor and an entertaining personality. You and Cookie helped make the sport what is has become today and I’m sure all of the talented eaters who have come along in the past two years were inspired by you and your many accomplishments. You are a future hall of famer and a real credit to mankind. Hope to see you at future events.
El Toro said
August 25, 2006 @ 1:08 pm
The circuit won’t be the same without you Badlands. You will be missed… PS I’m Hungry and Focused to put it down with you on one of your upcoming projects..AARRRAAGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
El Toro
INSPECTOR SHHHTINK said
August 25, 2006 @ 1:22 pm
After that remark boy king is not conti or andrew lane. there is still alot of research to be done. This is one crafty little bastard Soiffer & Adam da bomb are now possible suspects
INVADER said
August 25, 2006 @ 1:38 pm
Good luck to Booker, of course, and I wish him the best. I’ve always respected his career and am sure he will continue to be a driving force in the eating community. When I first talked with Chapman, I mentioned that I always wanted to earn the respect and develop the talent Badlands had within competitive eating. I will continue to strive for that but leave out the rapping part, of course. Aside from that, I’m looking forward to hearing the AICE rant. He probably has plenty of material to work with. Single out the “lames” and go from there. The rest of us are having a good time and don’t really care about the past.
OFFICER NOODLE said
August 25, 2006 @ 1:52 pm
Shhhtink, its obvious this guy was an IFOCE member . Might have turned AICE or possibly a new eater that has compassion for AICE. He attempted to throw you off by stating he was at the three bros pizza contest and was invited to horseshoes. If he reads this he just might have some fun with the attention and fuck with everyone’s heads from now on.
Ed Charles said
August 25, 2006 @ 2:21 pm
Invader some of the IFOCE eaters wish you were part of their team. You appear to be a class act and would have fit in very nicely if things worked out differently. I guess the best comparison would be. AICE has the Invader IFOCE has Eater X & Eric the Red
Kevin Carr said (Registered April 21, 2006)
August 25, 2006 @ 2:27 pm
Good luck, Eric. You’re a true master of the sport and a pioneer, and your presence will still be felt for years to come.
beautifulbrian said
August 25, 2006 @ 2:33 pm
We started the same day same contest June 21,1997. I’ve known this man for almost 10 yrs. I have never seen him lose it or get really upset . He has always managed to steer clear of the negative and rely on the positive. I beat him or lets say finished ahead of him twice in my career and i consider myself lucky to accomplish that in those two contests. (pickles & corned beef) . There is only one Badlands Booker and they dont come along very often in life. He is a friend , an advisor and a legend. He has brought nothing less than positive energy to this organization and unless you really piss him off he never has a bad word to say about anyone. Without question a team player and a leader .You will be missed. Badlands . The baddest brother on this planet. Good luck and stay hungry!
Hall Hunt said (Registered July 13, 2006)
August 25, 2006 @ 4:59 pm
You will be missed at the table. I am glad to hear you will still be coming out to promote competitive eating in other ways than just the eating part. Congratulations on a very long and most certainly a very successful competitive eating career. You have always set the example that I try my best to follow. Catch you later Booker.
Ray The Bison Meduna said
August 26, 2006 @ 11:56 am
Eric
I wish you the best on your Retirement.
It was Eaters like Booker,Cookie and Lerman that inspired me to be a Competitive Eater.
Badlands you have an amazing talent as a Rapper and I believe the best of Badlands is still to come.
Take care my Friend
Bison
Kevin "Krazy Kevin" Lipsitz & Lorraine "Lorraineasaurus Rex" Lipsitz said
August 26, 2006 @ 11:15 pm
Hey Eric,
Congratulations on a career well earned. I only “beat” you once, with the infamous 2 lbs corned beef sandwich, but of course it was never a fair contest, with you having just eaten 21 matzoh balls 10 minutes earlier and me having eaten only 11 or so 10 minutes earlier, in one of the Ben’s qualifiers Yet you were gracious about the whole thing and gave me credit when I finished first. That really speaks volumes about your character.
Many other times, I was chasing you and am proud to have been one of your pacers in so many contests, pushing you to eat even harder.
When I first met you at the Nathan’s finals in 1997, where we were both eating at the big show, you were a very imposing character.
After knowing you these last 10 years, I think of you simply as Badlands, one of the nicest guys in competitive eating, not an imposing character at all. It is remarkable that I have never seen you lose your temper, as there is a lot of stuff that could have made you lose your temper, from fellow eaters who deserved the power of one of your punches to all sorts of other situations which surely must have taxed your patience. But you remained gracious through it all.
I am certain that at the Glutton Bowl I saw you do a backflip in the courtyard of the hotel, but perhaps that was your reputation for being very limber having an effect on my imagination.
You also have a wonderful family and it was an honor to have met so many of them.
Lorraine and I consider you to be one of our good eating friends.
Wishing you all the best,
Sincerely,
Kevin and Lorraine