Crif Dog Classic field personal hot dog bests
The New York Daily News and Yahoo! Postgame have articles about the Crif Dog Classic. A list of the personal bests in 10-12 minute hot dog eating contests for the announced field for that competition follows:
| 2009 Jul 4 | 2nd | 64.5 | 10 min | Takeru Kobayashi | Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest | Brooklyn, NY |
| 2011 Sep 5 | 2nd | 29 | 10 min | Tom “Goose” Gilbert | West Coast Hot Dog Eating Championship | Mission Viejo, CA |
| 2011 Jul 4 | 3rd | 28.5 | 10 min | Stephanie “Xanadu” Torres | Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest – women | Brooklyn, NY |
| 2007 Jun 28 | 2nd | 26.5 | 12 min | Brad “The Lunatic” Sciullo | Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest qualifier | West Chester, PA |
| 2011 Sep 5 | 5th | 22.75 | 10 min | Johnnie Excel | West Coast Hot Dog Eating Championship | Mission Viejo, CA |
| 2010 May 29 | 5th | 20 | 10 min | Dave “U. S. Male” Goldstein | Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest qualifier | Atlantic City, NJ |
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Classic Whooping said
May 9, 2012 @ 2:38 pm
How is this even considered a contest if Kobi’s closest competiton can’t even eat half of Kobi’s best? OJ, could you post the top eight best MLE Nathan’s? Kobi, might as well eat against some homeless dudes off the street or save money and just have cardboard cut outs of Kobi’s “competitors.” This is like the Superbowl Champion Giants playing St. Mary’s High School. Kobi’s already slaughtered these guys on the West Coast so can you blame Pete for staying away from this debacle? And, if Crifs thinks this is going to be great promotion for them, I can’t wait until a reporter asks Kobi and the other “eaters” what their favorite hot dog is, Nathan’s, Derby Deli, or Crif Dog? Let’s see eaters, hoping to get paid at the West Coast Hot Dog Eating Championship, worm their way out of that one.
Krystal Ball said
May 9, 2012 @ 2:55 pm
As a MLE member and a fan of competitive eating I can see this actually being a good thing for the growth of the sport. Seems as though MLE has always had a monopoly on the sport, but outside of Nathan’s they can’t seem to hold onto any major sponsors. As a matter a fact they’ve kind of always seem to lose one then gaining one, (lose, Krystals… gain Hooters… lose Alka Seltzer… gain Pepto… lose wienerschnitzel and Winchell’s… gain over seas Taco Bell) kind of one step forward one steps back always driving in neutral.
The more non MLE events that can get large publicity outside of the local paper the better for the sport, maybe more and more MLE eaters who cant top the beasts that are the top 6 may just go elsewhere to try and get a little recognition, pub and a few dollars for their hard work.
While Kobi is no longer a fellow MLE’r, I still view him as the godfather of the sport and hope he can challenge MLE for sponsors to at least even out the market a little. Imagine how much of a bully Wal-mart would be without Target… Truth is, MLE is the only game in town, but events like this and that west coast Hot Dog contest show that things are beginning to shift a little in the CE world, and personally I like it… Best of luck to Kobi!
Classic Whooping said
May 9, 2012 @ 3:18 pm
Good for competitive eating? How is one guy totally embarrassing other eaters good for competitive eating? The only publicity that this thing is going to get is any reporter stupid enough for covering this sham saying I missed Nathan’s for this? If you ask me, the poor indies are always trying to gain some credibility and all this is going to do is underscore on the same day how starkly better MLE eaters are compared to the indies. When you’ve got a major prize fight going on at the same time as some fixed match between some slappers, what do you think editors are going to choose? The only solution is that this could be the first eating contest that ever padded the numbers for second to eighth place so it doesn’t look like too much of a joke, and that can’t be good for competitive eating. Look, if you’re going to try to start up a new football league, you like like an idiot if you put your not-ready-for-primetime championship on the same day as the Superbowl, and that’s how this will come off to reporters.
Krystal Ball said
May 9, 2012 @ 3:53 pm
CW,
While I agree that the 4th of July is a bad choice especially since we all know the Nathan’s is the most famous of all eating contests (and to most people in the general public the only contest). And while I have to call BS on Kobi saying he’s “not trying to take attention away from the Nathan’s contest”, you’ve completely and clearly missed my point about it being good for the GROWTH of the sport. It’s called Competitive eating, therefore Competition is good.
It’s true, Kobi is to the Indies as Joey is to the rest of the MLE when it comes to Hot Dogs. so let me turn your question back onto you “How is one Joey totally embarrassing all of MLE good for competitive eating?”
Pat really is the only one that can come close to touching him in any other food but always comes up short.
Anonymous said
May 9, 2012 @ 4:52 pm
Clouds are emerging in the crystal ball.
Anonymous said
May 9, 2012 @ 5:17 pm
Sonya has beaten Joey at wings numerous times.
Classic Whooping said
May 9, 2012 @ 5:29 pm
Krystal: Pat at least has chance, and maybe this year he will catch Joey. Same for Eater X. Someday, maybe not this year, Stonie is going to make people sit up and take notice. Kobi, competing at Nathan’s was fine, commendable, and he earned it. But being a foreign national and holding your own personal hot dog eating contest against a field you set up to defeat on the Fourth of July in direct competiton with Nathan’s — that’s not right. Kobi saying he’s not trying to compete with our nearly 100 year old American tradition when he’s holding it in Brooklyn is particularly galling. Talk about taking everyone for suckers. It’s even more disturbing that Kobi’s holding this event based on a personal grudge he created for himself. I like it when Kobi says he’s living the American dream. With this event, more like laughing at the American dream. Pick another day, another place, and maybe I’d give Kobi’s celebration of Kobi some credibility. Really, the least offensive part of Kobi’s event is how it actually hurts competitive eating. But, apparently for Kobi, he couldn’t care less about respecting Amercian traditions, fellow New Yorkers, or advancing competitive eating. It’s all about Kobi baby.
MOTIF said (Registered September 3, 2011)
May 9, 2012 @ 8:57 pm
CW, I agree with you and really hope we’re right. Right now I have my money on Stonie over the other guys not because hes better then them now, but X & Pat have been in the game a long time and room for major improvment is less likely. I hope that Stonie starts to get more comfortable and likeable on Camera and the MLE starts shining the spotlight on him, from what I’ve seens he’s definitly not the most exciting character to follow. The MLE needs new blood on top.
Krystal Ball said
May 10, 2012 @ 11:27 am
@ CW, I totally agree with your 5:29 post. Koby is blantly trying to give a nice “F-U” to MLE, which comes off a little bitter, there is a much classier way to go about things. The point I’m trying to make isn’t Koby’s axe to grind with MLE, I’m speaking in terms of the growth of the sport and the opportunity for other not named Joey, Pat, Tim Janus, Sonya, Bob or Matt to make a little money and fame…
I fully support Indy’s and Koby (despite of the Crif Dog contest) for at least taking on MLE… Then again I’ve always been one to root for David over Goliath… Not until MLE gets into some sort of profit sharing or bonus for all their signed talent will I change my views. If MLE views an eater “talented enough” to sign a contract for 3 years with all the terms they have, then that talents should also be viewed “talented enough” to get compensated for their work. If they are under performing then MLE should be able to have the right to terminate the contract and pay. If a Line Backer underperforms in the NFL, he gets cut and his contract and pay is no longer in effect.
Perfect example for pay vs. talent, it be fair to say Pete’s talent is equal to the likes of Denmark, Gravy, Davekos, and Booker… Of the names mentioned the following 2011 earnings according to eatfeats database were…
Denmark – $1,800 for 12 events (plus about $1000 in airfare & comps for the trip to Coney)
Gravy – $2,850 for 8 events ($1,000 for Coney)
Davekos – $1,000 for 7 events ($1,000 for Coney)
Booker – $4,166 for 17 events (no trip to Coney)
Pete – $14, 833 for 13 events (free trip comps unknown)
Pete earned 34% more cash then all 4 of those guys combined! If we are speaking in terms of talent vs. compensation, then why aren’t some of MLE’s best 2nd tier eaters not even coming close to a guy (Pete) they (MLE) views as a “MINOR LEAGER”?
So again, as far as opportunity, recognition and monetary compensation, this is good for the sport of CE and bad for MLE’s agenda.
MOTIF said (Registered September 3, 2011)
May 10, 2012 @ 12:28 pm
Krystal Ball, i think your failing to realize that CE, like any other sport out there, is an entertaiment business. You get paid for talent, but you also get paid moreso by how many people are draw to your image. Also you touch on signed eaters getting money. The reason I feel the MLE approches “talent” right now in the lower ranks is because they see dedication of some sort, and interest in the sport, not because of talent. Once you involve money into the contract, people who are currently low in the leauge would probably never get the invite because there “talent” is no talent. I hope none of the lower ranked eaters take this personally, but there have been many accounds of ‘just-your-average-joe’ eating quite better then these so called “Major Leauge Eaters.” I think only the top 20, possibly 30, would actually qualify to have skill ‘above the normal human capacity.’ Basicaly if you pulled a guy off the street, offered him $1000 bet, he could compete with over half of the MLE. My point is people saying that this so called ‘talent’ that really isnt shouldnt complain when benefits don’t come there way.
Ever hear of the Starving Artist?
Krystal Ball said
May 10, 2012 @ 1:18 pm
Motif,
So by your own admission, the top 20 MAYBE top 30 are the ones that have “real” talent… It’s eaters that I’m saying should get a little pay for their performance. Hence the comparison of Denmark, Gravy, etc vs. Pete. Did you see me throw a guy like Jason Erb in there?
It’s the top 15-30 that are the ones at risk to get booted if they go outside the realms of the MLE contract, yet these are also the ones who tend to net $0-$500 a year in earnings because they’re constantly going up against 4 or 5 of the top 10 at each contest. When a sponsor only pays 4 or 5 spots, it’s these top 15-30 who are clawing for scraps. Even the guys who bat 7,8,and 9th in major league baseball get a pay check. Guys/girls ranked in the 30-50 range are the ones MLE really doesn’t care that much for and it’s proven each and every time they tweet a line up for a contest, really it cost them $0 to include a name in a tweet yet they still don’t do it. The lower ranked guys are also the ones who tend to get away with doing contests outside of MLE and never get booted. Why, because MLE doesn’t care and they need at least 50 names to fill their list every 6-8 months.
It’s the top 15-30 I’m defending, the ones who HAVE talent, work hard and end up with little to nothing. If MLE refuses to take care of the “real” talent of their 15-30 range guys then they should also fear losing them to an Indy scene that looks to be growing stronger because of Koby (the main talent that built CE), which again is a good thing for the SPORT. If MLE is the only game in town like it has been they can bully eaters ala Wal-mart any way they see fit, but if there is another game in town that offers something close or better then they better start considering taking care of or keeping their own before they lose them. The more and more “real” talent that leaves the less MLE becomes the only game in town. If they want keep their monopoly, they’ll have to adjust.
Classic Whooping said
May 10, 2012 @ 2:31 pm
For my two cents, I agree that there should be a way to compensate the lower ranked eaters. I just can’t think of an economic model that would be fair compensation and sustainable production for the sponsor. Unfortunately, the pot for resources when it comes to competitive eating is too small right now. The top eaters get paid because they can do something no one else in the world can do. Much like the guy who can consistently throw 100 mile an hour fast balls. The lower eaters play an important role, but their talents can be matched by others. The good news is, the pot is getting bigger, heck I can remember the day when Nathan’s was just known as a prestige event with no compensation except a free trip for the finalists. Now it’s a $20 grand pot. I look forward to the day we may see our first six figure prize package. Then, maybe then, we can pay everyone who makes it to the finals, and not just in a free trip to New York. The other good news, significantly more contests and opportunities for the eaters is recognition that a competitive eating contest is a good marketing opportunity for a sponsoring company. Meaning competitive eating pays, just not enough yet to help out the less talented participants. But someday, someday, I hope so.
Oh Boy and How said
May 10, 2012 @ 4:09 pm
How does Kobi make a living? Not from CE.
MOTIF said (Registered September 3, 2011)
May 10, 2012 @ 5:13 pm
Classic Whooping has it right, the issue is Krystal that there isnt nearly enough money in CE to compensate for the low ranks. One might then point their finger at the tens-hundreds of millions nathans brings forth, but Nathan’s and all other contests have no overlap or corrilation. You must realize how all this works, the MLE most likely charges and upfront fee to have the contest become an MLE contest, then after that all prize money, compensation, and dividens are decided on part of the sponcer. So I really don’t see why on the whole bring down the MLE as snobs, the only contest I could see justifing this claim is nathans, but even then Nathan’s is pocketing alot more then the MLE.
Not everyone can get something, especially in a sport where the money is scarce. I bet there are hundreds of leauges with the same issue now, the passion and talent are there, but the funds lack. I appreciate and agree with your choice for the comparison krystal, and i hope it doesnt seem like im trying to belittle your opinion, its just from my viewpoint it seems unreasonable to expect pay for those below the winning threshold.