Philly.com has an article about Takeru Kobayashi participating in Wing Bowl 20 in which Joey Chestnut asks if he will be a wingette.

January 24, 2012 at 7:41 pm by ojrifkin · More posts about:Joey Chestnut, Kobayashi (小林尊), Wing Bowl 20 | Permalink * Comments (29)

29 Comments »

  1. anonymous said

    January 24, 2012 @ 8:42 pm

    For Christ sake let Joey in to make it interesting

  2. Kobi Fan said

    January 24, 2012 @ 11:53 pm

    Remember when Kobi slaughtered Joey at the last Krystal burger contest. lol Joey didn’t even shake his hand. They all had counted him out being that he came in 3rd the previous year. So quick to lose respect and look what happened. Joey knows there truly is noone on earth like Kobi and likes the fact that he will always easily win at coney island. What a sad American hero taking the easy way out.

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

    January 25, 2012 @ 12:25 am

    I don’t think Joey’s taking the “easy way out,” its just the cards he’s been handled. You think he should drop all the sponcers he has with the MLE, the consistant feed of avalible contests with good competition, just to attempt to prove he can beat Kobi? That’d be dumb.
    Not saying Kobi isn’t an amazing eater, but you can’t bash Joey just cuz he makes choices in his best interest.

  4. Kobi Fan said

    January 25, 2012 @ 6:06 am

    He should at least man up and boycott Nathans in favor of real competion. He’s already close to being a millionaire. We all know how it is you can never have enough dough just ask Warren Buffet. Greed is the American way what can I say but hooray.

  5. anonymous said

    January 25, 2012 @ 7:05 am

    Joey is allowed in for Christ sake. The Sheas won’t let him do it.

  6. Hmm said (Registered November 12, 2009)

    January 25, 2012 @ 7:47 am

    Everyone here is entitled to their opinion, but I think that each and every one of you is missing the big picture except for Stonie. First of all, what makes anyone think that Joey wants to do Wingbowl. That is simply ridiculous. There is absolutely nothing for him to gain by participating, even if the Sheas said yes, in a contest which is not a contest. The only way for Joey and Kobayashi to face off, and they have many many times in the past, is to do as before on a mostly level playing field in an MLE contest. That is not going to happen, period and amen.

    Of course Joey wishes that Kobayashi had participated in Nathans continuously as well as other MLE contests. With Kobi being in the US, that would have been real competition, and seeing how he stacked up not only against Joey but against Pat and Bob etc. would have been terrific. But that is not what happened and is not going to happen. So write whatever you wish but really? Wingbowl? It is an entity in and of itself, and the organizers are what they are.

    So of course they are going to try to build things up and ask for quotes and have people like USMale and Joey be quoted. In the end, Wingbowl is a brawl and full of fun and tits and ass and drunken reveling, that is all it is. They are lucky to have Kobayashi participating this year, though in the end, he may regret this decision even if he wins. He will have proven almost nothing. One person, and only one, goes home with 20K and a car or whatever. MLE eaters, others will surely enjoy themselves, perhaps be part of someone’s entourage, etc. But in the end, it will be just as before, it is what it is, as they say.

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

    January 25, 2012 @ 7:55 am

    That comment referencing the phrase “man-up” came from me. I wasn’t logged in.

  8. Hmm said (Registered November 12, 2009)

    January 25, 2012 @ 8:01 am

    Which comment Rhonda? Could you write your opinion again please. Always interested in your take on things. Do you think that Kobayashi And Joey are ever again going to face off against each other in an organized and well overseen contest? It seems as if that ship sailed long ago. I do think that Kobayashi has the will and desire to keep eating at an amazing level and that Joey is going to retire on his earnings as he is not in as good shape as Kobayashi and he has competition, even without Kobayashi.

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

    January 25, 2012 @ 8:02 am

    Also Kobi Fan, if you think prize money totals correspond to what eaters put in their pockets, then I need to reel you in, so to speak.

    Oftentimes, eaters have to pay out of their own pockets for travel, lodging, and other expenses. After that, when you make as much money as Joey (and even Pat and one or two others), you move into another tax bracket and pay up to about about a quarter of those earnings in taxes.

    When all is said and done eaters probably pocket about half of the earnings you hear about.

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

    January 25, 2012 @ 8:05 am

    Okay:

    I hear the phrase “man-up” used quite a bit these days.

    The last time someone directed it toward me a made a purchase at Sal’s Sex Shop.

    Those words have never been uttered in my presence since.

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

    January 25, 2012 @ 8:10 am

    Yep, I broke up that shit in a hurry!

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

    January 25, 2012 @ 8:26 am

    Hmm, I certainly want to see Kobayashi eat against Joey again, but unless he signs a long-term (2 or 3 years) contract with MLE, that will not happen. The IFOCE will not allow it.

    There is no way in this world that any sponsor will persuade the boys at MLE to allow a one-time exception, because the risk-reward ratio would not be in their favor.

    They’re not going to risk their CE breadwinner (Joey) losing to Koby, which would not only further launch Koby’s status, but it would damage Joey’s clout as the world’s best eater, which, in turn, would dampen MLE prospects with sponsors and potential sponsors—-less profit for MLE and their stable of eaters.

    George and Rich are smart guys, and they won’t take that chance. Who could blame them?

  13. Hmm said (Registered November 12, 2009)

    January 25, 2012 @ 9:08 am

    Agree fully Rhonda. Here is really what Wingbowl is about right from Cataldi’s mouth. “IT’S ALMOST SURREAL to me that he is part of our stupid wing-eating contest,” said Sportsradio 94 WIP’s Angelo Cataldi about Japanese eating machine Takeru Kobayashi’s participation in Wing Bowl XX on Feb. 3 at Wells Fargo Center.

    In case someone misses this………..stupid wing-eating contest as in STUPID WING-EATING CONTEST. Wingbowl has already won by getting Kobayashi to participate no matter what happens. And likely, no matter what happens, Kobayashi is on the losing side. WHY WHY he left MLE is really so unfortunate. He just did not understand, really really lost in translation, what he was doing. And he had poor advice to boot. Oh well, the price of freedom. In a way, everyone lost on this one.

    (Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/138008468.html#ixzz1kTjje5yc
    Watch sports videos you won’t find anywhere else)

  14. anonymous said

    January 25, 2012 @ 9:09 am

    It’s better that the Sheas are not involved because it turns the event into a three ring circus and opens the floodgates for the big names of the sport to ruin it for the little guys that want to keep it simple. . It’s been done with matzah balls and wingbowl .

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

    January 25, 2012 @ 9:27 am

    When I read what Cataldi said about WB, I couldn’t decide if he said it out of disgust with the event this year—-for whatever reason—-or if he was just being sarcastic/cute.

    Either way, Angelo does not sound like a happy camper.

  16. The Facts said

    January 25, 2012 @ 10:50 am

    Wing Bowl is a scam. They had to cheat so that Wingador could beat Sonya and Badlands was disqualified for throwing up (something Booker’s never done in his entire career). Sonya and Badlands proved it’s a scam when they kicked Wingador’s butt in his futile MLE stint at Nathan’s. Then when Joey showed up to the Wing Bowl, his totals were so great over the non MLE eaters that couldn’t even cheat and make it look legit. So, Angelo went ahead and just banned MLE eaters to give the locals a chance. The event is a scam to gain publicity for Angelo. That’s all it is. It’s not a contest with any legitimacy. Kobi will realize it’s a scam when Squibb, who isn’t even one tenth as talented as Kobi, is actually in striking distance due to all of Kobi’s wings they throw out. Sorry all you Wing Bowl believers, but that’s the facts. It’s just a show. So, have fun. But, don’t think it has anything to do with being an actual eating contest.

  17. Bone meat said

    January 25, 2012 @ 1:21 pm

    Your 1,000,000% correct they will throw out at least half Takeru’s wings. What a shame, sham whatever you wanna call it’s freakin fake.

  18. anonymous said

    January 25, 2012 @ 2:05 pm

    Takeru might have been offered a ton of cash to throw the contest so Stephanie can win. Never know

  19. anonymous said

    January 25, 2012 @ 2:08 pm

    The facts is a highly ranked major league eater that participated in wing bowl once and did not do very well so he uses the excuse of scam job. . Figure out who it might be

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

    January 25, 2012 @ 2:16 pm

    That’s what Koby’s probably not considering—-that many of his wings will be considered, “not clean.”

    No way will this not be considered close via WB “rules,” and if it’s close, any one of four people can be designated the winner (possibilities and suggested headlines follow):

    Wingador: “Local Legend Dispatches Former World Champ in WB 20!”
    Squibb: Philadelphia Man Lays Claim as Best Eater in the World: Defeats Eating Legend Kobayashi”
    Torres: “Woman wins Wing Bowl for Only the Second Time in Two Decades!”
    Kobi: “CE Legend and Six-Time Hot Dog Champ Ekes out WB Victory” Over Locals!”

    Either of the above stories are possible, under the auspices of Wing Bowl “rules”. That’s why I’m sort of—-hell no, VERY—-nervous FOR Koby, and if he’s not worried, HE SHOULD BE!

  21. The Facts said

    January 25, 2012 @ 2:27 pm

    Hey anony 2:08 So I’m not an eater. I’m in the media business so figure that out. I can’t use my name because I don’t want my opinions to be associated with my employer. Just reporting the facts. You just report failed unsupported theories. Every good reporter knows Wing Bowl is a scam when it comes to being a contest. They just report on it as a spectacle.

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

    January 25, 2012 @ 2:30 pm

    Kobi Fan (1153): one of my favorite CE moments ever was when Koby came over to Sonya after the last Krystals Finals and gave her a big hug, and she reciprocated. It showed real sportsmanship and appreciation of two CE-ers who admired one another.

    … It melted my heart … 🙂

    Another one of my favorite moments was when Joey was asked about El Wingador’s chances prior to Joey’s first Wing Bowl, and Joey’s response was something to the effect of, “I sure hope he practices, so that he doesn’t get embarrassed in front of his home crowd.” That was priceless!

    That’s what I like about Joey, if the man says he’s going to do something, you’d better take him seriously, because he isn’t dicking around!

  23. The Facts said

    January 25, 2012 @ 2:45 pm

    Rhonda, here’s the only headline Angelo cares about and what ever outcome gives him this headline is the eater that will win:

    “Meida Flocks to Wing Bowl — Cataldi Reports Record Ticket Reciepts”

  24. Blizzz said (Registered July 16, 2008)

    January 25, 2012 @ 3:11 pm

    Bertoletti in the wingbowl would be friggin’ awesome… I think he’s probably the best wing eater on the planet right now.

  25. Ahem said

    January 25, 2012 @ 3:38 pm

    Blizz, Bertoletti is the third best wing eater on the planet right now according to the Associated Press and the last time he ate wings. Don’t argue with me, argue with the most accurate, independent news wire service in the world: http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2011/09/woman_gobbles_183_wings_in_12.html

  26. Yeah Pat! said

    January 25, 2012 @ 3:44 pm

    Pat is undefeated in wings the last two years or so isn’t he? Now Buffalo doesn’t count. That is fixed.

  27. Anonymous said

    January 25, 2012 @ 4:28 pm

    If hes not to busy eating non-foods for attention.

  28. Anonymous said

    January 25, 2012 @ 4:47 pm

    Bertoletti WAS in Wing Bowl 16.

  29. Ahem said

    January 25, 2012 @ 5:36 pm

    Yeah Pat: Nope not fixed according to the most respected news service in the world the Associated Press that covered the event, oversaw the weighing of the wings, and reported the results. So take up your opinion of the validity of the Wingfest with the AP. Besides, Pat Bertoletti’s a smart guy, if it was fixed he wouldn’t attend the Buffalo Wingfest two years in a row and lose to Sonya Thomas. I mean, if the contest was fixed two years ago when he lost to The Black Widow, why would Bertoletti attend the event again if he thought it was fixed? That would be pretty stupid. Why would you suggest that Bertoletti is stupid. You should apologize to your buddy Pat and promise not to write anymore posts that makes him look like an idiot for the friends he chooses (people who argue with the accuracy of the AP) and the validity of the events he chooses to attend (Bufallo Wingfest).

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