New Poll: Sonya Thomas’ competitive eating future

December 12, 2006 at 1:31 pm by ojrifkin · More posts about:Sonya Thomas

The new poll asks what you think Sonya Thomas’ future in competitive eating will be following the controversial meatball contest in Atlantic City.

Comments (34)

34 Comments »

  1. Mad Stork said

    December 12, 2006 @ 1:42 pm

    in the poll questions some use “Rejoin IFOCE”. she’s not out of it yet is she? she’s retired?

  2. ojrifkin said (Registered July 27, 2005)

    December 12, 2006 @ 2:06 pm

    I changed “rejoin” to “reconcile with” in the poll answers, since there has been no official separation I am aware of.

  3. Bart Giammati said

    December 12, 2006 @ 2:22 pm

    aice needs a marquee name or player. If they could land a sonya thomas the purse money and sponsors for their contests would increase immensely. Would not surprise me if they are trying to negotiate a deal with her right now

  4. $$$ said

    December 12, 2006 @ 2:44 pm

    show her the money and she’s gone! actually getting paid to eat! who wouldn’t. she could be the big fish like she was and sometimes is in the ifoce.

  5. WLA54 said

    December 12, 2006 @ 6:06 pm

    The most popular competitive eater in Japan is a 5 foot 5 inch 100 pound 21 year old girl. “The Gal” is more popular than Kobey–even has her own TV show. Sonya is the only “girl” in competive eating in US. The comparision is enevital! maybe Sonya will get her own show? Maybe the attention will simply follow her to a venuw outside ifoce. I would bet there is some cluase in contract that prevents her form doing something like that for maybe a year or so? There will be money for Sonya because of crowd appeal–she doesn’t even have to win–just having her there will draw attention (and money!).

  6. donmoseslerman said

    December 12, 2006 @ 6:21 pm

    I say that theI.F. O. C.E. should not cave in to her presure or demands and if she leaves to go to AICE before her contract is up she should be sued and stopped for eating elsewhwre since it was her descion to stop eating at ifoce contests ..don lerman

  7. Luther said

    December 12, 2006 @ 6:46 pm

    It is a shame that Sonya is being judged and smudged by people that she has never said a bad word towards, like Don Lerman. But that’s the IFOCE for you. I hope she does join forces with AICE. At least the eaters there seem to stick together. I would venture to say that while the IFOCE is certainly not crumbling, if they are not careful at this time, they will fall from whatever heights they perceive to have. Serves them right.

  8. Mega Munch said

    December 12, 2006 @ 7:58 pm

    Once again, Sonya has made almost $35,000 (not counting appearance fees) in 2006 ALONE. Can AICE come up with that? Maybe, but it would be a gamble for both sides. And if they do woo her to their side and their prize money goes up, so will the level of their competition. In other words, it’s only a matter of time before she starts getting beat again.

    Quick question though, what do people think is the reason Sonya is so frustrated right now? Is it because she’s getting beat so often recently (something she’s not used to), or is it because of the meatball controversy? Or both?

  9. donmoseslerman said

    December 12, 2006 @ 9:28 pm

    luther i dont speak for the ifoce only for myself and i’m neither judging her or smudging her she choose not to shake bob shoudts hand . we all heard the crowd yell at her to get off the stage.don lerman

  10. Todd Yeates said (Registered December 5, 2006)

    December 12, 2006 @ 11:13 pm

    I hope the future of Sonya Thomas in competitive eating, continues with the IFOCE. It would be IFOCE’s loss if she left. I don’t condone the unsportmanslike behavior at the meatball contest, but put yourself in her shoes. She is a female half the size of the men, and she dominates. She is a competitor. She lost her meatball record and the contest by a slim deduction due to debris. Comments from the crowd were rude. If someone deserves a break, I would say it would be her. I hope to see her soon in contests.

  11. anonymous said

    December 13, 2006 @ 2:08 am

    The ABA american basketball association was nothing until Julius Erving and RIck Barry joined that league and gave it respectibility. The biggest insult you can bestow upon the Shea’s is for Sonya to hook up with the AICE. That organization would welcome her like a Christmas gift from heaven. She could do this just for spite if she wanted.Sponsors of that organization would automatically up the purse money if she jumped

  12. Luther said

    December 13, 2006 @ 3:35 am

    The crowd was very rude to sonya and boisterous and there seemed to be some jerk right in front of her the whole time who wore a blue hat that was heckling her throughout. I think that put sonya on the defensive and from the very beginning. The whole contest was very biased against sonya. She never had a chance to win but she won anyway and the title was simply taken away. I would never eat for the ifoce again and I don’t think she ever will. If you cant beat them penalize them.

  13. Rhonda Evans said

    December 13, 2006 @ 8:16 am

    I surely don’t want to beat a dead horse, but I need to say a few things at that risk. It’s easy and misleading to judge anyone’s reaction on a single video clip — such as Sonya’s reaction after the contest only. But from what I’ve been able to deduct from reading and viewing posts and videos of and in regard to that meatball contest itself, Sonya was heckled by at least one vehement Humble Bob supporter throughout the duration of the contest, which didn’t help Bob’s cause at all. It’s easy to site blame when you’re not in the throes of competition. It’s much more difficult to put yourself in the place of the competitor and try to feel what he or she feels at that time. Being a highly emotional person myself, I doubt I would have shaken Bob’s hand either.

    Also, George Shea needs to mostly blame himself for Sonya’s rant. It was his choice to shove the microphone in Sonya’s face, knowing what reaction she’d get from the biased, hostile, anti-Sonya crowd. He chose to push that button. Now he may pay dearly for it … most unfortunately. Women are known to be much more emotional than men and George knows this too. Sonya was set up.

    Also, Todd, by the way, Sonya’s meatball record is still in tack — 10.3 pounds.

  14. Rhonda Evans said

    December 13, 2006 @ 8:56 am

    Todd your post is a thoughtful one. You are certainly one of those who exhibits empathy towords others, versus being an armchair quarterback. Don’t lose that asset. Many people and most on this site don’t have that capability or don’t use it.

    I’ve always maintained that it’s easy to go after the littlest target and throw stones at that person. And that’s very cowardly. On the other hand, in the competitive eating world Sonya has been a 500-lbs gorilla for a couple of years, and it’s normal to have everyone want to shoot you down when you win (or have won) many, many times. But we have to remember that in reality she’s a 100-lbs girl with feelings, even though she’s in a sport where men have an advantage. Let’s face it. Let’s also fact the fact that Sonya has courage just to show up at a table with men who outweigh her by 100 – 200 lbs!

    Regarding this poll. I agree more with B Brian than with the majority of respondents on this site who think that Sonya will reconcile with the IFOCE. I think she is very, very hurt, and I don’t know that she’ll get over it any time soon. I certainly hope she does.

    As far as Wing Bowl, I think (and hope) that Sonya totally rules that out. It’s all set up for Humble Bob. Sonya is probably very tired of letting herself be a stepping stone for lesser eaters to ascend to greater heights at her expense. She’s not stupid. I think she’s starting to realize that now.

    As far as Sonya crossing over as an independent eater, I don’t think that will happen. First, she’s probably under contract with the IFOCE. But, for speculation purposes only, let’s assume that she is still under IFOCE contract, yet transfers to the AICE, Lerman gets his wish and Sonya is sued. You know what? So what? This would benefit Sonya AND the AICE much to the dismay of the organization suing her.

    Sonya AND the AICE would benefit by the publicity — there’s no such thing as bad publicity — much more than the IFOCE would. Sonya would be perceived as the innocent girl being picked on by the big, bad IFOCE and the smaller, more friendly AICE would be viewed by the public as a neutral, no-strings-attached orgainzation standing by to lend a hand.

    It will be interesting whatever happens. I’m with Sonya all the way, whatever her decision is. I think there’s someone above always watching out for the little “guy.” That’s why Sonya is and always will be my favorite sportsperson!

  15. Anonymous said

    December 13, 2006 @ 10:01 am

    Only one problem Rhonda, Sonya has to forfeit Nathans, Krystals and Brats. Those are big big sponsors and she has recieved alot of notoriety from them. If she eats for the aice she has the comfort of knowing she will never lose another contest

  16. donmoseslerman said

    December 13, 2006 @ 10:48 am

    you know if you complain about the ifoce contests and show poor sportsmanship, what makes you think that she wont pull that crap at aice., then where will she go? ..Don Lerman

  17. Rufus said

    December 13, 2006 @ 12:10 pm

    Everybody has an opinion. Lerman you are a terrific IFOCE brown-noser. By the way, Dale Boone would kick your behind in beans.

  18. donmoseslerman said

    December 13, 2006 @ 1:44 pm

    i im not a spoksman for the ifoce , but sonya thinks that she is some sort of privelaged charactor , the ifoce been good to her , she gets one call that she dont like and she she falls apart …too bad .. i have to go to phyical rehabilation for my foot , when i heal i will take on all challengers. in any food…..don lerman

  19. Rufus said

    December 13, 2006 @ 3:11 pm

    I do wish you the best Don. You certainly do need help from the foot up.

  20. Rufus said

    December 13, 2006 @ 3:27 pm

    Anonymous Sonya has gotten her butt kicked at all three of those events — Nathans, Krystals and Brats. (And you know what Don Lerman, she didn’t complain once. She sucked it up each time.)

    I just don’t see where that would be a loos there. Those are three of her worst foods. She can’t even do 40 dogs after 3 years at Nathans and she taps out at 35 in Brats and only 62 in Krystals. So don’t tell me they’re significant “forfeitures.”

  21. real members of I.F.O.C.E said

    December 13, 2006 @ 3:36 pm

    One word to all . Lay the freak off Sonya !
    Try to kick some one when they are down is low as hell.And we all know there only one person who writes very long in this world. It s two face BB and his Pickle crap.You are now a Mark man !

  22. ojrifkin said (Registered July 27, 2005)

    December 13, 2006 @ 3:42 pm

    Brian Seiken is not Rufus or anyone who has commented this afternoon.

  23. donmoseslerman said

    December 13, 2006 @ 5:15 pm

    sonya has had a a great carrear plenty of wins wins wins she gets 1 guestioable call and she cries to bad u think this 1 call is kicking her when shes down..don lerman

  24. SuperPaul said

    December 13, 2006 @ 5:49 pm

    Ask anyone on the street to name a competitive eater…typically, they say the Japanese guy and that Sonya something ” Black Widow ” woman. A few others mention Eater X, or in the south, believe it or not, they mention the guy with the coon-skinned cap that yells a lot. 42% of the time they get the names right. Sonya has brought more interest into this sport than the next 506 ranked competitors combined. Everybody has a bad day once in awhile.
    I hope to see Sonya as much as possible in the future, and always wish her the best!

  25. Luther said

    December 13, 2006 @ 6:13 pm

    I really think DON MOSES LERMAN’s attitude towards Sonya reflects the majority of IFOCE eaters. Most of them dislike her. They just don’t say it. DON MOSES LERMAN lets his hatred be known by God.

  26. donmoseslerman said

    December 13, 2006 @ 6:39 pm

    and the lord spoke on to moses , Iam that I am i have seen the suffering of sonya let her buy a crying towel and forget about the meatball contest…don moses lerman

  27. Rhonda Evans said

    December 14, 2006 @ 9:34 am

    Record Keeper I hope that’s the case, but it would not be fair for OJ to reveal that. There needs to be a feeling that bloggers have some semblance of identity protection, unless they claim to be a specific person that they’re not. That is not the case here.

  28. Rhonda Evans said

    December 14, 2006 @ 9:43 am

    Super Paul I totally agree with you. (And you’re one of the more humane, intelligent ones on this site, by the way.)

    In my mind Kobayashi, Widow, and Crazy Legs Conti have done more to promote this sport than all the other eaters combined, former AND current. This is especially true of Koby and Sonya. Were it not for those two, competitive eating would be no where near what it is today. Koby put competitive eating on the TV; Sonya burned an image in people’s hearts.

    And like I said many, many times, it’s impressive, but easily taken for granted, to see a 200 lbs-man eat a tremendous amount of food, but it’s very, very special to see a tiny, frail-looking woman eat the same quantity. It’s mind-boggling even. Witnessing such an event etches in the viewer’s mind a very special experience that likely will be treasured for a lifetime.

  29. donmoseslerman said

    December 14, 2006 @ 9:56 am

    its a shame that some of my fellow competiitive eaters choose to make posts under a phoney name . as far as rufas goes a particular ce made a statement coined a phraze If you might say that and the same night that phraze appeared in rufas’ post , use your own name !

  30. anonymous said

    December 14, 2006 @ 10:31 am

    moses if its not an aice guy its a backstabbing two facer in the ifoce and there are loads of them in that organization.Luther is so fucked up in the head One day has something nice to say about someone and then he will turn around and badmouth the same person. What a nut!

  31. donmoseslerman said

    December 14, 2006 @ 11:15 am

    its an ifoce eater

  32. Rhonda Evans said

    December 14, 2006 @ 11:51 am

    Anonymous … why must you use such language? Can’t you get your point accross otherwise? Thanks in advance for your cooperation.

  33. Officer Noodle said

    December 15, 2006 @ 2:41 am

    real members of I.F.O.C.E said,
    December 13, 2006 @ 3:36 pm

    One word to all . Lay the freak off Sonya !
    Try to kick some one when they are down is low as hell.And we all know there only one person who writes very long in this world. It s two face BB and his Pickle crap.You are now a Mark man !

    Shtinnk i fouled up on the boy king investigation but i think i found the culprit here. The person who claimed “real members of IFOCE ” was O’Karma is wrong. This is Dale Boone all the way . I was thrown off at first because he abandoned the caps but the illiteracy of Boone was the giveaway

  34. Rhonda Evans said

    December 15, 2006 @ 7:47 am

    It looks like there’s no need for the poll anymore.

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