Sonya guarantees the double deuce

April 24, 2006 at 1:12 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Nathan's Hot Dog Contest, Sonya Thomas

On her website, Sonya Thomas says that she expects Joey Chestnut to eat 40 or more hot dogs at the Nathan’s finals and guarantees that she will do likewise.

Comments (34)

34 Comments »

  1. WyattEarp said

    April 24, 2006 @ 4:55 pm

    I’m betting the both Joey and Sonya are going to give Kobayashi more comptetition than anyone realizes. Sonya has increased her capacity by well over a pound in almost every eating discipline. Joey qualified with something like 22 HDBs last year and ate 32 at the competition, only 2 months later. That’s a gain of 10 HDB in 8 weeks. If he maintains those gains he’ll put down an incredible 97 HDBs. Okay…that wasn’t meant to be taken seriously. But for realz, both Sonya and Joey and going to easily crush the 40 mark…maybe the 50?

  2. Joey Chestnut said (Registered November 22, 2005)

    April 24, 2006 @ 6:28 pm

    Wyatt, I like the way you think.

  3. Kevin Carr said (Registered April 21, 2006)

    April 26, 2006 @ 9:50 am

    After seeing MTV’s True Life rerun late last night, I had a moment of inspiration… Here are my predictions for this year’s Nathan’s championship:

    1st place – Kobayashi: 51 HDBs
    2nd place – Joey Chestnut: 43 HDBs
    3rd place – Sonya Thomas: 40 1/2 HDBs
    4th place – Pat Bertoletti: 36 HDBs
    5th place – “Eater X”: 28 HDBs

  4. WyattEarp said

    April 26, 2006 @ 12:26 pm

    43 & 401/2…You gotta be joking. Honestly speaking, all three eaters should be over 50. At the same time, Kobayashi has failed to make significant gains. In fact, he lost some capacity last year. He has maxed out his physical capacity. Sonya and Joey, especially Joey, are literally still at the begining of their careers and making gains every single time they compete. And both are feeding of the other’s talent. We are going to see a real upset.

  5. Rich LeFevre said

    April 26, 2006 @ 4:05 pm

    Don’t count on it. Koyayashi is the greatest eater alive and will not be threatened by anyone. Sonya and Joey will have to be content to battle it out for second unless Koby suffers a rare reversal which will only happen if he gets greedy.

  6. WyattEarp said

    April 26, 2006 @ 8:03 pm

    I don’t see his numbers increasing. Although, the Krystal competition may have been a wake up call for Kobayashi, who trailed Joey for the majority of the event. I’d be suprised if Kobayashi makes any significant gains.

  7. Rhonda said

    April 27, 2006 @ 7:25 am

    I agree with Rich. To be honest, I think Koby was in total control during Krystals. No eater alive has either the speed OR capacity of Koby. He could have eaten 80 of those Krystal burgers if he wanted to. I can see Sonya putting away 40 or so dogs, but judging by the look on Joeys face at the end of every contest I expect him to hit a wall at around 37 – 40 dogs. When he does he will stop cold, just like he did in Krystals. Koby again will win that event HANDS DOWN.

    Rich I think you have a heck of a capacity yourself and if the Hot Dog event were 15 to 20 minutes long I think you would finish ahead of Joey just like you did during the Barrick Burger tournament. As a matter of fact Rich I think you should be ranked right next to Joey. You are awesome.

  8. Rich LeFevre said

    April 27, 2006 @ 1:37 pm

    Thanks for the kind words, Rhonda. I would love to participate in more longer contests that would severly test capacity, endurance and sheer willpower. Those contests would involve a different set of skills which would probably help many and hurt others. I can think of a few other eaters who might do well in such contests. I think the Sheas are afraid that sponsors would find longer contests boring but I do not agree with that assessment. I think true fans of competitive eating would like to see a wider range of contests than what currently exists. Sonya, Joey, Pat, Bob and Tim have all shown that they have great capacities so they would not be at any disadvantage. I’m just saying that it would be as much about mental toughness as pure speed.

  9. Bubba said (Registered January 8, 2006)

    April 27, 2006 @ 1:39 pm

    Joey has the ability to surpass 50 HDB’s. I personally feel he will do it this year. As far as Joey looking bad and getting red during a contest he does that at every contest. Heck joey will either this year or the next take Koby in hotdogs and what a glorious day that will be. I foresee a 3 day celebration and a parade. Joey said if he won I get to wear the belt for a couple of minutes so go Joey go.

  10. The Real Deal said

    April 27, 2006 @ 1:53 pm

    He might barely crack 40 but i doubt it . 38 1/2 for Mr Chestnut

  11. Rich LeFevre said

    April 27, 2006 @ 1:56 pm

    I’ll post 100-1 odds on Joey doing 50 this year. He is a tremendous talent but that is just asking for too much and I don’t care how much he trains. I would post 2-1 odds on him doing 40 this year (about the same as Sonya).

  12. Yo Mama said

    April 27, 2006 @ 3:48 pm

    50 is high, I agree with you there Mr. Locust. 2-1 for 40? Why do you think him or Sonya could NOT do 40? Sonya was knocking on the door. Joey is Joey.

  13. Rhonda said

    April 27, 2006 @ 4:02 pm

    Bubba I applaud your enthusiasm for Joey. If he eats 50 dogs I think he would be shocked himself, however. I hope he doesn’t put too much pressure on himself trying to do the impossible. Bubba I am merely a fan. You’re an eater, and a very, very good one I might add, and you know about eating better than me, Bt my own opinion is that basing Joey’s expected performance at this year’s Nathan’s on his “almost” beating Koby in the 8 minute Krystal tourney is like comparing apples to oranges. I say that because Joey hit is capacity. Once you’re full, you’re full. Having said, even talking about three eaters consuming even 40 dogs and buns is simply mind-boggling. That’s a hard concept to digest. No pun intended.

  14. NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH said

    April 27, 2006 @ 6:20 pm

    I think 75percent of the names used on this blog comment page are phony. Mr Negativity, Rhonda, Art Shlicter, Dave, tubestock destroyer, Nancy Drew, Yo mamma and a host of others. I can guarantee most of these phonies are ifoce members or related in some format

  15. WyattEarp said

    April 27, 2006 @ 9:02 pm

    Or related in some format…Rich, how much can you cover on those odds?

  16. Bubba said (Registered January 8, 2006)

    April 27, 2006 @ 10:00 pm

    Now is the time for Las Vegas Odds makers to start taking scratch on Nathans. I’d put a nickel on Joey doing the five-O I’d also put another nickel on Humble Bob doing atleast 40 HDB’s believe that. This year it will be Koby, Joey, Sonya, Bob, Pat in the top five I just feel it they all have a high tolerance for the hotdogs and that stands for alot.

  17. Yo Mama said

    April 27, 2006 @ 10:44 pm

    You are a sharp cookie indeed NBTT.

  18. "Humble" Bob said (Registered February 25, 2006)

    April 28, 2006 @ 9:32 am

    Bubba – wow! Thanks for the 40 nod. I am still trying for 19! That would have me skipping the deuce and the tre – right to the double deuce. I can say right now I would be please with that! We will see what I have May 27 in PHI.

  19. Badlands Booker said

    April 28, 2006 @ 1:37 pm

    You can do the double deuce Humble Bob, I know you can! Believe then Achieve man!

  20. Rich LeFevre said

    April 28, 2006 @ 1:46 pm

    Putting 2-1 odds on Joey doing 40 and 2-1 odds on Sonya doing 40 means that the odds of one of them doing it are about 56%. If I were to break down the odds for actual betting purposes,I would make their chances a little better. I would put Sonya at +150 and Joey at +170 to do it. Sonya would be -115 over Joey who would be +105 against Sonya. Until Pat and Bob have actually qualified, I wouldn’t be so quick to put such high numbers next to their names. After all, it is not as easy as it sounds to put up such a high number in hot dogs (I should know!). Of course, to a certain extent, the more a person trains, the better he will do. I only have myself to blame for that as my only training comes from the qualifiers and the finals.

  21. Bubba said (Registered January 8, 2006)

    April 28, 2006 @ 2:07 pm

    Rich when your eating hotdogs your not struggleing at all. Now I hear your not training for the events I wish I had it like that. I’ve always felt you could beat anybody in the IFOCE barrick burger proved that.

  22. Mike R. Geller said

    April 28, 2006 @ 2:15 pm

    You guys talk alot of sh— Show me the money in cash and i will believe it

  23. Rhonda said

    April 28, 2006 @ 4:08 pm

    I know it’s early, but for Nathan’s I’m predicting Koby will eat 52 – 55. Even if an American eats an unholy 50 dogs, and that will not happen, Koby will eat more. I just think he is that good. After all, when he was pushed by that Shirota guy in 04, the man ate 53 1/2 and said he could have eaten lots more. He still had room. He’s convinced me guys. An American man will some day bring back the belt, but not while Koby is still competing.

  24. Nancy Drew said

    April 28, 2006 @ 4:51 pm

    Yeah NBTT, who else would keep up with all of this eating crap? Eaters, fans, and fans of the eaters.

  25. WyattEarp said

    April 28, 2006 @ 7:22 pm

    Rhonda, you said an ” An American MAN will some day bring back the belt, but not while Koby is still competing.” Are you not giving Sonya any chance of winning, even after Kobayashi is retired? Or was that simply a typo?

  26. Mr. Gordon said

    April 28, 2006 @ 7:29 pm

    Why has he been getting lower numbers then as of recent? When he ate 53.5 two years ago, like you mentioned with Shirota pushing him, Shirota ate 38. Last year Sonya ate 37, but Takeru only ate 49. Last year in Krystals Takeru ate 69 Krystals with nobody pushing him. This year Joey was beating him until the last minute, yet Takeru only ate 67 to Joey’s 62. It seems to me his numbers are lower across the board even if people are pushing him. Everyone can eat more after a contest. The Nathan’s contest is only 12 minutes long.

  27. WyattEarp said

    April 29, 2006 @ 12:07 am

    For realz dawg!!! Kobayashi has maxed out. Like I’ve said earlier…if he doesn’t step it up a not and make some significant gains, there are two Americans that are going to beat him: Joey and Sonya. That’s real talk!

  28. Bubba said (Registered January 8, 2006)

    April 29, 2006 @ 3:17 pm

    I’m not talking sh@t when Vegas starts taking odds I’ll lay down the money.

  29. Rhonda said

    May 1, 2006 @ 8:32 am

    Wyatt Earp I don’t think Sonya will beat Kobayashi before he retires, not because Sonya can’t improve enough to beat him. I think she can. But I think that Kobayashi would be smart enough to retire before risking being beaten by a female. I say this because in many Asian cultures men are more highly regarded than women, and Koby would likely feel humiliated being beaten by a woman, much more so than being beaten by a man. And, yes, I do think it would be possible for Sonya to win the Mustard Yellow Belt after Koby retires. But by then there may be so many top competitive eaters that it will be hard to predict just who could win it.

  30. Bubba said

    May 18, 2006 @ 8:01 pm

    Read my posts on this thread people

    Read my posts!!

    I called it!!!!!!!!!! And the rest of my visions will come true.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  31. WyattEarp said

    May 19, 2006 @ 1:34 am

    Bubba, you called it? That was all my call!!! Where’s your latest’s comments Rhonda and The Real Deal. 5 1/2 weeks out and he’s already put down over 50 HDBs.

  32. Bubba said

    May 19, 2006 @ 7:48 am

    OK WyattEarp,

    I must say that after reading your posts again you did call it, But I must say that I did also but with much more gusto. Hell if Las Vegas was taking odds I would have laid everything on Joey eating 50.

  33. Kevin Carr said (Registered April 21, 2006)

    May 19, 2006 @ 12:36 pm

    I’m glad to say I greatly underestimated Joey in my earlier post. I’m still stunned by his show in Vegas this week. Have to collect myself before I make another prediction.

  34. Dave said

    May 19, 2006 @ 2:07 pm

    Its a great feat but lets move on to the next contest . He is basking in the glory not us

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