Flisted has an interview with Takeru Kobayashi which claims that he is prohibited from appearing near the Nathan's finals site. Kobayashi's advice to new competitive eaters: "do not sign bad contracts".

June 22, 2011 at 1:24 pm by ojrifkin · More posts about:Kobayashi (小林尊) | Permalink * Comments (21)

21 Comments »

  1. anonymous said

    June 23, 2011 @ 12:42 am

    He is prohibited? What kind of threat does he pose? Greatest eater on this planet. There is only one name that should be banned from the premesis . Ill give you one guess and one guess only

  2. Steakbellie said (Registered August 11, 2006)

    June 23, 2011 @ 8:56 am

    I’m going to drive my Ford Focus down to Dover Downs and do little circles in the parking lot because they are prohibiting me from competing in any of the events in NASCAR. I really feel for Koby, but when it comes down to it, if you want to compete in the ‘League Championships’ you need to be in the League. I know alot of people have problems with the contract but the reality is that it was HIS CHOICE to leave. Thats cool, you are the a monstrous talent, do your own thing. But now it’s kind of silly to complain that you arent included at the Nathans Finals. You cant have it both ways, this is the real world.

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

    June 23, 2011 @ 9:21 am

    He’s FREE! What’s he bitching about!

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

    June 23, 2011 @ 9:23 am

    Koby lost his bargaining power when he lost to Joey 3X in succession. I’m more of a Koby fan than most, but he needs to get out from under his manager’s dress.

  5. ojrifkin said (Registered July 27, 2005)

    June 23, 2011 @ 9:43 am

    NASCAR drivers are free to do whatever non-NASCAR races they want. Tony Stewart raced in the (non-NASCAR) Indianapolis 500 and Charlotte, NC NASCAR race on the same day in 2001.

    http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/news/story?id=6605701

  6. Steakbellie said (Registered August 11, 2006)

    June 23, 2011 @ 10:03 am

    That wasnt my point, although it’s one of the issues at hand. My point is that you cant do a NASCAR race if you arent in NASCAR and you cant do MLE’s biggest event if you arent part of MLE

  7. The Lawyer said

    June 23, 2011 @ 10:50 am

    I really wish we could have gotten the full details to the contract they offered Koby. I’d bet dimes to dollars that it wasn’t near the standard contract say the 30th ranked or even the 10th ranked eater gets… Hasn’t it been reported that Joey earned $220,000 last year from Competitive eating, only $50,000 was actual prize money, so that other $170,000 was from sponsors and endorsements if that claim is true, not to mention comped travel and lodging…

    So I’m sure they offered something similar, maybe not as lucrative but he was without a doubt offered other perks that maybe only one or two other eaters also get, so what if he couldn’t do some Hot Dog expo in Lightyourfart, AK or receive 100% profit from a Alka Seltzer commercial, he’d get his money other ways through MLE… Now he’s a side show to the side show.

    It was a dark day when Koby walked away from MLE because as of now there isn’t anybody who can challenge Joey in Hot Dogs, so MLE is going to have to find a way to make their product exciting again, add a women’s division (done… we’ll see how that goes), maybe hype the other rivals in the sport (Tim Brown vs. Erik Denmark for example) more or simply tell Joey to ease back (which won’t happen, Joey is to competitive to do that) a little to make it a little bit closer, While X is a good 10 HDB’s behind Joey at least they can make it look closer then it really is… My fear is, if this year is as dull as last years, I don’t know how long ESPN will want to continue to cover Nathan’s and it would really suck if they pulled the plug.

  8. nunonabun2 said (Registered November 10, 2009)

    June 23, 2011 @ 11:01 am

    You just wanted us to all know you drive a Focus then?

  9. The Hurricane said

    June 23, 2011 @ 11:21 am

    What’s wrong with driving a focus!? I drive a focus and let me tell you the 38 miles per gallon I get on the highway is amazing! LOL!

  10. Pat From Moonachie said (Registered December 10, 2005)

    June 23, 2011 @ 11:52 am

    Have you seen his manager? ..I’d stay under that dress! 😉

  11. hmmm said

    June 23, 2011 @ 11:59 am

    Admire your loyalty to MLE Steak, but it doesn’t sound to me like you feel for Koby at all. He was kept out of the biggest stage in CE because he had his own set of moral guidelines and refused to be exploited by MLE. I continue to say stick it to the man Koby!

  12. nunonabun2 said (Registered November 10, 2009)

    June 23, 2011 @ 12:34 pm

    Koby will always be “that little asian guy” and a legend but ” moral guidelines and refused to be exploited by MLE”. Really? Exploited? Like they had him making the hot dogs before the event and shit. I am sure he was never pampered at all my MLE. No free flights or hotels or food. His slave retoric is insulting to all slaves in the world. If he is happy doing his thing then I say power to the man but to play some moral ground is laughable. Still i would love to see him eat beat Joey’s numbers at his exhibition and make things at least interesting them.

  13. Stallion Italian said (Registered August 27, 2010)

    June 23, 2011 @ 1:14 pm

    Koby does as Koby is…………Without Koby, Nathans is boring on ESPN. Perhaps many do not care who is eating and would go as spectators even if they are huge distances from the contest. For television, even if ESPN did a better job of making the whole interesting, it is still boring without Koby. Even if someone else could come close to Joey in hotdogs, if that person is American, it still isn’t interesting. It is painful to watch Joey eat, whatever he eats. There is no poetry in motion, he looks to be plain suffering. The same is not true of Koby. Really unfortunate that things have taken this turn in competitive eating because no eater now can have the same draw the overall contest had with Koby in it.

  14. SPBBBBMBBB said

    June 23, 2011 @ 1:26 pm

    We need a senior division…..now there’s excitement!! Sponsored by ExLax, Viagra, Geritol, et al

  15. nunonabun2 said (Registered November 10, 2009)

    June 23, 2011 @ 3:03 pm

    Senior division….like 40+.

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

    June 23, 2011 @ 4:01 pm

    Joey is certaionly a great eater, and the greatest in HDBs. The man’s got it figured out, and he’s tournament tough!

    Koby’s absence at the CE table on Coney is definitely a loss, as he is the only one to push Joey. But Koby will never, ever top Joey in HDBs—-other foods, absolutely, but never HDBs (as long as there’s dunking).

    As good as Tim is in dunking HDBs—-he’s a sure second—-he will not come within 13 HDBs of Joey.

    1. Joey
    2. Tim
    3. EE’s object of affection: Berty (If they’re ever together, EE’s hands will be faster than Pat’s, who will be running from him.)
    4. Bob
    5. Aaron

    Remember, you read it right here on eatfeats: Evans is the name.

  17. Pat From Moonachie said (Registered December 10, 2005)

    June 23, 2011 @ 5:28 pm

    Someone mention a senior division? ..i’m 47 ..I think that technically qualifies me as an old fart at this point!

  18. Larell Marie Mele said

    June 23, 2011 @ 9:00 pm

    ohhhhh nunonabun2 – u just wait til I see u again lol. 40+ DOES NOT EQUAL SENIOR 🙂 Pat – I am NOT an old fart ahahaha!!!

  19. Steakbellie said (Registered August 11, 2006)

    June 24, 2011 @ 2:30 pm

    Hmmmm,
    No I really do feel for him. He was always gracious when I met him. He has a charisma that transcends the language barrier. If you mean quitting the IFOCE over his disagreement with the contract is Morals, then he has Morals. I love my experience with the league and have benefitted greatly even as a table ender, but I dont expect everyone else to share that opinion. Alot of people dont like to be told what to do, and the Shea’s contract can be constraining for some. Thats fine.

    I wonder how he will continue to get sponsorships and contests once the momentum that the Sheas have put into marketing him wears off from things like this rooftop stunt. It just seems to me it’s alot easier to get these things when you have a whole office of marketing people looking for opportunities for you (even if they are taking a healthy chunk of $$)

    I still hold out hope that he will come back at some point. He brought out the best in Joey, and I’d like to see X, Bob and Pat kick both their asses.

  20. nunonabun2 said (Registered November 10, 2009)

    June 24, 2011 @ 2:33 pm

    I was just setting that 40 so i can be there sooner than later. And anyone over 25 is old Larell, be honest.

  21. Anonymous said

    June 24, 2011 @ 4:17 pm

    Nunonabun2 – nope, nope, nope….not admitting it & u can’t make me. *fingers in ears* na na na na na I can’t hear u lolll 🙂

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