Chestnut wins hot dog eating contest - makes America proud!

[The Dog]

this fucking blows

TOKYO (AFP) - A Japanese man who set a world record by wolfing down dozens of hot dogs within minutes has suffered a severe jaw injury due to his rigorous training, making his next title uncertain.

Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi said he can only open his mouth to make a gap the size of a fingertip after being diagnosed with jaw arthritis.

In an entry on his blog entitled "Occupational hazard," Kobayashi said: "My jaw refused to fight any more."

The injury occurred only a week after the slender 29-year-old started training to win his seventh straight title at the annual July 4 Nathan's Famous hot dog eating event on New York's Coney Island.

"I feel ashamed that I couldn't notice the alarm bells set off by my own body," he said. "But with the goal to win another title with a new record, I couldn't stop my training so close to the competition.

"I was continuing my training and bearing with the pain but finally I destroyed my jaw."

Kobayashi, who has become a niche celebrity in Japan and the United States, had already halted his competitive eating activities for several months due to mourning after his mother's death earlier this year.

But he said he still wanted to go to the competition in New York.

"I want to be the pride of my mother," he said in the blog entry posted Sunday.

Last year, Kobayashi put down a world-record 53 and three-quarters hot dogs in just 12 minutes.

In addition to the Nathan's Famous titles, he holds world records for scoffing cows' brains and rice balls.

In 2004, he founded the United Food Fighters Organisation in hopes of making people take competitive eating seriously as a sport.

Despite Japanese people's reputation as moderate eaters, Kobayashi helped to turn competitive eating into a television sensation with "food fighters" downing everything from sushi to cakes.

But Japanese television began to shy away from such contests after a 14-year-old junior high school student choked to death in 2002 trying to imitate competitive eating during school lunch.

[SLCPUNK]

Probably help his health in the long run, not woofing food down like that.

[The Dog]

Probably help his health in the long run, not woofing food down like that.

have you seen him? the dude is ripped.  hes a real athlete.

[SLCPUNK]

Probably help his health in the long run, not woofing food down like that.

have you seen him? the dude is ripped.  hes a real athlete.

He may be ripped now, but what is he doing to his insides?

Jesus man, so gross.

[The Chad Cometh]

Probably help his health in the long run, not woofing food down like that.

have you seen him? the dude is ripped.  hes a real athlete.

He may be ripped now, but what is he doing to his insides?

Jesus man, so gross.

QFT

[GeorgeSteele]

I smell bullshit on this "injury".  Bit of a coincidence that he backs out the year that his record was broken by the latest challenger to his throne, Joey Chestnut.  Looks like he didn't want to face him head to head and lose.

[The Dog]

I smell bullshit on this "injury".  Bit of a coincidence that he backs out the year that his record was broken by the latest challenger to his throne, Joey Chestnut.  Looks like he didn't want to face him head to head and lose.

Hmm, interesting theory, but I doubt there is much to it.  Kobayashi makes a living out of this - this is his bread and butter.

[Bill 213]

I smell bullshit on this "injury".? Bit of a coincidence that he backs out the year that his record was broken by the latest challenger to his throne, Joey Chestnut.? Looks like he didn't want to face him head to head and lose.

Hmm, interesting theory, but I doubt there is much to it.? Kobayashi makes a living out of this - this is his bread and butter.

More reason to flake out when someone takes his record.  There's not really much glory for second place in an eating contest is there?

[2112]

That guy is awesome..
He will be back, and than, he will eat the world!!

[The Dog]

I smell bullshit on this "injury".  Bit of a coincidence that he backs out the year that his record was broken by the latest challenger to his throne, Joey Chestnut.  Looks like he didn't want to face him head to head and lose.

Hmm, interesting theory, but I doubt there is much to it.  Kobayashi makes a living out of this - this is his bread and butter.

More reason to flake out when someone takes his record.  There's not really much glory for second place in an eating contest is there?

is there really that much glory for 1st? 

[Bill 213]

Hahah good point man, but have you seen the title belt they get?  It puts the WBA boxing belt to shame!  Imagine wearing that thing around and people thinking you just kicked somebody's ass and then you're like.....nah dude, I ate 56 hotdogs! 

[The Dog]

Hahah good point man, but have you seen the title belt they get?  It puts the WBA boxing belt to shame!  Imagine wearing that thing around and people thinking you just kicked somebody's ass and then you're like.....nah dude, I ate 56 hotdogs! 

the dumbest thing is how its televised now on ESPN.  no commercial break for 10+ minutes, just people stuffing their faces with hot dogs.  sadly i watch it EVERY time haha

[Bill 213]

Dude did you ever see that MTV True Life episode that featured him?  He was training for the hotdog event and he went to a resturant in Japan where he consumed something like almost 20 lbs of noodles and such.

[The Dog]

Dude did you ever see that MTV True Life episode that featured him?  He was training for the hotdog event and he went to a resturant in Japan where he consumed something like almost 20 lbs of noodles and such.

jhahah yes!  that was an awesome show.  i can't believe how ripped he is though.

[ibelieveinaxl]

Dude did you ever see that MTV True Life episode that featured him?? He was training for the hotdog event and he went to a resturant in Japan where he consumed something like almost 20 lbs of noodles and such.

jhahah yes!? that was an awesome show.? i can't believe how ripped he is though.

hes a legend. hes the michael jordan of competitive eating....hes an ace! i just hope he is ready for july 4th....no one is even close to him. he is a true athlete....

[Bill 213]

Dude did you ever see that MTV True Life episode that featured him?? He was training for the hotdog event and he went to a resturant in Japan where he consumed something like almost 20 lbs of noodles and such.

jhahah yes!? that was an awesome show.? i can't believe how ripped he is though.

hes a legend. hes the michael jordan of competitive eating....hes an ace! i just hope he is ready for july 4th....no one is even close to him. he is a true athlete....

Joey Chestnut already beat his record by like 6 dogs.  I think it would have been a great matchup this year at Nathan's but looks like it won't happen.  And dear god I can't believe we're discussing competitive eating matches like they're the Superbowl 

[The Dog]

Dude did you ever see that MTV True Life episode that featured him?  He was training for the hotdog event and he went to a resturant in Japan where he consumed something like almost 20 lbs of noodles and such.

jhahah yes!  that was an awesome show.  i can't believe how ripped he is though.

hes a legend. hes the michael jordan of competitive eating....hes an ace! i just hope he is ready for july 4th....no one is even close to him. he is a true athlete....

Joey Chestnut already beat his record by like 6 dogs.  I think it would have been a great matchup this year at Nathan's but looks like it won't happen.  And dear god I can't believe we're discussing competitive eating matches like they're the Superbowl 

i THINK i heard on the news this morning that Kobayashi is going to make it!!!!  Playing with an injury, the stuff legends are made of!!!

[Chief]

yeah i think this may be a way to get out of the competition for him.  it definitely sucks.. because it would have been pretty cool!

[GeorgeSteele]

Dude did you ever see that MTV True Life episode that featured him?? He was training for the hotdog event and he went to a resturant in Japan where he consumed something like almost 20 lbs of noodles and such.

jhahah yes!? that was an awesome show.? i can't believe how ripped he is though.

hes a legend. hes the michael jordan of competitive eating....hes an ace! i just hope he is ready for july 4th....no one is even close to him. he is a true athlete....

Joey Chestnut already beat his record by like 6 dogs.? I think it would have been a great matchup this year at Nathan's but looks like it won't happen.? And dear god I can't believe we're discussing competitive eating matches like they're the Superbowl?

i THINK i heard on the news this morning that Kobayashi is going to make it!!!!? Playing with an injury, the stuff legends are made of!!!

Alright!  Would be even better if he laid low and entered the competition under a different identity and under disguise.  Then he'd win, reveal himself and crack Joey Chestnut in the head with the trophy.

[The Dog]

If Chestnut wins it will be ANOTHER good reason to FINALLY like America!     HHHAHAHA