IFOCE - Really?

Two words that should never, ever cross paths in the English language, or any tongue spoken by man for that matter: Competitive & Eating.

When pondering over all the so-called sports that are absurd and yet, have a global presence, the IOCE takes the cake (literally).

The challenge? See how many hot-dogs one can scoff down their throat in a 12-minute period (the record is set @ 53.5 hot dogs held by Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi from Japan.

The hot-dog eat-off is contested annually on Coney-Island (naturally) on the Fourth of July, a day man is considered independent from morality and girth issues. Probably not a smart idea to have the mascot parading around in a hot-dog outfit. Imagine if one of the contestants shows up high.

A little history & trivia:
The International Federation of Competitive Eating, Inc. (IFOCE) organizes, supervises and regulates eating contests across the globe, acting as a central resource for the sport. Top events include the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, La Costena "Feel the Heat" Jalapeno Eating Challenge, and the Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship. The IFOCE was founded in 1997 by brothers George and Richard Shea.

The IFOCE develops, promotes and runs more than 100 events in all variety of venues during its annual circuit.


The organization also produces television shows on competitive eating. In 2002, IFOCE produced Glutton Bowl, a 2 hour eating event on the Fox Network. In 2007 the IFOCE produced four one-hour programs for Spike TV under the title "Chowdown." In 2006, the IFOCE produced three hours of programming on ESPN, including a one-hour live show on the 2005 Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest and one-hour shows on the Johnsonville Brat contest and the Krystal Hamburger contest.

The English Dictionary defines Gluttony as eating to excess (personified as one of the deadly sins).

(The seven deadly sins are Wrath, Greed, Sloth, Gluttony, Lust, Pride, Envy)

(special thanks to http://lefteyeonthemedia.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/gluttony-demon.jpg for this image)

In an attempt to add a disclaimer, the IFOCE notes: While there are no studies showing proven dangers, doctors have warned of the potential risks of speed eating.

No studies showing proven dangers? Seriously?

One never ceases to be amazed at the lack of compassion of the human race.

This photograph was named best photo of the year:

There exist in this world people that subside on less than $1 per day, they are not below the poverty line, they are below the starvation line. And what does Corporate America do? They host eating contests that turn man into nothing more than a common swine, consuming food in excess and unnecessarily. Remember in highschool how they used to have canned-food drives?

It is all a part of the freedom illusion, the guise we have pulled over our eyes to blind us from the truth. The bystander effect, why should I do anything? Someone else is bound to come along and save these unfortunate souls.

"William Osler - We are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we can from life."