WingBowl 15: Part 1 of 6: The Weigh In
Last year I loved the weigh-in. It’s held at a Supermarket turned SportsBar, Chickie & Pete’s, right by the stadium the night before the WingBowl. The true function of it is to get the 25 Contestants and 100 plus Wingettes together to sign all of the necessary legal forms and pick up security badges for the event.
WIP has turned it into a media event where Press can get their first views of the Eaters and some interviews and the ‘Drive Home’ Radio slot can start to get excited about what is about to transpire. The new Eaters don’t always realize how enourmous WingBowl is, so this night is a taste of what is to come. Lots of costumes (mostly custom tshirts), scantly clad women, and drunk revelers.
It was probably my least favorite part of this years WingBowl, but only because I didn’t want to be distracted from what my goals were. I’d rather be home settling down my mind and trying to find a way to fall asleep. Still it was a good opportunity to meet the competition and I made an effort to shake everyones hand. My wife would be so very proud of me, being as that I’m afraid of meeting new people.
None of the fasting Eaters took up my offer of free pizza. I asked Joey Chestnut twice. Wing Kong tried to get somebody drunk. Yet another competitor tried to get a rival to go home with a beautiful model who seemed more than willing. We are a passive-aggressive bunch.
My family came with as well as my neighbors, and the kids were thrilled to get Photos with Joey Chestnut and Humble Bob. Joey was a little in awe in how his fame has spread, and I told him how my sons and their friends all know who he is.
The most interesting conversation occurred between a few of the Pros concerning the new “Fantasy Eating” League that has started amongst the Competitive Eating Community. It’s along the lines of Fantasy Football, but you pick from the top 50 Pros for 5 teams of 10. More on that another time, I know….total geek-o-rama.
Clad in my new Steakbellie t-shirt and my Black Watch Kilt, I walked onto the stage to be weighed in. In anticipation for this I had thought up an inspirational toast I would present to the crowd and have some fun. When the announcer came to me, I decided I was done with all the show and just wanted to compete. Lets just do this.
One of the radio announcers refused to shake my hand because I was wearing a dress. I sat on the huge Butchers scale for a perfect 230lbs. He asked what was in my Sporan (that man-purse that Scots wear because they have no pockets) I leaned into the mic…..”hotsauce” The crowd was very nice to me, and I signed a few autographs.
Some drunk stripper kept grabbing my stomach when I tried to leave. What the hell is that?
WIP has turned it into a media event where Press can get their first views of the Eaters and some interviews and the ‘Drive Home’ Radio slot can start to get excited about what is about to transpire. The new Eaters don’t always realize how enourmous WingBowl is, so this night is a taste of what is to come. Lots of costumes (mostly custom tshirts), scantly clad women, and drunk revelers.
It was probably my least favorite part of this years WingBowl, but only because I didn’t want to be distracted from what my goals were. I’d rather be home settling down my mind and trying to find a way to fall asleep. Still it was a good opportunity to meet the competition and I made an effort to shake everyones hand. My wife would be so very proud of me, being as that I’m afraid of meeting new people.
None of the fasting Eaters took up my offer of free pizza. I asked Joey Chestnut twice. Wing Kong tried to get somebody drunk. Yet another competitor tried to get a rival to go home with a beautiful model who seemed more than willing. We are a passive-aggressive bunch.
My family came with as well as my neighbors, and the kids were thrilled to get Photos with Joey Chestnut and Humble Bob. Joey was a little in awe in how his fame has spread, and I told him how my sons and their friends all know who he is.
Sidenote: Did you ever get into a milk rage, like when you start drinking a big glass, and you just down the whole thing and suddenly crave another glass? Joey once downed a whole gallon of milk in 41 seconds in what I consider, the greatest food stunt ever filmed. My wife is convinced she can beat him at it. No, Really...she'll open the fridge in the morning and be all like "I'm going Chestnut" while grabbing for the milk. I wonder if anyone out there mentions my name when they get drunk and fall down in the front yard.
The most interesting conversation occurred between a few of the Pros concerning the new “Fantasy Eating” League that has started amongst the Competitive Eating Community. It’s along the lines of Fantasy Football, but you pick from the top 50 Pros for 5 teams of 10. More on that another time, I know….total geek-o-rama.
Clad in my new Steakbellie t-shirt and my Black Watch Kilt, I walked onto the stage to be weighed in. In anticipation for this I had thought up an inspirational toast I would present to the crowd and have some fun. When the announcer came to me, I decided I was done with all the show and just wanted to compete. Lets just do this.
One of the radio announcers refused to shake my hand because I was wearing a dress. I sat on the huge Butchers scale for a perfect 230lbs. He asked what was in my Sporan (that man-purse that Scots wear because they have no pockets) I leaned into the mic…..”hotsauce” The crowd was very nice to me, and I signed a few autographs.
Some drunk stripper kept grabbing my stomach when I tried to leave. What the hell is that?
4 comments:
1 of 6...I love it!
You killed me with the falling down drunk line. I retroactively "went Steakbellie" in your honor during Wing Bowl.
If you can photoshop the lovely wife into that top pic, I think you've got yourself next year's Christmas card.
I just did a Steakbellie With A Twist™ - that's where I fall down in the font yard and pee myself.
Dave,
You screwed up by not making it out with us after WB15. Bigtime.
Liz,
That would be an AWESOME card. I gotta get my oldest in there too!
Jenne,
As bad as I've been, I've never pulled off the twist...which is funny cause I was a bedwetter as a kid. There's always hope for the future though right?
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