Will Kobayashi Compete This Year?

News Flash!

Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi, the Nathan's Famous Hot dog Eating Champion, may be a no show at this year's July 4th, Coney Island competition organized by the International Federation Of Competitive Eating.

Yes IFOCE fans and competitors, the "Human Tsunami" claims to have over-trained, causing a temporary arthritic condition in his jaw. The reigning champion says that he can't even open wide enough to get a pinky between his lips.

To many fans of this borderline sport, Kobayashi is a legend. He's the one who put eating competitions on the sports map. Fans anticipate his annual July 4th, Coney Island visits with the giddiness of children waiting for Kris Kringle on December 24th. Imagine Santa being sidelined for the Xmas holidays with a sore back and having the Easter Bunny fill in for him. That's what it'll be like come fourth of july should Kobayashi not appear and some last year runner up walk away with the belt.

Speaking of runner-ups, one of Kobayashi's past victims, Joey "Jaws" Chestnut of San Jose, Calif., isn't happy at all about the champs purported condition. Jaws recently broke the champs 53 3/4 hot dog eating record of last year by downing 59½ dogs in a Nathan's Famous regional qualifier. And as the saying goes, "To Be The Champ, You Have To Beat The Champ." So Jaws isn't buying the case of the arthritic jaw and is continuing to train as if Kobayashi will show to defend his belt.

In the meantime, yes Virginia, there is still a Santa Claus, but the man from Japan wearing the big belt and yellow headband ain't him. That's Kobayashi, the "Human Tsunami."

Shocking News! Former Giants Closer Rod Beck Dead At 38.

I'm just in shock. While looking up info on the sfgiants.com website I came across this headline:

Former All-Star Beck dead at 38

Longtime MLB closer found in his home on Saturday

My heart goes out to his family. Til this day I couldn't understand taking Robb Nen over Beck. Watching Beck come in to close was like watching a biker tell the bartender to watch his drink while he goes and kicks some ass!

Thanks for the times Beck aka "The Shooter"

Quote from Rick Thurman, Beck's Agent:

"Rod became a fixture in the San Francisco community where he spent most of his career," Thurman said on Sunday. "Shooter was a hard-nosed, blue-collar kind of guy who wore his heart on his sleeve, and that is what made him so endearing to baseball fans everywhere."

Yankees Over-Rated! Giants Take Two

The New York Yankees came to town on Friday and won a night game against the SF Giants convincingly, 3 to 7. Through some tough negotiating and luck I secured tickets to the Saturday and Sunday games buying into the hype of the series being an inter-league classic.

The Weather was tropical-like, the park was sold-out and the Giants were ready to end their eight game losing streak, screw the Damn Yankees!

The Giants went on to take the Saturday game in extra innings, ending a throwback classic with a 6-5 win. The inter-league series threw at us every throwback stat and moment dating from the 1962 World Series between the two teams.

Saturday's game was throwback cap day with the park giving away throwback NY Giants caps to the first 20,000. Today's Sunday game featured introductions of old-timers from both teams who played in that 1962 series.

The Giants went on to win the game 7-2 with Noah Lowry earning a much deserved win. A half inning of seeing future Hall-Of-Famer Roger Clemens was definitely worth the price of admission. Too bad for the Yankees Rocket at 45 years old is nowhere near the beast he was earlier in his career. But I just couldn't find it in my heart to join in booing the hardened old warrior. I was just in awe to be watching Roger Clemens pitch to Barry Bonds, even if he did pitch around him and gave up a walk.

The Giants are either the best bottom of the division team in the league or the Yankees are heavily over-rated of late. Either way, I got to clap and laugh this weekend away as my SF Giants sent the Yankees and their spoiled fans home with two straight losses.

Go Giants!

National Spelling Bee Champion

Labron James scoring 48 pts to help the cavaliers win a NBA Playoff game in double-OT, not bad.

Chicago Cubs teamate brawl in dugout sends one to the hospital, shameful news.

Serena Williams the sole American survivor still alive in the singles French Open, patriotic power.

SF Giants win 13-0 laugher over Phillies a day after releasing Balking Closer Armando Benitez, celebratory.

13 year old from California wins National Spelling Bee with ease by spelling the word "Seffefine," genius.


Check out any news headline from today and you'll read about 13 year old Evan M. O'Dorney of Danville, Ca. winning the national spelling bee contest. I heard one radio announcer running down the list of interests and accomplishments of this young man:

He loves music (practices piano) and has already composed an opera
He's enjoys math more than spelling, its more of a challenge
To him, spelling is just memorizing, an easy task
He's soon to be enrolled in a calculus class at UC Berkeley
He's holds a black belt in judo or karate. Silly me, its Tae Kwan Do
He's fluent in Latin and dabbles in French and Spanish. (Dabbles)
I think I heard he's already tutoring or counseling other students, probably the teacher

At a very young age he could solve a rubik's cube .............while holding it behind his back

Did I say Genius?

Congratulations Evan for winning the 2007 National Spelling Bee and for making a small forcepts device used for clamping off blood vessels the topic of discussion today. Sorry, that's forceps. Some of us have trouble just remembering to use spellcheck.