DAMN MONTHS THAT END IN "BER" (AND "ARY")

Each day I stop by the IFOCE’s “Eating Contests” page to see if any new contests have been announced. For the last several weeks (seems like months) the only two up there other than last month's Krystal Square Off has been the posole eating contest in Acoma, New Mexico and meatballs in Atlantic City.

Unless the posole contest is less than three hours away, I ain't making it. (Mapquest says it's a hair under 29 hours. Damn.) And the meatball contest is full, but I'll drive to that because it's sort of a winter reunion for the eaters and Atlantic City has lots of buffets. Someone also told me you can gamble there.

Yeah, I guess this is the “off season” for competitive eating. It’s my first.

When I first became a baseball fan a little over 20 years ago, the off seasons were brutal. I counted the days until spring training. Now the off seasons don’t phase me as much. I’m used to them. I have a feeling my first competitive eating off season will be like those first baseball off seasons. My newfound passion, wrestled away from me just as the weather begins to turn cold and bitter. Just when I need my pastimes the most, they’re not there.

Oh well, at least the local buffets are there to keep me busy.