JOEY CHESTNUT JUST MADE A JAPANESE MAN THROW UP IN HIS MOUTH A LITTLE BIT (AGAIN)

Joey Chestnut shocked no one in Pheonix this weekend by eating a shit ton of hot dogs. Fifty-nine-and-a-half hot dogs to be exact. Actually that is shocking and, of course, a new world record (beating Kobayashi's 53.75 set on Coney Island in 2006 by more than 10 percent).

It's a great performance and all, but I really don't see why he couldn't have eaten half a stinkin' hot dog more to make it an even six-oh. Seriously, "60" sounds much better than "59.5". I mean, come on Joey, half a hot dog.

All kidding aside, this may be a new hot dog record, but is it THE record? It seems the only record that matters is the one that's set on July 4th at the corner of Surf and Stillwell on Coney Island in front of 20,000 people on national television. This was a qualifier event and, while it's still an awesome feat (which would have been awesomer if it had been SIXTY), it still feels...different. No matter. In four weeks the question won't be IF a new Coney Island record will be set, but by how much and by how many people. My wild guess: Joey 54, Koby 56. Look for Bertoletti to flirt with the 50 mark too.

I don't think Kobayashi is capable of putting up more than 59.5. He's been eating and training for over seven years now and if he could eat that much, he'd have done it by now. What I'm counting on at Coney is a case of nerves keeping Joey's total in the mid-50s and him pushing Koby just enough to allow him to take another Mustard belt. I also wouldn't rule out a reversal by either one.

In related news, Joey Chestnut himself confirmed in a San Francisco Chronicle article that he fasted before his record-setting run (and between training runs) for not one, not two, but THREE days. Yes, no beer and pizza for him the night before. And you all though I was crazy for skipping dinner and breakfast before a contest.