The Super Bowl of Competitive Eating: Wing Bowl 2011

The Super Bowl of Competitive Eating: wing Bowl 2011:

Can’t win the Super Bowl? Or don’t have the athletic ability to compete in professional sports?Well, some people who had those same thoughts came up with the Wing Bowl back in 1993. Today is the Wing Bowl 2011, held in Philadelphia.

Yes, the Wing Bowl 2011 is what the name implies: it’s an eating contest.I never really understand competitive eating, but apparently the seats are packed to watch this event every year. Is this a sport? And are you a celebrity if you win? The highlight of this year’s event is that a five-time winner is returning to face off against the man who won the Wing Bowl for the past two years.Would you watch the Wing Bowl 2011? Would you ever participate in an eating contest? Senior sportswriter Michael Gold is awake and live from the Wells Fargo Center, live blogging the celebrated Philadelphia tradition: Wing Bowl.

Follow his tweets in the liveblog below.
Tiger Wings, Gentleman Joe, Us Male, The Shocker, Joel Podelsky & Tiger Wings & Things, Hank the Tank also advance
8:25 Kobayashi says he will compete in Wing Bowl 20, so presumbably his IFOCE contract will have expired by then.
8:23 Kobyashi ate a cheesesteak in 23.7 seconds
8:19 “Freak of Nature” has won the float award for a “Mound Rushmore” of the Phillie’s starting pitchers.
8:13 The Wing Bowl website has galleries of the opening procession. (Joel Podelsky gallery | Dave US Male Goldstein)
8:09 The first half is over. Kobayashi will perform a cheesesteak eating exhibition at halftime.
7:59 “Furious” Pete is unofficially ahead
7:54 The contest has started
7:50 The procession has ended and the national anthem has started
7:36 Dave “US Male” Goldstein’s entourage is dressed up like George Shea
7:15 The eaters procession for Wing Bowl 19 is underway. CSN Philly has a live blog. Philly.com and NBCPhiladelphia also have live blogs
Wing Bowl 19 links