My Competitive Eating Matrix

Today was the Chef One Dumpling Eating Contest. The field was stacked, as it is every year. But I was able to avenge the horrible showings I've had in the past 2 years. I placed 3rd with 45 dumplings in 2 minutes behind Dave Brunelli (60) and Joe Menchetti (69 - a new record). In 2009 I DQ'd because the whole wheat dumplings they used broke down differently and I choked out. And last year, I suffered by playing it safe. the only thing that sucks is that my number this year would have been good enough for 2nd place last year.
Leading up to and including the contest, I've had a friendly rivalry going with fellow eater Michael Longo. I made up a pretty funny shirt to egg him on:



I came through on my promise of a win and now the dragon is resting and laying in wait for tomorrow when we face off again in a longer contest, which is more along the lines of his specialty (where as I am better in short, speed focused contests).

All the trash talk got me to thinking... What was my record against other independent pros? So I came up with a little Matrix...


Sunshine MacLean - Wins: 0 Losses: 3

Joel Podelsky - Wins: 17 Losses: 5

Sal Carbone - Wins: 0 Losses: 2

Dale Boone - Wins: 1 Losses: 2

Joe Menchetti - Wins: 0 Losses: 18

Tom Gilbert - Wins: 0 Losses: 3

Jay Gorman - Wins: 3 Losses: 2

Bob Kuhns - Wins: 0 Losses: 1

Paul Acaria - Wins: 4 Losses: 1 Ties: 1

Kevin Kordalski - Wins: 1 Losses: 0

Pete Czerwinski - Wins: 1 Losses: 6

George Van Laar - Wins: 2 Losses: 0

Mike Hoffman - Wins: 6 Losses: 0 Ties: 1

Ian Hickman - Wins: 1 Losses: 3

Dave Brunelli - Wins: 0 Losses: 3

Marcos Owens - Wins: 1 Losses: 0

Mike Longo - Wins: 3 Losses: 2

Elliot Maruffi - Wins: 0 Losses: 1

Dave Goldstein - Wins: 0 Losses: 1

Pat Vivano - Wins: 1 Losses: 3

Matt Holowicki - Wins: 0 Losses: 2

Don Lerman - Wins: 1 Losses: 0

Conclusion? I'm a mid-level eater. There are certain people I can beat consistently and others that beat me consistently with an upset here and there. Either way, I've had fun at just about every contest I've been to and succeed in the area where it truly counts for me, and that's doing media and television. I may not be the best eater out there, but I'm one of the most entertaining and more often than not, wind up in the top 3 or "in the money" as we say.