Truly Nauseating

Yes, you probably think I am about to harp on a recent Rob Vanstone column by the title of this posting, but I'm not.

After an enjoyable lunch at the Press Box on Monday afternoon, I came home to catch the end of both the Cubs-Nationals and Blue Jays-Red Sox game. As both those games ended about the same time, I started to channel surf to see what was on when there it was.......the annual 4th of July Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest. First off, I couldn't believe it was on TV (ESPN nonetheless) as it was on TSN 2. (Did they run out of poker to show us). Secondly, I had to believe that whoever the talking heads were had to be at the bottom rung of the mighty ESPN ladder. I could not imagine going into ESPN headquarters and finding out my assignment was to cover the Hot Dog Eating Contest.

ESPN asked the question is competitive eating a sport, they profiled some of these clowns and they even did a sport science feature on just how exactly these people can do what they do to themselves.

They now have a female division (insert your own joke here) which led to the  main event. I think it was 10 guys with WWE like intros were marched to the stage while the graphics showed some kind of culinary feat these freaks had performed. One guy inhaled 36 spring rolls in two minutes. I could only imagine how many he would get down if those spring rolls were from Little Saigon (best spring rolls in the YQR hands down). It all led to Joey Chestnut winning his 5th straight July 4th championship as he wolfed down 62 dogs in 10 minutes which led to the talking head on ESPN comparing him to some great New York athletes like Dimaggio, Mantle and Taylor. Really??!!

The question I have is why was this on TV? This was just gross to watch. It was something that sadly I couldn't turn away from even though it was making my stomach turn. I don't even want to know how these guys get rid of that stuff if you know what I mean. What type of audience did this draw? Was it higher than an NHL game and if it was well that says something all in itself.

Speaking of being sick while watching something on TSN2, the network was also gracious enough to show the Rider-Eskimo game from Sunday on Monday night. It wasn't any  better watching on TV. Trust me on that one.

As expected, the Rider Nation is in a state of panic. Whether it was the play of Darian Durant, the offensive line or the defensive line, championship dreams have been replaced by nightmares of pathetic play and we're just one week in. Take a deep breath everyone!!! One game does not a season make---if it does, I guess Calgary and the Riders will be battling for last.

The CM Punk promo at the end of RAW last week was great and somehow they managed to follow it up with another great promo between Vince McMahon and John Cena. It almost is enough to entice me to buy the next PPV just to see how this one ends up.