Coney

Official Results from ifoce.com:

Joey Chestnut: 66
Takeru Kobayashi: 63
Pat Bertoletti: 49
Tim "Eater X" Janus: 43.5
Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas: 39
Bob Shoudt: 35
Chip Simpson: 35
Rich LeFevre: 31
Hall Hunt: 29
Juliet Lee: 26
Dale Boone: 25
Pat Philbin: 24
Crazy Legs Conti: 23.5
Erik "the Red" Denmark: 23
Tim Brown: 22.5
Arturo Rios, Jr.: 21
Allen Goldstein; 21

Wow. It's been a few hours since watching the live coverage but from what I remember Kobayashi did seem to not open his mouth as wide as in past years. And he seemed to be using many different styles - one dog only, two dogs at once, dog and bun at the same time - like he did it one way until that hurt, then switch again, then switch, etc. Before he used the same technique all the way through - just get in his zone and go. This year he did not seem as smooth and effortless as before. I think it was last year that Rich Shea equated Kobayashi and "balleic interplay".

This year Kobayashi seemed off to me. I think if Kobayashi had been 100% he would have won. But Joey won! Kobayashi reversed at the end! I think too if Kobayashi had been 100% he would not have reversed. I think he reversed because he lost. What is very interesting to me is that the judges did not disqualify him. Last year when Kobayashi had a mini-reversal the officials said they did not DQ him because none of the stuff fell to the table. Fair enough. But clearly some of this chunky orange, watery doggage hit the table. Nevermind he was eating his own vomit and extra HDBs well after the clock hit 00:00. Clearly a DQ. I'd love to know why the officials did not DQ him.

But enough of that! Big congratulations to Joey!