Nathan's in Denver

Pete and Mongo right after time expired.

What a battle! Maybe a hundred people gathered under the big white tent erected in the Sam's Club parking lot in Lone Tree.

There was a warm-up act before the big show. An amateur contest, 5 minutes, featuring some Sam's Club employees and town dignitaries. A cop was 2nd, 7 1/2 dogs. The employee who was 1st downed 9.

Mongo before.

After the pre-show, Ryan Nerz mounted the stage and got the crowd fired up.
He brought the contestants on stage. They fiddled with their drinks. And it began. Pete and Mongo got out fast. After a minute each of them were around 5. Pete separating the dog and bun, and Mongo submerging the dog still in the bun and getting them down the way he does. I thought that'd be tough to maintain. But he did! It was close throughout with neither guy pulling ahead by more than 1.

Stork on his way to a personal best (?) 18.

At the end, it had to be close. Ryan took a few minutes to inspect the detritus, and he arrived at some results. Tied for 3rd: Sexy (your Wing Bowl champion) and Mares (he was the runner-up to Boone in the WLOCE cupcake event in Boulder in May). 2nd: Davekos, with 29. So:
Mongo, getting announced as the winner. He downed 30 hot dogs and buns to become the 1st eater from Colorado to qualify for the July 4th finals in Coney Island. Before this, I had seen 9 people win their Nathan's qualifier. While I am sure those 9 people were happy to win and make it to Coney, not one seemed genuinely as happy and fulfilled to win their qualifier as Mongo. Sure, it may be because I know him better than the others and I know how hard he has worked for this and I know how much he wanted this and I'm really happy for him. But I bet this win feels much better to him than it does for Joey or Sonya or whoever.

If the emcee had been that new IFOCE guy, I would have tried to get in. There were only 9 contestants. Instead I watched. I didn't really know what to do. It felt sort of weird watching. But after the contest I did grab a plate of 5. Who knew, but Nathan's are really pretty good if you don't dunk and actually take time to savor the flavor. Excellent juicy and garlicky meat. The delicious buns were Sara Lee. Hey Woody's, use these buns next year and maybe the foot long buns will not be stale toast.


Here is a complete gallery of pictures.