No Fourth of July picnic
They stood toe to toe, eye to eye and – most important – jaw to injured jaw at their weigh-in Tuesday. “Many times … in the annals of sports, the eyes of the world have turned to our great city to watch worthy adversaries square off,” said New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, tongue in cheek. And so it will be today, when six-time defending champion Takeru Kobayashi faces Joey Chestnut in their Fourth of July hot dog-eating showdown in Coney Island. The Japanese title-holder declared himself ready to gorge, dismissing suggestions by skeptics that his stiff jaw was nothing more than hot dog head games. “I don’t care what they think,” Kobayashi said. “I just want to battle.” Since going public with his ailment last month, Kobayashi underwent treatment by a specialist and a chiropractor. Event organizers said he also had a wisdom tooth extracted June 26 to relieve what they described as “jaw-thritis.” The two are among 17 contestants who will attempt to eat their way to glory … and indigestion.
An unwavering spirit
“I fought for this country. Now I’d love to win for this country.”
Scott Winkler, a former soldier who served in Iraq, on the likely prospect of him competing as a discus thrower for the United States in next year’s Paralympics in Beijing
