Study Finds Competitive Hot Dog Eaters Are Near Peak Human Ability

Competitive eaters have their one day a year. July 4th. For 15 minutes, they own the sports WORLD. 

It turns out we don't fully appreciate the Joey Chestnut's of the world for their true ability. 

Competitive eaters are physically capable of gobbling down 84 hot dogs in ten minutes — nine more than the world record set by Chestnut earlier this month, according to a sports study published Wednesday.

The theoretical speed eating performance standard, based on 39 years of data from Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Brooklyn, was outlined in research that used mathematical modeling to project trends over time.

It predicts that the sausage chompers will continue to set records based on a so-called “sigmoidal curve” — a slow and steady rise, followed by an era of rapid improvement before leveling off, according to the study, published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters.

"What did you do at work today, honey?"

"Oh, just ran complex data analysis on humans who competitively eat hot dogs for a living." 

Joey Chestnut has won every single Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest since 2007. One of the greatest dynasties to ever exist. What else is there for him to do? Well, he is chasing the pinnacle of human potential. 84 hot dogs in ten minutes. Will Joey be able to do it? I'm not sure. Is he past his prime in Hot Dog years? Is there even a prime in competitive eating? What the hell ever happened to Takeru Kobayashi? That was one of the greatest rivalries in sports.