With NBA free agency on the horizon, the World Cup in full swing, and baseball nearing the All-Star break, Americans have seemingly forgotten about the most hallowed tradition in all of sports that occurs annually on July 4th: The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Each year, sultans of sodium gather in Coney Island and do what Americans do best—eat hot dogs.
And my goodness, how they eat.
Of the thousands of spectators at the venue and millions of viewers at home, it's likely only a handful could tell you what's actually in a hot dog, and if they try to share such knowledge, they will be silenced—with Santa Claus and the tooth fairy debunked, "what's inside a hot dog?" remains one of the few childhood mysteries that can safely remain in tact as we become adults.
Sadly, this year's contest in Coney Island just won't be the same.
On Monday, it was announced by Major League Eating, the foremost professional eating body in the world aside from Kirstie Alley, that six-time defending champion Takeru Kobayashi will not be entering this year's contest.
The diminutive 160 pound Japanese eater is widely considered the best professional eater in history.
His "Solomon" e...
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