NFL Outdoor Sports

It's the Fourth of July, which for many Americans, is a wonderful excuse to get drunk and stuff your face, all under the guise of celebrating freedom.

And if you're a competitive eater, you can actually make a few bucks in the process. It's not exactly glamorous, but, hey, everybody's good at something, and for Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi, it's all about chugging hot dogs (video proof here).

Ah, yes, the ol' "cannonball technique." (Actually, what I know about competitive eating consists of the few seconds each year I tune into the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, before puking and changing the channel. Maybe the cannonball technique is banned in many states.)

By the way, I love how ESPN has an on-scene reporter quizzing the contestants after the Chestnut pulls out the overtime victory (this seems like an event tailor-made for Heidi Watney; I'm guessing Jerry Remy agrees), and even better, Kobayashi has his own interpreter.

In case you're wondering, Kobayashi says he wasn't quick enough in the five-dog overtime eat-off, but he plans on being back in '09. Oh, and with the victory, Chestnut is still the No. 1 ranked eater. Don King would be proud.

Previously on FanHouse
Joey Chestnut Beats Takeru Kobayashi at Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest
Kobayashi vs. Chestnut Hot Dog Live Blog

Now that Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick has been indicted on dog fighting charges, the question has arisen on where the line should be drawn. If dog fighting is cruel and inhumane, what about horse racing? How about bull fighting? And what about hunting?

Jackie Chiles of The Airing of Grievances took little time in sharing his feelings, and while well-thought-out, I respectfully disagree with his stance that hunting is just as brutal.

There are always going to be people who proclaim that the killing of an innocent animal is a horrible and despicable act, but there is a vast difference between hunting for food and fighting dogs for money. And before someone throws out the "what about those who hunt for sport" card, allow me to remind you that hunters rarely waste anything or kill more than they can eat.

Forget the overall outcome these animals face for a moment and take a look at the fish and game laws in the United States. Dog fighting is illegal; plain and simple. Hunting, on the other hand, while regulated, is not illegal. And why is that? Because raising dogs to kill each other is disgusting, whereas killing a deer for venison is delicious.

I've had a few conversations with Australian football fans about the relative merits of Aussie football and American football. To a man, the Australian fans have told me that they think their brand of the game is a rougher, tougher sport than the American variety.

That might be true, but now I've got a pretty good piece of evidence that Australian fans aren't as tough as American fans. I've never heard of a fan suing the NFL because he got wet when it rained at a game, but that's exactly what's happening in Australia.

Ben Bain was one of 6380 fans who were drenched when monsoonal rains hit a pre-season match between AFL heavyweights Brisbane Lions and St Kilda in Cairns.

But unlike the rest of the fans who put the experience down to bad luck, Mr Bain and his partner Yolanda McNarn are asking for compensation worth $1498.

The pair, who were seated outside, were not allowed to raise an umbrella during the match and could not purchase a poncho at the ground.

They're having a field day with this one at Fark, where one commenter suggests, "If you even think about bringing an umbrella to a sporting event,you should be beaten to death."