March 3, 2008

Hot dogs at halftime, and other bizarre athlete food and drink tales. : During an interview, here's what former Yankee Jeff Nelson said. Oh, I’d say, on a typical road trip, east coast to west coast, say a road game to Seattle……Wade would drink anywhere between 50 and 60 beers.

read story | posted by BoKnows to Culture at 9:58 AM CDT (16 comments total)

Beautiful stuff, Bo. I read it just before I dragged out my lunch box. Now I have to rethink my plans.

posted by Howard_T at 10:48 AM CDT on March 3

Didn't Wayne Gretzky have some pregame hot dog ritual? I can't recall off the top of my head, but I think it was either a certain number of hot dogs, or a hot dog from the venue he was playing in. Popcorn on a basketball/NBA bench is not unusual at all (or for Terrell Owens in the endzone). And while Mountain Dew is mentioned a few times, I think Coca-Cola (Diet, or some odd mixture/ratio with other bevvies) has the lion's share of pregame/halftime menu appearances. And finally, just curious to know if any coaches have ever banned green M&Ms from the pregame or locker room?

posted by Spitztengle at 1:08 PM CDT on March 3

It's amazing how some professional atheletes treat their bodies. All arguments to the contrary made by John Kruk be damned, aren't these guys supposed to be a bit conscientious about how they treat their bodies? Mcdonalds??!! Are you kidding me? I don't make my living with my body, nor does anyone pay me to stay in shape, but I know better to put that shit down my throat. The fact that the Olympic village had a MickeyD's is pretty hilarious, but it's downright scary that atheletes were eating it, what with the hundreds of dieticians and nutritionists that are paid good money to keep an eye on things.

Then again, it would have made compelling T.V. had Tarver thrown up 127 double cheeseburgers immidiately before his descision.

posted by tahoemoj at 1:08 PM CDT on March 3

posted by Spitztengle at 1:08 PM CDT on March 3

It's amazing how some professional atheletes treat their bodies.

I know-- the Tarver thing was amazing. How could you train for four years with a single goal in mind and then get to the Olympic Village and say, "Whoa! Free McDonalds!" Some of the stories in the comments are great too.

posted by yerfatma at 1:17 PM CDT on March 3

In Terry Pluto's book Tall Tales, there are some stories about Wilt Chamberlain's prodigious appetite (for food, that is). Apparently, he would eat half an apple pie and a half-gallon of milk or 7-Up during halftime. Chick Hearn said that he would an entire chicken before games. When his coach told him not to eat that much chicken before the game, Wilt showed up with a dozen hot dogs.

posted by aupa_athletic at 1:41 PM CDT on March 3

The fact that the Olympic village had a MickeyD's is pretty hilarious, but it's downright scary that atheletes were eating it, what with the hundreds of dieticians and nutritionists that are paid good money to keep an eye on things.

I think it helps to understand what life is like for most Olympic athletes, and how the two weeks of the Olympics contrast with the other three years and fifty weeks. Most Olympic athletes aren't highly paid professionals -- they're working at the Home Depot, if they're lucky. A lot of them can't just train anywhere they want, they need special venues or facilities, and they have to live wherever those are. They're constantly broke and scraping for everything, food included. As Scott Shipley graphically described in the introduction to his book Every Crushing Stroke, when they're suddenly faced with this Olympic sponsor barrage of free food and free clothing and free deodorant and free toothpaste and free this and free that, they go a little crazy, and they're not very discriminating. I don't find it surprising at all, either that McDonald's is an Olympic sponsor (hey, you weren't putting up the money, were you?) or that athletes who really do know better will eat their swill.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 2:10 PM CDT on March 3

I don't know about the rest of you, but I work out precisely so I CAN eat 20 McNuggets when the mood strikes me.

If I ran 20 miles a day or something along those lines, I guarantee I'd eat the double cheese colon clogger far more regualarly.

Isn't that the point? I don't exercise so I can eat MORE salad. Fuck that.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 2:42 PM CDT on March 3

I don't exercise so I can eat MORE salad. Fuck that.

Precisely. And that's the attitude shared by many athletes, right up through the elite ranks. Calories are calories are calories, no matter how they are consumed. Athletic pursuits often lead to very challenged nutritional programs and lifestyles. It's kind of a myth that sport is ALL good for a person ... from a holistic health perspective anyway.

posted by Spitztengle at 3:34 PM CDT on March 3

The Wade Boggs drinking stories are as legendary as his chicken addiction and his many other vices. This was not a guy who was real good with the whole moderation thing.

Also, I suspect with a little detective work, an all-gluttony list could go a lot deeper than this one.

posted by chicobangs at 3:37 PM CDT on March 3

I don't exercise so I can eat MORE salad. Fuck that.

EXACTLY!
I ate nothing but fast food all weekend because my daughters were in town and I still lost four pounds. Am I the great example of high dietary standards for which my children should follow? No. But it seems to be working so far.

posted by THX-1138 at 4:23 PM CDT on March 3

All right, here goes my contribution:

David Boon. Australian cricketer. From Wikipedia:

Boon achieved much fame and notoriety for consuming 52 cans of beer on a flight from Sydney to London before the victorious 1989 Ashes tour that saw Australia regain the trophy after five years of English dominance; the previous record had been held by Rod Marsh, who it is believed consumed 45 cans, although there is conjecture as to whether Marsh actually finished can #45, and some believe his attempt only equalled the record of 44 cans set by Doug Walters. Another passionate report of said record claims Boon finished 54 drinks totalling around 19.5 litres of beverages @ 5% alcohol (per 375ml serve), the majority of which consumed at such an altitude that the effects of the alcohol were doubled. Boon is often jokingly referred to as the "Keg on Legs" because of his legendary drinking exploits and dogged, iconoclastic batting displays. He is a unique interview guest, often giving short, clipped, amiable answers to every question. In recent times, he became the face of Victoria Bitter (VB) beer for its 2005/06 & 2006/07 summer advertising campaigns, called Boonanza. Part of the promotion was the sale of a talking David Boon figurine with purchases of beer, which would make comments when prompted by Channel Nine commentary. The promotion caused some controversy. One health expert claimed it was a "..a dog-whistle marketing strategy directed at the heavy-drinking, sporting public that says, 'Go for it'."

posted by owlhouse at 4:28 PM CDT on March 3

This, by far, is my favorite.

Waner also once hit a double, rounded second base, and slid into the bullpen mound - more than 60 feet away from third base.

That just doesn't happen enough anymore, although Scott Spezio was well on his way.

posted by BoKnows at 4:34 PM CDT on March 3

"..a dog-whistle marketing strategy directed at the heavy-drinking, sporting public that says, 'Go for it'."

Awesome story, owlhouse. The New England Patriots' original stadium was sponsored by Schaeffer Beer for a long time. Their slogan was, "The beer to have when you're having more than one."

posted by yerfatma at 4:48 PM CDT on March 3

The beer to have when you're having more than one

And stories of spectacular plumbing failures at Schaeffer Stadium are legion.

posted by Howard_T at 6:09 PM CDT on March 3

I don't exercise so I can eat MORE salad. Fuck that.

Bravo! Those are exactly my sentimonies.

posted by squealy at 3:28 AM CDT on March 4

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