Mustard Yellow Belt

Fireworks, parades, cook-outs - all take a back seat on July 4th to Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. 2009 marks the 94th time that trenchermen and woman flock to Coney Island to wolf down wieners for $10,000 and the prestigious Mustard Yellow Belt. Will Joey Chestnut maintain the title? Will Takeru Kobayashi reclaim the belt? Last year they tied after the allotted 10 minutes; forcing them to endure a dog-off. The excitement was palpable. Maybe a foot-long shot will win this year!

Officially sanctioned by the MLE (Major League Eating), this event remains free from steroid and betting scandals. However, odds can be found and bets made on several Internet sites.

Frankfurters, franks, wieners, weenies, hot dogs, red hots... no matter what sobriquet you use, July 4th belongs to them. I'll leave describing their contents to writers more intrepid than I. It's a concoction known as meat slurry, technically a mechanically recovered meat product. Mmm, sounds tasty!

Watch the Sandwich Super Bowl on ESPN. Coverage starts at Noon EDT - as ever BB

"A hot dog at the ballpark is better than steak at the Ritz." - Humphrey Bogart