Last summer, SportsRadio 94 WIP morning host Angelo Cataldi sent fans of gluttonous eating, day morning drinking and partially clothed women into a brief panic when he hinted at the possibility of Friday’s Wing Bowl, the station’s 25th, being its very last.
Cataldi, whose contract at the station is set to expire at the end of 2017, told PhillyMag that he was considering retirement after his current deal ends.
Many believed this also meant that Wing Bowl 2018 could be in jeopardy, making this the last one. And while he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of 25 being the last — “25 is 24 more than I figured,” co-host Al Morganti said at the time — he did say that his potential retirement would have little to do with whether or not the annual pre-Super Bowl event would live to see its 26th birthday.
RELATED: Gallery: WIP's Wing Bowl 24
"Wing Bowl will be here long after both Al and I are gone," Cataldi told PhillyVoice back in August. "We have absolutely no say on the future of the event. It is owned by WIP (and CBS) and they have total control over what happens to it. If we had our way, would the next one — the 25th — be the last? Maybe. But since we don’t have that power, everyone can calm down.
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"Wing Bowl isn’t going anywhere unless WIP says it is."
Given the lineup they’re rolling out on Friday — not to mention the fact that the Wells Fargo Center is sold out — it’s not likely ending any time soon.
Wrestling legend Ric Flair will be on hand to deliver a "Woo!" or two or ten -- hopefully Jake Voracek and the Flyers aren't within earshot. The Nature Boy will be joined by Coolio and Catching Kelce runner up Veronica Harwood, who will be on hand to help pick this year’s Wingette of the Year, which comes with a $5,000 prize.
And it's a safe bet that we see one or more unannounced special guest show up as well.
There will also be a special five-minute eat-off between five-time champ Bill “El Wingador” Simmons and reigning champ Molly Schuyler, who also won at Wing Bowl 22.
The eating-contest portion of the event will be similar to recent years, with 14 minutes of wing consumption before the field is narrowed to the top 10. After another 14-minute feeding frenzy, the top two eaters will compete for the grand prize in a two-minute “Wing-Off.”
However, no word yet on if there any of them plan to eat a whole cactus ... before the event even starts.
In addition to the main field, there will also be a “Legends” category this year featuring ten Wing Bowl veterans who for one reason or another — in the case of some it was due to large amounts of projectile vomit — have failed to take home the grand prize.
RELATED: A totally visual -- and somewhat NSFW -- recap of Wing Bowl 24
So what is that grand prize?
- SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
- Wells Fargo lots open at 4 a.m.
- Arena doors open at 5 a.m.
- Wing Bowl 25 starts at 6 a.m.
The overall winner receives a Hyundai Santa Fe, $10,000 in cash, a medal, and a championship ring. The winner of the “Legends” category gets a Harley Davidson FLSTF Fat Boy Motorcycle. But, if the “Legends” winner is also the overall winner, that person gets the Harley AND all the overall prizes as well. Not too shabby.
Here’s a look at the eaters for both categories, as well as their odds for Friday morning (according to WIP).
FIVE-MINUTE EAT-OFF
Bill “El Wingador” Simmonds
Weight: 310 pounds
Wing Bowl 7, 9, 10, 11, & 13 ChampionMolly Schuyler
Weight: 127 pounds
Wing Bowl 22 & 24 Champion
WING BOWL CONTESTENTS
Bob “Notorious B.O.B.” Shoudt
Weight: 275 pounds
Odds: 2-1Jack “Snack Jack” Diamond
Weight: 220 pounds
Odds: 10-1Richard “Uncle Rico” Franceschi
Weight: 260 pounds
Odds: 10-1Steve “Tart Tent” Buchanan
Weight: 230 pounds
Odds: 10-1Willam “Skinny Dickey” Moebius Jr.
Weight: 190 pounds
Odds: 10-1Michael “The Bucks County Gobbler” Warren
Weight: 250 pounds
Odds: 10-1Daniel “Cobbler” Pisano
Weight: 187 pounds
Odds: 10-1Al “Love Handles” Marnoch
Weight: 260 pounds
Odds: 10-1Jason “Wings of Justice Height” Carr
Weight: 225 pounds
Odds: 10-1Chris “The Chuggernaught” Krasley
Weight: 285 pounds
Odds: 10-1Christopher “Chili Dawg with Fries” O`Brien
Weight: 200 pounds
Odds: 10-1Monty “Moe Train” Wiradilaga
Weight: 245 pounds
Odds: 10-1Brandan “Skin & Bones” Lyman
Weight: 178 pounds
Odds: 10-1John “Oink Oink” Bradley
Weight: 245 pounds
Odds: 10-1Dimitry “Ukraine Train” Schupak
Weight: 235 pounds
Odds: 10-1Sean “Clowngelo HurtswhenIpee” Gordon
Weight: 225 pounds
Odds: 10-1Matt “Blonde Mamba” Gyerman
Weight: 185 pounds
Odds: 10-1Robert “Farmer Bob” Garges
Weight: 300 pounds
Odds: 10-1Josh “Meat Sack” Domico
Weight: 285 pounds
Odds: 40-1Gerry “Iceman” Spearing
Weight: 260 pounds
Odds: 40-1Apostolos “Pittsburgh Paulie” Vasiliou
Weight: 350 pounds
Odds: 100-1
WING BOWL "LEGENDS"
Dave “U.S. Male” Goldstein
Weight: 215 pounds
Odds: 5-1 (overall) | 2-1 (legend)Dave Tiger “Wings & Things” Brunelli
Weight: 250 pounds
Odds: 7-1 5-1 (overall) | 4-1 (legend)Matt “Sloth” Dutton
Weight: 275 pounds
Odds: 10-1 (overall) | 7-1 (legend)Henry Goldey
Weight: 245 pounds
Odds: 10-1 (overall) | 7-1 (legend)Doug “Damaging Doug” Canavan
Weight: 445 pounds
Odds: 12-1 (overall) | 7-1 (legend)Jerry “Gentleman Jerry” Coughlin
Weight: 325 pounds
Odds: 20-1 (overall) | 7-1(legend)Rick “Rick the Manager” Russo
Weight: 230 pounds
Odds: 20-1 (overall) | 50-1 (legend)Charles “Eggman” Rifici
Weight: 200 pounds
Odds: 20-1 (overall) | 20-1 (legend)John “The Building” DelVecchio
Weight: 275 pounds
Odds: 40-1 (overall) | 25-1 (legend)Douglas “Obi Wing” Petock
Weight: 295 pounds
Odds: 90-1 (overall) | 75-1 (legend)
And if you're heading down but still haven't gotten permission from your boss, they've got you covered...
Follow Matt on Twitter: @matt_mullin