DAILY DIRT: A headless chicken, cow chips and plenty of bugs … yep, they all sound like great ideas for a festival

November 4, 2024 | By Steve Eighinger, Muddy River News Minister of Culture and Doctor of Love

There is a statue of "Mike, the headless chicken" in Fruita, Colo. I guess we should be glad they didn't just stuff him and stick him in the townsquare.

Daily Dirt for Monday, Nov. 4, 2024

I can guarantee you’ll come sway from today’s first thought with one question — how does a headless chicken live for 18 months? … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,104 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Ever find yourself looking for something to do? As always, we’re here to help.

Next time you and the family are planning a road trip, you might consider we feel are the following medal-worthy events:

Gold medal

“Mike, the Headless Chicken Festival,” Colorado: This annual event honors Mike, a chicken who once survived 18 months after having his head chopped off back in the 1940s. Featured at the event, held in Fruita, Colo., is a race that encourages participants “to run like a headless chicken,” egg tosses and chicken-dance contests. The festival is normally held in late May or early June.

Silver medal

“World Cow Chip Throwing Championship,” Oklahoma: It’s simple. You compete to throw dried cow dung as far as you can. In essence, dung happens. And it happens every August in Beaver, Okla. This festival dates to 1969.

Bronze medal

“Bugfest,” North Carolina: An “insect-themed celebration” in Raleigh every September that allows attendees to learn about all sorts of bugs … AND eat them. There are dishes served like cricket pizza and mealworm tacos.

Honorable mention

“Idiotarod,” New York City: Teams of people dressed in various costumes pull shopping carts (they’ve apparently stolen, by the way) through the streets. They also are required to complete a series of bizarre challenges. It’s labeled as a “true showcase of NYC’s eccentric spirit”. The event is normally held in late January.

“Underwater Music Festival,” Florida: It’s designed to celebrate marine life with a musical twist. Divers and snorkelers descend to the ocean floor where underwater speakers play ocean-themed music. The festival also aims to promoted coral reef conservation. Sounds like a good gig for Billy Ocean. It’s normally held in mid-July in Big Pine Key, Fla.

2. Did you know (Part 175)

That in 1974 the Green Bay Packers drafted a wide receiver named Randy Wood out of Portland State. Randy was never much of a football player, as the Packers soon found out, but Wood later became famous for being convicted of one murder, linked to 18 others and suspected to have been involved in 44 others. He is currently serving life in person — plus 99 years.

That the average number of licks it takes to reach the center of a Tootsie Pop is 364.

That the most-consumed meat in the world is goat meat.

That the expiration dates on bottled water are not for the water, but rather the plastic bottles. (The plastic bottles will eventually start leaking chemicals into the water.)

That Three Musketeer bars originally had vanilla, chocolate and strawberry flavors. That all changed to just chocolate during World War II due to rationing.

3. Here are former general manager Jim Bowden’s picks for the top five MLB agent signings this fall and winter, not including foreign players like 22-year-old Roki Sasaki (who may, or may not, be granted his release in Japan).

Bowden made his predictions for The Athletic:

1. Juan Soto (outfielder)

Age: 25.

2024 salary: $31 million.

Expected free agent signing: 15 years, $622 million.

2. Corbin Burnes (RHP)

Age: 29.

2024 salary: $15.64 million

Expected free agent signing: 7 years, $247 million.

3. Max Fried (LHP)

Age: 30.

2024 salary: $15 million.

Expected free agent signing: 6 years, $174 million.

4. Pete Alonso (1B)

Age: 29.

2024 salary: $20.5 million.

Expected free agent signing: 7 years, $189 million.

5. Alex Bregman (3B)

Age: 30.

2024 salary: $20 million

Expected free agent signing: 7 years, $185 million.

Steve Thought O’ The Day — Left-handed starter Blake Snell is also a free agent. I think I would slip him into the No. 3 position on the aforementioned list.