Is Oklahoma Joe’s Z-Man a performance-enhancing sandwich?
It’s been long established that Oklahoma Joe’s is one of everybody’s favorite barbecue joints. The gas-station meat haven has been featured on just about every food and travel TV show and in every food-porn glossy magazine. It’s good. Why else would even locals who have eaten there dozens of times still stand in line for 45 minutes just to order up some brisket and a KC Pils?
But is it possible that Oklahoma Joe’s can actually impact the performance of professional athletes? Maybe. NPR’s Morning Edition had a news brief today about the Z-Man sandwich becoming baseball’s newest PED headache. When the Minnesota Twins were in town Tuesday, the terrible team – that lacks a single decent pitcher, keeps a first baseman who is a shadow of his former greatness, and employs MLB’s dumbest manager (I might be a bitter Twins fan) – ordered 50 Z-Man sammies from Oklahoma Joe’s. That’s good thinking because, I can attest, Famous Dave’s is the most popular ‘cue in the Twin Cities. And the Twinkies won! Oklahoma Joe’s figured their sandwiches were probably the reason.
Since any Twins win must be attributed to some outside force, Oklahoma Joe’s decided to make up for the Royals loss.
On Wednesday, the landmark sent 51 Z-Man sandwiches to the Royals clubhouse, and the hometown team triumphed 5-3. Logic dictates that the sandwiches make the team better.
The Twins certainly didn’t lose because they’re a terrible team with godawful owners and, again, not a single pitcher worth a lick.
I humbly suggest that the Royals require the entire team to eat the magic sandwiches before every game because, damn, this team has been fun to watch lately.
