My first chili cookoff …

The friendly Irish pub in my neighborhood hosted a little chili cook-off last night.  Naturally, I assumed it was to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the release of Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3, but apparently it was really about some kind of sporting event.
I felt pretty good about my entry, but alas, it seems that my palate is not so finely tuned to the average tastes as I thought.  I used all the tricks in my book for maximum flavor; I used five different chilis to make the base, I maximized glutamates, I slow-cooked the heck out of it for optimal tenderness, I finished it with masa to thicken it up, I made sure it was pretty darn spicy, but not so spicy that it gave you hiccups ….
But for all that, I came in fifth place.  Out of seven.  Philistines.