I kinda have mixed feelings about this comment. I do no totally disagree with you though. Here's my issues about helping fellow BBQ competitors:
1 - If I paid $500 at a cooking class, and picked up a tip I use (or even tips I don not use) I do not tell anyone else. It is not fair to me, who's spent upwards on close to $1,000 to take this class, and it's not fair to the teachers of that class. I hate that with a passion when someone on any forum says " I learned this and that from so and so's class".. :mmph:.. It's BS and not fair to anyone.
2 - If it is something I came up with on my own, it is my choice to decide how and what I tell and who I tell it to. If I want to share what I've come up with to the world, I post it here.
3 - If someone asks me specifically, I e-mail them privately. I won't lie to anybody, but I may or may not tell them everything.
4 - I'd rather help someone out while I'm at a contest. I recently volunteered to be a mentor to a backyarder at his first contest. He was G.C. in the back yard division. It was gratifying to see him win, but the dude was a heck of a cook to begin with.. I just helped him enough to learn the game.
See 
