Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty Kettle
I don't think Elite teams would be happy to not be able to get the whole prize money where a Pro GC has the chance to get all the money. I could be wrong but that would piss me off if I were in their position.
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^^^This^^^
This would be another way to dilute the competition arena for the "elite" teams.
What happened to this world? In a competition, there are winners and there are losers. The losers that want to be winners should continue to work harder to get to where they want to go. The best lessons are learned from our failures.
When we started, we thought we had a good product and learned quickly that there is a BIG difference between a good product and what will win a competition. We had a little success here and there, but we continued to work and learn and stick around. This year you can say we have had a breakout year. We are still learning and hope to one day be a team that others want to emulate. We are always open to helping out new teams, but we aren't going to walk into someone's space and ask if they want advice. New teams, struggling teams, seasoned teams looking to move to the next level need to take initiative to get where they want to go. Don't know where to start? Just ask someone. We have always enjoyed competing against the "big dogs" and we have even beaten them on occasion in a category, but we learned that consistency is what wins and constantly learning and tweaking will get you there.
If you don't have the money to compete, then don't. If you don't want to put in the time others have to consistently do well, then don't. Cooking in your back yard for friends and family is a great way to enjoy barbeque. If you just want to have some bragging rights with friends, host a friendly "cookoff" in your backyard.
There are more "elite" teams that are doing things to give back to bbq than any others. There are videos, classes, community outreach, demos at events done by teams that have done well that help raise awareness for the hobby. They also will help a new or struggling team with a tip here and there if you ask and not demand.
The KCBS is the Kansas City Barbeque Society and not the Kansas City Barbeque Circuit. The KCBS should be focused on awareness and passion of all things bbq, and not just about raising awareness for bbq competitions. There are other ways to get people excited about being part of the KCBS.
Getting some real videos and making them accessible to members only is a great way to start.
As far as the competition world, KCBS has started down the path to help with the judging inconsistencies. Taste buds and opinions aren't perfect, but creating a system to standardize things that can be is a great start.
