Money Muscle

[1 FAT HOG BBQ]

So many times judging you see a nice looking box with M/M slices, pulled, and chunks in the box, the M/M slices are full of fat and the pulled is just meat with no flavor that takes that box score down, when i see a box with the dark meat chunks with great flavor, good texture, thats what i'm talking bout, that's a 9. You judge what is presented to you. Just my .02

[brownkw]

Originally Posted by Podge

So, Hey you judges.. do you typically have an inclination to score down because there's no MM slices???..

No. I judge what is presented to me, not what is omitted from the entry.

[2Fat]

Originally Posted by brownkw

No. I judge what is presented to me, not what is omitted from the entry.

exactly---but think that isn't the case most of the time these days--at least from the chatter you overhear in the judging tent despite admonitions to judge as presented sometimes methinks that the"tv" influence is strong

buzz

[Lake Dogs]

Originally Posted by 2Fat

exactly---but think that isn't the case most of the time these days--at least from the chatter you overhear in the judging tent despite admonitions to judge as presented sometimes methinks that the"tv" influence is strong

buzz

Buzz, not that the TV influence doesnt influence judges, but from what I've
seen it influences competitors 10 to 1 over judges, and not necessarily for
their benefit. MM, from what I understand, isn't nearly as prevalent 'round here as it is elsewhere, and even though we see it now in 70% of the boxes, before Season 1 Pitmasters I'd probably go 2 or 3 contests without seeing anything but pulled/chunks in an MBN box. In this region, up until PitMasters Season 1, for the most part anything other than pulled was frowned upon in appearance because it brought up historical memories of sliced or chopped pork which tends to have a lot of fat and gristle in it...

Also, it's amazing what some competitors will come away with when watching judges (which tends to be both out of context and in some cases just plain wrong)... This has been my experience; yours may vary.

[bbq.tom]

Originally Posted by 2Fat

exactly---but think that isn't the case most of the time these days--at least from the chatter you overhear in the judging tent despite admonitions to judge as presented sometimes methinks that the"tv" influence is strong

buzz

I guess the "chatter" in judging tents in Wisconsin is much different from the "chatter" in judging tents in the SouthEast! I judge almost every weekend and I definitely don't hear "it's NOT in the box" or ANYTHING similar! Maybe there is something to the "regionalility" thing in judging after all!!!

[Lake Dogs]

Originally Posted by bbq.tom

I guess the "chatter" in judging tents in Wisconsin is much different from the "chatter" in judging tents in the SouthEast! I judge almost every weekend and I definitely don't hear "it's NOT in the box" or ANYTHING similar! Maybe there is something to the "regionalility" thing in judging after all!!!

I have friends in both crowds (judges and competitors); the judges know me as a fellow judge; the competitors know me as a fellow competitor. I can't tell you how many bizarre things I hear from competitors. One set of friends came away from watching judges getting seated at the table that the judges were picking which tables they were at AFTER seeing the BBQ. I was there; I was a judge; and it didnt happen. I've heard from a very accomplished competitor in one circuit after getting hammered in a different venue that it must be rigged (based upon nothing other than their outing). I was there. It was completely blind. They just didnt know the different rules and expectations (nor the level of competition) in the different sanctioning bodies... I mean, REALLY. C'mon guys!

Doesn't mean I dont hear silly stuff from judges too. Reading some of their comments like "didnt like the injection" when it wasnt injected doesn't make much sense either...

Back to what Tom said above, I've never heard (before, during, nor afterwards) anything like that from judges.

[2Fat]

Originally Posted by bbq.tom

I guess the "chatter" in judging tents in Wisconsin is much different from the "chatter" in judging tents in the SouthEast! I judge almost every weekend and I definitely don't hear "it's NOT in the box" or ANYTHING similar! Maybe there is something to the "regionalility" thing in judging after all!!!

when you hear statements like"I wish there would have been slices(or burnt ends) or whatever in the box" it has to have an effect on the judges mindset when the boxes are presented---thats why when we cook we try to present the product in different forms(as long as the animal cooperates)

think there is regionality in every aspect of our 'sport'--chopped pork is likely to be scored better in the SE part of the country vs the Midwest-- flavors may vary too but to the extent that some believe---