opinions wanted

big piggin bbq · 06-26-2012, 04:56 PM

when should a "backyard team" turn pro?

Vince RnQ · 06-26-2012, 05:27 PM

Honest answer: Whenever they want to take the plunge.

And, to be even more honest, a "pro" team would be someone who derives all or a significant part of their income from their barbequing/competitive endeavors.

Many of us who compete in sanctioned events are doing so more as a hobby than as a profession regardless of how often we are able to compete. In fact, most people who are really good at competitive cooking are damn happy if they can simply break even over the long haul.

Sign up, compete and have fun!

Lake Dogs · 06-26-2012, 06:34 PM

I would say just before you compete in any unsanctioned comp you should consider change and competing in a sanctioned competition. There's nothing much to learn in an unsanctioned comp.

+1 there really aren't many if any teams that derive most of their annual income in competition winnings. The better ones make a few dollars ate it, averages being averages, but it's still a hobby (or a marketing endeavor for their restaurant, etc.)

boogiesnap · 06-26-2012, 06:51 PM

pro? well, we're not there yet as a sport. there are but a few who are.

as far as when to go to all 4 categories sanctioned? right now! the sooner the better. the learning curve can be steep so might as well jump into it as soon as feasible. the clock never stops ticking and there's alot to learn, and fun to be had.

Lake Dogs · 06-26-2012, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big piggin bbq

when should a "backyard team" turn pro?

I see you're in Huntsville, AL. Some/many of your answers here may be KCBSesque (reference the all 4 events). You have MANY choices of sanctioning bodies in and around your area, and they're VERY different.

That said, other than learning a little about hitting a turn-in time, there's not much to be learned at an unsanctioned competition. Your BBQ might even get scored badly at an unsanctioned competition that in the sanctioning body that suits you best might be scored very well.

Some sanctioning bodies you can participate in only 1 event and still qualify for and win GC for the whole competition. While you wouldn't be learning how to do multiple meats, you would be learning how to hit the mark and be judged against the standard set-forth by the sanctioning body.

DawgPhan · 06-26-2012, 07:21 PM

can we all agree that we dont need to have the "nobody is a pro" conversation every time someone mentions being a "pro".

boogiesnap · 06-26-2012, 07:23 PM

agreed. my apologies. i'm very KCBS skewed up here, sometimes i forget about the other bodies.

nonetheless, you're not going to learn about competing in any of them unless you start competing in them. if your Q is good, have at it!

gooose53 · 06-26-2012, 07:35 PM

I never did a backyard event. I started competing with a friend who had competed and that's where I learned timing and such. Nothing wrong with just jumping in and taking the plunge.

boogiesnap · 06-26-2012, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DawgPhan

can we all agree that we dont need to have the "nobody is a pro" conversation every time someone mentions being a "pro".

no, because not everyone knows.

big piggin bbq · 06-27-2012, 09:41 AM

thanks for the replies... i started competing last year in backyard. and have done well, came in 5th overall out of 75 teams my first time out... i have competed about 7-8 times and have had several calls in both ribs and chickens, have had one RGC and missed one RGC by .0002... anyways... i feel like some teams are "professional backyarders" and im not sure why they wouldnt want to step up... i myself feel like i need to step up after completing this "season" as a backyarder....

athenslb57 · 06-27-2012, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big piggin bbq

thanks for the replies... i started competing last year in backyard. and have done well, came in 5th overall out of 75 teams my first time out... i have competed about 7-8 times and have had several calls in both ribs and chickens, have had one RGC and missed one RGC by .0002... anyways... i feel like some teams are "professional backyarders" and im not sure why they wouldnt want to step up... i myself feel like i need to step up after completing this "season" as a backyarder....

Last year was our first year to compete and we started in the backyard division. We won the AL governor's cup and moved up to pro this year. We always wanted to move up but there are teams that have no intention of moving up.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

big piggin bbq · 06-27-2012, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by athenslb57

Last year was our first year to compete and we started in the backyard division. We won the AL governor's cup and moved up to pro this year. We always wanted to move up but there are teams that have no intention of moving up.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

yes i know who you are!!! i didnt realize last year was your first year competing...

Lippy · 06-27-2012, 10:59 AM

We jumped right in. Never did a backyard.

DawgPhan · 06-27-2012, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boogiesnap

no, because not everyone knows.

there is nothing to know.

please stop acting you are providing some public service every you or anyone else rambles on about not being a pro.

Besides the fact that everyone on the "not a pro" crusade is simply wrong about the nature of being a professional. Professionals are not simply people who make their living doing something. In the context of amateur or professional, which is the case for bbq as many contest refer to those designations and the context of the original question, professional is often defined as someone who receives payment for their work.

Unless you are Cam Newton, if you get paid for something, you are a professional at it. Regardless of if you have net revenue or not, when determining amatuer status one of the most frequent things to look at is have you ever received payment for that activity. If you have and there are not extenuating circumstances then you are more often than not considered a professional.

On top of all that everyone should be encouraging all teams to, regardless of skill, compete in sanctioned or "pro" events. If the term "pro" has the extra benefit of conveying the benefits of sanctioned competition to new teams then all the more reason to refer to sanctioned events as "pro events" and by extension all teams that compete in them as professionals.

boogiesnap · 06-27-2012, 11:48 AM

i wouldn't consider 9 words on the subject a "ramble".

but, anyway, my suggestion WAS to move into sanctioned events, whether it be KCBS all 4 categories or whathaveyou.

and i'll leave it at that.

06-26-2012, 04:56 PM	#1
big piggin bbq Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 06-18-12 Location: huntsville al	opinions wanted when should a "backyard team" turn pro? __________________ a whole bunch of webers, 2 bbq guru cyber q's and 4 weber chimneys

06-26-2012, 05:27 PM	#2
Vince RnQ is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 09-09-07 Location: Phoenix, AZ	Honest answer: Whenever they want to take the plunge. And, to be even more honest, a "pro" team would be someone who derives all or a significant part of their income from their barbequing/competitive endeavors. Many of us who compete in sanctioned events are doing so more as a hobby than as a profession regardless of how often we are able to compete. In fact, most people who are really good at competitive cooking are damn happy if they can simply break even over the long haul. Sign up, compete and have fun! __________________ Rhythm 'n QUE Our Website On Facebook A Few Great Moments in RnQ History 1st Place Chicken at The Jack 2012 GC at the Inaguaral Sam's Club Invitational The Double Grand Championship

06-26-2012, 06:34 PM	#3
Lake Dogs Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-14-09 Location: Lake Sinclair, GA Name/Nickname : Hance	I would say just before you compete in any unsanctioned comp you should consider change and competing in a sanctioned competition. There's nothing much to learn in an unsanctioned comp. +1 there really aren't many if any teams that derive most of their annual income in competition winnings. The better ones make a few dollars ate it, averages being averages, but it's still a hobby (or a marketing endeavor for their restaurant, etc.) __________________ Hance - MiM/MBN/GBA CBJ and comp cook Lake Sinclair, GA (strategically about an hour from darn near anywhere) My competition daze are probably behind me now; I pretty much cook for family, friends, and frankly the peace and solitude I get from smokin' on an offset... Was Lang 84DX, now Bubba Grills 250R and many Weber grills

06-26-2012, 06:51 PM	#4
boogiesnap Babbling Farker Join Date: 04-22-10 Location: NEW ENGLAND	pro? well, we're not there yet as a sport. there are but a few who are. as far as when to go to all 4 categories sanctioned? right now! the sooner the better. the learning curve can be steep so might as well jump into it as soon as feasible. the clock never stops ticking and there's alot to learn, and fun to be had. __________________ [SIZE="3"][B][COLOR="Blue"][I][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][/FONT]"YAWN"[/I][/COLOR][/B][/SIZE]-[COLOR="Red"][SIZE="2"]In memory of a friend.[/SIZE][/COLOR] avatar by grillman. patent pending. :mad2::becky:

06-26-2012, 07:23 PM	#7
boogiesnap Babbling Farker Join Date: 04-22-10 Location: NEW ENGLAND	agreed. my apologies. i'm very KCBS skewed up here, sometimes i forget about the other bodies. nonetheless, you're not going to learn about competing in any of them unless you start competing in them. if your Q is good, have at it! __________________ [SIZE="3"][B][COLOR="Blue"][I][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][/FONT]"YAWN"[/I][/COLOR][/B][/SIZE]-[COLOR="Red"][SIZE="2"]In memory of a friend.[/SIZE][/COLOR] avatar by grillman. patent pending. :mad2::becky:

06-26-2012, 07:21 PM	#6
DawgPhan is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-09-07 Location: Atlanta, Ga	can we all agree that we dont need to have the "nobody is a pro" conversation every time someone mentions being a "pro".

06-26-2012, 07:35 PM	#8
gooose53 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 07-07-08 Location: Goose Creek, SC	I never did a backyard event. I started competing with a friend who had competed and that's where I learned timing and such. Nothing wrong with just jumping in and taking the plunge. __________________ 2010 South Carolina State BBQ Champion (SCBA)

06-27-2012, 09:41 AM	#10
big piggin bbq Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 06-18-12 Location: huntsville al	thanks for the replies... i started competing last year in backyard. and have done well, came in 5th overall out of 75 teams my first time out... i have competed about 7-8 times and have had several calls in both ribs and chickens, have had one RGC and missed one RGC by .0002... anyways... i feel like some teams are "professional backyarders" and im not sure why they wouldnt want to step up... i myself feel like i need to step up after completing this "season" as a backyarder.... __________________ a whole bunch of webers, 2 bbq guru cyber q's and 4 weber chimneys

06-27-2012, 10:59 AM	#13
Lippy On the road to being a farker Join Date: 08-17-08 Location: LaGrange, KY	We jumped right in. Never did a backyard. __________________ Perry Brothers and Sons BBQ/Moonswiners

06-27-2012, 11:48 AM	#15
boogiesnap Babbling Farker Join Date: 04-22-10 Location: NEW ENGLAND	i wouldn't consider 9 words on the subject a "ramble". but, anyway, my suggestion WAS to move into sanctioned events, whether it be KCBS all 4 categories or whathaveyou. and i'll leave it at that. __________________ [SIZE="3"][B][COLOR="Blue"][I][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][/FONT]"YAWN"[/I][/COLOR][/B][/SIZE]-[COLOR="Red"][SIZE="2"]In memory of a friend.[/SIZE][/COLOR] avatar by grillman. patent pending. :mad2::becky: