Backyard/pro question

[Lake Dogs]

Originally Posted by Pigs on Fire

What will grow BBQ competitions is larger fields of Pro competitors and larger purses, along with GREAT organizers, good venues and competitors who are there to compete.

If folks have the natural desire to compete, they will figure out a way to enter the contest, finance it, and extract the knowledge and skills needed to succeed.

Thank you! YES!


> I simply think this type of thinking can discourage newcomers from wanting to compete if they read it and think a bunch of the pro guys believe what they are doing is a waste of time. Doesn't seem in the spirit of growing competitions bbq to me.

You keep referring to these guys as "pro guys". They're just guys. Mind you, they may have a few thousand more hours behind a smoker, but they're still just cooking. Myron has forgotten more than I'll ever know, BUT he's still beatable. Last time I did an MBN comp, if I recall correctly, I tied for 4th in shoulder and Jack's Old South was around 10th... What
does that prove? Nothing. I had a better outing that day than him. That's all. Myron has his wonderful set-up, and I have a few EZ Up's. He's got his big dollar smokers, and I have my 1 lowly Lang. Didnt matter. I competed, against some serious big boys, and I did ok.

[DawgPhan]

Originally Posted by Pigs on Fire

What will grow BBQ competitions is larger fields of Pro competitors and larger purses, along with GREAT organizers, good venues and competitors who are there to compete.

If folks have the natural desire to compete, they will figure out a way to enter the contest, finance it, and extract the knowledge and skills needed to succeed.

your free market is showing.

[Jason TQ]

Originally Posted by Lake Dogs

When competing, are we trying to grow a competitive hobby, or are we trying to compete and test our skills against someone else?

For different people I absolutely think one or the other could apply. And that is a point I'm trying to make. I'm simply saying that I believe the 2 ideas you have exist on their own for certain people and for some both apply. I cannot tell you why certain people think certain ways, but the fact that I don't understand why they think that way doesn't bother me.

[Lake Dogs]

From what I've seen, most beginners who compete in the "Backyard" sections do so because they want to learn and enjoy. There's nothing wrong with their goals. But, Backyard doesn't provide the teaching/learning properly. Not consistently. Ask most who've done well, honed their skills in backyard and go "pro" (which I truly find amusing; because there is no Pro), only to get trounced. They were being judged by different standards, different judging pools, etc. They've perfected an apple only to enter into an orange contest. That's why I'm trying to say. The only way to learn is to do IT, COMPETE, do the real deal.

Mind you, if someone likes their local non-sanctioned comp, that's fantastic. Dont blame the seasoned veteran (ala. pro) if he likes it too... They may like it for the same reason.

[Jason TQ]

Originally Posted by Pigs on Fire

Jason,

I understand the desire to do some backyard contests...as I said, the thought even crossed my mind.

But back then, there weren't the $4,000 pursed backyard contests, at least not that I was aware of. And therein lies the rub that is starting to grow....an organizer doing a contest with the desire to draw a decent-sized field of pro teams with a sub-par purse and a backyard purse that offers too much enticement to "stay backyard". The organizer sees barely 30 Pro teams show up and 20 backyard teams with the backyard purse 80% of the Pro purse.....like the contest 10 days ago.

I'm saying for the guys starting out backyard can be good or applicable to them. I did 3 backyard to start the year off and knew I would do pro the rest of the year out and forever in my mind. Competition bbq is my passion and I want it to become something even more and I 100% want it to continue to grow and understand your points above.

That being said my only real point I was trying to make is there is nothing wrong with "backyard" events. And for the folks that don't get them, they just need to let that go. Some people just want to go out, drink a few beers and don't care who they compete against. I can't explain it, but they do exist. Not sure why it bothers anyone when they don't have the same mindset as another man/woman. People think differently.

[Pigs on Fire]

Originally Posted by DawgPhan

your free market is showing.

I left out a very important part- Sponsors. Great, generous sponsors who are tuned in to the exposure competition BBQ has is very important.

I left out Reps....because for the most part, the Reps who work GA in KCBS are the best and the folks that compete in GA know it....it doesn't need to be explained. It's going to suck when they decide to stay home or do something else. Well, I shouldn't say that. Let me rephrase that to they will be sorely missed. I have faith in them that their replacements will be trained by the best and the eventual replacements will strive to be like the ones we see now.