Getting a comment card...

[DivineSwine-LI]

How is it decided which comment card we get? Being still very new to competitions I would LOVE more feedback from the judges and what they are looking for. I want to take a judges class but the closest one to me is on a weekend I can't make. Is there a way to request all the comment cards?

HELP ME MAKE BETTER BBQ!

 

[DawgPhan]

How is it decided which comment card we get? Being still very new to competitions I would LOVE more feedback from the judges and what they are looking for. I want to take a judges class but the closest one to me is on a weekend I can't make. Is there a way to request all the comment cards?

HELP ME MAKE BETTER BBQ!

you should be getting all the comment cards that are generated about your food. Judges dont tend to generate a ton of comment cards. You certainly dont get one for every judge and every category. In the past we have gotten on every 2-3 contests or so, but just one.

 

[MikeJ65]

The best way to get one is to turn in some really bad food. Other than that, you can cook a lot of contests without getting one. In KCBS it is totally up to the judges. Reps and Table Captains can encourage comment cards, but can't require them.

A better bet is to make nice with the guys next to you and ask for their honest opinions. Your friends and neighbors will just tell you it's all great, so don't ask them unless you have an A & B to compare.

 

[ModelMaker]

Filling out comment cards are completely at the option of a KCBS judge. It is recommended by the Reps if the judge has some positive feedback that would help the cook team create better competition entrys.
Some proponents argue that any score 6 or lower require a comment card. I can guaranty this will make all scoring 7-8-9 (if it's not already).
Myself I give a comment card when I can give the cook a defineable positive note concerning why I gave that particular score, and always avoid telling the cook how to cook.
Ed

 

[J&B'sBBQ]

I will say, it appears that the frequency of comment cards is increasing. All of last year we maybe got two cards, and out of three contests in 2015 we already have two cards :-D.

 

[Uncle Buds BBQ]

I will say, it appears that the frequency of comment cards is increasing. All of last year we maybe got two cards, and out of three contests in 2015 we already have two cards :-D.

That's because us Southeastern reps are really talking them up during the judges' meeting!

This past weekend almost ALL of the 60 teams got at least 1 card. Some got many! :icon_sickhwell::yuck:

 

[MikeJ65]

I've seen more in our area also. I got one on an 888 score. It was for pork and told me what they liked and what I should have left out. Good to know how at least one judge was thinking. Got one this week for a 6 on rib tenderness (over). I knew I was pushing things, but the other tenderness scores were 99988, so 'over' didn't kill me. Getting the comment card takes away any doubt you had about the reasoning. I still wish I knew what the 555 judge last year was thinking.

 

[scm1226]

What's a comment card? :shock:

 

[Vince RnQ]

Some proponents argue that any score 6 or lower require a comment card. I can guaranty this will make all scoring 7-8-9 (if it's not already).

I know how to fix that: Make comment cards mandatory for all entries regardless of score!

There...problem solved!

 

[bigdogphin]

I got a 5 and a comment card

 

[bbq.tom]

I know how to fix that: Make comment cards mandatory for all entries regardless of score!

I wish that KCBS would go to that philosophy, but alas, I seriously doubt I will ever see it happen. I honestly believe that to have a judge not only give a numeric score, but tell WHY they gave that score would improve the process.
Cook teams talk about judges not having any accountability, well this would end that issue. And I DON'T mean for the judges to tell the teams how to cook, but what they experienced to give the score that they gave.

 

[GT-Q]

We got 3 comment cards last weekend! But also our first walk! :-D

 

[Burnt at Both Endz]

I've only ever got 3 comments cards and two of those were not the correct team. I say just do away with them.

 

[Skip]

I know how to fix that: Make comment cards mandatory for all entries regardless of score!

There...problem solved!

Then you won't get 7-8-9 scoring you just won't get scores. As a cook I don't judge a lot but if you required that I would judge a lot less or not at all. :heh:

 

[Gowan]

I know how to fix that: Make comment cards mandatory for all entries regardless of score!

There...problem solved!

There is simply not enough time for this.

You would have to alter the time table and/or the judging process significantly.

Consider this: if such a thing is required, it is no longer a "comment", it is part of the scoring system. Are we ready for that?

 

[Blanton]

As a cook I don't judge a lot but if you required that I would judge a lot less or not at all. :heh:

And why is that?

 

[jcog44]

50 teams would generate 1200 comment cards, requiring even more volunteers or pushing back the awards ceremony time.

 

[Vince RnQ]

Then you won't get 7-8-9 scoring you just won't get scores. As a cook I don't judge a lot but if you required that I would judge a lot less or not at all. :heh:

That's one of the benefits. Requiring comment cards on all entries would weed out the lazy judges. Sounds good to me!

There is simply not enough time for this.

You would have to alter the time table and/or the judging process significantly.

Consider this: if such a thing is required, it is no longer a "comment", it is part of the scoring system. Are we ready for that?

Maybe it's time to make a few changes like adding 15 more minutes between turn ins. The bottom line is that improving the entire system is going to take more than a few simple changes. Where there is a will, there is a way!

50 teams would generate 1200 comment cards, requiring even more volunteers or pushing back the awards ceremony time.

PNWBA manages to do it, so why can't KCBS? Because they don't want to. Times are changing and KCBS better get with the times!

 

[nkay]

I tend to agree with some kind of standard on whether or not to generate a card. I lean towards getting one based on the score but yes if you say 6 then everyone gets a 7 8 or 9 but we need something. Each team puts a lot of money, time and travel into each contest regardless of the weekend warrior or the ones that travel week in and week out so some kind of feedback is certainly warranted. Without some kind of feedback a contest is becoming more than a crap shoot. If I won or walked week in and week out than I don't guess a card would mean as much but I don't win or walk each week so I would love to know how I can improve because simply knowing I need to improve is not enough sometimes. Fact is that there is no absolute answer so for now I guess I will keep trying and see what happens.

 

[Alexa RnQ]

I would contend that time isn't as much of an issue as feared.

Our son, serving at about his fifth contest after being certified, was able to judge, table captain AND write comment cards -- and this was before the checkbox cards. He said "Mom, don't ever let anybody tell you there's not enough time."

If a 17 year old can do that with enough facility to be praised for his work ethic and performance by respected reps, I am certain that a sufficiently motivated judge can do the same.