I took Chef's class in 2007 and was cooking on a UDS and WSM. People were kinda laughing my drum off, but Paul let everyone know he started out cooking on drums himself, different style, but low budget. After that people started coming around to check mine out.
The next year, I was taking a PNWBA Judging class and just came early to hang and help out. During a a lull in the action Paul asked me how the drum was working out for me and told me how he cooked on his back in the day. I was surprised he even remembered me let alone my UDS, but he did, given all the classes he'd taught since then.