Fat Freddy
is Blowin Smoke!
I have sat on this for a few days without posting because I wanted to really think about how I wanted to say things and whether it would serve any purpose or not. After listening to the BBQ Central show interview with Big Poppa Smoker last night and reading the posting today about the Mid Atlantic contest cancellations I can tell some of the issues in my area are not isolated.
First let me say i am NOT trying to bad mouth anything. And I do understand just because contests are having issues in some area not all areas are having issues. There are some fantastic organizers out there and I hope to meet many of them eventually. And I do understand that sometimes cooks are as much the issue as anything else. And even myself could be considered an issue in the eyes of some contests(last minute entry,not entering more than 8 contests)
In Iowa contests are really starting to struggle to get teams even the very well known popular contests entries are down. Before I am argued with on that point just look at the results this year compared to before and entries are down. I have heard the argument of "the same teams keep winning" may have even thought it myself a time or two. And there may be something to that, but some of those "same teams" do a lot to try to help others get into comps. Helping out with meat etc.
I think KCBS might need to rethink their sanctioning. For example there is a new first year back to back contest in October here in Iowa that has been scheduled since January. The organizers are well respected so it should do fine however now KCBS has recently sanctioned another first time event for the same day 190 miles away. Seems one of these first year contests is set up for failure.
Another issue I see is communication in general. Some of these contests dont even have a website. I know of one that didnt have enough teams but their entry form was very hard to find. Was not listed on KCBS. You had to know the organization to go to the organizations website to download entry form. And another contest that has yet to happen that doesnt have a website at all. You have to go to their Facebook site send them a message you are interested and then they will email you the entry form. To me this newly sanctioned contest is in trouble because of this.
One issue I am going to write about I also have to walk on eggshells and will say I have only witnessed this once but have heard about it several times. I have been told it has been going on since KCBS started and it is usually the same teams doing it so maybe I have been oblivious before this. there was a team I helped out with a recipe last year that got their first ever KCBS call. I was not there but they called me to thank me and to tell me about almost being embarrassed about getting the call because a 'big" team threw a fit because they got a call better than him. Then at a different contest i got a call from a fellow Brethren telling me how he did at awards but how a certain team was acting like a general Ahole because he didnt do better. I was told another issue with this team at a contest I did but with the weather so bad maybe someone just misunderstood. I then did a contest over the 4th and a team was so upset about their calls(and they had some) that they were so loud when someone else got a call that the team that got the call said they wont do KCBS contest again. I talked to them at a backyard contest this past weekend i didnt even know anything about that until they told me. And finally i had an organizer assistant who i am friends with telling me how a somewhat "big" team was so upset at how they finished they broke their award in half. Later apologized to the organizers for it. I did not witness it but come to find out my 30yr old daughter did witness a fit being thrown by this person, not the breaking of the trophy but just a hissy fit as she described it. where was the apology to her or anyone else around that person? I then hear of a well known team that wont do contests unless he is paid to do them. I guess I thought the whole point was for all us teams to TRY to get paid. The teams I was talking about are good teams and successful but I would not call them cream of the crop.
I know for every bad apple there are some great people and teams and I would wear out my typing finger trying to list them all, but it is actions of some that make others not want to be involved and just take the fun out of things.
i am not trying to cause problems or make anybody feel they have to tell me I am wrong. I am already sure I am. But I hear and have said the arguments as to what is going on with comps like same teams, cost of fuel, cost of entries, cost of meat..etc but I honestly think there is much more that organizers can do and I think some teams need to lighten up and not scare new teams or audience away. And I honestly think KCBS needs to take a hard look at the number of contests it sanctions and the dates.
First let me say i am NOT trying to bad mouth anything. And I do understand just because contests are having issues in some area not all areas are having issues. There are some fantastic organizers out there and I hope to meet many of them eventually. And I do understand that sometimes cooks are as much the issue as anything else. And even myself could be considered an issue in the eyes of some contests(last minute entry,not entering more than 8 contests)
In Iowa contests are really starting to struggle to get teams even the very well known popular contests entries are down. Before I am argued with on that point just look at the results this year compared to before and entries are down. I have heard the argument of "the same teams keep winning" may have even thought it myself a time or two. And there may be something to that, but some of those "same teams" do a lot to try to help others get into comps. Helping out with meat etc.
I think KCBS might need to rethink their sanctioning. For example there is a new first year back to back contest in October here in Iowa that has been scheduled since January. The organizers are well respected so it should do fine however now KCBS has recently sanctioned another first time event for the same day 190 miles away. Seems one of these first year contests is set up for failure.
Another issue I see is communication in general. Some of these contests dont even have a website. I know of one that didnt have enough teams but their entry form was very hard to find. Was not listed on KCBS. You had to know the organization to go to the organizations website to download entry form. And another contest that has yet to happen that doesnt have a website at all. You have to go to their Facebook site send them a message you are interested and then they will email you the entry form. To me this newly sanctioned contest is in trouble because of this.
One issue I am going to write about I also have to walk on eggshells and will say I have only witnessed this once but have heard about it several times. I have been told it has been going on since KCBS started and it is usually the same teams doing it so maybe I have been oblivious before this. there was a team I helped out with a recipe last year that got their first ever KCBS call. I was not there but they called me to thank me and to tell me about almost being embarrassed about getting the call because a 'big" team threw a fit because they got a call better than him. Then at a different contest i got a call from a fellow Brethren telling me how he did at awards but how a certain team was acting like a general Ahole because he didnt do better. I was told another issue with this team at a contest I did but with the weather so bad maybe someone just misunderstood. I then did a contest over the 4th and a team was so upset about their calls(and they had some) that they were so loud when someone else got a call that the team that got the call said they wont do KCBS contest again. I talked to them at a backyard contest this past weekend i didnt even know anything about that until they told me. And finally i had an organizer assistant who i am friends with telling me how a somewhat "big" team was so upset at how they finished they broke their award in half. Later apologized to the organizers for it. I did not witness it but come to find out my 30yr old daughter did witness a fit being thrown by this person, not the breaking of the trophy but just a hissy fit as she described it. where was the apology to her or anyone else around that person? I then hear of a well known team that wont do contests unless he is paid to do them. I guess I thought the whole point was for all us teams to TRY to get paid. The teams I was talking about are good teams and successful but I would not call them cream of the crop.
I know for every bad apple there are some great people and teams and I would wear out my typing finger trying to list them all, but it is actions of some that make others not want to be involved and just take the fun out of things.
i am not trying to cause problems or make anybody feel they have to tell me I am wrong. I am already sure I am. But I hear and have said the arguments as to what is going on with comps like same teams, cost of fuel, cost of entries, cost of meat..etc but I honestly think there is much more that organizers can do and I think some teams need to lighten up and not scare new teams or audience away. And I honestly think KCBS needs to take a hard look at the number of contests it sanctions and the dates.