Questioning Results

Big Poppa · Nov 24, 2012

Im staying away from most of this...BUT I cant wait for the new scoring system....and Because of the interpretations of judging and subjective nature you have to cook a bunch of contests to work it out or just let it go.

route66 · Nov 24, 2012

Do you know when the new scoring system might be in place?

Gowan · Nov 25, 2012

Brauma said:
Concerning comment cards, we have never received a comment card that was useful. Case in point, we got a 1st place Brisket this year in July. The very next comp we did the exact same thing in brisket: same grade of beef, same rub, same sauce, same everything. At that next comp we scored middle of the pack and got a comment card that read, "your sauce on the brisket tasted like super market gravy". I wanted to find that judge and show him our brisket trophy from 3 weeks ago.

Again, it made me shake my head and ask myself why I keep doing this. But here I am prepping for next season!!!

The best input I get is not from comment cards but from talking to judges (preferably experienced judges) after judging and before awards. They will tell you things like what was scored down at their table and why, and what they like to see and taste.

Why did you not find this useful? The judge told you he didn't like the way you sauced your entry. Personally, I would much rather get such a comment than an 8-5-8 score with no explanation. At least you know why you received the low score, and the judge did tell you what their perception was, rather than conjecture on what you did. It's the comments that do this that I don't like, i.e. "you cooked it too long", "can taste your lighter fluid", etc.

I appreciate even the off-the-wall comments though. At least then I know I had a bad judge, rather than an undercooked piece of chicken or some other issue that might only affect a single judge's score.

sdbbq1234 · Nov 25, 2012

ModelMaker said:
Y'all just haven't figured it out yet, any time you think you nailed it you should expect crap scores. Conversely when you turn in crap look for that top score, it's something in the stars me thinks.
Seriously though, I'm thinking the "problem" is the 2 kinds of judges. one judge uses 7,8,9's pretty much exclusively. They think if they give a 7 the poor cook team will not win and they feel bad after being instructed by the Rep to "give the team the benefit" because they've spent so much money.
Then there's the other kind of judge that sores as they were taught, each entry has the potential to be scored 2 thru 9, and is very aware that a score of 6 is average and there is plenty of average out there.
So, in my opinion until all KCBS judges get off this 7,8,9 only mentality, you cooks are going to continue to be amazed and amused...
Ed

+1.

I have seen judges that think if something wasn't that good, well then give it a 7. Some of the things we turned in were NOT even a 6, but we ended up getting a few 7s, and 8s and 9s.

If I were scoring my entry, it would have been 5 or 6.

I also think that at the judges meeting the morning before the contest, we hear the reps talk about giving low scores and that the judge "should" fill out a comment card. Of the contests I have judged at, for ever 3 comment cards I fill out, there were maybe 1 other card filled out at the table. And some of the entries were down right bad. The entire table agreed, but nobody else filled out a comment card; instead, they gave it a 6-7.

wallace

Sawdustguy · Nov 26, 2012

fnbish said:
I didn't mean to put words in you mouth sorry, but seems to be ok for you to let us all know how every single cook will feel and that cooks still take issue with the scores they received regardless. I don't feel that way so please don't speak for me. Because if I felt that way I would never improve.

I agree that filling out cards might not improve judging. That isn't my/the point. What comment cards do is reflect why the score was given. Therefore it can help the cooks to figure out how to improve. I understand there are many out there that haven't gotten many useful comment cards, but I have and the helped improve my end product.

Thats fine, you are the exception. I think it's human nature to want to blame someone other than one's self when things do not go as planned. Some are more vocal about it than others claiming the judges don't know good BBQ. Some keep it to themselves. As for me, it's out of my control. I do the best I can and let the cards fall where they may. I don't let bad results ruin my weekend. Do I wish I could have done better, of course but that is where I end it. Do I think the judging could be better, of course but openly criticizing the judges or your results makes it look like you are sour grapes so I don't.

Questioning Results

Big Poppa

is Blowin Smoke!

route66

Knows what a fatty is.

Gowan

is One Chatty Farker

sdbbq1234

is Blowin Smoke!

Sawdustguy

Quintessential Chatty Farker

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