MMMM.. BRISKET..
The BBQ BRETHREN FORUMS.  



Our Homepage Donation to Forum Overhead Welocme Merchandise Associations Purchase Subscription Amazon Affiliate
Go Back   The BBQ BRETHREN FORUMS. > Discussion Area > Competition BBQ

Notices

Competition BBQ *On Topic Only* Discussion regarding all aspects of Competition BBQ. Experiences competing or visiting, questions, getting started, Equipment, announcements of events, Results, Reviews, Planning, etc. Questions here will be responded to with competition BBQ in mind.


Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 11-21-2012, 08:40 AM   #61
Candy Sue
is one Smokin' Farker

 
Join Date: 09-03-09
Location: Pine Bluff, AR
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Balls Casten View Post
Agreed, the "problem' is not the judges .. its the criteria we use to score.
And what criteria is that? When I became a CBJ, what I heard was "judge the first bite the same as you judge the last bite in a category." Other than the pull test for brisket, the stick-to-the-roof-of-mouth test for pork, the one clean bite for ribs, there's no standard for judging. Besides how can you standardize something this subjective?
Candy Sue is offline   Reply With Quote


Thanks from: --->


Old 11-21-2012, 08:47 AM   #62
Balls Casten
is One Chatty Farker
 
Join Date: 01-04-09
Location: Johnston, Ia
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Candy Sue View Post
And what criteria is that? When I became a CBJ, what I heard was "judge the first bite the same as you judge the last bite in a category." Other than the pull test for brisket, the stick-to-the-roof-of-mouth test for pork, the one clean bite for ribs, there's no standard for judging. Besides how can you standardize something this subjective?
Exactly what I was saying our criteria is one's own opinion. We have no real criteria to score against.
__________________
Specialization in bipolar, self-injury, and OCD
Balls Casten is offline   Reply With Quote


Thanks from:--->
Old 11-21-2012, 08:48 AM   #63
Pigs on Fire
Full Fledged Farker
 
Join Date: 08-20-10
Location: Marietta, GA
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by nmayeux View Post
Just to be clear, I wasn't assuming anything. I just wanted to know when results should be formally questioned. We all know that bitching doesn't accomplish anything, but just rolling over doesn't help either. By questioning with 'reasonable' cause lets the organizer know that there might be an issue, and also might give the competitor some piece of mind. If I put as much time, effort, and money into putting together an event like last weekend, I sure would rather someone bring their concerns to me, than to go and bash it behind my back.

This thread is in no way an attack on anyone. I just wanted insight into options and etequette when you do have a question. For the record, I had a great weekend, and will do it again and again for the foreseable future.

It probably should also be pointed out to Guy that at least one member of your team has judged more than 20 contests this year alone...

There's been very few contests this year that we've had the WTF!!! moments when we got the scoresheets...but when we did, it was flooring at times.
Pigs on Fire is offline   Reply With Quote


Thanks from:--->
Old 11-21-2012, 08:56 AM   #64
Candy Sue
is one Smokin' Farker

 
Join Date: 09-03-09
Location: Pine Bluff, AR
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sauced! View Post
The same kcbscore that has been in the hopper for years? By the time this thing sees the light of day a lot of us will be retired from competition!
I just went back thru time on this. Not years, but months is more accurate. It's not appropriate for me to write a history on this, I'm too involved and I guarantee I have a bias! Work began on this particular scoring program September 2011, based on the prior work developed on the very expensive proprietary database model. I truly hope that it can be rolled out for the 2013 season.
Candy Sue is offline   Reply With Quote


Thanks from:--->
Old 11-21-2012, 09:12 AM   #65
CBQ
is Blowin Smoke!
 
Join Date: 01-11-09
Location: Cumberland, RI
Default

If you don't like the 3 point system, come cook KCBS in the northeast where judges are not afraid to give you a 4.

Recently heard conversation in the judges tent: "This is really, really good, and it says on the score sheet that 7 is "better than average", so I'm giving it a 7."

The best food still wins, and you see the same set of the "usual suspects" winning, but the scores run about 20-30 points below midwestern and southern contests.

As far as the original post: poeple are right when they say just deal with it. It happens. You hit a bad table, and all bets are off. You can't really judge the quality of your food by a single contest's results. Hopefully KCBScore will offer some insight into whether or not we hit a bad table or just turned in bad food.


When we cook south of the Mason-Dixon line we get a 30 point bump in our scores.
__________________
Chris
Rhode Hog BBQ
"The Most Dangerous Team in BBQ" - Jon Vallone
KCBS, KCBS CBJ, NEBS
CBQ is offline   Reply With Quote


Thanks from:--->
Old 11-21-2012, 10:19 AM   #66
Jason TQ
somebody shut me the fark up.

 
Jason TQ's Avatar
 
Join Date: 01-10-11
Location: Lawrenceville, GA
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sawdustguy View Post
I don't think anyone denies that judging can be improved. I am just tired of all the threads beating up the judges. My point is that we compete knowing that the system is imperfect. If you get dealt a hand you don't like, deal with it. Everyone assumes the judges did something wrong when they don't do well. If thats true why do the Smoking Triggers, Lotta Bull, Jacks Old South etc. always seem to do well? Even if we had comment cards filled out religiously, someone is going to find something else about the judging to bitch about.
So we should just sit with the status quo and not try and change anything because you think cooks will complain about something?

I've learned to take the bad with the good and not let one competition scores make me question judging as my scores have been pretty consistent this year for the level of cooking I can do at this point in my competition journey. Which leads me to completely agree with you that the top teams do consistently well so judging does have consistency. But the mindset that "cooks will always find something to complain about thus why bother change anything" doesn't help the system when there are cooks and judges who want to try and improve things.

Comment cards (the few I've gotten) have been very helpful to me and I've even had some scores turn around this year on categories I've had trouble with. This is because I got some great constructive feedback specifically with comment cards that had feedback/comments based on 7's. So the food was "above average", but the judges were awesome enough to let me know what small things they would have liked to make it better.
__________________
-Jason
I didn't choose D-Canoe life..........
Jason TQ is offline   Reply With Quote


Thanks from: --->
Old 11-21-2012, 10:48 AM   #67
JS-TX
is Blowin Smoke!
 
Join Date: 02-17-10
Location: San Antonio, TX
Default

I don't cook KCBS, so allow me to ask a dumb question. How many boxes does a judge typically score for 1 category?
JS-TX is offline   Reply With Quote


Thanks from:--->
Old 11-21-2012, 11:09 AM   #68
bmonkman
Full Fledged Farker
 
Join Date: 08-04-12
Location: Mechanicsburg, PA
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by JS-TX View Post
I don't cook KCBS, so allow me to ask a dumb question. How many boxes does a judge typically score for 1 category?
At the comp I was a table runner it worked out to be around 6 boxes per category. I believe the ratio is supposed to be one judge per team with 6 judges plus a table captain at each table.
__________________
Weber Performer w/smokenator
WSM 22.5"
White Thermapen
Ex-pat Canadian

[B][COLOR=Red]When all else fails just ask yourself, WWGALD???[/COLOR][/B]
bmonkman is offline   Reply With Quote


Thanks from:--->
Old 11-21-2012, 11:52 AM   #69
JS-TX
is Blowin Smoke!
 
Join Date: 02-17-10
Location: San Antonio, TX
Default

Only 6? Well if that's the case then comment cards should be a requirment, at least on all below average scores.. IMO. Even short simple comments would do, like too bland, too sweet, no smoke, too tough etc..
JS-TX is offline   Reply With Quote


Thanks from: --->
Old 11-21-2012, 12:09 PM   #70
Ford
is Blowin Smoke!
 
Ford's Avatar
 
Join Date: 04-14-07
Location: Lakeland Florida
Default

Judging is subjective. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains. As long as humans are judges there will be variations in taste and texture. Some like it hot, some like it sweet, some want melt in your mouth, some want more chew. It is what it is and you can't tell people what they are supposed to like. Top cooks try to please the majority.

AND organizers control who judges. Sometimes contests include celebrity judges. It's up to the contest. All a cook can do is go out and try to hit their mark and hope for the best.
__________________
Ford
Retired competition cook. BBQ mentor.
Ford is offline   Reply With Quote


Old 11-21-2012, 02:34 PM   #71
G'pa Herb
Found some matches.
 
Join Date: 11-20-12
Location: Arizona
Default

I judge and table captain, sometimes at the same time...the suggestion that I have is to give more time for the judging, say 45 minutes between turn ins instead of the current 30 minutes. Judging always feels rushed. I believe given more time, judges could "potentially" do a better assessment.

I would suggest having a comment section directly on the score cards, say to the right of each teams scoring boxes...I believe judges would be more likely to write more comments, good and bad, if there was a spot directly on the score card instead of having to find and fill out another card...see feeling rushed above. It could even be detachable if it is deemed too much work for the Reps to transcribe comments into the scoring system.

I don't know how you all feel about judges getting to take home their leftovers, but from what I have experienced, I believe that this is a detriment to judging and creates more of a "how much can I score to take home" attitude for some judges. Not all judges cook BBQ, so judging gives them the opportunity to "score" some of the best BBQ. My bet would be that if each team was given a 5th annonymous box, that they would be more than happy to fill them up for judges to take home.

Just my $.02 opinions, and you know the old saying about opinions. Yes I am new, and this is my first post on the forum. I have been reading the forum for quite a while, and this topic pushed me to sign up. Troubling issues fall on deaf ears without also providing viable solutions at the same time.
G'pa Herb is offline   Reply With Quote


Thanks from: --->
Old 11-21-2012, 11:38 PM   #72
Sawdustguy
Quintessential Chatty Farker
 
Sawdustguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: 09-14-05
Location: Vernon, Connecticut
Default

[QUOTE=fnbish;2277365]So we should just sit with the status quo and not try and change anything because you think cooks will complain about something?

Comment cards (the few I've gotten) have been very helpful to me and I've even had some scores turn around this year on categories I've had trouble with. This is because I got some great constructive feedback specifically with comment cards that had feedback/comments based on 7's. So the food was "above average", but the judges were awesome enough to let me know what small things they would have liked to make it

Please do not put words in my mouth. My post was in response to an earlier post where the poster was complaining about judges being too lazy to fill out comment cards when he spent lots of money and time. I never suggested that things should be status quo. I just don't think comment cards are going to make the scores any different. All comment cards will tell you is why someone thinks your turn was good or bad. Cooks will still take issue with the score even if they know why they got that score from the comment card. I have never received a comment card that was useful. I don"t know what the answer is but I do know that having comment cards filled out is not going to improve judging.
__________________
Guy (Pitmaster)
BBQ Team: Lawn Guyland Smokers

Stupidity for Dummies

…because sometimes, you just can’t dumb it down enough…
Sawdustguy is offline   Reply With Quote


Thanks from: --->
Old 11-22-2012, 08:18 AM   #73
Brauma
somebody shut me the fark up.
 
Brauma's Avatar
 
Join Date: 05-04-05
Location: Coral Bay, USVI
Default

Noah, we did a comp earlier this year with a lot of new judges. We found out later that it had way more new judges than the norm. Our scores were all over the board. We had something a 999565 in several categories.

But here's the thing: a top team won the event. Why didn't they get a bad table like us? Luck? Or did half of our box suck for real?

I really shook my head after that event and it made me wonder why I'm doing this. Like you said, a lot of money goes into one of these weekends.
__________________
Cat Sass BBQ - Competition BBQ Team

Community Development VP - Secret Squirrel Society (but we don't exist)
Member: KCBS. CBJ

New Braunfels Bandera - refurbished; Two Big Green Eggs; 6' fire pit; Weber Kettles; Superfast Blue Thermepan
Brauma is offline   Reply With Quote


Thanks from:--->
Old 11-22-2012, 08:28 AM   #74
Brauma
somebody shut me the fark up.
 
Brauma's Avatar
 
Join Date: 05-04-05
Location: Coral Bay, USVI
Default

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.
__________________
Cat Sass BBQ - Competition BBQ Team

Community Development VP - Secret Squirrel Society (but we don't exist)
Member: KCBS. CBJ

New Braunfels Bandera - refurbished; Two Big Green Eggs; 6' fire pit; Weber Kettles; Superfast Blue Thermepan
Brauma is offline   Reply With Quote


Thanks from:--->
Old 11-22-2012, 09:36 AM   #75
Jason TQ
somebody shut me the fark up.

 
Jason TQ's Avatar
 
Join Date: 01-10-11
Location: Lawrenceville, GA
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sawdustguy View Post
. Cooks will still take issue with the score even if they know why they got that score from the comment card. I have never received a comment card that was useful. I don"t know what the answer is but I do know that having comment cards filled out is not going to improve judging.
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.
__________________
-Jason
I didn't choose D-Canoe life..........
Jason TQ is offline   Reply With Quote


Thanks from:--->
Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


Forum Custom Search: Enter your Search text below. GOOGLE will search ONLY the BBQ Brethren Forum.
Custom search MAY not work(no display box) in some configurations of Internet Explorer. Please use compliant version of Firefox or Chrome.







All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:26 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
2003 -2012 © BBQ-Brethren Inc. All rights reserved. All Content and Flaming Pig Logo are registered and protected under U.S and International Copyright and Trademarks. Content Within this Website Is Property of BBQ Brethren Inc. Reproduction or alteration is strictly prohibited.
no new posts