Been following along, and this is the post that bothers me. I give this box a 6. When I took my CBJ class, the samples were pathetic, albeit intentionaly so. The rep's were trying to make the point, and did it with me several times, that the 4's and 5's I was handing out were unwarranted. That the teams had worked hard, and that a 4 was harsh.
I disagree, if you want to play in the big leagues, be ready to take a few hits. EVRYTHING matters. It's a BBQ contest, not just a meat contest. All of the little things combine to provide a presence, a "how much do I want to eat this" feeling. These leave me way short of perfection.
You suggest above that perfection may only exist in my mind. You are wrong. I have seen it, and I have on the rare occassion felt I produced it. To me, perfection in ribs vs. these is; darker, "stickier", more even, and a little less flamboyant garnish.
In my mind, 4 issues = 4 points lost.