GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ

GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 33 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2022. Their best overall finish is 11th of 53 at the Smokin in Steele (2016). They are ranked #3406 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,406

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1495

peak 1511 · rated over 33 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 17, 2013

latest Jun 3, 2022 · 9 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#750

Master 2014 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

4 podiums

Overall top-10s

0% of 33 contests

Avg finish

top 58%

overall standings

Best overall

677.0168 / 720

Master · 10th Annual Big Island BBQ

Perfect 180s

Current form

654.28 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 651.61 (+2.67)

Walk rate

42%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.1428

Pork · 10th Annual Big Island BBQ

Consistency

±15.47

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 167.33 · weakest Pork Ribs (159.36)

Road miles

2,265

across 33 mapped stops · furthest 123 mi

Schedule strength

37%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1549)

Purse competed for

$21K

listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 2 state-championship entries

Master avg

651.61 / 720

33 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (11 found in their record)

Each card leads with the number behind the story, straight from their results.

High-water mark

677.0168 career-best overall

94.0% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 677.0168 at 10th Annual Big Island BBQ — 94.0% of a perfect 720.

Master
Aug 25, 2017

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Borgy the BBQ Butcher has finished one call ahead of GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2014 their best year

2014 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 44%.

5 contests
0 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 44%

A tough matchup

25–0 behind in the head-to-head

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN ahead in 100% of their meetings

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has come out ahead in 25 of their 25 shared contests.

The weak link

−8.0 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.96 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 3% of the time against 24%.

Pork Ribs avg 159.36
Chicken avg 167.33
1 call in 33 entries

A strong matchup

13–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 93% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of 3 THIRDS BBQ in 13 of their 14 shared contests.

The comeback

3 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3 years, then back at Smokin in Steele (Master & Backyard Contest) (Jun 3, 2022).

last seen May 31, 2019
back Jun 3, 2022

Show 4 more storylines

Chicken nemesis

20 of 25 shared chicken entries lost

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN ahead 80% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has out-cooked them in 20 of 25 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

F n G BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

The metronome

±2.15% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.15% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 90.5% of a perfect score
33 contests

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Smokin in Steele (Master & Backyard Contest) every year from 2016 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.

7 visits in all
best finish 11th

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2022 ↗	Master	#1220 (83 pts)	#894 (173 pts)	#1317 (83 pts)	#1247 (88 pts)	#1624 (58 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1955 (60 pts)	#1796 (100 pts)	#2026 (60 pts)	#2029 (60 pts)	#2010 (60 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1086 (240 pts)	#1073 (270 pts)	#1150 (245 pts)	#1118 (255 pts)	#1060 (275 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#886 (400 pts)	#738 (545 pts)	#1131 (300 pts)	#752 (540 pts)	#821 (470 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#757 (494 pts)	#638 (644 pts)	#807 (494 pts)	#567 (719 pts)	#802 (474 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#811 (425 pts)	#672 (570 pts)	#965 (360 pts)	#627 (615 pts)	#875 (405 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#750 (460 pts)	#480 (800 pts)	#902 (405 pts)	#733 (520 pts)	#829 (420 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#790 (388 pts)	#611 (538 pts)	#848 (378 pts)	#866 (378 pts)	#698 (468 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

127 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.

MIDWEST JUNCTION BBQ

#3,401 of the rated field

1495 power rating

Contests: 5
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1495

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 5 contests
last seen Jul 14, 2017

⚔ Head-to-head

CHICK HUGGINS BBQ

#3,433 of the rated field

1495 power rating

Contests: 31
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1513

Careers of much the same size, 31 contests to 33, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 29 contests
last seen Apr 17, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Wild West BBQ

#3,391 of the rated field

1496 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 20%
Peak: 1501

25 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 20% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 25 contests
last seen Sep 18, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

No Butts About It

#3,399 of the rated field

1495 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1514

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 25 contests
last seen Sep 26, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

Old Man Jeff

#3,416 of the rated field

1495 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1522

Level with GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 20 contests
last seen Jul 23, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

ROOSTER'S COMPETITION BBQ TEAM

#3,415 of the rated field

1495 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1515

Fewer contests behind them than GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ has cooked, 18 to 33, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 18 contests
last seen May 2, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Hogline	26	2	24	8%	⚔ compare
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	25	0	25	0%	⚔ compare
CASE OF RIBS	22	7	15	32%	⚔ compare
TRUE SMOKE BBQ	22	3	19	14%	⚔ compare
ACES HIGH BBQ	21	5	16	24%	⚔ compare
DRY 2 DA BONE	21	2	19	10%	⚔ compare
LUCKY'S Q	21	0	21	0%	⚔ compare
BLACK DOG BBQ IA	20	7	13	35%	⚔ compare
SPITFIRE	20	0	20	0%	⚔ compare
MYASSIS SMOKIN	19	9	10	47%	⚔ compare
Totally Sauced	19	2	17	11%	⚔ compare
NECTAR OF THE HOGS	18	4	14	22%	⚔ compare
CITY SLICKERS BBQ	18	3	15	17%	⚔ compare
CROIX VALLEY SAUCES	18	3	15	17%	⚔ compare
GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA	18	1	17	6%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	33	8	1	3	176.5600	155.9656	167.33	top 43%
Pork Ribs	33	1	0	0	169.7144	146.2858	159.36	top 67%
Pork	33	6	0	1	177.1428	154.2056	164.62	top 51%
Brisket	33	3	0	0	171.4400	147.9772	160.31	top 57%

“Calls” = top-10 category finishes (getting called to the stage). Scores here are the final weighted totals KCBS publishes; per-criterion appearance/taste/tenderness marks aren’t in the public results feed.

By field size and state

By contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 84%
Medium (20–39)	3	top 64%
Large (40+)	29	top 56%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
MN	30	0	top 57%
IA	3	0	top 64%

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Smokin in Steele (Master & Backyard Contest)	7	11	top 50%	Jun 3, 2022
Minnesota in May	3	39	top 61%	May 11, 2018
Up in Smoke BBQ Bash	3	29	top 64%	Jul 21, 2017
Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship	2	39	top 76%	Mar 2, 2018
Minnesota in May	2	20	top 36%	May 13, 2016
Bend of the River CookOut	2	28	top 63%	Jun 12, 2015
Med City BBQ & Musicfest	2	23	top 55%	Aug 8, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2016 6 contests

Contests a season 4.1 across 8 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MN 30 of 33 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 19 7 of them more than once

Opponents faced 491 finished ahead 728 times, behind 916

Longest layoff 3 yrs May 31, 2019 → Jun 3, 2022

Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)

20221 milestone

Jun 3 Most recent contest Smokin in Steele (Master & Backyard Contest)

20173 milestones

Jun 2 25th tracked contest Smokin In Steele
Aug 25 Career-best overall score677.0168 10th Annual Big Island BBQ
Aug 25 Career-best single call (Pork)177.1428 10th Annual Big Island BBQ

20162 milestones

May 13 First category win (Chicken) Minnesota in May
Jun 17 Peak power rating (1511) Treasure Island BBQ/ Steak Food Fest

20142 milestones

May 16 First overall past 90% of a perfect score651.9200 Minnesota in May
Aug 22 10th tracked contest Big Island BBQ

20132 milestones

May 17 First tracked contest Minnesota in May
Jun 21 First call Smoking Knights BBQ Competition

Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+12.5	Smokin in Steele	Jun 3, 2016
+12.4	8th Annual Big Island BBQ	Aug 28, 2015
+11.7	Smokin in Steele	May 30, 2014
+10.4	10th Annual Big Island BBQ	Aug 25, 2017
+8.9	Big Island BBQ	Aug 22, 2014

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.4	Med City BBQ & Musicfest	Aug 7, 2015
-9.3	Smoking Knights BBQ Competition	Jun 21, 2013
-8.3	Minnesota in May	May 17, 2013
-8.2	Lake Minnetonka BBQ & Beer Fest (Teams spots Full)	Aug 12, 2016
-7.9	Smokin' in Steele	May 31, 2013

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — tap a meat to add it)

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Season by season

Season	Contests	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2022	1	0	100%	top 61%	92.9%	92.9%
2019	1	0	0%	top 67%	89.3%	89.3%
2018	4	0	0%	top 64%	91.3%	90.6%
2017	5	0	40%	top 52%	94%	90.6%
2016	6	1	83%	top 52%	93%	91.5%
2015	6	0	33%	top 62%	93.6%	89.9%
2014	5	0	40%	top 44%	93.8%	91.7%
2013	5	0	40%	top 73%	90%	88.4%

Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jun 3, 2022	Smokin in Steele (Master & Backyard Contest) 🏅 Owatonna, MN	20 / 33 (669.0516)	6 (173.7144)	20 (167.3944)	19 (167.9772)	26 (159.9656)
May 31, 2019	Smokin In Steele 🏅 Owatonna, MN	29 / 43 (642.7200)	17 (171.4056)	33 (155.9316)	28 (163.3828)	33 (152)
Aug 24, 2018	11th Annual Big Island BBQ Alberta Lea, MN	30 / 49 (651.3260)	24 (168.0116)	29 (163.4060)	22 (165.1200)	36 (154.7884)
Jun 1, 2018	Smokin In Steele Owatonna, MN	31 / 45 (651.2916)	20 (167.4172)	26 (163.4060)	39 (154.2056)	18 (166.2628)
May 11, 2018	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	39 / 70 (657.0168)	27 (167.9656)	47 (160.5600)	41 (164.5256)	29 (163.9656)
Mar 2, 2018	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship Onamia, MN	39 / 57 (650.8228)	42 (161.1772)	24 (166.8228)	27 (167.4400)	46 (155.3828)
Aug 25, 2017	10th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	15 / 56 (677.0168)	3 (176.5600)	33 (162.7884)	2 (177.1428)	31 (160.5256)
Jul 21, 2017	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	29 / 49 (653.5772)	23 (165.7028)	40 (155.9660)	38 (162.2284)	14 (169.6800)
Jun 2, 2017	Smokin In Steele Owatonna, MN	15 / 46 (670.1828)	13 (171.4400)	31 (159.3716)	17 (168.5256)	9 (170.8456)
May 12, 2017	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	42 / 71 (640.4000)	52 (158.2512)	64 (153.6688)	40 (161.0972)	19 (167.3828)
Mar 3, 2017	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship Onamia, MN	39 / 47 (619.8628)	43 (157.7028)	33 (158.8000)	41 (155.3828)	40 (147.9772)
Aug 26, 2016	9th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	26 / 48 (658.7316)	27 (167.9772)	41 (155.9200)	31 (163.3944)	8 (171.4400)
Aug 12, 2016	Lake Minnetonka BBQ & Beer Fest (Teams spots Full) Tonka Bay, MN	29 / 35 (651.9084)	33 (158.7884)	21 (165.7144)	10 (169.7028)	28 (157.7028)
Jul 22, 2016	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	35 / 47 (655.3712)	27 (167.9656)	38 (159.9772)	35 (163.4056)	28 (164.0228)
Jun 17, 2016	Treasure Island BBQ/ Steak Food Fest Red Wing, MN	17 / 34 (652.4456)	20 (164.5256)	7 (166.2400)	7 (169.1200)	22 (152.5600)
Jun 3, 2016	Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN	11 / 53 (669.6916)	18 (168)	23 (163.4172)	4 (174.2972)	24 (163.9772)
May 13, 2016	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	20 / 71 (666.3200)	1 (175.4400)	25 (166.9144)	19 (168)	51 (155.9656)
Aug 28, 2015	8th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	12 / 55 (674.1600)	13 (170.8228)	31 (163.9772)	11 (170.8228)	16 (168.5372)
Aug 7, 2015	Med City BBQ & Musicfest Rochester, MN	42 / 47 (612.9832)	32 (161.0972)	44 (147.9316)	39 (154.2744)	38 (149.6800)
Jul 24, 2015	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	31 / 54 (657.0396)	26 (167.9884)	37 (160.5372)	8 (170.8228)	40 (157.6912)
Jun 12, 2015	Bend of the River CookOut Mankato, MN	28 / 42 (652.9712)	9 (171.4056)	32 (160.5372)	34 (158.2284)	29 (162.8000)
May 29, 2015	Smokin' in Steel Owatonna, MN	42 / 60 (640.9484)	36 (162.8112)	54 (146.7888)	15 (169.1084)	31 (162.2400)
May 15, 2015	Minnesota in May St. Paul, MN	41 / 60 (645.0972)	12 (170.2972)	47 (154.8228)	17 (168.5600)	55 (151.4172)
Aug 22, 2014	Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	17 / 54 (674.2060)	6 (174.8572)	32 (164.5488)	7 (172.5600)	28 (162.2400)
Aug 8, 2014	Med City BBQ & Musicfest Rochester, MN	23 / 40 (645.0060)	24 (161.0972)	33 (152.5144)	15 (165.7028)	15 (165.6916)
Jun 27, 2014	Bend of the River CookOut Mankato, MN	30 / 50 (653.6004)	13 (170.2628)	36 (158.2744)	34 (163.3944)	27 (161.6688)
May 30, 2014	Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN	16 / 67 (675.3944)	2 (176.5600)	17 (169.7144)	33 (165.7028)	34 (163.4172)
May 16, 2014	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	26 / 58 (651.9200)	14 (168)	43 (154.2172)	25 (164.5600)	24 (165.1428)
Aug 23, 2013	6th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	37 / 50 (630.6972)	43 (155.9656)	26 (163.4060)	42 (157.0856)	37 (154.2400)
Aug 9, 2013	Med City BBQ & Musicfest Rochester, MN	26 / 50 (647.9316)	8 (171.9772)	27 (159.4172)	35 (158.8228)	28 (157.7144)
Jun 21, 2013	Smoking Knights BBQ Competition Hutchinson, MN	16 / 19 (641.1422)	9 (167.4286)	18 (151.9996)	18 (157.1424)	5 (164.5716)
May 31, 2013	Smokin' in Steele Owatonna, MN	39 / 51 (626.8572)	22 (165.1428)	46 (146.2858)	37 (155.4286)	25 (160)
May 17, 2013	Minnesota in May Faribault, MN	38 / 49 (635.4288)	25 (164)	38 (157.7142)	27 (165.1428)	43 (148.5718)

GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (11 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

The metronome

A standing appointment

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)

By meat

By field size and state

By contest size

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

More numbers

Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)

Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)

📈 Biggest rating jumps

📉 Toughest weekends

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — tap a meat to add it)

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Season by season

Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)