GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

#3400

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1495

peak 1511 · rated over 33 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-05-17

latest 2022-06-03

Best ToY finish

#750

Master 2014

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

4 podiums

Overall top-10s

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

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 167.33 · weakest Pork Ribs (159.36)

Road miles

2,265

mi across 33 mapped stops · furthest 123 mi

Schedule strength

37%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1548)

Purse competed for

$21K

listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 2 state-championship entries

Master avg

651.61 / 720

33 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (11 found in this team's record)

Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.

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
2017-08-25

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 calls 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) (2022-06-03).

last seen 2019-05-31
back 2022-06-03

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

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The nearest teams in the power rankings, with a different reason on each card — six teams on one rating are rarely on it for the same reason. Rating decides who makes the list; where teams tie on it, the ones this team has actually cooked against come first, then teams at a similar point in their own career. KCBS doesn’t publish where a team is from, so nothing here is inferred from geography.

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

SMOKING JOE'S BARBERQ

#3397 of the rated field

1495 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1523

2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ)

2 contests 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 27 contests
last seen 2025-09-26

⚔ Head-to-head

MIDWEST JUNCTION BBQ

#3396 of the rated field

1495 ▲ 0 power rating

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

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

Their last contest in the data was back in 2017, 5 years before GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 5 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

CHICK HUGGINS BBQ

#3418 of the rated field

1495 ▼ 0 power rating

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

No shared contest yet.

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 2026-04-17

⚔ Head-to-head

Old Man Jeff

#3411 of the rated field

1495 ▼ 0 power rating

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

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 20 contests
last seen 2022-07-23

⚔ Head-to-head

ROOSTER'S COMPETITION BBQ TEAM

#3407 of the rated field

1495 ▼ 0 power rating

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

No shared contest yet.

They turned up 6 years after GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ did, first appearing in 2019.

rated over 18 contests
last seen 2025-05-02

⚔ Head-to-head

BAERL B Q (DE)

#3390 of the rated field

1496 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1496

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 17 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 17 contests
last seen 2018-09-22

⚔ Head-to-head

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 state / province

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

By contest size

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

Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Smokin in Steele (Master & Backyard Contest)	7	11	top 50%	2022-06-03
Minnesota in May	3	39	top 61%	2018-05-11
*Up in Smoke BBQ Bash	3	29	top 64%	2017-07-21
Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship	2	39	top 76%	2018-03-02
Minnesota in May	2	20	top 36%	2016-05-13
Bend of the River CookOut	2	28	top 63%	2015-06-12
Med City BBQ & Musicfest	2	23	top 55%	2014-08-08

The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 9 yrs 2013-05-17 → 2022-06-03

Busiest season 2016 6 contests

Contests a season 4.1 across 8 seasons in the data

Cooks most in MN 30 of 33 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 19 7 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 33 entries · 1 win · 8 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 167.33 · weakest Pork Ribs (159.36)

Walk rate 42% a top-10 call in 14 of 33 contests

Overall top-10 rate 0% 0 of 33 contests

Master average 651.61 out of 720 · 33 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 497 728–916 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 2,265 33 mapped stops · furthest 123 mi

Schedule strength 1548 average field rating faced — tougher than 37% of rated contests

Purse competed for $21,250 listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 2 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 3 yrs 2019-05-31 → 2022-06-03

Power rating 1495 peak 1511 · #3400 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
May 17 First tracked contest Minnesota in May
Jun 21 First call Smoking Knights BBQ Competition
2014
May 16 First overall past 90% of a perfect score651.9200 Minnesota in May
Aug 22 10th tracked contest Big Island BBQ
2016
May 13 First category win (Chicken) Minnesota in May
Jun 17 Peak power rating (1511) Treasure Island BBQ/ Steak Food Fest
2017
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
2022
Jun 3 Most recent contest Smokin in Steele (Master & Backyard Contest)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+12.4	8th Annual Big Island BBQ	2015-08-28
+12.4	Smokin in Steele	2016-06-03
+11.7	Smokin in Steele	2014-05-30
+10.4	10th Annual Big Island BBQ	2017-08-25
+8.9	Big Island BBQ	2014-08-22

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.4	Med City BBQ & Musicfest	2015-08-07
-9.3	Smoking Knights BBQ Competition	2013-06-21
-8.3	Minnesota in May	2013-05-17
-8.3	Lake Minnetonka BBQ & Beer Fest (Teams spots Full)	2016-08-12
-7.9	Smokin' in Steele	2013-05-31

Category scores over time

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

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Team of the Year rank by season

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
2022-06-03	Smokin in Steele (Master & Backyard Contest) 🏅 Owatonna, MN	20 / 33 (669.0516)	6 (173.7144)	20 (167.3944)	19 (167.9772)	26 (159.9656)
2019-05-31	Smokin In Steele 🏅 Owatonna, MN	29 / 43 (642.7200)	17 (171.4056)	33 (155.9316)	28 (163.3828)	33 (152.0000)
2018-08-24	11th Annual Big Island BBQ Alberta Lea, MN	30 / 49 (651.3260)	24 (168.0116)	29 (163.4060)	22 (165.1200)	36 (154.7884)
2018-06-01	Smokin In Steele Owatonna, MN	31 / 45 (651.2916)	20 (167.4172)	26 (163.4060)	39 (154.2056)	18 (166.2628)
2018-05-11	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	39 / 70 (657.0168)	27 (167.9656)	47 (160.5600)	41 (164.5256)	29 (163.9656)
2018-03-02	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship Onamia, MN	39 / 57 (650.8228)	42 (161.1772)	24 (166.8228)	27 (167.4400)	46 (155.3828)
2017-08-25	10th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	15 / 56 (677.0168)	3 (176.5600)	33 (162.7884)	2 (177.1428)	31 (160.5256)
2017-07-21	*Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	29 / 49 (653.5772)	23 (165.7028)	40 (155.9660)	38 (162.2284)	14 (169.6800)
2017-06-02	Smokin In Steele Owatonna, MN	15 / 46 (670.1828)	13 (171.4400)	31 (159.3716)	17 (168.5256)	9 (170.8456)
2017-05-12	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	42 / 71 (640.4000)	52 (158.2512)	64 (153.6688)	40 (161.0972)	19 (167.3828)
2017-03-03	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship Onamia, MN	39 / 47 (619.8628)	43 (157.7028)	33 (158.8000)	41 (155.3828)	40 (147.9772)
2016-08-26	9th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	26 / 48 (658.7316)	27 (167.9772)	41 (155.9200)	31 (163.3944)	8 (171.4400)
2016-08-12	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)
2016-07-22	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	35 / 47 (655.3712)	27 (167.9656)	38 (159.9772)	35 (163.4056)	28 (164.0228)
2016-06-17	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)
2016-06-03	Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN	11 / 53 (669.6916)	18 (168.0000)	23 (163.4172)	4 (174.2972)	24 (163.9772)
2016-05-13	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	20 / 71 (666.3200)	1 (175.4400)	25 (166.9144)	19 (168.0000)	51 (155.9656)
2015-08-28	8th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	12 / 55 (674.1600)	13 (170.8228)	31 (163.9772)	11 (170.8228)	16 (168.5372)
2015-08-07	Med City BBQ & Musicfest Rochester, MN	42 / 47 (612.9832)	32 (161.0972)	44 (147.9316)	39 (154.2744)	38 (149.6800)
2015-07-24	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	31 / 54 (657.0396)	26 (167.9884)	37 (160.5372)	8 (170.8228)	40 (157.6912)
2015-06-12	Bend of the River CookOut Mankato, MN	28 / 42 (652.9712)	9 (171.4056)	32 (160.5372)	34 (158.2284)	29 (162.8000)
2015-05-29	Smokin' in Steel Owatonna, MN	42 / 60 (640.9484)	36 (162.8112)	54 (146.7888)	15 (169.1084)	31 (162.2400)
2015-05-15	Minnesota in May St. Paul, MN	41 / 60 (645.0972)	12 (170.2972)	47 (154.8228)	17 (168.5600)	55 (151.4172)
2014-08-22	Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	17 / 54 (674.2060)	6 (174.8572)	32 (164.5488)	7 (172.5600)	28 (162.2400)
2014-08-08	Med City BBQ & Musicfest Rochester, MN	23 / 40 (645.0060)	24 (161.0972)	33 (152.5144)	15 (165.7028)	15 (165.6916)
2014-06-27	Bend of the River CookOut Mankato, MN	30 / 50 (653.6004)	13 (170.2628)	36 (158.2744)	34 (163.3944)	27 (161.6688)
2014-05-30	Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN	16 / 67 (675.3944)	2 (176.5600)	17 (169.7144)	33 (165.7028)	34 (163.4172)
2014-05-16	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	26 / 58 (651.9200)	14 (168.0000)	43 (154.2172)	25 (164.5600)	24 (165.1428)
2013-08-23	6th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	37 / 50 (630.6972)	43 (155.9656)	26 (163.4060)	42 (157.0856)	37 (154.2400)
2013-08-09	Med City BBQ & Musicfest Rochester, MN	26 / 50 (647.9316)	8 (171.9772)	27 (159.4172)	35 (158.8228)	28 (157.7144)
2013-06-21	Smoking Knights BBQ Competition Hutchinson, MN	16 / 19 (641.1422)	9 (167.4286)	18 (151.9996)	18 (157.1424)	5 (164.5716)
2013-05-31	Smokin' in Steele Owatonna, MN	39 / 51 (626.8572)	22 (165.1428)	46 (146.2858)	37 (155.4286)	25 (160.0000)
2013-05-17	Minnesota in May Faribault, MN	38 / 49 (635.4288)	25 (164.0000)	38 (157.7142)	27 (165.1428)	43 (148.5718)

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

Team of the Year standings (rank per category by season — 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)