They almost always walk
60%
of contests with a top-10 call
A call in 9 of 15 contests
A top-10 category call in 60% of their 15 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.
DEAD PIG WALKING
At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)
Rating
1562
peak 1565 · rated over 15 contests ⓘ
Contests
15
in the data
First seen
2013-03-15
latest 2019-03-29
Best ToY finish
#576
Master 2015
Grand champs
0
1 reserve
Category wins
0
2 podiums
Overall top-10s
3
of 15 contests
Avg finish
top 40%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
673.87 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 666.33 (+7.54)
Walk rate
60%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
2
best run (overall)
Consistency
±15.32
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 167.79 · weakest Brisket (163.44)
Road miles
767
mi across 15 mapped stops · furthest 69 mi
Schedule strength
39%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1551)
State championships
0 🏅
GCs in 3 state-championship entries
Master avg
666.33 / 720
15 Master contests · 0 GCs
Storylines (10 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
692.5488
career-best overall
96.2% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 692.5488 at The Outlets @ Lake Elsinore BBQ State Championship — 96.2% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- 2015-09-11
The one to beat
2×
one call ahead of them
SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ has finished one call ahead of DEAD PIG WALKING 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
The weak link
−4.4
points behind their best meat
Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.35 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 13% of the time against 33%.
- Brisket avg 163.44
- Chicken avg 167.79
- 2 calls in 15 entries
A strong matchup
12–1
ahead in the head-to-head
Ahead in 92% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of COOL GRILLING in 12 of their 13 shared contests.
The comeback
3.1 yrs
off the trail, then back
Off the trail for 3.1 years, then back at 8th Annual Santa Anita Winners Circle BBQ Championship Day 1 (2019-03-29).
- last seen 2016-02-19
- back 2019-03-29
Chicken nemesis
11 of 12
shared chicken entries lost
KNOCK UR SOX OFF BBQ ahead 92% of the time
Even in their strongest meat, KNOCK UR SOX OFF BBQ has out-cooked them in 11 of 12 shared chicken entries.
Looking over their shoulder
2×
one call behind them
VICIOUS SMOKE has landed one call behind them 2 times.
A March team
Top 32%
average finish in March
Something about March: average finish in the top 32% across 3 contests, versus top 40% the rest of the year.
- 3 March contests
- top 40% the rest of the year
The metronome
±2.13%
swing around their own average
Their overall lands within ±2.13% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.
- averages 92.5% of a perfect score
- 15 contests
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.
51 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#1525 of the rated field
- Contests
- 16
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 25%
- Peak
- 1562
No shared contest yet.
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 16 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-head#1537 of the rated field
- Contests
- 17
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 47%
- Peak
- 1588
No shared contest yet.
Careers of much the same size, 17 contests to 15, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-head#1539 of the rated field
- Contests
- 14
- GCs
- 2
- Top-10s
- 36%
- Peak
- 1562
No shared contest yet.
Their rating is built on 2 Grand Championships in 14 contests, alongside a 36% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Head-to-head#1534 of the rated field
- Contests
- 13
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 62%
- Peak
- 1577
No shared contest yet.
They turned up 6 years after DEAD PIG WALKING did, first appearing in 2019.
⚔ Head-to-head#1542 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 17%
- Peak
- 1562
No shared contest yet.
Level with DEAD PIG WALKING on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-head#1527 of the rated field
- Contests
- 22
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 14%
- Peak
- 1570
No shared contest yet.
A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 22 contests to 15.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | 14 | 2 | 12 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| COOL GRILLING | 13 | 12 | 1 | 92% | ⚔ compare |
| LADY OF Q | 13 | 3 | 10 | 23% | ⚔ compare |
| KNOCK UR SOX OFF BBQ | 12 | 3 | 9 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
| TWISTED BRISKET BBQ | 11 | 10 | 1 | 91% | ⚔ compare |
| RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ | 11 | 4 | 7 | 36% | ⚔ compare |
| Burnin and Lootin | 11 | 3 | 8 | 27% | ⚔ compare |
| ZZYZX BAR.B.Q | 11 | 2 | 9 | 18% | ⚔ compare |
| LEFT COAST Q | 11 | 1 | 10 | 9% | ⚔ compare |
| THE PIT CREW BBQ OF AZ | 10 | 5 | 5 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| PORKETEERS | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN MO'S BBQ | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| BIG POPPA SMOKERS | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Meat Candy Q | 8 | 6 | 2 | 75% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokin it Up BBQ | 8 | 6 | 2 | 75% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 177.1544 | 154.8568 | 167.79 | top 43% |
| Pork Ribs | 15 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 174.2744 | 151.4286 | 167.79 | top 33% |
| Pork | 15 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 177.7144 | 156.5712 | 167.30 | top 37% |
| Brisket | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 171.9884 | 154.8000 | 163.44 | top 51% |
“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 contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 4 | 0 | top 48% |
| Large (40+) | 11 | 0 | top 37% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Outlets @ Lake Elsinore BBQ State Championship | 2 | 9 | 0 | top 55% | 2015-09-13 |
| West Coast BBQ Classic | 2 | 23 | 0 | top 52% | 2015-05-08 |
The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)
On the trail
6 yrs
2013-03-15 → 2019-03-29
Busiest season
2015
7 contests
Contests a season
3
across 5 seasons in the data
Cooks most in
CA
15 of 15 contests
Contests visited
13
2 of them cooked more than once
Most-entered meat
Chicken
15 entries · 0 wins · 5 calls
Strongest meat
Chicken
averages 167.79 · weakest Brisket (163.44)
Walk rate
60%
a top-10 call in 9 of 15 contests
Overall top-10 rate
20%
3 of 15 contests
Best top-10 run
2
straight contests
Master average
666.33
out of 720 · 15 contests · 0 GCs
Opponents faced
304
489–283 across every shared overall standing
Road miles
767
15 mapped stops · furthest 69 mi
Schedule strength
1551
average field rating faced — tougher than 39% of rated contests
State championships
0
from 3 state-championship entries
Longest layoff
3.1 yrs
2016-02-19 → 2019-03-29
Power rating
1562
peak 1565 · #1541 of 6,413 rated
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
- 2013
- First tracked contest 2nd Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship
- 2014
- First call 3rd Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score655.8744 3rd Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship
- 2015
- First overall top-10 The Pig (Guinea Pig) Competitor's Series
- First overall podium The Pig (Guinea Pig) Competitor's Series
- First Reserve Championship The Pig (Guinea Pig) Competitor's Series
- 10th tracked contest 4th Annual VC Music Fest & BBQ
- Career-best overall score692.5488 The Outlets @ Lake Elsinore BBQ State Championship
- Career-best single call (Pork)177.7144 The Outlets @ Lake Elsinore BBQ State Championship
- Peak power rating (1565) The Outlets @ Lake Elsinore BBQ State Championship
- 2019
- Most recent contest 8th Annual Santa Anita Winners Circle BBQ Championship Day 1
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +15.9 | The Pig (Guinea Pig) Competitor's Series | 2015-02-20 |
| +9.7 | 3rd Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship | 2014-03-21 |
| +6.9 | Dana Point State BBQ Championship | 2014-10-02 |
| +6.7 | The Outlets @ Lake Elsinore BBQ State Championship | 2015-09-11 |
| +5.9 | 2nd Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship | 2013-03-15 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -6.7 | The Outlets @ Lake Elsinore BBQ State Championship | 2015-09-13 |
| -4.5 | West Coast BBQ Classic | 2015-05-08 |
| -1.7 | The Pig(Guinea Pig) | 2016-02-19 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 39% | 93.2% | 93.2% |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 60% | 91.7% | 91.7% |
| 2015 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 71% | top 42% | 96.2% | 93.9% |
| 2014 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 31% | 93.6% | 92% |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 40% | 89% | 88.8% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-03-29 | 8th Annual Santa Anita Winners Circle BBQ Championship Day 1 🏅 Arcadia, CA | 27 / 70 (670.7428) | 23 (169.6684) | 25 (167.9772) | 13 (171.9772) | 49 (161.1200) |
| 2016-02-19 | The Pig(Guinea Pig) Indio, CA | 29 / 48 (660.4344) | 36 (161.6800) | 27 (165.1088) | 29 (166.2284) | 21 (167.4172) |
| 2015-09-13 | The Outlets @ Lake Elsinore BBQ State Championship 🏅 Lake Elsinore, CA | 17 / 22 (667.3484) | 12 (172.5484) | 13 (169.6800) | 14 (168.5484) | 18 (156.5716) |
| 2015-09-11 | The Outlets @ Lake Elsinore BBQ State Championship 🏅 Lake Elsinore, CA | 9 / 28 (692.5488) | 8 (175.4172) | 10 (171.9772) | 4 (177.7144) | 18 (167.4400) |
| 2015-06-26 | Newport Beach Barbecue Contest Newport Beach, CA | 10 / 29 (678.2744) | 8 (172.5828) | 6 (172.5716) | 15 (163.4400) | 11 (169.6800) |
| 2015-06-05 | 4th Annual VC Music Fest & BBQ Valley Center, CA | 12 / 25 (680.5372) | 4 (177.1544) | 2 (174.2744) | 13 (168.0000) | 19 (161.1084) |
| 2015-05-08 | West Coast BBQ Classic Long Beach, CA | 37 / 57 (653.6228) | 12 (172.0228) | 19 (169.1200) | 45 (157.6800) | 49 (154.8000) |
| 2015-04-10 | The Ultimate BBQ Showdown East vs West VI Wildomar, CA | 15 / 42 (676.5028) | 4 (175.4400) | 15 (169.1316) | 23 (167.9656) | 26 (163.9656) |
| 2015-02-20 | The Pig (Guinea Pig) Competitor's Series Rancho Mirage, CA | 2 / 49 (685.6912) | 9 (170.8456) | 7 (170.2972) | 3 (172.5600) | 5 (171.9884) |
| 2014-10-02 | Dana Point State BBQ Championship Dana Point, CA | 27 / 97 (673.5884) | 43 (168.5256) | 16 (171.9772) | 5 (177.1428) | 74 (155.9428) |
| 2014-06-20 | 3rd Annual Pechanga BBQ Championship Temecula, CA | 23 / 65 (667.3484) | 33 (166.8572) | 16 (168.5600) | 9 (171.4056) | 35 (160.5256) |
| 2014-05-09 | West Coast BBQ Classic Long Beach, CA | 23 / 59 (654.1828) | 43 (159.3828) | 21 (165.1200) | 6 (168.5484) | 25 (161.1316) |
| 2014-03-21 | 3rd Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship Arcadia, CA | 16 / 69 (655.8744) | 36 (162.8000) | 16 (165.6916) | 34 (157.7028) | 6 (169.6800) |
| 2013-06-21 | 2nd Annual Pechanga BBQ Championship Temecula, CA | 32 / 70 (637.7140) | 55 (154.8568) | 54 (151.4286) | 19 (164.0000) | 14 (167.4286) |
| 2013-03-15 | 2nd Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship Arcadia, CA | 19 / 57 (640.5708) | 35 (157.1426) | 12 (164.0000) | 30 (156.5712) | 18 (162.8570) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #1955 (60 pts) | #1976 (70 pts) | #2026 (60 pts) | #1578 (120 pts) | #2010 (60 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #2274 (60 pts) | #2353 (60 pts) | #2349 (60 pts) | #2326 (60 pts) | #2228 (80 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #576 (639 pts) | #399 (944 pts) | #442 (854 pts) | #597 (649 pts) | #744 (494 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #898 (365 pts) | #1103 (300 pts) | #802 (455 pts) | #619 (625 pts) | #833 (415 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #1335 (180 pts) | #1551 (150 pts) | #1310 (215 pts) | #1419 (180 pts) | #1191 (240 pts) |