High-water mark
666.7656
career-best overall
92.6% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 666.7656 at The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship — 92.6% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- Jun 26, 2026
Silence of the Hams
Silence of the Hams is a competition barbecue team with 19 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 10th of 12 at the UMB Smokin Vault BBQ Contest - Competitor's Series (2022). They are ranked #4156 of 6,485 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1480
peak 1480 · rated over 17 contests
Contests
19
in the data
First seen
May 31, 2013
latest Sep 25, 2026 · 13.3 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
0 podiums
Overall top-10s
1
5% of 19 contests
Avg finish
top 61%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
655.31 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 640.83 (+14.48)
Walk rate
16%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±20.72
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Brisket
avg 162.08 · weakest Pork (158.86)
Road miles
3,285
across 19 mapped stops · furthest 660 mi
Schedule strength
21%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1530)
Purse competed for
$171K
listed at 10 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 13 state-championship entries
Master avg
640.83 / 720
16 Master contests · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
334.81 / 360
1 Backyard contest · 0 GCs
These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.
This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Master | #814 (120 pts) | #882 (120 pts) | #954 (120 pts) | #837 (120 pts) | #838 (120 pts) |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #1148 (60 pts) | #1221 (60 pts) | #1293 (60 pts) | #1190 (60 pts) | #1190 (60 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #1182 (60 pts) | #1242 (60 pts) | #1317 (60 pts) | #1231 (60 pts) | #1204 (60 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #1255 (60 pts) | #1319 (60 pts) | #1432 (60 pts) | #1287 (60 pts) | #1296 (60 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #1309 (60 pts) | #1341 (60 pts) | #1404 (60 pts) | #1348 (60 pts) | #1333 (60 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #1236 (60 pts) | #1286 (60 pts) | #1309 (60 pts) | #1262 (60 pts) | #1245 (60 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #1226 (180 pts) | #1295 (180 pts) | #1009 (285 pts) | #1301 (180 pts) | #1277 (180 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Silence of the Hams, each with one reason worth a look.
137 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#4,160 of the rated field
- Contests
- 10
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1480
3–0 in 3 shared contests (100% to Silence of the Hams)
These two have cooked 3 of the same contests — Silence of the Hams ahead 3–0 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.
⚔ Head-to-head#4,151 of the rated field
- Contests
- 38
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 5%
- Peak
- 1525
2–5 in 7 shared contests (29% to Silence of the Hams)
They've been 1525 at their best, 45 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-head#4,157 of the rated field
- Contests
- 41
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1480
2–5 in 7 shared contests (29% to Silence of the Hams)
A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 41 contests to 19.
⚔ Head-to-head#4,131 of the rated field
- Contests
- 17
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 12%
- Peak
- 1480
Their last contest in the data was back in 2020, 6 years before Silence of the Hams's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#4,159 of the rated field
- Contests
- 18
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 22%
- Peak
- 1525
18 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 22% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Compare careers#4,164 of the rated field
- Contests
- 16
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 44%
- Peak
- 1480
They turned up 10 years after Silence of the Hams did, first appearing in 2023.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER I BBQ | 12 | 5 | 7 | 42% | ⚔ compare |
| Hoggy Style BBQ | 12 | 1 | 11 | 8% | ⚔ compare |
| 913 BBQ | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| BREW 'N' BAR-B-QUE | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| KC Rib doctor | 11 | 7 | 4 | 64% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Fork BBQ | 11 | 5 | 6 | 45% | ⚔ compare |
| This is Nice | 11 | 3 | 8 | 27% | ⚔ compare |
| DUNN UP BBQ | 10 | 9 | 1 | 90% | ⚔ compare |
| Velvet Swine | 10 | 3 | 7 | 30% | ⚔ compare |
| SLAPS BBQ | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Fat&Dumb BBQ | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| PIRATES OF BAR-B-QUE BAY | 9 | 2 | 7 | 22% | ⚔ compare |
| Broken Bottle BBQ | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| MAD MUTT'S BBQ | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| Men of Erin | 8 | 7 | 1 | 88% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 171.4056 | 142.2284 | 159.84 | top 66% |
| Pork Ribs | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 173.7372 | 147.3600 | 160.60 | top 59% |
| Pork | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 173.1200 | 145.6340 | 158.86 | top 68% |
| Brisket | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 172.5484 | 145.6340 | 162.08 | top 48% |
“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 | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 1 | 0 | top 83% |
| Medium (20–39) | 1 | 0 | top 63% |
| Large (40+) | 15 | 0 | top 60% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship | 5 | 49 | 0 | top 37% | Jun 26, 2026 |
| Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship | 2 | 46 | 0 | top 58% | Sep 23, 2022 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2019
4 contests
Contests a season
1.7
across 11 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
KS
13 of 19 contests · 5 states in all
Contests visited
12
2 of them more than once
Opponents faced
1,145
finished ahead 959 times, behind 1,262
Longest layoff
2.8 yrs
Aug 21, 2015 → Jun 22, 2018
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20263 milestones
- Career-best overall score666.7656 The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship
- Peak power rating (1491) The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship
- Most recent contest Shawnee Great Grillers
20221 milestone
- First overall top-10 UMB Smokin Vault BBQ Contest - Competitor's Series
20194 milestones
- First call Smoke on the Falls
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score334.8116 Smoke on the Falls
- Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)173.7372 The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship
- 10th tracked contest 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST
20131 milestone
- First tracked contest Variety Children's Charity BBQ Bash
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +9.7 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship | Jun 21, 2019 |
| +7.9 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship | Jun 24, 2022 |
| +7.1 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship | Jun 26, 2026 |
| +5.6 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship | Jun 23, 2023 |
| +5.3 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship | Jun 27, 2025 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -13.5 | Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque | Sep 21, 2018 |
| -11.3 | Shawnee Great Grillers | Sep 25, 2026 |
| -10.7 | Variety Children's Charity BBQ Bash | May 31, 2013 |
| -7.9 | Qlathe BBQ Championship | Mar 15, 2019 |
| -6.5 | UMB Smokin Vault BBQ Contest - Competitor's Series | May 6, 2022 |
Scores over time (% of a perfect score — 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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 62% | 92.6% | 90.5% |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 39% | 92.5% | 92.5% |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 47% | 90.3% | 90.3% |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 39% | 91.3% | 91.3% |
| 2022 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33% | top 57% | 91.7% | 88.3% |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 63% | 89.4% | 89.4% |
| 2019 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 60% | 93% | 90% |
| 2018 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 80% | 86.6% | 85.4% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 71% | 88.9% | 88.9% |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | — | — | — |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 86% | 87.6% | 87.6% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25, 2026 | Shawnee Great Grillers 🏅 Shawnee, KS | 59 / 65 (635.8628) | 52 (161.1316) | 57 (155.9200) | 62 (153.7028) | 35 (165.1084) |
| Jun 26, 2026 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 53 / 157 (666.7656) | 142 (153.0856) | 58 (169.1200) | 27 (173.1200) | 29 (171.4400) |
| Jun 27, 2025 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 62 / 159 (666.2056) | 92 (163.4172) | 93 (163.3828) | 63 (166.8572) | 26 (172.5484) |
| Jun 21, 2024 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 80 / 172 (650.1600) | 79 (163.9544) | 71 (165.0856) | 96 (162.8344) | 101 (158.2856) |
| Jun 23, 2023 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 65 / 167 (657.5540) | 25 (171.4056) | 136 (154.8000) | 90 (164.5372) | 51 (166.8112) |
| Sep 23, 2022 | Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS | 46 / 87 (654.8116) | 56 (162.8228) | 39 (164.5488) | 37 (165.7028) | 41 (161.7372) |
| Jun 24, 2022 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 55 / 164 (659.8968) | 61 (165.7028) | 32 (169.1200) | 138 (154.7996) | 25 (170.2744) |
| May 6, 2022 | UMB Smokin Vault BBQ Contest - Competitor's Series Kansas City, MO | 10 / 12 (593.5536) | 11 (145.6916) | 9 (149.6912) | 12 (145.6340) | 8 (152.5368) |
| Sep 24, 2021 | Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship (TEAM & JUDGES ARE FULL-WAITLIST ONLY) 🏅 Shawnee, KS | 54 / 86 (643.8400) | 64 (158.7884) | 68 (157.6688) | 43 (165.7028) | 39 (161.6800) |
| Sep 12, 2019 | 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 308 / 468 (647.2804) | 337 (160.5372) | 236 (165.6800) | 258 (164.5488) | 348 (156.5144) |
| Jun 21, 2019 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 49 / 183 (657.0972) | 126 (157.1084) | 7 (173.7372) | 57 (166.2860) | 95 (159.9656) |
| Apr 12, 2019 | Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL | 19 / 30 (334.8116) | 26 (163.9544) | 9 (170.8572) | — | — |
| Mar 15, 2019 | Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS | 54 / 64 (619.2456) | 57 (150.2400) | 51 (155.3716) | 62 (146.8228) | 27 (166.8112) |
| Oct 26, 2018 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Shade Tree Contest (BACKYARD) (JUDGES FULL) Lynchburg, TN | — | 19 (167.3828) | 41 (147.3600) | 36 (158.8344) | — |
| Sep 21, 2018 | Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque 🏅 Shawnee, KS | 102 / 107 (606.5940) | 86 (156.5256) | 80 (157.0972) | 98 (147.3372) | 100 (145.6340) |
| Jun 22, 2018 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle Lenexa, KS | 121 / 185 (623.1880) | 176 (142.2284) | 87 (161.0740) | 136 (153.0628) | 33 (166.8228) |
| Aug 21, 2015 | Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier) Kennesaw, GA | 29 / 41 (640.4228) | 15 (167.4056) | 23 (161.0972) | 37 (154.2400) | 27 (157.6800) |
| Aug 22, 2014 | Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier) Kennesaw, GA | — | — | — | — | — |
| May 31, 2013 | Variety Children's Charity BBQ Bash Memphis, TN | 37 / 43 (630.8566) | 21 (165.7142) | 39 (149.1428) | 39 (156.5710) | 31 (159.4286) |