The heartbreaker
2.2512
points from the title
Came within 2.2512 points of the Grand Championship at Up In smoke on the Square (2017-06-02).
PORK PARADISE
At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)
Rating
1665
peak 1680 · rated over 34 contests ⓘ
Best runs
6
straight top-10s
Contests
34
in the data
First seen
2013-08-23
latest 2019-09-20
Best ToY finish
#197
Master 2017
Grand champs
0
1 reserve
Category wins
7
13 podiums
Overall top-10s
17
of 34 contests
Avg finish
top 32%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
1 🔥
Current form
671.42 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 668.26 (+3.17)
Walk rate
88%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
6
best run (overall)
Consistency
±14.02
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Brisket
avg 168.16 · weakest Pork Ribs (166.09)
Road miles
3,753
mi across 34 mapped stops · furthest 158 mi
Schedule strength
52%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1567)
Purse competed for
$32K
listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
GCs in 3 state-championship entries
Master avg
668.26 / 720
34 Master contests · 0 GCs
Storylines (17 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.
Among the elite
#559
of 6,413 rated teams
In the top 9% of every rated team in the data
A power rating of 1665 puts them #559 of 6,413 rated teams — the top 9% of the field.
- rating 1665
- peak 1680
- 34 rated contests
Perfect scores on the board
1
perfect 180s
1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in pork.
- Pork ×1
Happy hunting ground
Top 20%
average finish here
*Route 66 Smoke Out is their spot: an average finish in the top 20% across 2 visits.
- 2 visits
- best finish 6th
- average top 20%
A multi-meat day
1
contests with 2+ category wins
They've won two or more meats on the same day 1 time — the best of them 2 category wins at Up In smoke on the Square (2017-06-02).
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Brisket 1st
They almost always walk
88%
of contests with a top-10 call
A call in 30 of 34 contests
A top-10 category call in 88% of their 34 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.
High-water mark
693.6456
career-best overall
96.3% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 693.6456 at Up In smoke on the Square — 96.3% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- 2017-06-02
The one to beat
2×
one call ahead of them
RURAL ROUTE BBQ has finished one call ahead of PORK PARADISE 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
Their season
2017
their best year
2017 was the year it came together: 9 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 5 category wins, at an average finish in the top 20%.
- 9 contests
- 8 overall top-10s
- 5 category wins
- average top 20%
A tough matchup
18–5
behind in the head-to-head
One2BBQ ahead in 78% of their meetings
One2BBQ has come out ahead in 18 of their 23 shared contests.
A strong matchup
13–2
ahead in the head-to-head
Ahead in 87% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of FIDDLIN' FATBACK in 13 of their 15 shared contests.
Brisket nemesis
15 of 23
shared brisket entries lost
One2BBQ ahead 65% of the time
Even in their strongest meat, One2BBQ has out-cooked them in 15 of 23 shared brisket entries.
Looking over their shoulder
3×
one call behind them
ALL IN QUE has landed one call behind them 3 times.
A June team
Top 22%
average finish in June
Something about June: average finish in the top 22% across 9 contests, versus top 32% the rest of the year.
- 9 June contests
- top 32% the rest of the year
The long haul
3,753
road miles between contests
Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 3,753 miles across 34 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 158 miles to *Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest.
- 34 mapped stops
- furthest 158 mi
The metronome
±1.95%
swing around their own average
Their overall lands within ±1.95% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.
- averages 92.8% of a perfect score
- 34 contests
A standing appointment
7
years running at one contest
They've cooked Up In Smoke on the Square every year from 2013 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.
- 7 visits in all
- best finish 2nd
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.
#556 of the rated field
- Contests
- 23
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 70%
- Peak
- 1665
1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to PORK PARADISE)
2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team PORK PARADISE has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#555 of the rated field
- Contests
- 42
- GCs
- 3
- Top-10s
- 43%
- Peak
- 1665
No shared contest yet.
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 42 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-head#558 of the rated field
- Contests
- 46
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 52%
- Peak
- 1694
No shared contest yet.
Careers of much the same size, 46 contests to 34, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-head#560 of the rated field
- Contests
- 49
- GCs
- 2
- Top-10s
- 57%
- Peak
- 1679
No shared contest yet.
Their rating is built on 2 Grand Championships in 49 contests, alongside a 57% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Head-to-head#554 of the rated field
- Contests
- 21
- GCs
- 5
- Top-10s
- 71%
- Peak
- 1665
No shared contest yet.
They turned up 5 years after PORK PARADISE did, first appearing in 2018.
⚔ Head-to-head#557 of the rated field
- Contests
- 59
- GCs
- 4
- Top-10s
- 58%
- Peak
- 1722
No shared contest yet.
Level with PORK PARADISE on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One2BBQ | 23 | 5 | 18 | 22% | ⚔ compare |
| QUAU | 22 | 12 | 10 | 55% | ⚔ compare |
| JUGS BBQ | 18 | 8 | 10 | 44% | ⚔ compare |
| ALL IN QUE | 17 | 9 | 8 | 53% | ⚔ compare |
| Its 5 Oclock Somewhere | 17 | 9 | 8 | 53% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKEY'S Q | 16 | 13 | 3 | 81% | ⚔ compare |
| Outsiders BBQ | 16 | 6 | 10 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| FIDDLIN' FATBACK | 15 | 13 | 2 | 87% | ⚔ compare |
| Carrol Lou's Smokehouse | 15 | 10 | 5 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| THE CHILLY WATER SMOKERS | 14 | 7 | 7 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ | 13 | 6 | 7 | 46% | ⚔ compare |
| Oui Oui Oui BBQ | 12 | 12 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ | 12 | 12 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKY LINCS | 12 | 11 | 1 | 92% | ⚔ compare |
| RUB IT, SMOKE IT, LOVE IT | 12 | 11 | 1 | 92% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 34 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 176.0116 | 154.8000 | 167.08 | top 45% |
| Pork Ribs | 34 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 177.7028 | 148.5484 | 166.09 | top 40% |
| Pork | 34 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 180.0000 🔥 | 158.2284 | 166.93 | top 41% |
| Brisket | 34 | 19 | 2 | 5 | 175.4172 | 152.5028 | 168.16 | top 30% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| IL | 27 | 0 | top 29% |
| MO | 6 | 0 | top 42% |
| IN | 1 | 0 | top 39% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 3 | 0 | top 35% |
| Medium (20–39) | 12 | 0 | top 34% |
| Large (40+) | 19 | 0 | top 30% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up In Smoke on the Square | 7 | 2 | 0 | top 32% | 2019-05-31 |
| CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ | 3 | 6 | 0 | top 24% | 2018-10-12 |
| Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff | 3 | 14 | 0 | top 31% | 2018-09-21 |
| *Route 66 Smoke Out | 2 | 6 | 0 | top 20% | 2017-05-05 |
| Central Illinois Bragging Rights | 2 | 8 | 0 | top 37% | 2015-10-09 |
The story so far (18 numbers that describe this team)
On the trail
6.1 yrs
2013-08-23 → 2019-09-20
Busiest season
2017
9 contests
Contests a season
4.9
across 7 seasons in the data
Cooks most in
IL
27 of 34 contests · 3 states/provinces in all
Contests visited
22
5 of them cooked more than once
Most-entered meat
Chicken
34 entries · 1 win · 12 calls
Strongest meat
Brisket
averages 168.16 · weakest Pork Ribs (166.09)
Walk rate
88%
a top-10 call in 30 of 34 contests
Overall top-10 rate
50%
17 of 34 contests
Best top-10 run
6
straight contests
Master average
668.26
out of 720 · 34 contests · 0 GCs
Perfect 180s
1
every judge at the table handing back a nine
Opponents faced
533
921–421 across every shared overall standing
Road miles
3,753
34 mapped stops · furthest 158 mi
Schedule strength
1567
average field rating faced — tougher than 52% of rated contests
Purse competed for
$31,725
listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0
from 3 state-championship entries
Power rating
1665
peak 1680 · #559 of 6,413 rated
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
- 2013
- First tracked contest Up In Smoke on the Square
- 2014
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score658.2172 Up In Smoke On The Square
- First call Central Illinois Bragging Rights
- 2015
- First category win (Chicken) 7th Annual Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest
- First overall top-10 Up In Smoke On The Square
- First overall podium Knights of Columbus
- 10th tracked contest Central Illinois Bragging Rights
- 2017
- First Reserve Championship Up In smoke on the Square
- First multi-meat day Up In smoke on the Square
- Career-best overall score693.6456 Up In smoke on the Square
- 25th tracked contest *Decatur's Smokin BBQ Festival(JUDGES FULL)
- 2018
- First perfect 180 (Pork) CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ
- Peak power rating (1680) CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ
- 2019
- Most recent contest Murphysboro BBQ Cook Off
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +15.6 | Knights of Columbus | 2015-06-19 |
| +14.1 | Up In Smoke On The Square | 2015-06-05 |
| +13.4 | Up In smoke on the Square | 2017-06-02 |
| +12.5 | Assumption Fest Smokin Hot BBQ Contest | 2016-06-24 |
| +11.5 | Up In smoke on the Square | 2016-06-03 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -9 | Up In Smoke on the Square | 2013-08-23 |
| -7.9 | Up In Smoke on the Square | 2019-05-31 |
| -5 | Ribs on the River | 2019-06-21 |
| -2.4 | Murphysboro BBQ Cook Off | 2019-09-20 |
| -1.3 | Assumption Fest Smokin Hot BBQ 2nd Annual | 2017-06-30 |
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 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67% | top 46% | 93.7% | 92.9% |
| 2018 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 100% | top 36% | 94.3% | 92.7% |
| 2017 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 100% | top 20% | 96.3% | 93.9% |
| 2016 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 100% | top 28% | 95.1% | 93.1% |
| 2015 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 86% | top 31% | 94.8% | 92.8% |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 47% | 91.4% | 90.3% |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 83% | 86.7% | 86.7% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-09-20 | Murphysboro BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Murphysboro, IL | 26 / 54 (666.6968) | 29 (166.2400) | 37 (163.3828) | 17 (170.2628) | 25 (166.8112) |
| 2019-06-21 | Ribs on the River 🏅 Louisiana, MO | 12 / 26 (674.7540) | 10 (169.7028) | 4 (173.7256) | 19 (162.8000) | 11 (168.5256) |
| 2019-05-31 | Up In Smoke on the Square 🏅 Lincoln, IL | 16 / 36 (664.4456) | 15 (168.0000) | 19 (164.5256) | 30 (159.3716) | 4 (172.5484) |
| 2018-10-12 | CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ Arthur, IL | 9 / 45 (672.4456) | 18 (167.9656) | 30 (157.6572) | 1 (180.0000) | 19 (166.8228) |
| 2018-09-21 | Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff Murphysboro, IL | 25 / 59 (678.7772) | 38 (165.1200) | 23 (170.8344) | 26 (169.1200) | 9 (173.7028) |
| 2018-06-01 | *Up In smoke on the Square( WAIT LIST ONLY FOR JUDGES) Lincoln, IL | 11 / 40 (655.3488) | 22 (161.6800) | 14 (163.9428) | 20 (159.9888) | 2 (169.7372) |
| 2018-04-27 | *Smokin For Garrett Boonville, IN | 15 / 38 (661.5768) | 18 (166.8228) | 27 (159.9656) | 8 (170.8228) | 18 (163.9656) |
| 2018-02-23 | Polar Bear BBQ Challenge Kingdom City, MO | 15 / 29 (669.5656) | 10 (173.1200) | 17 (165.0972) | 22 (161.6684) | 9 (169.6800) |
| 2017-10-13 | CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ Arthur, IL | 6 / 41 (679.8972) | 14 (168.5488) | 7 (170.8572) | 16 (167.3712) | 5 (173.1200) |
| 2017-10-06 | *Decatur's Smokin BBQ Festival(JUDGES FULL) Decatur, IL | 4 / 30 (679.8740) | 9 (171.9656) | 7 (169.7028) | 20 (166.2400) | 6 (171.9656) |
| 2017-09-22 | Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff Murphysboro, IL | 15 / 55 (682.7768) | 30 (166.2628) | 8 (176.0000) | 9 (171.9656) | 18 (168.5484) |
| 2017-08-18 | *Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest Cape Girardeau, MO | 3 / 43 (682.7884) | 3 (174.2972) | 1 (177.7028) | 15 (166.8228) | 10 (163.9656) |
| 2017-07-21 | *Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL) Peoria, IL | 9 / 48 (654.6740) | 30 (159.9428) | 11 (163.9656) | 25 (159.9428) | 1 (170.8228) |
| 2017-06-30 | Assumption Fest Smokin Hot BBQ 2nd Annual Assumption, IL | 7 / 16 (657.6000) | 8 (167.4172) | 4 (170.8228) | 10 (164.5600) | 13 (154.8000) |
| 2017-06-09 | *Beardstown Blues,Brews & Barbecue Beardstown, IL | 5 / 24 (675.2796) | 21 (159.9428) | 1 (175.4172) | 7 (170.2512) | 7 (169.6684) |
| 2017-06-02 | Up In smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL | 2 / 32 (693.6456) | 5 (176.0116) | 1 (174.2628) | 12 (167.9656) | 1 (175.4056) |
| 2017-05-05 | *Route 66 Smoke Out Dwight, IL | 7 / 29 (675.8744) | 13 (167.3944) | 12 (166.8228) | 3 (175.4056) | 11 (166.2516) |
| 2016-10-14 | CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ Authur, IL | 21 / 55 (663.8856) | 18 (168.5372) | 29 (165.1200) | 50 (158.2284) | 10 (172.0000) |
| 2016-09-23 | Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff Murphysboro, IL | 14 / 64 (681.6000) | 19 (171.9772) | 30 (166.2400) | 33 (168.5256) | 4 (174.8572) |
| 2016-07-22 | EffingHAM Jam Effingham, IL | 10 / 29 (659.2912) | 21 (159.9656) | 14 (162.8344) | 5 (170.8112) | 11 (165.6800) |
| 2016-06-24 | Assumption Fest Smokin Hot BBQ Contest Assumption, IL | 3 / 18 (684.4684) | 5 (171.9772) | 5 (169.6800) | 4 (171.9656) | 6 (170.8456) |
| 2016-06-03 | Up In smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL | 8 / 52 (674.7428) | 33 (163.9312) | 14 (165.7028) | 12 (169.6916) | 3 (175.4172) |
| 2016-05-06 | Route 66 Smoke Out Dwight, IL | 6 / 40 (679.9200) | 14 (167.3828) | 11 (170.8572) | 3 (175.4172) | 14 (166.2628) |
| 2016-04-15 | Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest Washington, MO | 29 / 53 (650.7316) | 46 (154.8000) | 46 (151.9544) | 11 (169.7028) | 6 (174.2744) |
| 2015-10-09 | Central Illinois Bragging Rights Arthur, IL | 8 / 48 (676.4568) | 28 (163.4056) | 11 (169.6800) | 8 (171.9656) | 6 (171.4056) |
| 2015-09-25 | Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off Murphysboro, IL | 22 / 55 (666.8116) | 37 (162.8572) | 19 (168.0000) | 19 (170.2744) | 24 (165.6800) |
| 2015-07-24 | Effing-Ham-Jam State BBQ Championship Effingham, IL | 8 / 18 (666.1944) | 7 (169.1544) | 9 (162.2744) | 11 (160.5028) | 4 (174.2628) |
| 2015-06-19 | Knights of Columbus Quincy, IL | 3 / 28 (682.7888) | 21 (162.2516) | 7 (170.2628) | 5 (174.8572) | 2 (175.4172) |
| 2015-06-05 | Up In Smoke On The Square Lincoln, IL | 5 / 40 (674.2172) | 5 (173.1200) | 7 (170.2744) | 21 (162.2628) | 9 (168.5600) |
| 2015-05-15 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour St. Charles, MO | 18 / 30 (646.1368) | 6 (171.9656) | 22 (159.3828) | 16 (159.3712) | 19 (155.4172) |
| 2015-04-17 | 7th Annual Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest Washington, MO | 16 / 49 (662.1484) | 1 (174.8456) | 35 (157.0628) | 23 (162.8572) | 16 (167.3828) |
| 2014-10-10 | Central Illinois Bragging Rights Arthur, IL | 21 / 37 (642.7204) | 8 (169.1200) | 21 (158.8460) | 16 (161.0972) | 30 (153.6572) |
| 2014-08-22 | Up In Smoke On The Square Lincoln, IL | 19 / 50 (658.2172) | 27 (162.2628) | 20 (165.6916) | 23 (162.8800) | 14 (167.3828) |
| 2013-08-23 | Up In Smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL | 38 / 46 (624.4456) | 25 (162.8572) | 40 (148.5484) | 32 (160.5372) | 37 (152.5028) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #887 (344 pts) | #1019 (299 pts) | #1096 (269 pts) | #1002 (309 pts) | #725 (494 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #197 (1496 pts) | #351 (1051 pts) | #154 (1606 pts) | #395 (976 pts) | #202 (1436 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #427 (932 pts) | #615 (662 pts) | #583 (702 pts) | #403 (982 pts) | #312 (1152 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #506 (746 pts) | #457 (861 pts) | #666 (581 pts) | #700 (541 pts) | #484 (781 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #1920 (105 pts) | #2167 (75 pts) | #2027 (100 pts) | #2122 (85 pts) | #1836 (130 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #2397 (71 pts) | #2446 (71 pts) | #2436 (71 pts) | #2452 (71 pts) | #2440 (71 pts) |