SMOKIN' WITH SWAG

SMOKIN' WITH SWAG is a competition barbecue team with 17 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2014 and 2020. Their best overall finish is 9th of 52 at the City of Show Low's 6th Annual BBQ Throwdown (2018). They are ranked #4135 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

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At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#4,135

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1480

peak 1480 · rated over 17 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Dec 12, 2014

latest Feb 28, 2020 · 5.2 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#514

Master 2020 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

1 podium

Overall top-10s

12% of 17 contests

Avg finish

top 67%

overall standings

Best overall

687.9428 / 720

Master · City of Show Low's 6th Annual BBQ Throwdown

Perfect 180s

Current form

655.33 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 650.76 (+4.57)

Walk rate

41%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.7372

Brisket · City of Show Low's 6th Annual BBQ Throwdown

Consistency

±16.53

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 166.24 · weakest Brisket (157.38)

Road miles

3,447

across 17 mapped stops · furthest 364 mi

Schedule strength

60%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1576)

Purse competed for

$45K

listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 3 state-championship entries

Master avg

650.76 / 720

17 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (8 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

687.9428 career-best overall

95.5% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 687.9428 at City of Show Low's 6th Annual BBQ Throwdown — 95.5% of a perfect 720.

Master
May 4, 2018

A tough matchup

10–1 behind in the head-to-head

LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ ahead in 91% of their meetings

LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ has come out ahead in 10 of their 11 shared contests.

The weak link

−8.9 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 8.86 points below their pork ribs, and turns into a call 6% of the time against 35%.

Brisket avg 157.38
Pork Ribs avg 166.24
1 call in 17 entries

A strong matchup

6–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 86% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BUTTHEAD BBQ in 6 of their 7 shared contests.

Pork Ribs nemesis

10 of 11 shared pork ribs entries lost

Bad Boyz BBQ ahead 91% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Bad Boyz BBQ has out-cooked them in 10 of 11 shared pork ribs entries.

A May team

Top 57% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 57% across 5 contests, versus top 67% the rest of the year.

5 May contests
top 67% the rest of the year

The long haul

3,447 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 3,447 miles across 17 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 364 miles to West Coast BBQ Classic.

17 mapped stops
furthest 364 mi

Show 1 more storyline

The metronome

±2.30% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.30% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 90.4% of a perfect score
17 contests

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
2020 ↗	Master	#514 (189 pts)	#519 (209 pts)	#538 (209 pts)	#573 (179 pts)	#618 (154 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1471 (120 pts)	#1413 (155 pts)	#1575 (120 pts)	#1453 (145 pts)	#1536 (120 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1524 (120 pts)	#1256 (205 pts)	#1271 (205 pts)	#1610 (120 pts)	#1511 (140 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1997 (110 pts)	#2353 (60 pts)	#1649 (165 pts)	#2166 (90 pts)	#2291 (70 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1296 (205 pts)	#1275 (235 pts)	#1313 (230 pts)	#1374 (220 pts)	#1327 (210 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to SMOKIN' WITH SWAG, each with one reason worth a look.

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

Silence of the Hams

#4,161 of the rated field

1480 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1480

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 Sep 25, 2026

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CRAZY BONES BBQ

#4,128 of the rated field

1480 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1523

Careers of much the same size, 17 contests to 17, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 17 contests
last seen Jul 13, 2018

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BUZZARD BAIT BBQ & CHILI

#4,139 of the rated field

1480 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1502

16 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 16 contests
last seen Jun 1, 2018

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Squeeze My Slabs

#4,148 of the rated field

1480 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1516

They turned up 5 years after SMOKIN' WITH SWAG did, first appearing in 2019.

rated over 15 contests
last seen Jun 8, 2024

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V QUE

#4,145 of the rated field

1480 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1503

Level with SMOKIN' WITH SWAG on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 15 contests
last seen Jun 26, 2020

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Burn Out BBQ

#4,132 of the rated field

1480 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1516

They've been 1516 at their best, 36 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 14 contests
last seen Oct 23, 2021

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Your Behind BBQ	11	3	8	27%	⚔ compare
LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
THE PIT CREW BBQ OF AZ	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
Bad Boyz BBQ	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
SMOKERS PURGATORY	10	4	6	40%	⚔ compare
COW TIPPIN BBQ	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
Burnin and Lootin	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
DJS SMOKIN' BBQ	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
KNIFE PORK AND SPOON	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
Rooftop BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
MONSOON BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
SHIG NINJA BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
BIG POPPA SMOKERS	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
BUTTHEAD BBQ	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
CLOUD OF SMOKE BBQ	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	17	2	0	0	172.5828	152.5256	165.28	top 59%
Pork Ribs	17	6	0	0	175.4056	155.9772	166.24	top 50%
Pork	16	1	0	0	171.4172	141.6912	161.87	top 62%
Brisket	17	1	1	1	177.7372	146.1828	157.38	top 70%

“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
Medium (20–39)	7	0	top 62%
Large (40+)	10	0	top 70%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
AZ	11	top 60%
CA	4	top 78%
NV	2	top 82%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Arizona National BBQ Stampede	2	30	0	top 75%	Dec 27, 2019
Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge	2	52	0	top 78%	Jan 18, 2019

More numbers

Busiest season 2018 5 contests

Contests a season 2.4 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in AZ 11 of 17 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 15 2 of them more than once

Opponents faced 313 finished ahead 243 times, behind 473

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

20201 milestone

Feb 28 Most recent contest Best in the Desert Southwest KCBS BBQ Competition

20185 milestones

Jan 19 10th tracked contest Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge
May 4 First category win (Brisket) City of Show Low's 6th Annual BBQ Throwdown
May 4 First overall top-10 City of Show Low's 6th Annual BBQ Throwdown
May 4 Career-best overall score687.9428 City of Show Low's 6th Annual BBQ Throwdown
May 4 Career-best single call (Brisket)177.7372 City of Show Low's 6th Annual BBQ Throwdown

20161 milestone

Feb 19 First overall past 90% of a perfect score655.3712 The Queen Creek BBQ Battle

20143 milestones

Dec 12 First tracked contest 2014 Down Town Throw Down
Dec 12 First call 2014 Down Town Throw Down
Dec 12 Peak power rating (1486) 2014 Down Town Throw Down

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.6	City of Show Low's 6th Annual BBQ Throwdown	May 4, 2018
+11.5	Best in the Desert Southwest KCBS BBQ Competition	Feb 28, 2020
+6.4	The Queen Creek BBQ Battle	Feb 19, 2016
+4.3	4th Annual BBQ Throwdown	May 6, 2016
+1.8	Arizona National BBQ Stampede	Dec 28, 2018

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-13.7	2014 Down Town Throw Down	Dec 12, 2014
-9.4	The Ultimate BBQ Showdown East vs West VI	Apr 10, 2015
-7.6	Temecula State BBQ Championship	Oct 12, 2018
-7.3	Show Low BBQ Throwdown	May 1, 2015
-6	Arizona National BBQ Stampede	Dec 27, 2019

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	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2020	1	1	0	100%	top 34%	94.4%	94.4%
2019	2	0	0	0%	top 84%	90.7%	89.4%
2018	5	1	1	60%	top 61%	95.5%	91.6%
2017	3	0	0	0%	top 69%	90.9%	90%
2016	2	0	0	100%	top 43%	92.1%	91.5%
2015	3	0	0	0%	top 77%	89.8%	88.8%
2014	1	0	0	100%	top 100%	85.9%	85.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Feb 28, 2020	Best in the Desert Southwest KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 Yuma, AZ	10 / 29 (679.9656)	8 (170.8112)	8 (172.5944)	12 (171.4172)	17 (165.1428)
Dec 27, 2019	Arizona National BBQ Stampede 🏅 Phoenix, AZ	38 / 44 (652.9940)	38 (162.7768)	34 (165.1316)	—	28 (163.4056)
Jan 18, 2019	Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge 🏅 Bullhead City, AZ	52 / 63 (634.1028)	40 (166.8228)	52 (155.9772)	48 (159.3828)	51 (151.9200)
Dec 28, 2018	Arizona National BBQ Stampede Phoenix, AZ	30 / 47 (665.7028)	18 (172.5484)	37 (161.1200)	20 (169.7600)	32 (162.2744)
Oct 12, 2018	Temecula State BBQ Championship Temecula, CA	39 / 46 (643.8740)	9 (172.5828)	23 (167.9772)	38 (156.5256)	42 (146.7884)
Sep 28, 2018	Mazatzal Grill Masters BBQ competition & Testicle Festival Payson, AZ	25 / 40 (645.5996)	26 (159.9656)	10 (166.8800)	33 (156.4912)	21 (162.2628)
May 4, 2018	City of Show Low's 6th Annual BBQ Throwdown Show Low, AZ	9 / 52 (687.9428)	28 (166.8344)	6 (175.4056)	22 (167.9656)	1 (177.7372)
Jan 19, 2018	Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge Bullhead City, AZ	52 / 70 (653.0744)	25 (170.8228)	56 (161.1316)	61 (160)	49 (161.1200)
Jun 2, 2017	Horse Town Brew B Que Festival ( Judges Full) Norco, CA	39 / 57 (654.1944)	32 (169.6800)	22 (169.6800)	24 (168.5600)	51 (146.2744)
May 12, 2017	West Coast BBQ Classic Long Beach, CA	28 / 40 (643.8400)	32 (158.7884)	15 (169.6800)	23 (161.6916)	29 (153.6800)
May 5, 2017	City of Show Low's 5th Annual BBQ Throwdown Show Low, AZ	25 / 36 (646.7084)	13 (170.8572)	31 (158.7884)	20 (162.8228)	27 (154.2400)
May 6, 2016	4th Annual BBQ Throwdown Show Low, AZ	18 / 39 (662.7656)	29 (162.7884)	10 (172)	9 (170.2972)	29 (157.6800)
Feb 19, 2016	The Queen Creek BBQ Battle Queen Creek, AZ	15 / 37 (655.3712)	27 (160.5600)	7 (170.8456)	19 (164.5484)	23 (159.4172)
Dec 11, 2015	2015 Downtown Barbecue Throwdown Las Vegas, NV	19 / 30 (646.7540)	26 (152.5256)	14 (165.6800)	16 (167.4284)	20 (161.1200)
May 1, 2015	Show Low BBQ Throwdown Show Low, AZ	28 / 35 (630.1832)	13 (168.5600)	27 (157.1316)	33 (145.6572)	23 (158.8344)
Apr 10, 2015	The Ultimate BBQ Showdown East vs West VI Wildomar, CA	37 / 42 (641.6456)	36 (163.3828)	28 (165.1200)	28 (165.7600)	41 (147.3828)
Dec 12, 2014	2014 Down Town Throw Down Las Vegas, NV	26 / 26 (618.1712)	21 (159.4400)	4 (170.8572)	26 (141.6912)	26 (146.1828)

SMOKIN' WITH SWAG

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 (8 found in their record)

High-water mark

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Pork Ribs nemesis

A May team

The long haul

The metronome

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 — 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)