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
- 2018-05-04
SMOKIN' WITH SWAG
At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)
Rating
1480
peak 1480 · rated over 17 contests ⓘ
Contests
17
in the data
First seen
2014-12-12
latest 2020-02-28
Best ToY finish
#514
Master 2020
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
1
1 podiums
Overall top-10s
2
of 17 contests
Avg finish
top 67%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
655.33 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 650.76 (+4.57)
Walk rate
41%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±16.53
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork Ribs
avg 166.24 · weakest Brisket (157.38)
Road miles
3,447
mi 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 🏅
GCs in 3 state-championship entries
Master avg
650.76 / 720
17 Master contests · 0 GCs
Storylines (8 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.
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 calls 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
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
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.
137 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#4122 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1480
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to SMOKIN' WITH SWAG)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team SMOKIN' WITH SWAG has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#4100 of the rated field
- Contests
- 17
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 6%
- Peak
- 1523
No shared contest yet.
They've been 1523 at their best, 43 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-head#4105 of the rated field
- Contests
- 18
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 11%
- Peak
- 1480
No shared contest yet.
Careers of much the same size, 18 contests to 17, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-head#4103 of the rated field
- Contests
- 18
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 22%
- Peak
- 1525
No shared contest yet.
18 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 22% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Head-to-head#4121 of the rated field
- Contests
- 16
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1502
No shared contest yet.
Level with SMOKIN' WITH SWAG on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-head#4106 of the rated field
- Contests
- 15
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 7%
- Peak
- 1516
No shared contest yet.
They turned up 5 years after SMOKIN' WITH SWAG did, first appearing in 2019.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar 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 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 171.4172 | 141.6912 | 161.86 | top 63% |
| 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 state / province
| Where | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| AZ | 11 | 0 | top 60% |
| CA | 4 | 0 | top 78% |
| NV | 2 | 0 | top 82% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 7 | 0 | top 62% |
| Large (40+) | 10 | 0 | top 70% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona National BBQ Stampede | 2 | 30 | 0 | top 75% | 2019-12-27 |
| Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge | 2 | 52 | 0 | top 78% | 2019-01-18 |
The story so far (16 numbers that describe this team)
On the trail
5.2 yrs
2014-12-12 → 2020-02-28
Busiest season
2018
5 contests
Contests a season
2.4
across 7 seasons in the data
Cooks most in
AZ
11 of 17 contests · 3 states/provinces in all
Contests visited
15
2 of them cooked more than once
Most-entered meat
Chicken
17 entries · 0 wins · 2 calls
Strongest meat
Pork Ribs
averages 166.24 · weakest Brisket (157.38)
Walk rate
41%
a top-10 call in 7 of 17 contests
Overall top-10 rate
12%
2 of 17 contests
Master average
650.76
out of 720 · 17 contests · 0 GCs
Opponents faced
315
243–473 across every shared overall standing
Road miles
3,447
17 mapped stops · furthest 364 mi
Schedule strength
1576
average field rating faced — tougher than 60% of rated contests
Purse competed for
$45,200
listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0
from 3 state-championship entries
Power rating
1480
peak 1480 · #4115 of 6,413 rated
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
- 2014
- First tracked contest 2014 Down Town Throw Down
- First call 2014 Down Town Throw Down
- Peak power rating (1486) 2014 Down Town Throw Down
- 2016
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score655.3712 *The Queen Creek BBQ Battle
- 2018
- 10th tracked contest Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge
- First category win (Brisket) *City of Show Low's 6th Annual BBQ Throwdown
- First overall top-10 *City of Show Low's 6th Annual BBQ Throwdown
- Career-best overall score687.9428 *City of Show Low's 6th Annual BBQ Throwdown
- Career-best single call (Brisket)177.7372 *City of Show Low's 6th Annual BBQ Throwdown
- 2020
- Most recent contest Best in the Desert Southwest KCBS BBQ Competition
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +15.5 | *City of Show Low's 6th Annual BBQ Throwdown | 2018-05-04 |
| +11.5 | Best in the Desert Southwest KCBS BBQ Competition | 2020-02-28 |
| +6.4 | *The Queen Creek BBQ Battle | 2016-02-19 |
| +4.2 | 4th Annual BBQ Throwdown | 2016-05-06 |
| +1.8 | Arizona National BBQ Stampede | 2018-12-28 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -13.7 | 2014 Down Town Throw Down | 2014-12-12 |
| -9.4 | The Ultimate BBQ Showdown East vs West VI | 2015-04-10 |
| -7.6 | *Temecula State BBQ Championship | 2018-10-12 |
| -7.3 | Show Low BBQ Throwdown | 2015-05-01 |
| -6 | Arizona National BBQ Stampede | 2019-12-27 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100% | top 34% | 94.4% | 94.4% |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 84% | 90.7% | 89.4% |
| 2018 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 60% | top 61% | 95.5% | 91.6% |
| 2017 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 69% | 90.9% | 90% |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 43% | 92.1% | 91.5% |
| 2015 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 77% | 89.8% | 88.8% |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-02-28 | 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) |
| 2019-12-27 | Arizona National BBQ Stampede 🏅 Phoenix, AZ | 38 / 44 (652.9940) | 38 (162.7768) | 34 (165.1316) | 34 (161.6800) | 28 (163.4056) |
| 2019-01-18 | Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge 🏅 Bullhead City, AZ | 52 / 63 (634.1028) | 40 (166.8228) | 52 (155.9772) | 48 (159.3828) | 51 (151.9200) |
| 2018-12-28 | Arizona National BBQ Stampede Phoenix, AZ | 30 / 47 (665.7028) | 18 (172.5484) | 37 (161.1200) | 20 (169.7600) | 32 (162.2744) |
| 2018-10-12 | *Temecula State BBQ Championship Temecula, CA | 39 / 46 (643.8740) | 9 (172.5828) | 23 (167.9772) | 38 (156.5256) | 42 (146.7884) |
| 2018-09-28 | 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) |
| 2018-05-04 | *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) |
| 2018-01-19 | Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge Bullhead City, AZ | 52 / 70 (653.0744) | 25 (170.8228) | 56 (161.1316) | 61 (160.0000) | 49 (161.1200) |
| 2017-06-02 | *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) |
| 2017-05-12 | West Coast BBQ Classic Long Beach, CA | 28 / 40 (643.8400) | 32 (158.7884) | 15 (169.6800) | 23 (161.6916) | 29 (153.6800) |
| 2017-05-05 | 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) |
| 2016-05-06 | 4th Annual BBQ Throwdown Show Low, AZ | 18 / 39 (662.7656) | 29 (162.7884) | 10 (172.0000) | 9 (170.2972) | 29 (157.6800) |
| 2016-02-19 | *The Queen Creek BBQ Battle Queen Creek, AZ | 15 / 37 (655.3712) | 27 (160.5600) | 7 (170.8456) | 19 (164.5484) | 23 (159.4172) |
| 2015-12-11 | 2015 Downtown Barbecue Throwdown Las Vegas, NV | 19 / 30 (646.7540) | 26 (152.5256) | 14 (165.6800) | 16 (167.4284) | 20 (161.1200) |
| 2015-05-01 | Show Low BBQ Throwdown Show Low, AZ | 28 / 35 (630.1832) | 13 (168.5600) | 27 (157.1316) | 33 (145.6572) | 23 (158.8344) |
| 2015-04-10 | 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) |
| 2014-12-12 | 2014 Down Town Throw Down Las Vegas, NV | 26 / 26 (618.1712) | 21 (159.4400) | 4 (170.8572) | 26 (141.6912) | 26 (146.1828) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |