ALWAYS SMOK'D

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

#4991

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1462

peak 1507 · rated over 18 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2014-05-30

latest 2018-08-10

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

1 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 18 contests

Avg finish

top 68%

overall standings

Best overall

662.2172 / 720

Master · Riverfest Community Festival

Perfect 180s

Current form

633.56 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 637.26 (-3.69)

Walk rate

39%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

173.1656

Brisket · 3rd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition

Consistency

±13.05

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 161.07 · weakest Pork Ribs (158.58)

Road miles

352

mi across 18 mapped stops · furthest 69 mi

Schedule strength

55%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1570)

Master avg

637.26 / 720

18 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (7 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.

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

COUNTRY ROADS NE has finished one call ahead of ALWAYS SMOK'D 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

15–0 behind in the head-to-head

WHEN PIGS DIE ahead in 100% of their meetings

WHEN PIGS DIE has come out ahead in 15 of their 15 shared contests.

A strong matchup

6–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 75% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of GRILLERS IN THE MIST in 6 of their 8 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

13 of 14 shared chicken entries lost

PORKY BUTTS BBQ ahead 93% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, PORKY BUTTS BBQ has out-cooked them in 13 of 14 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

TEAM BREW & QUE has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A July team

Top 51% average finish in July

Something about July: average finish in the top 51% across 4 contests, versus top 68% the rest of the year.

4 July contests
top 68% the rest of the year

The metronome

±1.81% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.81% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 88.5% of a perfect score
18 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.

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

Moolicious Intentions

#4974 of the rated field

1463 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1513

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1513 at their best, 50 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 18 contests
last seen 2025-11-05

⚔ Head-to-head

BIG GUYS Q

#5010 of the rated field

1462 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1462

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 19 contests to 18, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 19 contests
last seen 2026-05-15

⚔ Head-to-head

WAUNAQUE

#5005 of the rated field

1462 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1504

No shared contest yet.

16 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 6% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 16 contests
last seen 2022-04-29

⚔ Head-to-head

LET YOUR MEAT SHINE THROUGH BAR-B-QUE

#4979 of the rated field

1463 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1463

No shared contest yet.

Level with ALWAYS SMOK'D on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 15 contests
last seen 2022-09-02

⚔ Head-to-head

CAN'T STOP THE SMOKE

#4977 of the rated field

1463 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1505

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1505 at their best, 42 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 15 contests
last seen 2016-10-29

⚔ Head-to-head

J & J BBQ

#4995 of the rated field

1462 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1462

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 12 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 12 contests
last seen 2024-05-31

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
HELPING U BBQ	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare
WHEN PIGS DIE	15	0	15	0%	⚔ compare
PORKY BUTTS BBQ	14	0	14	0%	⚔ compare
TATTOO BOB'S BAR-B-Q	14	0	14	0%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN' LEFTY'S BBQ	13	2	11	15%	⚔ compare
SPICE YOUR LIFE RUB YOUR MEAT	12	7	5	58%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY	12	1	11	8%	⚔ compare
OFF IN THE PITS SMOKE TEAM	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
PORK PATROL BBQ	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
WOODWARD BARBEQUE	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
SPITFIRE	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
ELWOOD BBQ	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
YOU GONNA LIKE IT	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
HOT GRILL ON GRILL ACTION	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
PARROTHEAD SMOKERS	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	18	3	0	172.6056	147.9428	161.07	top 61%
Pork Ribs	18	1	0	166.2628	150.2628	158.58	top 67%
Pork	18	1	0	172.0000	144.5256	158.66	top 67%
Brisket	18	3	1	173.1656	138.7656	158.95	top 60%

“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
NE	16	0	top 67%
IA	2	0	top 78%

By contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 89%
Medium (20–39)	7	top 68%
Large (40+)	10	top 65%

Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
RiverFest Red White and Que	3	21	0	top 56%	2016-07-15

The story so far (15 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 4.2 yrs 2014-05-30 → 2018-08-10

Busiest season 2015 5 contests

Contests a season 3.6 across 5 seasons in the data

Cooks most in NE 16 of 18 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 16 1 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 18 entries · 0 wins · 3 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 161.07 · weakest Pork Ribs (158.58)

Walk rate 39% a top-10 call in 7 of 18 contests

Overall top-10 rate 6% 1 of 18 contests

Master average 637.26 out of 720 · 18 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 282 238–479 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 352 18 mapped stops · furthest 69 mi

Schedule strength 1570 average field rating faced — tougher than 55% of rated contests

Longest layoff 1 yrs 2017-08-04 → 2018-08-10

Power rating 1462 peak 1507 · #4991 of 6,413 rated

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

2014
May 30 First tracked contest 3rd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition
May 30 First call 3rd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition
May 30 First overall top-10 3rd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition
May 30 First overall past 90% of a perfect score657.6456 3rd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition
May 30 Career-best single call (Brisket)173.1656 3rd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition
May 30 Peak power rating (1507) 3rd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition
2015
Sep 25 10th tracked contest Aksarben Stock Show & Rodeo
2017
Jul 21 Career-best overall score662.2172 Riverfest Community Festival
2018
Aug 10 Most recent contest 26th Annual State BBQ Championship of Nebraska

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+8.3	Riverfest Community Festival	2017-07-21
+7.1	3rd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition	2014-05-30
+3.8	RiverFest Red White and Que	2016-07-15
+1.4	5th Annual Valley Veteran's BBQ Competition	2016-05-20
+0.6	Ak-Sar-Ben's River City Rodeo & Stock Show	2014-09-26

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.8	Aksarben Stock Show & Rodeo	2015-09-25
-8.2	Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak Cookoff Challenge	2016-09-03
-7	22nd Annual State Barbeque Championship of Nebraska	2014-08-15
-6	BBQ in the Bluffs	2015-05-08
-5.2	26th Annual State BBQ Championship of Nebraska	2018-08-10

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)

Season by season

Season	Contests	Top-10s	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2018	1	0	0%	top 83%	87.6%	87.6%
2017	3	0	33%	top 68%	92%	88.3%
2016	4	0	50%	top 67%	90.9%	88.9%
2015	5	0	20%	top 73%	89.7%	87.8%
2014	5	1	60%	top 60%	91.3%	89.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2018-08-10	26th Annual State BBQ Championship of Nebraska Arlington, NE	25 / 30 (630.6628)	19 (162.7884)	23 (161.1200)	21 (159.9772)	26 (146.7772)
2017-08-04	Omaha Steaks Nebraska BBQ Championship Day -1 Omaha, NE	47 / 54 (614.1140)	44 (158.8000)	44 (155.9656)	53 (144.5256)	46 (154.8228)
2017-07-21	Riverfest Community Festival Bellevue, NE	18 / 46 (662.2172)	14 (169.1200)	27 (160.5600)	28 (162.2744)	9 (170.2628)
2017-05-19	6th Annual Valley Veterans BBQ Competition Valley, NE	37 / 47 (630.6852)	41 (156.4912)	37 (155.4284)	27 (162.8228)	35 (155.9428)
2016-09-03	Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak Cookoff Challenge Omaha, NE	42 / 45 (630.1372)	45 (149.0972)	43 (150.2628)	13 (168.5256)	30 (162.2516)
2016-08-05	24th Annual State BBQ Championship of Nebraska Omaha, NE	51 / 70 (631.2800)	61 (153.0856)	49 (158.2860)	54 (154.2400)	27 (165.6684)
2016-07-15	RiverFest Red White and Que Bellevue, NE	22 / 45 (654.7656)	28 (161.1200)	21 (161.6916)	28 (161.6684)	7 (170.2856)
2016-05-20	5th Annual Valley Veteran's BBQ Competition Valley, NE	23 / 42 (645.0168)	4 (172.6056)	32 (154.8000)	24 (163.9656)	31 (153.6456)
2015-09-25	Aksarben Stock Show & Rodeo Omaha, NE	16 / 18 (635.2572)	16 (158.7884)	7 (166.2628)	14 (160.5488)	18 (149.6572)
2015-08-14	23rd Annual State BBQ Championship of Nebraska Omaha, NE	29 / 42 (646.1600)	32 (157.0856)	23 (161.7028)	24 (165.0972)	25 (162.2744)
2015-07-17	RiverFest Red White and Que Bellevue, NE	26 / 45 (640.3880)	27 (160.5484)	19 (163.9428)	40 (153.0740)	21 (162.8228)
2015-06-26	3rd Annual Ribstock MBA BBQ Festival Omaha, NE	24 / 34 (629.0512)	23 (158.8456)	25 (153.6800)	23 (153.6800)	16 (162.8456)
2015-05-08	BBQ in the Bluffs Council Bluffs, IA	26 / 33 (609.5544)	31 (147.9428)	23 (157.1088)	27 (150.2400)	23 (154.2628)
2014-10-11	WinnaVegas Rib Master Classic Sloan, IA	26 / 34 (638.7084)	16 (166.8228)	24 (159.9884)	30 (150.2172)	22 (161.6800)
2014-09-26	Ak-Sar-Ben's River City Rodeo & Stock Show Omaha, NE	25 / 47 (639.8628)	4 (171.4056)	29 (158.2400)	39 (153.6800)	33 (156.5372)
2014-08-15	22nd Annual State Barbeque Championship of Nebraska LaPlatte, NE	29 / 38 (634.7200)	31 (157.0856)	27 (158.8344)	30 (159.3828)	23 (159.4172)
2014-07-18	RiverFest Red White and Que Bellevue, NE	21 / 35 (640.4112)	11 (169.1312)	23 (160.5144)	7 (172.0000)	33 (138.7656)
2014-05-30	3rd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition Valley, NE	10 / 30 (657.6456)	5 (168.5256)	20 (155.9772)	13 (159.9772)	2 (173.1656)

ALWAYS SMOK'D

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

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

Master avg

Storylines (7 found in this team's record)

The one to beat

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A July team

The metronome

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

By meat

By state / province

By contest size

Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)

The story so far (15 numbers that describe this team)

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

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

📉 Toughest weekends

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)

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)