Good Grief BBQ

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

Power ranking

#1924

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1541

peak 1560 · rated over 18 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-04-26

latest 2025-09-12

Best ToY finish

#891

Master 2015

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

6 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 19 contests

Avg finish

top 45%

overall standings

Best overall

675.9772 / 720

Master · Smoke on the River

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

654.09 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 658.75 (-4.65)

Walk rate

68%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Pork · Smoke on the River

Consistency

±11.50

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 168.65 · weakest Brisket (159.13)

Road miles

3,175

mi across 19 mapped stops · furthest 317 mi

Schedule strength

35%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1546)

Purse competed for

$24K

listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 3 state-championship entries

Master avg

658.75 / 720

19 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (11 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.

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

They almost always walk

68% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 13 of 19 contests

A top-10 category call in 68% of their 19 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

675.9772 career-best overall

93.9% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 675.9772 at Smoke on the River — 93.9% of a perfect 720.

Master
2014-09-05

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

PENNY STREET PORKERS has finished one call ahead of Good Grief BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

9–0 behind in the head-to-head

SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ has come out ahead in 9 of their 9 shared contests.

The weak link

−9.5 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 9.52 points below their pork, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 42%.

Brisket avg 159.13
Pork avg 168.65
0 calls in 19 entries

A strong matchup

7–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Rockin Rotary Roasters in 7 of their 7 shared contests.

The comeback

4.1 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 4.1 years, then back at Bands and BBQ at the Point (2025-09-12).

last seen 2021-08-20
back 2025-09-12

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS has landed one call behind them 2 times.

The long haul

3,175 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 3,175 miles across 19 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 317 miles to Bands and BBQ at the Point.

19 mapped stops
furthest 317 mi

The metronome

±1.60% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.60% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 91.5% of a perfect score
19 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.

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

PORKARITAVILLE

#1919 of the rated field

1542 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 40%
Peak: 1544

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to Good Grief BBQ)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Good Grief BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 15 contests
last seen 2017-09-15

⚔ Head-to-head

Hickory Stick BBQ

#1929 of the rated field

1541 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1541

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Good Grief BBQ)

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 13 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 13 contests
last seen 2023-10-28

⚔ Head-to-head

Slingin Pig Meat

#1918 of the rated field

1542 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 42%
Peak: 1550

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 19 contests
last seen 2025-09-20

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOKING BAD

#1922 of the rated field

1541 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 20%
Peak: 1542

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2020, 5 years before Good Grief BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 15 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

MAJOR Q BBQ

#1928 of the rated field

1541 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 26%
Peak: 1541

No shared contest yet.

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 23 contests, alongside a 26% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 23 contests
last seen 2017-08-25

⚔ Head-to-head

CAMP BACON BBQ

#1920 of the rated field

1542 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 8%
Peak: 1545

No shared contest yet.

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 24 contests
last seen 2019-08-23

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
OUTLAW HAWGS BBQ	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
BLAZIN' BLUES BBQ	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
Rockin Rotary Roasters	7	7	0	100%	⚔ compare
PENNY STREET PORKERS	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
OKLAHOMA JOE'S SERIOUS QUE	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
One2BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
RURAL ROUTE BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
PINE HILLS BBQ	5	5	0	100%	⚔ compare
Marmic Flaming Pits	5	5	0	100%	⚔ compare
GLAD TO MEAT YOU	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare
Papa J's Flying Swine	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare
THUNDER HOG BBQ	5	2	3	40%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	19	8	0	0	176.0116	159.9428	167.00	top 42%
Pork Ribs	19	6	1	2	176.5944	150.8000	163.96	top 48%
Pork	19	8	1	4	180.0000 🔥	151.3716	168.65	top 32%
Brisket	19	0	0	0	174.8800	149.0972	159.13	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	Avg finish
MO	12	top 43%
IL	4	top 34%
KY	1	top 90%
IN	1	top 56%
KS	1	top 58%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	7	0	top 46%
Large (40+)	12	0	top 44%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
*Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest	4	12	top 34%	2018-08-17
Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest	2	18	top 60%	2021-08-20
Columbia Elks Lodge #594 BBQ Contest	2	11	top 35%	2016-05-06
Smoke on the River	2	5	top 30%	2014-09-05

The story so far (18 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 12.4 yrs 2013-04-26 → 2025-09-12

Busiest season 2016 4 contests

Contests a season 2.1 across 9 seasons in the data

Cooks most in MO 12 of 19 contests · 5 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 13 4 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 19 entries · 0 wins · 8 calls

Strongest meat Pork averages 168.65 · weakest Brisket (159.13)

Walk rate 68% a top-10 call in 13 of 19 contests

Overall top-10 rate 11% 2 of 19 contests

Master average 658.75 out of 720 · 19 contests · 0 GCs

Perfect 180s 1 every judge at the table handing back a nine

Opponents faced 1,251 872–1,156 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 3,175 19 mapped stops · furthest 317 mi

Schedule strength 1546 average field rating faced — tougher than 35% of rated contests

Purse competed for $24,000 listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 3 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 4.1 yrs 2021-08-20 → 2025-09-12

Power rating 1541 peak 1560 · #1924 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Apr 26 First tracked contest Wabash Ribber Fest Barbecue Championship
Apr 26 First call Wabash Ribber Fest Barbecue Championship
Apr 26 First overall past 90% of a perfect score651.4286 Wabash Ribber Fest Barbecue Championship
Sep 6 First overall top-10 Smoke On The River
2014
Sep 5 First category win (Pork) Smoke on the River
Sep 5 First perfect 180 (Pork) Smoke on the River
Sep 5 Career-best overall score675.9772 Smoke on the River
2016
May 6 10th tracked contest Columbia Elks Lodge #594 BBQ Contest
2018
Aug 17 Peak power rating (1560) *Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest
2025
Sep 12 Most recent contest Bands and BBQ at the Point

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+10.4	Smoke on the River	2014-09-05
+10.1	22nd Annual Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest	2014-08-22
+9.1	Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest	2015-08-21
+6.6	Smoke On The River	2013-09-06
+6.4	Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest	2016-08-19

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.6	Bands and BBQ at the Point	2025-09-12
-7.4	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open	2015-10-03
-5.4	Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest	2021-08-20
-1.9	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN)	2016-10-29
-1.2	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival	2017-08-18

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	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2025	1	0	0	0%	top 90%	89.4%	89.4%
2021	1	0	0	100%	top 67%	89.9%	89.9%
2019	1	0	0	100%	top 53%	90.3%	90.3%
2018	2	0	1	50%	top 41%	92.9%	92.3%
2017	1	0	0	0%	top 56%	91.5%	91.5%
2016	4	0	0	75%	top 40%	93.6%	92%
2015	4	0	0	50%	top 44%	93.4%	92%
2014	2	1	1	100%	top 22%	93.9%	92.9%
2013	3	1	0	100%	top 41%	91.8%	90.3%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2025-09-12	Bands and BBQ at the Point 🏅 Carrollton, KY	26 / 29 (643.3604)	12 (170.8344)	27 (161.1544)	29 (151.3716)	25 (160.0000)
2021-08-20	Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest 🏅 Cape Girardeau, MO	18 / 27 (647.2912)	18 (161.1316)	8 (168.0228)	22 (156.5028)	19 (161.6340)
2019-08-16	Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest 🏅 Cape Girardeau, MO	24 / 45 (650.1716)	5 (176.0116)	43 (150.8000)	5 (174.2628)	34 (149.0972)
2018-08-17	*Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest Cape Girardeau, MO	15 / 44 (669.1084)	10 (171.4056)	1 (176.5944)	13 (170.2628)	32 (150.8456)
2018-04-20	*Main Street BBQ & Blues Fest Washington, MO	19 / 40 (660.5260)	12 (170.2628)	21 (163.4288)	12 (169.1544)	27 (157.6800)
2017-08-18	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival Madison, IN	31 / 55 (658.7428)	33 (165.6684)	16 (169.1660)	15 (170.8572)	45 (153.0512)
2016-10-29	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN) Kansas City, KS	322 / 557 (649.5424)	278 (164.5484)	444 (155.3828)	26 (175.4056)	417 (154.2056)
2016-09-23	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff Murphysboro, IL	25 / 64 (673.6684)	45 (163.4400)	36 (165.1084)	2 (178.8572)	31 (166.2628)
2016-08-19	Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest Cape Girardeau, MO	15 / 51 (651.9540)	9 (166.8572)	13 (165.6684)	42 (152.5256)	12 (166.9028)
2016-05-06	Columbia Elks Lodge #594 BBQ Contest Columbia, MO	11 / 32 (673.6456)	6 (174.8572)	18 (163.4284)	4 (175.4172)	20 (159.9428)
2015-10-03	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	374 / 606 (642.7200)	321 (163.4172)	461 (155.9772)	314 (163.9428)	353 (159.3828)
2015-10-02	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO	108 / 187 (672.6744)	125 (166.9144)	138 (163.4172)	107 (167.4628)	24 (174.8800)
2015-08-21	Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest Cape Girardeau, MO	12 / 58 (662.2744)	15 (166.2972)	12 (166.8572)	5 (171.4400)	26 (157.6800)
2015-05-01	Columbia Elks Lodge #594 BBQ Contest Columbia, MO	13 / 37 (671.3256)	32 (159.9428)	3 (176.0000)	2 (176.5600)	28 (158.8228)
2014-09-05	Smoke on the River Quincy, IL	5 / 21 (675.9772)	10 (166.3200)	6 (166.8228)	1 (180.0000)	13 (162.8344)
2014-08-22	22nd Annual Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest Cape Girardeau, MO	11 / 52 (662.2628)	31 (160.0000)	6 (171.4172)	3 (173.7372)	30 (157.1084)
2013-09-06	Smoke On The River Quincy, IL	10 / 28 (660.6516)	9 (166.2972)	6 (166.8916)	12 (166.3200)	12 (161.1428)
2013-08-23	Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest Cape Girardeau, MO	28 / 56 (638.8344)	4 (171.4172)	44 (153.1200)	18 (163.4400)	39 (150.8572)
2013-04-26	Wabash Ribber Fest Barbecue Championship Mt. Carmel, IL	13 / 36 (651.4286)	9 (167.4284)	25 (156.0000)	9 (166.8572)	16 (161.1430)

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
2019 ↗	Master	#1920 (65 pts)	#1276 (185 pts)	#2026 (60 pts)	#1283 (185 pts)	#2010 (60 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1206 (200 pts)	#1104 (260 pts)	#910 (365 pts)	#1140 (245 pts)	#1586 (120 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#2212 (60 pts)	#2286 (60 pts)	#2032 (105 pts)	#1985 (110 pts)	#2266 (60 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#932 (357 pts)	#861 (437 pts)	#1053 (332 pts)	#687 (587 pts)	#1044 (327 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#891 (365 pts)	#1099 (290 pts)	#773 (480 pts)	#668 (565 pts)	#1198 (245 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#992 (316 pts)	#1472 (196 pts)	#986 (351 pts)	#731 (521 pts)	#1513 (181 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#913 (324 pts)	#639 (509 pts)	#1015 (304 pts)	#872 (374 pts)	#1004 (299 pts)