Rub Me Tender Rub Me Sweet

Rub Me Tender Rub Me Sweet is a competition barbecue team with 31 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2024. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 30 at the McLouth BBQ Blowout 31st Annual (2022), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #2817 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “Rub Me Tender, Rub Me Sweet”.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#2,817

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1511

peak 1511 · rated over 31 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Aug 1, 2013

latest Sep 27, 2024 · 11.2 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#439

Master 2022 · every season

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

3% of 31 contests

Avg finish

top 58%

overall standings

Best overall

684.5256 / 720

Master · McLouth BBQ Blowout 31st Annual

Perfect 180s

Current form

664.93 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 649.34 (+15.59)

Walk rate

32%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.7028

Pork · Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship

Consistency

±22.62

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 166.59 · weakest Brisket (157.40)

Road miles

2,833

across 31 mapped stops · furthest 908 mi

Schedule strength

37%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1550)

Purse competed for

$94K

listed at 13 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 19 state-championship entries

Master avg

649.34 / 720

31 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (10 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

2.8684 points from the title

Came within 2.8684 points of the Grand Championship at McLouth BBQ Blowout 31st Annual (Jun 3, 2022).

High-water mark

684.5256 career-best overall

95.1% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 684.5256 at McLouth BBQ Blowout 31st Annual — 95.1% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jun 3, 2022

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

DAWGHOUSE BBQ has finished one call ahead of Rub Me Tender Rub Me Sweet 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2022 their best year

2022 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 38%.

4 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 38%

A tough matchup

13–1 behind in the head-to-head

913 BBQ ahead in 93% of their meetings

913 BBQ has come out ahead in 13 of their 14 shared contests.

The weak link

−9.2 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 9.19 points below their pork, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 17%.

Brisket avg 157.40
Pork avg 166.59
0 calls in 31 entries

A strong matchup

9–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of KC Rib doctor in 9 of their 9 shared contests.

Show 3 more storylines

Pork nemesis

10 of 14 shared pork entries lost

913 BBQ ahead 71% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, 913 BBQ has out-cooked them in 10 of 14 shared pork entries.

A September team

Top 32% average finish in September

Something about September: average finish in the top 32% across 10 contests, versus top 58% the rest of the year.

10 September contests
top 58% the rest of the year

A standing appointment

6 years running at one contest

They've cooked Sertoma 48 BBQ every year from 2014 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.

6 visits in all
best finish 18th

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
2024 ↗	Master	#994 (105 pts)	#1242 (60 pts)	#911 (155 pts)	#1021 (110 pts)	#1106 (85 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#439 (495 pts)	#571 (375 pts)	#462 (545 pts)	#396 (595 pts)	#652 (295 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#1236 (60 pts)	#1286 (60 pts)	#1309 (60 pts)	#1262 (60 pts)	#1245 (60 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#856 (60 pts)	#896 (60 pts)	#913 (60 pts)	#899 (60 pts)	#883 (60 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Rub Me Tender Rub Me Sweet, each with one reason worth a look.

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

Three Blondes and a Bald

#2,821 of the rated field

1511 power rating

Contests: 7
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1511

3–2 in 5 shared contests (60% to Rub Me Tender Rub Me Sweet)

These two have cooked 5 of the same contests — Rub Me Tender Rub Me Sweet ahead 3–2 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 7 contests
last seen Sep 25, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

Whiskey Friday BBQ

#2,822 of the rated field

1510 power rating

Contests: 7
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1510

5–1 in 6 shared contests (83% to Rub Me Tender Rub Me Sweet)

Fewer contests behind them than Rub Me Tender Rub Me Sweet has cooked, 7 to 31, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 7 contests
last seen Sep 23, 2022

⚔ Head-to-head

JJ’s Bangin’ BBQ

#2,805 of the rated field

1511 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1514

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to Rub Me Tender Rub Me Sweet)

They turned up 7 years after Rub Me Tender Rub Me Sweet did, first appearing in 2020.

rated over 6 contests
last seen May 31, 2024

⚔ Head-to-head

BEER DART BBQ

#2,830 of the rated field

1510 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 22%
Peak: 1516

23 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 22% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 22 contests
last seen Sep 4, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Osdorp Grillers (NL)

#2,810 of the rated field

1511 power rating

Contests: 50
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 26%
Peak: 1531

Level with Rub Me Tender Rub Me Sweet on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 48 contests
last seen May 23, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Good Grefe!

#2,819 of the rated field

1511 power rating

Contests: 59
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 22%
Peak: 1585

They've been 1585 at their best, 74 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 58 contests
last seen Jun 13, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
PASSIONS OF THE PIT	19	10	9	53%	⚔ compare
T'S SMOKIN PIT	17	9	8	53%	⚔ compare
Evening Wood	14	8	6	57%	⚔ compare
F.O.M.S.B.	14	7	7	50%	⚔ compare
OVERLAND PORK BBQ	14	2	12	14%	⚔ compare
913 BBQ	14	1	13	7%	⚔ compare
777 BBQ	14	1	13	7%	⚔ compare
Fat&Dumb BBQ	13	3	10	23%	⚔ compare
IHC BBQ	12	5	7	42%	⚔ compare
Just Smoked Your Butt	11	8	3	73%	⚔ compare
PORK 'N MINDY	11	8	3	73%	⚔ compare
SKY BLUE THIGHS	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
Big D & The Briquettes	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
ROCK N BLUES BBQ	11	5	6	45%	⚔ compare
RUB'N WOOD	11	3	8	27%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	31	3	1	177.1544	145.6228	163.90	top 56%
Pork Ribs	31	4	0	175.4172	136.5260	162.30	top 55%
Pork	30	5	1	177.7028	154.2400	166.59	top 45%
Brisket	31	0	0	168.5256	135.9888	157.40	top 65%

“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	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 89%
Medium (20–39)	6	top 54%
Large (40+)	24	top 58%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
KS	29	top 56%
MO	1	top 76%
SK	1	top 89%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship	6	14	top 27%	Sep 23, 2022
Sertoma 48 BBQ	6	18	top 66%	Apr 26, 2019
Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest	4	28	top 77%	Jul 9, 2021
Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque	2	35	top 40%	Sep 21, 2018
2015 Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest	2	42	top 85%	Jun 5, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2022 4 contests

Contests a season 2.6 across 12 seasons in the data

Most contests held in KS 29 of 31 contests · 3 states and provinces in all

Contests visited 16 5 of them more than once

Opponents faced 785 finished ahead 915 times, behind 1,034

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

20242 milestones

Sep 27 Peak power rating (1511) Shawnee Great Grillers
Sep 27 Most recent contest Shawnee Great Grillers

20226 milestones

Jun 3 First overall top-10 McLouth BBQ Blowout 31st Annual
Jun 3 First overall podium McLouth BBQ Blowout 31st Annual
Jun 3 First Reserve Championship McLouth BBQ Blowout 31st Annual
Jun 3 25th tracked contest McLouth BBQ Blowout 31st Annual
Jun 3 Career-best overall score684.5256 McLouth BBQ Blowout 31st Annual
Sep 23 Career-best single call (Pork)177.7028 Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship

20162 milestones

Jun 3 10th tracked contest Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest
Sep 23 First call Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship

20141 milestone

Sep 26 First overall past 90% of a perfect score667.3604 Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship

20131 milestone

Aug 1 First tracked contest Wheels 'N' Squeels BBQ Challenge

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+18	McLouth BBQ Blowout 31st Annual	Jun 3, 2022
+13.7	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship	Sep 23, 2016
+13.2	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship (TEAM & JUDGES ARE FULL-WAITLIST ONLY)	Sep 24, 2021
+11.2	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship	Sep 26, 2014
+9	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship	Sep 23, 2022

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.9	Wheels 'N' Squeels BBQ Challenge	Aug 1, 2013
-10.6	2015 Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest	Jun 5, 2015
-9.8	Bare Bones BBQ Cookoff	Jun 8, 2019
-8.6	Sertoma 48 BBQ	May 8, 2015
-8.3	McLouth BBQ Blowout 32nd Annual	Jun 2, 2023

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — 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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2024	2	0	100%	top 39%	93.1%	93%
2023	1	0	0%	top 81%	88.2%	88.2%
2022	4	1	75%	top 38%	95.1%	93.5%
2021	4	0	25%	top 58%	94.5%	92.2%
2020	1	0	0%	top 93%	87.2%	87.2%
2019	3	0	33%	top 69%	90.9%	86.6%
2018	3	0	33%	top 55%	91.3%	90.6%
2017	2	0	50%	top 36%	91.9%	91.7%
2016	3	0	33%	top 60%	93.2%	89.6%
2015	2	0	0%	top 88%	86.3%	86%
2014	3	0	0%	top 53%	92.7%	89.9%
2013	3	0	0%	top 68%	89.6%	88.7%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 27, 2024	Shawnee Great Grillers 🏅 Shawnee, KS	24 / 73 (669.6572)	39 (167.3944)	34 (166.8344)	4 (177.1772)	55 (158.2512)
May 31, 2024	McLouth BBQ Blowout 33rd Annual 🏅 McLouth, KS	16 / 35 (670.2284)	25 (162.2400)	8 (172.5828)	15 (168.5600)	20 (166.8456)
Jun 2, 2023	McLouth BBQ Blowout 32nd Annual 🏅 McLouth, KS	29 / 36 (635.3252)	32 (153.1200)	24 (161.6684)	29 (158.8684)	22 (161.6684)
Sep 23, 2022	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS	22 / 87 (673.5772)	53 (163.3828)	32 (167.3944)	7 (177.7028)	33 (165.0972)
Sep 9, 2022	6th Annual Smoke on the Trails 🏅 Gardner, KS	16 / 37 (675.8624)	22 (167.3712)	6 (175.4172)	14 (171.4056)	21 (161.6684)
Aug 19, 2022	BBQ & Fly-In on the River 🏅 Excelsior Springs, MO	41 / 54 (658.7312)	30 (168.5372)	16 (171.4172)	46 (159.4056)	43 (159.3712)
Jun 3, 2022	McLouth BBQ Blowout 31st Annual 🏅 McLouth, KS	2 / 30 (684.5256)	5 (174.8456)	4 (173.7028)	2 (175.4172)	17 (160.5600)
Sep 24, 2021	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship (TEAM & JUDGES ARE FULL-WAITLIST ONLY) 🏅 Shawnee, KS	14 / 86 (680.5144)	19 (171.4172)	19 (172.5600)	12 (174.2628)	36 (162.2744)
Jul 9, 2021	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest 🏅 Mayetta, KS	29 / 43 (667.4056)	25 (169.1200)	32 (166.2856)	31 (165.1200)	18 (166.8800)
Jun 4, 2021	Mclouth BBQ Blowout 29th Annual 🏅 Mclouth, KS	26 / 42 (665.0744)	19 (167.9772)	34 (160)	7 (172)	21 (165.0972)
Apr 9, 2021	Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS	91 / 105 (642.7540)	57 (168.5256)	90 (161.1544)	93 (158.8228)	91 (154.2512)
Jul 10, 2020	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest 🏅 Mayetta, KS	57 / 61 (627.8400)	45 (163.4172)	59 (149.6228)	53 (159.9656)	54 (154.8344)
Sep 27, 2019	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS	46 / 102 (654.6740)	73 (159.3600)	14 (172.5484)	40 (166.8228)	70 (155.9428)
Jun 8, 2019	Bare Bones BBQ Cookoff Pilot Butte, SK	17 / 19 (574.8464)	8 (162.3088)	18 (136.5260)	—	19 (135.9888)
Apr 26, 2019	Sertoma 48 BBQ 🏅 Lawrence, KS	27 / 38 (640.4112)	32 (155.3484)	29 (159.4172)	19 (165.1200)	23 (160.5256)
Sep 21, 2018	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque 🏅 Shawnee, KS	53 / 107 (650.2060)	41 (165.6800)	47 (165.1316)	36 (167.4172)	85 (151.9772)
Jul 13, 2018	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest Mayetta, KS	28 / 48 (657.1208)	21 (169.1316)	28 (162.9032)	5 (174.2972)	42 (150.7888)
May 4, 2018	Sertoma 48 BBQ Lawrence, KS	24 / 41 (649.6344)	25 (161.6916)	15 (166.2856)	12 (166.2744)	27 (155.3828)
Sep 22, 2017	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque 🏅 Shawnee, KS	35 / 112 (659.3032)	49 (163.3944)	27 (168.5716)	65 (162.2400)	33 (165.0972)
May 5, 2017	Sertoma 48 BBQ (JUDGESFULL) Lawrence, KS	18 / 44 (661.5772)	20 (167.3828)	5 (173.7144)	26 (163.9428)	25 (156.5372)
Sep 23, 2016	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS	16 / 111 (671.3488)	3 (177.1544)	83 (154.8116)	13 (170.8572)	20 (168.5256)
Jun 3, 2016	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest Mayetta, KS	48 / 55 (630.7316)	31 (164.0344)	31 (162.2400)	48 (158.2172)	49 (146.2400)
May 6, 2016	Sertoma 48 BBQ Lawrence, KS	33 / 42 (633.5888)	42 (145.6228)	31 (160.5488)	30 (163.9884)	21 (163.4288)
Jun 5, 2015	2015 Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest Mayetta, KS	59 / 64 (616.4456)	51 (157.1200)	52 (155.3828)	53 (154.2400)	54 (149.7028)
May 8, 2015	Sertoma 48 BBQ Lawrence, KS	38 / 45 (621.5428)	23 (164.5256)	42 (147.9428)	32 (158.8572)	37 (150.2172)
Sep 26, 2014	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS	22 / 112 (667.3604)	63 (161.7144)	30 (166.8344)	11 (174.8572)	38 (163.9544)
Jun 6, 2014	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest Mayetta, KS	42 / 54 (631.8748)	33 (163.4172)	49 (150.2060)	25 (166.2856)	45 (151.9660)
May 9, 2014	Sertoma 48 BBQ Lawrence, KS	33 / 54 (642.1828)	54 (148.5144)	15 (167.4056)	14 (166.8572)	31 (159.4056)
Sep 27, 2013	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS	45 / 114 (645.0516)	37 (165.1316)	69 (156.5600)	16 (169.7028)	72 (153.6572)
Aug 17, 2013	BBQ at the Races Kansas Speedway Kansas City, KS	24 / 31 (643.3828)	23 (163.9772)	17 (165.7256)	24 (161.7256)	28 (151.9544)
Aug 1, 2013	Wheels 'N' Squeels BBQ Challenge Olathe, KS	65 / 74 (626.7884)	26 (168.0228)	74 (139.9428)	31 (167.4284)	62 (151.3944)

Rub Me Tender Rub Me Sweet

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 (10 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Pork nemesis

A September team

A standing appointment

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, averaged over 5 contests — 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)