BIRDMAN'S BBQ

BIRDMAN'S BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 13 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2015 and 2024. Their best overall finish is 17th of 40 at the Route 66 Smoke Out (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) (2015). They are ranked #4494 of 6,485 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#4,494

of 6,485 rated · rankings

Rating

1473

peak 1504 · rated over 12 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 1, 2015

latest Mar 15, 2024 · 8.9 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#373

Backyard 2024 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

0% of 13 contests

Avg finish

top 67%

overall standings

Best overall

668.5256 / 720

Master · Route 66 Smoke Out

Perfect 180s

Current form

588.67 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 616.78 (-28.11)

Walk rate

46%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

174.8456

Chicken · Route 66 Smoke Out

Consistency

±97.71

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Brisket

avg 162.87 · weakest Pork Ribs (160.71)

Road miles

2,291

across 13 mapped stops · furthest 371 mi

Schedule strength

50%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1564)

Purse competed for

$16K

listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 4 state-championship entries

Master avg

616.78 / 720

11 Master contests · 0 GCs

Backyard avg

317.63 / 360

1 Backyard contest · 0 GCs

These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.

This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.

Storylines (9 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

668.5256 career-best overall

92.9% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 668.5256 at Route 66 Smoke Out — 92.9% of a perfect 720.

Master
May 1, 2021

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Rub Runners has finished one call ahead of BIRDMAN'S BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

6–0 behind in the head-to-head

One2BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

One2BBQ has come out ahead in 6 of their 6 shared contests.

A strong matchup

4–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of MOON KING BBQ in 4 of their 4 shared contests.

The comeback

2.2 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2.2 years, then back at Route 66 Smoke Out (May 1, 2021).

last seen Mar 8, 2019
back May 1, 2021

Brisket nemesis

6 of 6 shared brisket entries lost

One2BBQ ahead 100% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, One2BBQ has out-cooked them in 6 of 6 shared brisket entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

BLUE CHIP BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

Show 2 more storylines

Boom or bust

±13.01% swing around their own average

Their overall swings ±13.01% of a perfect score around its own average — when it lands they're dangerous, and when it doesn't the weekend is gone by lunch.

averages 85.9% of a perfect score
best 92.9%

A May team

Top 58% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 58% across 5 contests, versus top 67% the rest of the year.

5 May contests
top 67% the rest of the year

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 ↗	Backyard	#373 (60 pts)	#377 (60 pts)	#379 (60 pts)	—	—
2024 ↗	Master	—	—	#1317 (60 pts)	—	—
2022 ↗	Master	#1612 (58 pts)	#1621 (58 pts)	#1042 (143 pts)	#1622 (58 pts)	#1624 (58 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#1096 (95 pts)	#745 (210 pts)	#877 (165 pts)	#1262 (60 pts)	#1245 (60 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1955 (60 pts)	#2049 (60 pts)	#2026 (60 pts)	#2029 (60 pts)	#2010 (60 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to BIRDMAN'S BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

BIG AL'S GHETTO HOGS

#4,495 of the rated field

1473 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1473

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to BIRDMAN'S BBQ)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team BIRDMAN'S BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 13 contests
last seen Jun 22, 2018

⚔ Head-to-head

DOUBLE A'S BBQ

#4,511 of the rated field

1473 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1519

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to BIRDMAN'S BBQ)

They've been 1519 at their best, 47 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 14 contests
last seen Oct 11, 2019

⚔ Head-to-head

Broken Hinge BBQ

#4,498 of the rated field

1473 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1473

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to BIRDMAN'S BBQ)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2021, 3 years before BIRDMAN'S BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 8 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

1st and 10 BBQ

#4,483 of the rated field

1473 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1473

Careers of much the same size, 13 contests to 13, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Sep 13, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

Smoke-em-good bbq

#4,496 of the rated field

1473 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1473

They turned up 6 years after BIRDMAN'S BBQ did, first appearing in 2021.

rated over 10 contests
last seen May 15, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Muddy River Smokers

#4,481 of the rated field

1473 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1509

Level with BIRDMAN'S BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 10 contests
last seen Nov 5, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
CHANNABILLY BBQ	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
CARNIVORE'S PARADISE	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
One2BBQ	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
SmokinGhost BBQ	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
CLUCK , OINK & MOO BARBECUE	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
Carrol Lou's Smokehouse	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
QUAU	5	0	5	0%	⚔ compare
CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	5	0	5	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	12	3	174.8456	147.9200	161.82	top 58%
Pork Ribs	13	2	171.4172	139.9200	160.71	top 57%
Pork	11	0	168.5828	152.5028	161.41	top 64%
Brisket	10	2	173.1316	152.4800	162.87	top 55%

“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)	4	0	top 81%
Large (40+)	8	0	top 60%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
IL	8	top 69%
TN	3	top 62%
WI	1	top 61%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Route 66 Smoke Out	5	17	0	top 58%	May 6, 2022

More numbers

Busiest season 2017 4 contests

Contests a season 1.6 across 8 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IL 8 of 13 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 8 1 of them more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 13 entries · 0 wins · 2 calls

Opponents faced 429 finished ahead 218 times, behind 396

Longest layoff 2.2 yrs Mar 8, 2019 → May 1, 2021

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

20241 milestone

Mar 15 Most recent contest Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship

20213 milestones

May 1 10th tracked contest Route 66 Smoke Out
May 1 Career-best overall score668.5256 Route 66 Smoke Out
May 1 Career-best single call (Chicken)174.8456 Route 66 Smoke Out

20154 milestones

May 1 First tracked contest Route 66 Smoke Out (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL)
May 1 First call Route 66 Smoke Out (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL)
May 1 First overall past 90% of a perfect score661.7260 Route 66 Smoke Out (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL)
May 1 Peak power rating (1504) Route 66 Smoke Out (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+7.7	Route 66 Smoke Out	May 1, 2021
+4.5	Route 66 Smoke Out	May 4, 2018
+3.6	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship	Mar 15, 2024
+3.5	Route 66 Smoke Out (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL)	May 1, 2015

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.9	McHenry Rotary Blues Brews & BBQ	Aug 19, 2017
-12.4	Hog Capital Challenge (JUDGES FULL)	Jun 16, 2017
-7.6	Route 66 Smoke Out	May 6, 2016
-4	Route 66 Smoke Out	May 6, 2022
-3.8	Smoke on the Shores	Mar 10, 2017

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2024	2	0%	top 43%	88.2%	88.2%
2022	1	100%	top 79%	89.6%	89.6%
2021	1	100%	top 41%	92.9%	92.9%
2019	1	0%	top 70%	91.6%	91.6%
2018	1	0%	top 47%	91.5%	91.5%
2017	4	50%	top 85%	91.3%	77.6%
2016	2	50%	top 70%	88.7%	87.2%
2015	1	100%	top 43%	91.9%	91.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Mar 15, 2024	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN	40 / 93 (317.6344)	45 (154.2172)	29 (163.4172)	15 (168.5484)	—
Mar 15, 2024	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT RIBS) Lebanon, TN	—	—	46 (164.5372)	—	—
May 6, 2022	Route 66 Smoke Out 🏅 Dwight, IL	26 / 33 (644.9716)	27 (162.8344)	9 (167.9772)	29 (153.6456)	25 (160.5144)
May 1, 2021	Route 66 Smoke Out 🏅 Dwight, IL	18 / 44 (668.5256)	4 (174.8456)	7 (171.4172)	37 (158.2400)	30 (164.0228)
Mar 8, 2019	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Nashville, TN	47 / 67 (659.2224)	29 (170.2512)	37 (167.3828)	49 (162.8000)	59 (158.7884)
May 4, 2018	Route 66 Smoke Out Dwight, IL	18 / 38 (658.7656)	28 (160.5256)	12 (167.4172)	16 (168.5828)	24 (162.2400)
Aug 19, 2017	McHenry Rotary Blues Brews & BBQ McHenry, IL	36 / 36 (311.8628)	20 (163.3712)	31 (148.4916)	—	—
Jul 21, 2017	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL) Peoria, IL	33 / 48 (620.9028)	10 (166.8572)	39 (149.0628)	38 (152.5028)	32 (152.4800)
Jun 16, 2017	Hog Capital Challenge (JUDGES FULL) Kewanee, IL	25 / 26 (645.5084)	8 (170.2628)	24 (155.9428)	23 (163.3828)	22 (155.9200)
Mar 10, 2017	Smoke on the Shores Nashville, TN	46 / 62 (657.5200)	59 (157.6572)	29 (167.3828)	54 (159.3484)	13 (173.1316)
Oct 21, 2016	Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off Union Grove, WI	31 / 51 (638.6512)	29 (161.6456)	50 (139.9200)	17 (165.0856)	5 (172)
May 6, 2016	Route 66 Smoke Out Dwight, IL	32 / 40 (616.9144)	38 (147.9200)	29 (157.1088)	31 (154.8112)	25 (157.0744)
May 1, 2015	Route 66 Smoke Out (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) Dwight, IL	17 / 40 (661.7260)	35 (151.4288)	14 (169.1656)	13 (168.5716)	6 (172.5600)

BIRDMAN'S BBQ

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

Backyard avg

Storylines (9 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

The comeback

Brisket nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

Boom or bust

A May team

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)