They almost always walk
62%
of contests with a top-10 call
A call in 13 of 21 contests
A top-10 category call in 62% of their 21 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.
Papa Linda's Barbecue
At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)
Rating
1479
peak 1526 · rated over 20 contests ⓘ
Contests
21
in the data
First seen
2019-08-24
latest 2023-07-28
Best ToY finish
#378
Master 2020
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
1
6 podiums
Overall top-10s
2
of 21 contests
Avg finish
top 65%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
666.94 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 664.00 (+2.94)
Walk rate
62%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±11.93
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Brisket
avg 168.31 · weakest Pork Ribs (163.81)
Road miles
2,505
mi across 21 mapped stops · furthest 140 mi
Schedule strength
79%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1602)
Purse competed for
$158K
listed at 19 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
GCs in 20 state-championship entries
Master avg
664.00 / 720
20 Master contests · 0 GCs
Storylines (9 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.
High-water mark
684.4800
career-best overall
95.1% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 684.4800 at Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak cook-off challenge — 95.1% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- 2021-09-04
Their season
2020
their best year
2020 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 53%.
- 3 contests
- 0 overall top-10s
- 0 category wins
- average top 53%
A tough matchup
15–1
behind in the head-to-head
HOT DADDY'S BBQ ahead in 94% of their meetings
HOT DADDY'S BBQ has come out ahead in 15 of their 16 shared contests.
The weak link
−4.5
points behind their best meat
Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.51 points below their brisket, and turns into a call 10% of the time against 25%.
- Pork Ribs avg 163.81
- Brisket avg 168.31
- 2 calls in 20 entries
A strong matchup
6–2
ahead in the head-to-head
Ahead in 75% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of PORK COUNTY BARBECUE in 6 of their 8 shared contests.
Brisket nemesis
10 of 11
shared brisket entries lost
Hogline ahead 91% of the time
Even in their strongest meat, Hogline has out-cooked them in 10 of 11 shared brisket entries.
Looking over their shoulder
2×
one call behind them
GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS has landed one call behind them 2 times.
The metronome
±1.66%
swing around their own average
Their overall lands within ±1.66% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.
- averages 92.2% of a perfect score
- 21 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.
145 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#4213 of the rated field
- Contests
- 11
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 18%
- Peak
- 1502
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Papa Linda's Barbecue)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Papa Linda's Barbecue has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#4176 of the rated field
- Contests
- 20
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 10%
- Peak
- 1512
No shared contest yet.
They've been 1512 at their best, 33 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-head#4201 of the rated field
- Contests
- 18
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1479
No shared contest yet.
Their last contest in the data was back in 2016, 7 years before Papa Linda's Barbecue's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-head#4193 of the rated field
- Contests
- 17
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1479
No shared contest yet.
Careers of much the same size, 17 contests to 21, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-head#4195 of the rated field
- Contests
- 24
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1508
No shared contest yet.
24 contests and no Grand Championship yet.
⚔ Head-to-head#4178 of the rated field
- Contests
- 16
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1518
No shared contest yet.
They were already cooking in 2014, 5 years before Papa Linda's Barbecue's first contest.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOT DADDY'S BBQ | 16 | 1 | 15 | 6% | ⚔ compare |
| TEAM CRAWFORD | 15 | 6 | 9 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | 14 | 2 | 12 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | 13 | 3 | 10 | 23% | ⚔ compare |
| T-Rex BBQ | 13 | 3 | 10 | 23% | ⚔ compare |
| Luscious Loins BBQ | 13 | 1 | 12 | 8% | ⚔ compare |
| Phoenix BBQ | 11 | 2 | 9 | 18% | ⚔ compare |
| SPITFIRE | 11 | 2 | 9 | 18% | ⚔ compare |
| MACHETE BOYS BBQ | 11 | 1 | 10 | 9% | ⚔ compare |
| Hogline | 11 | 1 | 10 | 9% | ⚔ compare |
| SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | 10 | 4 | 6 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKEHOUSE 72 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| UGLY BABY BBQ | 9 | 3 | 6 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| DRY 2 DA BONE | 9 | 2 | 7 | 22% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 20 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 175.4172 | 145.6228 | 164.08 | top 72% |
| Pork Ribs | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 174.2972 | 152.4916 | 163.81 | top 67% |
| Pork | 20 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 177.1544 | 153.6344 | 167.80 | top 46% |
| Brisket | 20 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 176.5600 | 162.2400 | 168.31 | top 45% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| IA | 15 | 0 | top 69% |
| MN | 3 | 0 | top 62% |
| NE | 1 | 0 | top 44% |
| MO | 1 | 0 | top 32% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 1 | 0 | top 58% |
| Medium (20–39) | 15 | 0 | top 66% |
| Large (40+) | 4 | 0 | top 60% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King of the Corn | 2 | 24 | 0 | top 68% | 2023-05-19 |
| Tri City BBQ Fest | 2 | 18 | 0 | top 79% | 2022-09-16 |
| KTD Smokin Gobbler Cook-off | 2 | 26 | 0 | top 78% | 2022-07-15 |
The story so far (16 numbers that describe this team)
On the trail
3.9 yrs
2019-08-24 → 2023-07-28
Busiest season
2023
5 contests
Contests a season
4.2
across 5 seasons in the data
Cooks most in
IA
15 of 21 contests · 4 states/provinces in all
Contests visited
17
3 of them cooked more than once
Most-entered meat
Chicken
20 entries · 0 wins · 3 calls
Strongest meat
Brisket
averages 168.31 · weakest Pork Ribs (163.81)
Walk rate
62%
a top-10 call in 13 of 21 contests
Overall top-10 rate
10%
2 of 21 contests
Master average
664.00
out of 720 · 20 contests · 0 GCs
Opponents faced
303
242–467 across every shared overall standing
Road miles
2,505
21 mapped stops · furthest 140 mi
Schedule strength
1602
average field rating faced — tougher than 79% of rated contests
Purse competed for
$158,160
listed at 19 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0
from 20 state-championship entries
Power rating
1479
peak 1526 · #4197 of 6,413 rated
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
- 2019
- First tracked contest 3rd Annual Halfway to St.Pat's BBQ Contest
- First call 3rd Annual Halfway to St.Pat's BBQ Contest
- First overall top-10 3rd Annual Halfway to St.Pat's BBQ Contest
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score670.7888 3rd Annual Halfway to St.Pat's BBQ Contest
- 2021
- First category win (Pork) 13th Annual Big Island BBQ
- Career-best single call (Pork)177.1544 13th Annual Big Island BBQ
- 10th tracked contest Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak cook-off challenge
- Career-best overall score684.4800 Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak cook-off challenge
- Peak power rating (1526) Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak cook-off challenge
- 2023
- Most recent contest 7th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +10.4 | 13th Annual Big Island BBQ | 2021-08-20 |
| +7.9 | Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition | 2021-06-18 |
| +6.8 | Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak cook-off challenge | 2021-09-04 |
| +5.3 | 4th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest | 2020-07-25 |
| +5.1 | Smoketoberfest | 2019-10-04 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -9.8 | Ottumwa 4th Annual Smoketoberfest | 2021-09-24 |
| -7.6 | King of the Corn | 2022-10-14 |
| -7.1 | Tri City BBQ Fest | 2019-09-20 |
| -6.6 | Rose Festival 22nd Annual KCBS BBQ Competition | 2023-06-16 |
| -6.2 | KTD Smokin Gobbler Cook-off | 2022-07-15 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60% | top 71% | 94% | 92.6% |
| 2022 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60% | top 77% | 91.9% | 91.5% |
| 2021 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 80% | top 55% | 95.1% | 92.7% |
| 2020 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67% | top 53% | 94.5% | 92.6% |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33% | top 64% | 93.2% | 91.3% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-07-28 | 7th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest 🏅 Emmetsburg, IA | 27 / 32 (666.6740) | 29 (165.0856) | 27 (164.5256) | 24 (167.3828) | 14 (169.6800) |
| 2023-07-07 | Art of the Que 🏅 Spencer, IA | 22 / 28 (666.1372) | 3 (175.4172) | 28 (154.2172) | 15 (169.1200) | 17 (167.3828) |
| 2023-06-16 | Rose Festival 22nd Annual KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 State Center, IA | 23 / 27 (653.4972) | 18 (167.3828) | 26 (152.4916) | 20 (166.2400) | 14 (167.3828) |
| 2023-05-19 | King of the Corn 🏅 Ottumwa, IA | 24 / 45 (677.0856) | 19 (171.9656) | 21 (168.5600) | 33 (164.5828) | 10 (171.9772) |
| 2023-03-31 | Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA | 26 / 47 (671.2912) | 42 (160.5028) | 32 (165.6800) | 4 (174.8456) | 20 (170.2628) |
| 2022-10-14 | King of the Corn 🏅 Ottumwa, IA | 30 / 36 (656.4112) | 36 (159.3484) | 35 (153.6572) | 2 (176.5828) | 18 (166.8228) |
| 2022-09-16 | Tri City BBQ Fest 🏅 Denison, IA | 18 / 25 (657.0168) | 20 (161.1200) | 14 (168.0000) | 21 (154.1940) | 4 (173.7028) |
| 2022-07-15 | KTD Smokin Gobbler Cook-off 🏅 Worthington, MN | 33 / 40 (660.4232) | 39 (159.9428) | 35 (159.9660) | 2 (174.2744) | 19 (166.2400) |
| 2022-07-15 | KTD Smokin Gobbler Cook-off (One Meat Ribs) Worthington, MN | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022-06-17 | Rose Festival 21st Annual KCBS BBQ Contest 🏅 State Center, IA | 23 / 32 (661.5544) | 30 (160.5144) | 13 (168.5600) | 19 (166.2400) | 16 (166.2400) |
| 2021-09-24 | Ottumwa 4th Annual Smoketoberfest 🏅 Ottumwa, IA | 31 / 35 (651.3028) | 32 (160.5372) | 30 (161.1200) | 22 (167.4056) | 30 (162.2400) |
| 2021-09-04 | Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak cook-off challenge 🏅 Omaha, NE | 11 / 25 (684.4800) | 16 (168.5372) | 6 (174.2972) | 5 (175.4056) | 15 (166.2400) |
| 2021-08-20 | 13th Annual Big Island BBQ 🏅 Albert Lea, MN | 10 / 35 (678.2056) | 17 (170.2628) | 16 (166.8228) | 1 (177.1544) | 19 (163.9656) |
| 2021-07-30 | 5th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest 🏅 Emmetsburg, IA | 28 / 35 (655.8512) | 34 (157.0972) | 28 (160.5256) | 8 (170.8572) | 14 (167.3712) |
| 2021-06-18 | Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 State Center, IA | 11 / 32 (666.8004) | 20 (165.7260) | 21 (162.2744) | 22 (162.2400) | 2 (176.5600) |
| 2020-09-18 | KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off 🏅 Worthington, MN | 26 / 35 (658.1376) | 21 (168.5716) | 19 (167.3944) | 34 (153.6344) | 18 (168.5372) |
| 2020-09-05 | Mozingo Lake BBQ 🏅 Maryville, MO | 11 / 34 (680.5600) | 7 (171.9656) | 14 (170.3316) | 18 (165.7028) | 6 (172.5600) |
| 2020-07-25 | 4th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest 🏅 Emmetsburg, IA | 16 / 30 (662.2860) | 28 (161.1200) | 14 (166.8916) | 6 (170.8572) | 17 (163.4172) |
| 2019-10-04 | Smoketoberfest 🏅 Ottumwa, IA | 23 / 49 (670.8120) | 32 (162.8688) | 24 (167.9772) | 17 (169.1316) | 18 (170.8344) |
| 2019-09-20 | Tri City BBQ Fest 🏅 Denison, IA | 29 / 34 (630.6516) | 32 (145.6228) | 28 (159.3944) | 24 (162.8116) | 21 (162.8228) |
| 2019-08-24 | 3rd Annual Halfway to St.Pat's BBQ Contest 🏅 Emmetsburg, IA | 7 / 12 (670.7888) | 8 (167.9656) | 10 (163.4172) | 3 (167.4288) | 5 (171.9772) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #560 (312 pts) | #427 (522 pts) | #672 (302 pts) | #416 (512 pts) | #388 (532 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #654 (272 pts) | #720 (252 pts) | #631 (342 pts) | #356 (677 pts) | #473 (487 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #382 (502 pts) | #482 (397 pts) | #448 (467 pts) | #265 (762 pts) | #331 (622 pts) |
| 2020 ↗ | Master | #378 (289 pts) | #394 (299 pts) | #390 (314 pts) | #364 (324 pts) | #331 (364 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #975 (271 pts) | #1066 (251 pts) | #1134 (236 pts) | #836 (376 pts) | #897 (336 pts) |