High-water mark
684.5484
career-best overall
95.1% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 684.5484 at Smoke on the Bricks — 95.1% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- 2019-05-31
M.T. Pockets
At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)
Rating
1491
peak 1502 · rated over 18 contests ⓘ
Contests
18
in the data
First seen
2016-10-07
latest 2023-06-30
Best ToY finish
#649
Master 2022
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
2
2 podiums
Overall top-10s
1
of 18 contests
Avg finish
top 66%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
668.01 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 652.42 (+15.59)
Walk rate
28%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±20.31
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 165.41 · weakest Brisket (161.46)
Road miles
1,017
mi across 18 mapped stops · furthest 100 mi
Schedule strength
75%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1596)
Purse competed for
$65K
listed at 8 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
GCs in 10 state-championship entries
Master avg
652.42 / 720
18 Master contests · 0 GCs
Storylines (6 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.
Their season
2022
their best year
2022 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 49%.
- 3 contests
- 0 overall top-10s
- 1 category wins
- average top 49%
A tough matchup
13–1
behind in the head-to-head
MAN MEAT BBQ ahead in 93% of their meetings
MAN MEAT BBQ has come out ahead in 13 of their 14 shared contests.
The comeback
2 yrs
off the trail, then back
Off the trail for 2 years, then back at Smoke on the Water (2021-10-15).
- last seen 2019-10-11
- back 2021-10-15
Chicken nemesis
11 of 11
shared chicken entries lost
913 BBQ ahead 100% of the time
Even in their strongest meat, 913 BBQ has out-cooked them in 11 of 11 shared chicken entries.
Looking over their shoulder
2×
one call behind them
INDIGO PIG has landed one call behind them 2 times.
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.
141 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#3572 of the rated field
- Contests
- 18
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 39%
- Peak
- 1491
No shared contest yet.
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 18 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-head#3564 of the rated field
- Contests
- 18
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 11%
- Peak
- 1504
No shared contest yet.
Their last contest in the data was back in 2017, 6 years before M.T. Pockets's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-head#3565 of the rated field
- Contests
- 16
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 6%
- Peak
- 1491
No shared contest yet.
Careers of much the same size, 16 contests to 18, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-head#3570 of the rated field
- Contests
- 23
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 13%
- Peak
- 1491
No shared contest yet.
23 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 13% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Head-to-head#3583 of the rated field
- Contests
- 14
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1506
No shared contest yet.
Level with M.T. Pockets on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-head#3577 of the rated field
- Contests
- 13
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1526
No shared contest yet.
They've been 1526 at their best, 35 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAN MEAT BBQ | 14 | 1 | 13 | 7% | ⚔ compare |
| 777 BBQ | 13 | 4 | 9 | 31% | ⚔ compare |
| Boxer Q BBQ | 11 | 2 | 9 | 18% | ⚔ compare |
| 913 BBQ | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| HIGH i QUE | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| ROCK N BLUES BBQ | 10 | 2 | 8 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| Fergolicious BBQ | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| DIRT ROAD BBQ | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| M Squared Smokin' Q | 8 | 5 | 3 | 63% | ⚔ compare |
| AMERICAN FIRE BBQ | 8 | 1 | 7 | 13% | ⚔ compare |
| BLACK EYE BBQ | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| SLAPS BBQ | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| INDIGO PIG | 7 | 5 | 2 | 71% | ⚔ compare |
| Griswold Grillers | 7 | 3 | 4 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| BLUE BUCKET BBQ | 7 | 2 | 5 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 172.6172 | 151.3140 | 165.41 | top 61% |
| Pork Ribs | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 173.1656 | 145.0972 | 161.51 | top 66% |
| Pork | 18 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 178.8800 | 135.3600 | 164.04 | top 53% |
| Brisket | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 172.5828 | 145.6344 | 161.46 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| KS | 15 | 0 | top 61% |
| MO | 3 | 0 | top 87% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 8 | 0 | top 70% |
| Large (40+) | 10 | 0 | top 62% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke on the Water | 2 | 13 | 0 | top 53% | 2022-10-14 |
| Johnson County BBQ Challenge | 2 | 30 | 0 | top 82% | 2019-07-05 |
| Smoke in the Spring | 2 | 73 | 0 | top 76% | 2018-04-06 |
The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)
On the trail
6.7 yrs
2016-10-07 → 2023-06-30
Busiest season
2019
5 contests
Contests a season
2.6
across 7 seasons in the data
Cooks most in
KS
15 of 18 contests · 2 states/provinces in all
Contests visited
15
3 of them cooked more than once
Most-entered meat
Chicken
18 entries · 0 wins · 0 calls
Strongest meat
Chicken
averages 165.41 · weakest Brisket (161.46)
Walk rate
28%
a top-10 call in 5 of 18 contests
Overall top-10 rate
6%
1 of 18 contests
Master average
652.42
out of 720 · 18 contests · 0 GCs
Opponents faced
456
314–622 across every shared overall standing
Road miles
1,017
18 mapped stops · furthest 100 mi
Schedule strength
1596
average field rating faced — tougher than 75% of rated contests
Purse competed for
$65,010
listed at 8 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0
from 10 state-championship entries
Longest layoff
2 yrs
2019-10-11 → 2021-10-15
Power rating
1491
peak 1502 · #3568 of 6,413 rated
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
- 2016
- First tracked contest Cookin on the Kaw
- First call Cookin on the Kaw
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score656.1144 Cookin on the Kaw
- Peak power rating (1502) Cookin on the Kaw
- 2019
- First category win (Pork) Smoke on the Bricks
- First overall top-10 Smoke on the Bricks
- First overall podium Smoke on the Bricks
- 10th tracked contest Smoke on the Bricks
- Career-best overall score684.5484 Smoke on the Bricks
- Career-best single call (Pork)178.8800 Smoke on the Bricks
- 2023
- Most recent contest Happy Basset 3rd Annual BBQ Competition
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +18.3 | Smoke on the Bricks | 2019-05-31 |
| +6.1 | Red, White, Blue BBQ Competition | 2022-04-29 |
| +4.1 | Happy Basset 2nd Annual BBQ Competition | 2022-07-01 |
| +3.2 | Smoke on the Water | 2021-10-15 |
| +2.8 | Cookin on the Kaw BBQ Contest(JUDGES FULL) | 2019-10-11 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -10 | Johnson County Fair BBQ Challenge | 2017-07-07 |
| -9 | 14th Annual Cookin on the Kaw | 2017-10-13 |
| -7.9 | *Rib's and Bibs | 2018-10-06 |
| -7.5 | Smoke in the Spring (WFC Quilfyer) | 2017-04-07 |
| -5.5 | Johnson County BBQ Challenge(JUDGES FULL) | 2018-07-06 |
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 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 79% | 92.2% | 92.2% |
| 2022 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 33% | top 49% | 93.8% | 92.7% |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 52% | 93.6% | 93.6% |
| 2019 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 40% | top 51% | 95.1% | 92.1% |
| 2018 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 77% | 92.3% | 89.1% |
| 2017 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 91% | 87.1% | 86.5% |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 61% | 91.1% | 91.1% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-30 | Happy Basset 3rd Annual BBQ Competition 🏅 Topeka, KS | 26 / 33 (663.9200) | 19 (172.5600) | 16 (172.5716) | 32 (150.2284) | 19 (168.5600) |
| 2022-10-14 | Smoke on the Water 🏅 Topeka, KS | 15 / 28 (670.1252) | 23 (163.9428) | 16 (167.3940) | 13 (167.9656) | 11 (170.8228) |
| 2022-07-01 | Happy Basset 2nd Annual BBQ Competition 🏅 Topeka, KS | 12 / 24 (657.0628) | 12 (168.5256) | 20 (155.4516) | 1 (176.5600) | 19 (156.5256) |
| 2022-04-29 | Red, White, Blue BBQ Competition 🏅 Topeka, KS | 34 / 77 (675.2912) | 29 (171.4056) | 42 (165.6800) | 36 (168.5256) | 23 (169.6800) |
| 2021-10-15 | Smoke on the Water 🏅 Topeka, KS | 13 / 25 (673.6344) | 15 (164.5372) | 16 (165.6916) | 6 (176.0228) | 11 (167.3828) |
| 2019-10-11 | Cookin on the Kaw BBQ Contest(JUDGES FULL) 🏅 DeSoto, KS | 23 / 51 (673.6572) | 32 (166.8572) | 11 (172.5828) | 28 (165.6800) | 18 (168.5372) |
| 2019-09-20 | Little Apple Classic Car & BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Manhattan, KS | 13 / 24 (665.0976) | 20 (157.1316) | 14 (166.8228) | 5 (174.8688) | 11 (166.2744) |
| 2019-07-05 | Johnson County BBQ Challenge 🏅 Warrensburg, MO | 30 / 37 (641.5884) | 20 (168.5484) | 33 (151.4172) | 13 (168.5372) | 32 (153.0856) |
| 2019-05-31 | Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS | 3 / 49 (684.5484) | 23 (165.6800) | 6 (173.1656) | 1 (178.8800) | 14 (166.8228) |
| 2019-04-12 | Smoke In the Springs 🏅 Osage City, KS | 73 / 104 (649.0972) | 35 (170.8572) | 103 (145.0972) | 82 (160.5600) | 27 (172.5828) |
| 2018-10-12 | *15th Annual Cookin on the Kaw BBQ Contest Desoto, KS | 44 / 69 (664.5484) | 26 (170.2628) | 44 (164.5600) | 37 (168.6172) | 52 (161.1084) |
| 2018-10-06 | *Rib's and Bibs Topeka, KS | 34 / 37 (621.5432) | 32 (158.2744) | 30 (158.8228) | 33 (149.6228) | 29 (154.8232) |
| 2018-07-06 | Johnson County BBQ Challenge(JUDGES FULL) Warrensburg, MO | 39 / 47 (633.5196) | 45 (151.3140) | 38 (158.2744) | 43 (154.7884) | 11 (169.1428) |
| 2018-04-06 | Smoke in the Spring Osage City, KS | 73 / 103 (645.0516) | 78 (160.5716) | 72 (161.0856) | 59 (163.4172) | 65 (159.9772) |
| 2017-10-13 | 14th Annual Cookin on the Kaw Desoto, KS | 52 / 55 (627.3372) | 40 (166.8572) | 38 (164.5828) | 55 (135.3600) | 45 (160.5372) |
| 2017-07-07 | Johnson County Fair BBQ Challenge Warrensburg, MO | 34 / 35 (615.8400) | 21 (165.7144) | 28 (154.2284) | 35 (150.2628) | 34 (145.6344) |
| 2017-04-07 | Smoke in the Spring (WFC Quilfyer) Osage City, KS | 82 / 100 (625.6112) | 75 (161.6684) | 93 (146.2744) | 34 (169.1428) | 90 (148.5256) |
| 2016-10-07 | Cookin on the Kaw DeSoto, KS | 34 / 56 (656.1144) | 12 (172.6172) | 35 (163.4400) | 8 (173.7600) | 52 (146.2972) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #649 (277 pts) | #755 (237 pts) | #815 (232 pts) | #501 (447 pts) | #686 (272 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #1029 (110 pts) | #1130 (100 pts) | #1182 (95 pts) | #826 (165 pts) | #957 (120 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #1067 (239 pts) | #1251 (194 pts) | #996 (294 pts) | #985 (294 pts) | #1036 (274 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #1086 (240 pts) | #1152 (240 pts) | #1173 (240 pts) | #1159 (240 pts) | #976 (310 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #1392 (180 pts) | #1420 (200 pts) | #1506 (180 pts) | #1489 (180 pts) | #1476 (180 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #2274 (60 pts) | #1846 (125 pts) | #2349 (60 pts) | #1720 (155 pts) | #2345 (60 pts) |