COOL BLUE Q

COOL BLUE Q is a competition barbecue team with 18 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2015 and 2019. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the Battle of the Brisket (2016), and finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #972 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#972

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1608

peak 1618 · rated over 16 contests2 invitational or side-series contests not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Sep 11, 2015

latest Jul 26, 2019 · 3.9 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#402

Master 2018 · every season

Grand champs

1 reserve · wins it all 6% of the time

Category wins

6 podiums

Overall top-10s

33% of 18 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 36%

overall standings

Best overall

696.5712 / 720

Master · Battle of the Brisket

Perfect 180s

Current form

669.41 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 673.03 (-3.63)

Walk rate

72%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

179.4400

Pork Ribs · VFW Post 846 Battle of the Pits

Consistency

±11.95

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 169.89 · weakest Pork (167.59)

Road miles

1,447

across 18 mapped stops · furthest 327 mi

Schedule strength

57%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1572)

Purse competed for

$59K

listed at 5 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 5 state-championship entries

Master avg

673.03 / 720

18 Master contests · 1 GC

Storylines (11 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

0.6288 points from the title

Came within 0.6288 points of the Grand Championship at 1st Annual Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off (JUDGES FULL) (Jul 13, 2018).

Against the odds

20-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 80 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Battle of the Brisket (Sep 16, 2016) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 20-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' RUB.

Giant slayer

33 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 33-team field at Battle of the Brisket.

Sep 16, 2016

They almost always walk

72% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 13 of 18 contests

A top-10 category call in 72% of their 18 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

696.5712 career-best overall

96.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 696.5712 at Battle of the Brisket — 96.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 16, 2016

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

UNFAMOUS DAVE'S has finished one call ahead of COOL BLUE Q 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

8–0 behind in the head-to-head

SLAPS BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

SLAPS BBQ has come out ahead in 8 of their 8 shared contests.

Show 4 more storylines

The drought

14 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Battle of the Brisket on Sep 16, 2016 — 14 contests and 10 years ago.

last GC Sep 16, 2016
10 years ago

Pork Ribs nemesis

8 of 8 shared pork ribs entries lost

SLAPS BBQ ahead 100% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SLAPS BBQ has out-cooked them in 8 of 8 shared pork ribs entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

PIG NEWTON 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 93.5% of a perfect score
18 contests

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
2019 ↗	Master	#1297 (170 pts)	#1030 (265 pts)	#1259 (190 pts)	#1222 (205 pts)	#1536 (120 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#402 (858 pts)	#561 (668 pts)	#441 (828 pts)	#499 (733 pts)	#401 (883 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1047 (310 pts)	#1151 (290 pts)	#1233 (260 pts)	#954 (390 pts)	#697 (570 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#725 (523 pts)	#1117 (303 pts)	#902 (423 pts)	#890 (438 pts)	#698 (573 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#2158 (60 pts)	#2209 (60 pts)	#1441 (185 pts)	#2225 (60 pts)	#2141 (70 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to COOL BLUE Q, each with one reason worth a look.

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

BULL RUSH BBQ

#976 of the rated field

1608 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1614

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to COOL BLUE Q)

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

rated over 20 contests
last seen Mar 23, 2018

⚔ Head-to-head

Smoke-A-Holics

#974 of the rated field

1608 power rating

Contests: 182
GCs: 10
Top-10s: 57%
Peak: 1887

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to COOL BLUE Q)

They've been 1887 at their best, 279 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 175 contests
last seen Jul 11, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

MUSIC CITY BBQ

#965 of the rated field

1608 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 47%
Peak: 1608

Careers of much the same size, 19 contests to 18, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 19 contests
last seen Jun 16, 2017

⚔ Compare careers

Pits and Grills

#968 of the rated field

1608 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 50%
Peak: 1608

Their rating is built on 2 Grand Championships in 22 contests, alongside a 50% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 20 contests
last seen Oct 3, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

GEORGIA BOYS BBQ TEAM

#975 of the rated field

1608 power rating

Contests: 21
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 52%
Peak: 1608

Their last contest in the data was back in 2015, 4 years before COOL BLUE Q's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 21 contests

⚔ Compare careers

Ribs n Pigs BBQ

#970 of the rated field

1608 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 5
Top-10s: 85%
Peak: 1617

10 straight overall top-10s says this rating is a moving target.

rated over 25 contests
last seen Aug 1, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
GETTIN' SAUCED	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
UNFAMOUS DAVE'S	8	5	3	63%	⚔ compare
3 PIGS SMOKIN	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
Theslabs.com	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
HIGH i QUE	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
PIG NEWTON	7	5	2	71%	⚔ compare
S&S BBQ	7	5	2	71%	⚔ compare
R BUTTS R SMOKIN	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
B & C SMOKERS	6	4	2	67%	⚔ compare
Three Brothers Different Mothers	6	4	2	67%	⚔ compare
HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' RUB	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
913 BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
DIRT ROAD BBQ	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
4 LEGS UP BBQ	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	18	5	0	1	178.2972	158.7768	167.86	top 43%
Pork Ribs	18	9	0	1	179.4400	157.0856	169.89	top 35%
Pork	18	6	0	1	175.4400	155.3944	167.59	top 43%
Brisket	18	7	3	3	178.8800	152.5944	167.69	top 38%

“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)	8	1	top 24%
Large (40+)	10	0	top 46%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
KS	11	1	top 38%
MO	6	0	top 29%
AR	1	0	top 58%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Smoke Out Hunger BBQ Challenge	3	11	top 30%	Jun 8, 2018
Apple Blossom Bar-B-Q	2	5	top 29%	May 4, 2018
38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	2	107	top 62%	Sep 1, 2017

More numbers

Busiest season 2019 5 contests

Contests a season 3.6 across 5 seasons in the data

Most contests held in KS 11 of 18 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 14 3 of them more than once

First title Sep 16, 2016 Battle of the Brisket

Opponents faced 771 finished ahead 713 times, behind 516

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

20193 milestones

Apr 5 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)179.4400 VFW Post 846 Battle of the Pits
Jul 12 Peak power rating (1618) 2nd Annual Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off (JUDGES FULL)
Jul 26 Most recent contest Smokin Hot Cars & BBQ

20182 milestones

May 4 10th tracked contest Apple Blossom Bar-B-Q
Jul 13 First Reserve Championship 1st Annual Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off (JUDGES FULL)

20166 milestones

Sep 16 First category win (Brisket) Battle of the Brisket
Sep 16 First overall top-10 Battle of the Brisket
Sep 16 First overall podium Battle of the Brisket
Sep 16 First Grand Championship Battle of the Brisket
Sep 16 Biggest field won (33 teams) Battle of the Brisket
Sep 16 Career-best overall score696.5712 Battle of the Brisket

20153 milestones

Sep 11 First tracked contest Independence Fire & Ice BBQ
Sep 11 First call Independence Fire & Ice BBQ
Sep 11 First overall past 90% of a perfect score656.4800 Independence Fire & Ice BBQ

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.8	Battle of the Brisket	Sep 16, 2016
+14.2	1st Annual Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off (JUDGES FULL)	Jul 13, 2018
+13	Apple Blossom Bar-B-Q	May 4, 2018
+10	Smoke Out Hunger BBQ Challenge	Jun 9, 2017
+9.8	VFW Post 846 Battle of the Pits	Apr 5, 2019

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10	Smokin Hot Cars & BBQ	Jul 26, 2019

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	GCs	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2019	5	0	1	0	60%	top 46%	94.7%	93%
2018	5	0	4	1	100%	top 21%	96%	94.4%
2017	4	0	0	1	50%	top 49%	94.3%	93.1%
2016	3	1	1	1	67%	top 27%	96.7%	94.1%
2015	1	0	0	0	100%	top 41%	91.2%	91.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jul 26, 2019	Smokin Hot Cars & BBQ 🏅 Iola, KS	35 / 41 (644.4684)	15 (169.1200)	38 (157.0856)	23 (165.6684)	36 (152.5944)
Jul 12, 2019	2nd Annual Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off (JUDGES FULL) 🏅 Cameron, MO	13 / 35 (679.3488)	10 (172.0116)	6 (173.7028)	26 (163.9544)	13 (169.6800)
May 31, 2019	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	15 / 49 (669.6112)	8 (173.1428)	11 (171.4172)	10 (170.2628)	38 (154.7884)
Apr 5, 2019	VFW Post 846 Battle of the Pits 🏅 Overland Park, KS	9 / 53 (681.6228)	24 (168.5372)	2 (179.4400)	30 (165.6684)	16 (167.9772)
Feb 8, 2019	KCBS World Invitational Barbeque Championship 🏅 unrated Little Rock, AR	53 / 92 (671.9776)	11 (176.0572)	66 (164.5832)	57 (166.2516)	72 (165.0856)
Oct 12, 2018	Anchor City Cook Off Centralia, MO	9 / 33 (677.0400)	18 (163.9428)	6 (172.5600)	9 (172)	12 (168.5372)
Jul 13, 2018	1st Annual Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off (JUDGES FULL) Cameron, MO	2 / 24 (691.3600)	2 (178.2972)	4 (171.4172)	11 (163.9428)	1 (177.7028)
Jun 8, 2018	Smoke Out Hunger BBQ Challenge Kansas City, KS	15 / 46 (668.4568)	25 (165.1200)	6 (174.8456)	20 (165.6684)	21 (162.8228)
May 4, 2018	Apple Blossom Bar-B-Q St. Joseph, MO	5 / 37 (688)	7 (173.7372)	15 (169.1428)	7 (172)	4 (173.1200)
Apr 21, 2018	Fire N Up in the Flint Hills Council Grove, KS	5 / 21 (673.6684)	14 (163.4056)	5 (170.2744)	3 (169.1772)	4 (170.8112)
Sep 1, 2017	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	169 / 407 (667.3024)	248 (163.9312)	21 (175.4172)	181 (167.3940)	261 (160.5600)
Aug 31, 2017	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (INVITATIONAL) unrated Kansas City, KS	107 / 129 (669.6340)	60 (172.0228)	115 (162.8228)	71 (170.2628)	105 (164.5256)
Jun 9, 2017	Smoke Out Hunger BBQ Challenge Kansas City, KS	11 / 42 (678.8116)	15 (168.5944)	27 (162.8000)	4 (175.4400)	7 (171.9772)
Apr 21, 2017	9th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge Overland Park, KS	29 / 64 (664.4572)	44 (161.7028)	35 (162.8116)	47 (162.2284)	1 (177.7144)
Sep 16, 2016	Battle of the Brisket Mission, KS	1 / 33 (696.5712)	6 (170.8572)	8 (171.4284)	4 (175.4056)	1 (178.8800)
Jun 10, 2016	Smoke Out Hunger BBQ Challenge Kansas City, KS	11 / 34 (667.8280)	25 (158.7768)	9 (171.9656)	16 (167.4056)	6 (169.6800)
May 6, 2016	Apple Blossom Bar-B-Q St. Joseph, MO	14 / 31 (667.9656)	22 (162.2628)	11 (171.4172)	11 (168.5600)	13 (165.7256)
Sep 11, 2015	Independence Fire & Ice BBQ Independence, MO	31 / 76 (656.4800)	44 (159.9428)	5 (174.8456)	63 (155.3944)	23 (166.2972)

An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.

COOL BLUE Q

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

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 (11 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Against the odds

Giant slayer

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

A tough matchup

The drought

Pork Ribs nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

The metronome

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)