2013 Sams Club Rule Change, Can Someone Explain?

[Balls Casten]

As to its intent I think it is a good rule.
The black and white wording of the rule is probably and unfortunatly needed in todays world.

The rule was used on me last year ... I wanted to help Justin in the regionals but he said I couldnt because of the rule. Had the rule not been in place I could have taken him down the crapper like I did Pat! :-)

[Rub]

Originally Posted by Leatherheadiowa

My friend and bbq cook Fred Neville pointed this out to me and wondered what the heck rule #7 is all about.
7. To ensure fairness for all KCBS teams, a team's head cook and team members cannot enter the assigned cooking area of another team at another Sam's Club contest. If it is determined that a head cook or team member is abusing this rule, both teams will be disqualified.

I like to bbq, but if I can't stop by and see Lucky, Balls Casten, Pat, Tippy Joe, Ryan, or any of my other favorite cooks I may as well stay home. Why subject amazing reps like Mike and Theresa Lake to having to enforce this rule, and does Troy Black have the authority to enforce this rule?

Not just to the OP but to others who have commented in this thread. First make sure you understand the rule. It doesn't say you cannot go into another's cook site at the contest you are competing at. It says "...a team's head cook and team members cannot enter the assigned cooking area of another team at another Sam's Club contest." Visit all you want at the contest you are competing in.

Like Ford mentioned it's in place to keep ringers who may have not gotten through the local level for some odd reason from teaming up with some other team in the regional and national levels. $50,000 makes some people want to do unfair things.

I was nearly disqualified at the Hendersonville TN contest earlier this year. EMTTLC - Brethren/Terry had agreed to let me use his cook trailer in TN so I didn't have to haul mine up and back, in exchange for hanging out and watching/helping. I didn't realize it but he had already cooked a local event and not moved on. Because of that he was not allowed to be at the cook site or even on property for that contest. Terry wasn't aware of the rule, and I didn't realize he had already competed. A team (or teams) at Hendersonville had competed against him at the local level and when they heard he was there to help me out with his trailer and equipment they told Troy about it to make sure it didn't happen. Terry was all set up with the trailer when Troy gave him the news. And Troy met me on site to make sure it was enforced. I had no ill-will towards Troy, I knew the rule, just didn't know that Terry had already cooked once. It sucked for Terry but he was good enough to stay in town and still let me use his stuff, and he had to just hang out at a hotel for the 2 days.

[Coz]

Originally Posted by Big Mike

I doubt there are many folks that cook a Sams Club event that actually attend another Sams Club event as a spectator, so I doubt this is really an issue.

Actually I have seen it both previous years . Some of our local teams didnt get into the one we were at and had to enter another. We all made sure they stayed ourt in the aisle .Not that it mattered we sucked.

[CBQ]

The rule sounds strange at first, but it makes sense and I agree with it. It's to prevent you from gaming the system by entering several locals under different names.

It's a tiered contest. You get one shot, and go home if you don't win. You can't take a team like ours (4 core members) and enter 4 local contests as ZBQ1, ZBQ2, etc.

Sam's isn't the only contest that does this. If you cook The Jack, you cannot have a team member that didn't cook with your team at least once during the year.