2013 Sams Club Rule Change, Can Someone Explain?

I am probably just over analyzing everything like I always do. But I have met some fantastic people and if I cant go and BS with you and them then it concerns me.

I know I am a new team but at the contests I did last year Tracy and I helped many first time teams. Whether it was showing how to make boxes or helping figure out rules and times. I would hate to think that if I was to do Sams, the friendliness of teams towards new teams not be permitted.

I am assuming that some teams were configured differently for the regionals than they were at the local.

Hate to say it again, but things like this are the reason we won't do another Sam's event. You can give me all of the bullshoi you want about how it's a competition where we have the opportunity to win money and we should be thankful. We can attend 50-60 other events throughout the year here and not have to deal with crap like this.

Don't think people agree with me? Why can't they fill the Marietta event with enough teams every year?

If you are a registered head cook at that contest you can visit friends. If not doing the contest and you are registered for another contest then you can't do more than wander by and say hi. Year one some 2 person teams signed up for 2 locals then cooked both together. That's why the rule was put in last year.

I guess I just don't understand the constant bitchin about rules at different contest. There's not a single contest in the country that makes you enter. If you don't like the rules, don't participate and move on.

Troy enforces the non kcbs rules. I was at one contest where he told a visiting cook to leave the contest site. It's not about head cooks at that contest, it's about ringers coming in to help somebody. It has nothing to do with kcbs rules or reps. If you cook contest "a" you can not go to contest "b" and help another team. Simple.

Pappy Q said:

I guess I just don't understand the constant bitchin about rules at different contest. There's not a single contest in the country that makes you enter. If you don't like the rules, don't participate and move on.

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I think that is a bit harsh. Only speaking for myself I am/was interested in entering Sams events. When the schedule came out the closest Sams event to me(Des Moines) was going on at the exact same time as an established well run contest in the same general area(Waterloo).

Having never done a Sams event I read the rules closely and questioned rule #7 to someone that had done a Sams event before. ONLY for clarification so as I could make an informed decision as to which contest I want to do and why. No complaining rules are rules but am/was I misunderstanding the rule. I personally would rather know and understand rules before I enter an event, then i can choose to participate or move on and if I question something I dont understand why it would be considered complaining.

Ford said:

Troy enforces the non kcbs rules. I was at one contest where he told a visiting cook to leave the contest site. It's not about head cooks at that contest, it's about ringers coming in to help somebody. It has nothing to do with kcbs rules or reps. If you cook contest "a" you can not go to contest "b" and help another team. Simple.

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Thank you, I understood when you used the A and B example. I wish it would have been written differently but how you explained it makes sense to a simple mind like mine.

This rule was in affect last year too.

Is this rule worded any differently from last year?

Leatherheadiowa said:

Pappy, you are a great deal more patient and financially secure than I am I would believe by your statement. I bank on fair, well thought out, well explained, and consistent rules that everyone understands and can abide by without jumping through hoops of all shapes and sizes. There are contests that MANY cooks refuse to compete in because of improvised rules and lack of consistency. The fact that the local Sam's Club contest is 6 blocks from my home makes it very luring but if having a cup of coffee with a fellow competitor on Saturday morning could get us DQ'd I may pass.:wink:

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6 BLOCKS!!!! I guess I know where I can find a chitter and a hot shower in the middle of the night.:becky:

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.

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!

Leatherheadiowa said:

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? :crazy:

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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.

Big Mike said:

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.

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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.

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.