Burnt at Both Endz
Babbling Farker
Hey don't worry about being harsh. Truthfully just trying to lay ground rules so there wasn't any surprises later. I have never really worded the things the best.
I am one of those people that either you really like me or your really hate my guts. I try to be upfront and honest. It's not that I am intending to rub anyone the wrong way. I am just overthinking it. I am just taking this more seriously then I should be. Last year I got my rear end handed to me and well it's because at least in part I jumped my time line way too early because I got nervous as I was parked next to a huge Lang and then a cabinet smoker I think a backwoods smoker. I know it's the cook not the smoker but I let myself be intimidated. They weren't trying to intimidate me but when you pull up with as small of a set up as I have and you realize some of the competitors are caterers you freak out. I just don't want another DAL and I want to be prepared fully to compete against guys with much more experience than I have. Now I am worried as my wife won't be teaming up with me this year. She built the boxes and well I am a terrible box builder. It will probably be a wreck this year without my wife backing me up but you never know. I know why I crash and burned last year and it was all my fault hopefully even if I can't even get one team mate to come along for the ride I just don't want to be last. It just sucks to practice all the time and then blow it totally. We ate barbecue every day for months before the contest as we weren't going to waste it. Every day bbq for breakfast lunch and dinner. I love bbq but to eat that much of it for that long and work so hard and blow it because I was an idiot well it eats at you. We will see this year if I can do better. If anyone would be interested let me know and if not oh well maybe I can find a team mate for other comps later.
What you do is practice what you learned from Dan. His way, none of I want to make it better by adding this or that.
You practice some time lines at home with your cooker and write them down to the second.
You can build boxes at home and flip them at the comp. If you need someone to run them for you, just ask...BBQ folks help each other.
This is a simple easy comp that can and will install confidence in you. You only need a team for costs/help when you step up to the pro division....just my 2 cents for whatever its worth.
Good Luck!!!