Mandatory Comment Cards for a score below a 6

[QueTPiesBBQ]

So the judge didn't like your sauce and told you why.....
what more do you want?
Ed

Mainly wondered why all the other judges at the table scored 7, 8, 9, 9, 8 and then the one scored a 5. Maybe just a bad judge, who knows. Comment didn't make much sense to me, of course at the time. After cooking all night and then to have someone put a comment like that on a card and a low score, makes you want to jump up and down.:boxing:

 

[Sledneck]

I certainly point the finger at myself here, as I should be more proactive about this than I have been. I'll definitely try to encourage it more in events that I help to run in the future.

Eric

So is it safe to say that we can blame you for the unpredictable and low scoring judges on lawnguyland?:wink:

 

[Rookie'48]

Trust me on this one, folks - if I give you a 6 or lower then you'll more than likely get a comment card. We, as judges, are instructed that comment cards are strictly voluntary and that they should only be used for constructive criticism. The judges' CD and the little 'pep talk' that damn near all Reps give before we start judging are very plain on when a card "should" be filled out & what you should say. A comment like: "Tastes like crap" should earn that judge a trip to the wood shed. A card that says: "No flavor profile other than salt" might mean just the same thing, but at least you know why it tastes like crap.
I realize that one comment card at one contest isn't going to make you change your whole game plan - and it shouldn't! But if you get a couple of cards in two or three comps in a row & all of those cards say the same thing .....

 

[motoeric]

If only an organizer up here would have the balls to sanction an FBA contest up here in the northeast, sigh...........

There's this guy named Steve from Long Island who is a big FBA fan. Maybe he'll step up. I doubt it, but maybe.

Eric

 

[motoeric]

So is it safe to say that we can blame you for the unpredictable and low scoring judges on lawnguyland?:wink:

I'll take some responsibility for teams not getting comment cards more often, but low scores? Nah, not going to take responsibility for that.

Eric

 

[Rub]

There's this guy named Steve from Long Island who is a big FBA fan. Maybe he'll step up. I doubt it, but maybe.

Eric

We're ready! :thumb:

Talking strictly FBA here, but I don't see the mandatory comment card rule we have for a 7 or lower making the judges avoid giving 7s and lower. I got 2 7s not long ago on the same entry, one said the smoke had a soured taste, the other said had a chemical taste. I thought about it, inspected my smoker, and realized it was in dire need of a deep cleaning. :doh: Our judges don't seem to be hesitant...

 

[Sledneck]

....

 

[Buster Dog BBQ]

We're ready! :thumb:

Talking strictly FBA here, but I don't see the mandatory comment card rule we have for a 7 or lower making the judges avoid giving 7s and lower. I got 2 7s not long ago on the same entry, one said the smoke had a soured taste, the other said had a chemical taste. I thought about it, inspected my smoker, and realized it was in dire need of a deep cleaning. :doh: Our judges don't seem to be hesitant...

Without those comments though you probably wouldn't have thought about it. That's good use of a comment card to let a cook know why a score was as it is. We got one that had a 5 for taste and they told us it was too salty. We had added extra rub that day so made sense. But most of the time it's a guessing game. Sigh.

 

[deez20]

I wouldn't mind seeing a card from time to time for a low score. We took RGC at the battle of the bbq brethren over the weekend and looking at the scores we got a 4 from one judge in tenderness for pork with mostly 7,8 or 9 from the other judges.

 

[deena]

In PNWBA we are rolling out comment cards and are trying to have them at all qualifier events. We ask that judges give comments for all scores. The comments are reviewed for inappropriate type comments (swear words and such) so we might weed out a couple. But judges and teams seem to like them. We are working on making sure that the comments are helpful and appropriate. The comments have actually helped us identify some judges that were judging incorrectly and some items so they have been very helpful!

 

[Jeff S.]

I got comment cards from PNWBA in Seattle in the spring. Alot of them were very positive. 99 percent were all good stuff. Like to see this at all comps!

Keep it going PNWBA

 

[Sawdustguy]

There's this guy named Steve from Long Island who is a big FBA fan. Maybe he'll step up. I doubt it, but maybe.

Eric

I would like to see a FBA contest here on LawnGuyLand also. I would also like to see a MBN contest here.

 

[Sledneck]

I would like to see a FBA contest here on LawnGuyLand also. I would also like to see a MBN contest here.

Unfortunately we are the minority guy. I approached a few organizers who were planning new contests about sanctioning it FBA. The most common answer i received was they wouldn't take the chance of not sanctioning it KCBS because they think they wouldnt get the teams. I disagree, i think teams would be drawn to it because it was something different.

 

[Sawdustguy]

I agree Steve! Something different is precisely why I think an FBA contest would attract teams. I can only speak for myself, but I would be first in line. I would also like to try a MBN contest. Michele tells me I am made of 99% Bullchit and 1% water.:thumb:

 

[LindaM]

Absolutley untrue.... Who told you that this is the case or are you guessing that's what happens?
During judges instructions we are told that ALL cards get attached to your score sheets, period.

As far as mandatory comment cards at any given number, whatever one you choose (4,5,6) it puts a mental block that says if I give that number I have to fill out a card. Chances are you'll never see that number or lower again. Is that how you think judging should go?
Remember a 5 is just simply below average, not crap, not inedible, 5 is not that far out of whack. If your food is just slightly less than average your gonna get a 5. I have given out several 5's this year.
And as a rule I have filled out 4 comment cards also. They simply said what it was that made that sample a 5. Thats how the system works.
Tis true all judges don't always get it, but find anything in life that is just the way everbody wants it.
Ed

And first hand knowledge tells me that a certain BOD REP does not use comment cards at contests, "they can't be bothered with the extra work and the cooks don't want them anyway"

 

[Alexa RnQ]

We cooked with three BOD reps this weekend and received two comment cards, one of which was quite detailed -- several sentences.

 

[fesdwino]

As a newbie KCBS certified BBQ judge having just completed my first event, I agree with one comment that there should be more training on how to score BBQ. Knowing the rules is important, and I know judging BBQ, like wine, is somewhat subjective. It would be helpful to have a bit more guidance. Although I am a new judge and have much to learn, I am a student of BBQ and have cooked quality BBQ as well as taken a class from a winning BBQ competitor. I have a pretty good idea of what average to great BBQ is. That said, I may not judge the same as another judge.

I do believe we had explicit instruction on comment cards at both the judging class and the event. No need to comment on good scores as they speak for themselves. BBQ less than average deserves a constructive comment. The KCBS organizers at our event did a great job of keeping mixed levels of judging expertise (as measured by number of events judged) at each table. The Table Captains were diligent in their monitoring of the scores given, looking for unusual variances beween judges' scores and asking judges for comments when they saw a below average score. Every judge at our table had cooked on a competition team or had good BBQ experience and all took their job seriously.

Mandatory comment cards for scores below 6 would not be an issue for me and I don't believe most judges would object. I believe most judges are interested in being fair and objective.

 

[Smokenstein & monster crew]

theres always that one score/judge that you just have to say WTF? compared to the others, thinking something must have been amiss & a comment card would greatly relieve the questions running circles in my head.....

 

[Slamdunkpro]

Here's an idea instead of tying the comment card to a specific score, have the table pull the low score of the six regardless of the numbers and help the judge write a comment card for that score. That way every team gets 4 comment cards describing the reasoning behind the lowest score at the table.

 

[ModelMaker]

As a newbie KCBS certified BBQ judge having just completed my first event, I agree with one comment that there should be more training on how to score BBQ. Knowing the rules is important, and I know judging BBQ, like wine, is somewhat subjective. It would be helpful to have a bit more guidance. Although I am a new judge and have much to learn, I am a student of BBQ and have cooked quality BBQ as well as taken a class from a winning BBQ competitor. I have a pretty good idea of what average to great BBQ is. That said, I may not judge the same as another judge.

I do believe we had explicit instruction on comment cards at both the judging class and the event. No need to comment on good scores as they speak for themselves. BBQ less than average deserves a constructive comment. The KCBS organizers at our event did a great job of keeping mixed levels of judging expertise (as measured by number of events judged) at each table. The Table Captains were diligent in their monitoring of the scores given, looking for unusual variances beween judges' scores and asking judges for comments when they saw a below average score. Every judge at our table had cooked on a competition team or had good BBQ experience and all took their job seriously.

Mandatory comment cards for scores below 6 would not be an issue for me and I don't believe most judges would object. I believe most judges are interested in being fair and objective.

I think you have a pretty good handle on whats going on. The first year you are indeed just a rookie. Pay attention, don't pretend you know it all. Give judging your full attention and walk before you run.
Talk among your table after scores are in and ask questions, compare scores. Here is your best area to increase knowledge. After a while you'll know which judges you can learn from vs the blowhards. But by all means cultivate your own style and practices.
I've been at this for 5 years now and am just starting to feel comfortable with the whole process. I'm confident in my decisions but do not have iron clad opinons, you must change thought process as you grow your ideals and experiance.
As soon as you know everything and decide your the best judge.. quit, because your not growing and learning and that's a neccesity in this endeavor.
Ed