...here's some of the things that I'd like to see happen:

I'd like to see the names of ALL members of the committees listed, not just the Board member who chairs the committee.

I'd like to see an END to the "No Report" each month that was happening quite a lot up until recently.

I'd like to find a way to get more regional representation on the BoD - the members have asked for it, so why don't we have it?

I'd like to see e-mail blasts that go to ALL members (cooks, judges,Reps, organizers, everyone) whenever there is a rule change or clarification.  If they can do it to sell you a T-shirt then they can do it to let you know the important stuff, too.  Notices in the Bullsheet are great but an e-mail blast gets the info to everyone right now and really doesn't cost very much to send.

I'd like to see e-mail blasts that remind us of the little things that are sometimes forgotten.  Things like "Don't lick your fingers when taking meat out of the box to judge", "Don't judge down because the lid of the box has some sauce on it, it might not be the cook's fault",  "Keep in mind that not everyone loves your choice of perfume or deoderant - please don't over apply".

I'd like to see a program that encourages and rewards judges who cook with different teams once a year or so. 

I'd like to see more cooks judge a comp every once in a while, just to keep up with what the judges are looking for.

I'd like to see a program sponsered by KCBS where the organizers send out an e-mail to all cooks and judges inviting them to a get together on Friday evening.  Maybe they could use the judges' tent for a pot luck, maybe just a meet & greet, or even an invitation to the judges to come on out with your name tags on & introduce yourself to some teams.

I'd like to see a program of continuing education offered for the judges, maybe a graduated system where judges can be rewarded for their knowledge.  If we are all on the same page then judging scores will be more consistant.  Getting all 8s & 9s in taste is a good thing - even getting all 5s & 6s tells the cook something.  What drives a cook nuts is the 9,7,5,4,8,9 score - all he can say then is "WHAT the #@?!"

I'd like to see FEWER closed door sessions and back room deals.  I know that some things (disipline, etc.) need to stay out of the public view for the most part, but after any investigation the results could be released.

I think that we need to get some idea of just what "AVERAGE" ( #6 ) on the score card means.  Is it average of all of the BBQ that I've eaten in my life?  Average of all of the compitition BBQ that I've tasted?  Average of all of the retaurant BBQ that's out there?  Where does the McRib score (ok, I'm joking on this one)?

I think that there needs to be some re-training of some of the CBJ Instructors - - - IF some of the things that I've heard are true, and I did say "IF". 

I think that there are some very good programs that the KCBS does very well (public education about BBQ, philanthropy,etc.) but we should always be looking to see what else can be done to further the goals of our organization.  But at the same time we should examine each request for money and every program that we have to see if it is in the best intrests of ALL of the members.

I'd also like to let you know that I'm running with three other men who are very passionate about BBQ and the KCBS.  their names are Steve Farrin, Jeff Stith and George Mullins.  We are each running because we think that there are things that need changing in KCBS.  We have set up a web site where we introduce ourselves and our platforms and we will keep updating it as we get closer to the election.  Here's a link to the site:

http://www.changekcbs.com/index.html

Please feel free to let me know anything else that YOU would like to see happen - after all, it is YOUR organization! 

And please remember to vote this year

Thank you,
Dave Compton

I've decided to run for the KCBS Board of Directors this year. 

First of all, I started out helping a buddy of mine cook on a team back in 2006 for around 5 or 6 contests.  I've since cooked with two other teams (one time each) and I've become a KCBS Master CBJ, having judged over 60 comps in 5 BBQ seasons. 

I'm not a Rep or a contest organizer, I don't write books or put on cooking classes - I'm just a guy who loves BBQ and wants to help KCBS to become a better organization.

I'm a judge who has a desire to get the judges and cooks to know each other. 

I'm one of the very few judges that I ever see on Friday evening or staying for the awards and I want to see more of us there. 

I'm a guy who has introduced at least 6 CBJs to teams so that they can get their Masters badge.  I'm a guy who wonders why none of these folks knew a cook & what can we do to solve this.

I'm sure that if a judge gets to know a few cooks that judge will want to see his/her new friends get a call at the awards - it gives me a thrill to watch it happen!  At the American Royal this year I spent a lot of time visiting with a lot of my friends, two of which (Tippycanoe and R Butts R Smokin') took the Grand and Reserve in the Invitational!  Let me tell you it was great seeing FRIENDS get the top calls!  I'd like to see a whole bunch more CBJs get to know these cooks and find out that they are pretty good people.

I'm a guy who would like to get a program where judges can see what all of the rule changes are - the Reps get advisories all the time, why not the CBJs?  I'd like to get more judges involved in the decision making proccess of our organization.  I'd like more input from the judges on what rule changes THEY would like to see.

In the near future I'll be posting more about what changes I'd like to see in the KCBS.  In the meantime, I'm hoping that I can win your support and your vote.  Last year less than 25% of the eligable voters cast a ballot in the KCBS election, so remember that every vote counts!

Thank you,
Dave Compton
KCBS # 22569

There's been a lot of talk (some good, some bad) about the so-called "animosity" between cooks and judges lately.  I should know - I started some of it :>).  I really feel that there is more of a lack of communication between the two groups and that they have a lot more in common than they have in differences.  One way to help solve this would be for the two groups to get together and exchange names, ideas, maybe even phone numbers (gasp!) and get to know each other as people rather than as "cooks" or "judges". 

Here's one way that we do it in Iowa:

For the past two years a central Iowa BBQ team (Smokehouse 72) has sponsered what they call a "Frost Buster" compitition in the early spring of each year.  There's no entry fee and no prize money - just a bunch of folks who love BBQ and want to get better at it.  The thing about this comp is that the judges are encouraged to come out either Friday or early Saturday to visit with the cooks - right up until it's time to build the boxes! 
That's right - we "fratranize" with the teams!!!
We come out and talk to the cooks before, durring and after they are preping & cooking their entries.  The only thing that the judges can't see is the actual building of the turn-in box.  We can (and do) ask plenty of questions about any and every thing involved.  Most of the cooks will answer all of the questions, some will hold back a secret or two - no big deal either way.
All four KCBS meats are cooked, turned in and judged just as though this were a real comp with prize money and everything with just a couple of exceptions:  all of each teams entries will be judged at the same table and the judges can (& do) make notes on the score sheets about the entries.  Now comes the real fun part .....
We give the teams their scores verbally!  Yep, each team is called in one by one and each judge gives his scores to the team while looking the cook right dead in the eye!
"I gave you a 7 in taste because ..."  "You got a tad mushy on the pulled, that's what cost you a 9" ... et cetera.
Now, the cook can chime in any time that he wants to and ask any question that comes to mind - like "What do you mean the flavor was off - how was it "off"? ... "What can I do to make this 7 in appearance into an 8 or 9?"
See???  No more of "Why did he gave a 7?"  This gives the cooks the answer to "What the #@(&! was he thinking?"  And it also makes the judge justify his scores to the cook.  All in all, not a bad deal!
Last year we had this at an RV campground where we all got a good camping rate because Ray & Jay (Smokehouse 72) know the folks there ... also because they were invited to the chili pot luck Friday night and were given some of the left overs by the cooks :>).  In fact I do believe that they right then & there invited us back for the next year's "Frost Buster" in Colo, Iowa.  We all had a blast, cooks and judges got to know each other, each got a tad more insight into where the other guy was coming from, and we found out that we didn't have to have the "animosity" between us!

Maybe some one else out there can take this idea & run with it.  Maybe some contest organizer will talk to the cooks about sending an e-mail blast to the judges inviting them out on Friday evening or staying for the awards Saturday afternoon.  Maybe we can all work together for the betterment of our sport.