#39 Judging BBQ

This happened awhile ago, but just got down to writing the blog...

Chris and I visited the live stock show and rodeo in Houston, TX to judge BBQ. He was Clay Alexander. I was Brad Shaw. We were new at the whole rodeo thing and are generally not too bright, so we drove around the astrodome a few times looking for our assigned parking lot. We approached the entrance holding our judging papers. Chris asked me if we could get in trouble for impersonating two dudes from Tyler. I told him it seemed likely.

We planned to present the paper work and tell them our names, but if they asked for IDs we would claim to have left them in the car. The worst case scenario being we drove to the astrodome for no reason. We approached the entrance and they told us to go in. We asked where to go and they pointed us to the information booth. The information booth pointed to small walkway a 100 yards from the booth and said the sign in table would be "back that way". We followed the walkway to a tent entrance. We stood there for a few minutes, watching as the police at the gate checked IDs of everyone who entered. I asked Chris if he remembered that he was Clay. He said he did.

We walked tentatively to the cops who asked us if we were judges. He pointed us to another tent and said, "Over there."

We entered the tent to find several old ladies with checklists and name tags. We told them our names: Brad Shaw and Clay Alexander. While one searched the checklist the other asked where we lived. I said, "Tyler." We received our name tags and instructions and entered the drinking tent. We ordered bloody marys and margaritas until it was our turn to judge BBQ.

Once inside the judging tent we received Judging Aprons. I thought this was cool and was happy to receive an apron to commemorate my involvment. Now that it is over I do not have a place to put the apron and cannot think of a time I will wear it, but at the time I was excited to receive it. We sat down and received our instructions from a guy with a microphone. His name was John Alexander, and we wondered if he was in any way related to Chris, who was Clay Alexander.

Each container of BBQ had a card with it, and after each taste we, as judges, had to fill out and sign the card. I had to taste each piece of Chicken, Rib, or Brisket while reminding myself that my name is actually Brad Shaw.

A guy with a camera took a picture of me with a mouthful of BBQ. I laughed at the thought of Brad Shaw's picture being in a publication. He saw me laugh and said, "You liked that, didn't you?" I said, "Just make sure you get the name right. I'm Brad Shaw."

Afterward Chris and I stood outside the tent and finished our drinks. We were two dudes who judged BBQ. Our work was done and we were stuffed.

The moral of the story: It was fun to judge BBQ, but not really all that much fun.