FAQue – Get to Know Porks & Rec

By Amy Overbey, MABA Board Member and Co-Pitmaster of Team Meat Coma

WHO IS ON THE TEAM AND WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
Gordon Stebbings – Lutherville, MD
Justin Eckard – Hampstead, MD
Luke Thomas – Towson, MD
Josh Ackerman – Lutherville, MD

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN COMPETING?
We competed a handful of times in both 2015 and 2016, but 2017 is the first year we set out to treat competitions as more than expensive camping trips.

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH YOUR TEAM NAME/LOGO?
TEAM NAME – We used to compete as Dr. Chim’s Smokeshow. It wasn’t long before we realized that the name wasn’t nearly as witty as we’d originally thought, and we became tired of having to constantly explain it to folks who aren’t big fans of the movie Anchorman. It turns out 99.9% of people have never seen that classic film! So we needed a new name – all of the obvious sexual double entendre that is common in bbq team names was out because our families sometimes attend events. I assume the next part is something that a lot of folks went through when arriving at a team name; think of a great team name, then do a search on KCBS.com and subsequently have your dreams crushed because six other teams already have the name. One glorious day I searched for ‘Porks & Rec.’ No one had that exact name! I sent one email, they updated our name. It was an anticlimactic end to nonsensical self-imposed stress that only bbq teams will understand.

LOGO – A friend of mine was both an Under Armour employee and an aspiring hipster. In his free time he used company software to draw our logo. He opted for the upright pig on a spit instead of the correct hog-tied more morbid version that I suggested. I think he made the right call.

WHAT SMOKER(S) DO YOU COOK ON?
Humphrey’s Pint and a Louisiana Grill.

IF YOU COULD ADD A 5TH CATEGORY, AND IT CAN BE ANYTHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
I know the correct answer to this one…An eating contest. Ten minutes. Two members from each team. Anything from McDonald’s. In an effort to avoid garnish we would prefer breakfast sandwiches or McNuggets, but we’d settle for Big Macs. Dipping sauces are optional.

WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO COOK (CAN BE A FAVORITE COMP, BUT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE, CAN BE ANYWHERE)?
While on vacation.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BEVERAGE AT A COMPETITION?
Cans of Flying Dog Raging Bitch, but we also have drinking traditions.

ANY COMPETITION SUPERSTITIONS OR SOMETHING YOU CANNOT DO WITHOUT AT A COMPETITION?
No superstitions…other than which specific shirts each of us wear at various points during the weekend, our lucky piece of wood, Friday night pina coladas, James E. Pepper Rye, my specific turn-in day deodorant, Justin’s cooking shoes, graham crackers, salt and vinegar chips, Josh isn’t allowed to sleep in the trailer, exact place we each stand at awards, Wild Berry Skittles…I honestly forget most of them.

WHAT IS YOUR GO TO FOOD AFTER A COMPETITION?
Pizza on Saturday night, then Sunday morning biscuits and gravy.

IF YOU WEREN’T COMPETING ALL WEEKEND, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING INSTEAD?
Depends on the time of year. Ideally, it’d be the fall, and I’d likely be neck-deep in watching college football while simultaneously cooking an epic meal and reminding my 2 year-old daughter not to bite the dog. Roll Tide!