AMARILLO, TEXAS -- Dallas born and raised, Anthony Jerome “Spud” Webb, former NBA point guard, visited Amarillo for the ‘Sam’s Taste of Texas Throwdown.’ The 5’7” slam dunk star was one of the cook-off judges.
"I was born and raised in Texas so I'm a connoisseur when it comes to barbeque. So they got their work cut out today,” said Webb.
Webb said that although the event is fulfilling the most gratifying part of the job is meeting the fans.
"It's great! You get the opportunity to meet people close up and find out about them and they find out that what people say on TV about you isn't always true. But it's always a great opportunity to meet people face to face."
Competitors from Fort Worth, Tony Williams with ‘Grillas in the Pits’ and Ty Hillin with the ‘Paddlin’ Pigs’ travel around the country competing nearly every weekend with some award winning recipes. They stated that the job definitely provides many benefits.
"We get the family aspect out of it. If my family is not with me, the people that I cook with week in and week out are sort of like my extended family. So we just have a good time,” said Hillin.
Tony agreed and said, "The folks here at Sam's have been great, very accommodating and just everybody we've met has been awesome.”
The competition was intense but in the end ‘Paddlin’ Pigs', Ty Hillin took home the trophy.
