two and barbecue other. in the phrase go two and barbecue, to be defeated in the first two games of a double-elimination tournament. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
In the 15th century, the word respair meant “to have hope again.” Although this word fell out of use, it’s among dozens collected in a new book of soothing vocabulary for troubled times. Plus, baseball slang: If a batter...
Eric from West Lafayette, Indiana, wonders which phrase is correct when referring to “making the grade” or “meeting expectations”: Is it cut the mustard or cut the muster? It’s the former, a reference to the strong...
Perhaps an extension of the single-elimination version one and done?
Many recipes for BBQ involve cooking the meat twice. For example steaming the meat first to tenderize it before further “flavor cooking” over a flame.
Perhaps that could have something to do with its origin.