Well,when Donna's family designed the Smokette,I don't know that there were a lot of flats in the area.
Briskets were ground to make burgers,or beef hotlinks.
The old European farmers could make sausage and they learned,how to cook tough meat slow and low ,to be edible.
Seems like a discussion on cooking meat in a smoker,would lend itself to a certain cooking style.
Half pans of water and tightly foiling will make pork,or beef ribs,poultry,beef,fish,etc tender if you boil it long enough.
The discussions on here, ,are quite often about the 2-3 lb pieces of brisket, that are sold specifically to make New England boiled dinners with vegetables.
Another topic, could well be comp teams that cook only large choice flats with traditional methods.
I'm sure we have members that cook a fine flat,without the crutches.