Can't remember where I saw it, but I recall reading that the source of the smoke ring on a great brisket is the CO (Carbon monoxide) level in the enclosed pit. If that is the case, it explains why folks who off themselves in a closed garage with the engine running get really pink as part of the process. So, if you're faced with months of agony with some form of terminal cancer, what better way to check out early than by paying homage to your favorite food? I was not drunk when I wrote this.
I think the answer is that it doesn't belong, period. No one wants to think of a human corpse when they are cooking meats. Whether there's scientific merit in the discussion is immaterial. It's unnecessarily morbid, especially for Rusty's.
Sorry to be morbid on a board named for an alleged incident of Texas fans eating a grilled pet dog belonging to visiting fans. (Which I thought was hilarious, however unlikely.) If you didn't detect an element of tongue-in-cheek in the post; well, I am not sure that is my problem.