T Nation

Gregg Valentino's Influence on BBing

#1

Is he a positive or negative influence on Bodybuilding?

I vote negative but I do enjoy his personality and I believe that if he directed it in a better light towards bodybuilding then he could be a cool dood.

He recently had an interview on ESPN regaurding steroids which I have not seen.

What are your thoughts on the man?

There is a current discussion on the MD 'NO BULL' boards about him right now and I wanted to see what your(who are mostly T-Members and not MD ppl) opinions are of the man.

BTW for those who don't know hes 'THE MAN WHOS ARMS EXPLODED!'

#2

I can’t read any of his shit over at MD, it hurts my eyes. He types in all caps. lol. He seems like a cool dude, but when people that aren’t into bodybuilding discuss him they talk about how hes “disgusting” and “ruined his body” and then throw all of bodybuilding into those categories. For that reason, I feel he had/has a negative influence on the sport.

#3

The guy is a bit of a nut; I believe he has had a negative influence on the strength-training world.

There was so much damn mainstream media coverage on the guy and every instance around that time in which I spoke to someone about BBing, they would respond, “oh, did you see that guy whose arms exploded?”

So he wound up being another example to some common folks that bodybuilders are a bunch of lunatic-fringe outcasts.

#4

Do i enjoy reading his stuff from time to time ? Yes, do I think he is a positive influence on bodybuilding ? Most definitely not.

You put him in front of people who know nothing about bodybuilding or just getting into it and he is going to scare the living shit out of them.

They guy can be funny, but he should keep to the magazine pages, he isn’t doing bodybuilding any favors with ESPN interviews and documentaries about how he blew up his arms with motor oil.

#5

i seen the espn interview your talking about today actually…he does seem like a cool dude…its sad how steroids ruined his personal life…his son doesnt even talk to him…pretty sad

and yeah most people would say hes a negative influence,but now hes trying to change that…im not sure if he can ever change the perception of which people think of him

#6

To be honest I am not sure where I stand on Gregg.

In Bigger Stronger Faster it seemed like he knew that he took it to far and almost regretted what he did.

I have read some of his posts but cant stand the way he types them.

I would say by the sheer amount of coverage he got for his synthol/steroid use that it casted an even worse light on bodybuilding and steroids in general.

People watched that and instantly copy and pasted his face on every lean/huge guy and assumed that they were all like that.

That is what I have seen anyway.

#7

If only he would come clean and admit that his arms aren’t from site injections, or ESPN and other media outlets would do some fucking research…

#8

I don’t think he has an influence on bodybuilding one way or the other. I’ve never heard of anyone who wanted to emulate him. And no one takes him seriously. Amusing guy, sure, and seems to recognize that he took things too far.

But he’s got a very negative influence on the outsiders’ perception of bodybuilders. Nothing new to say there.

i really wish he’d admit to using synthol though. It’s sad that people think your arms could actually look like that without it, too.

#9

He certainly doesn’t come across as the smartest individual.

#10

Well for the haters he is like a synergy, and they will hold with the argument that bb fucks your body and show him, but I think he is a cool guy.

Maybe he has mental issues, but I don’t have anything against him, he doesn’t affect me neither many people directly.

I think he doesn’t help bodybuilding as a sport, but as a lesson of what could happen to the guys that take it too far (with some other guys on that hall). Amongst the people that don’t do bodybuilding most of 'em won’t understand it, thus creating certain fear and hate, even if Greg didn’t ever exist.

#11

This post in the Article discussion basically sums it up

"It’s actually amazing that there aren’t more guys like him.

Both a girl’s chest and a guy’s arms are often called “guns.” In our world, big “guns” are desirable. After all, how many women have had their breasts enlarged? Hundreds? Thousands? Millions maybe?

Yet’, there’s only one Valentino. "

#12

l agree about the arms but
theres only one valentino that everyone knows about.

lve known guys with pec and calf implants,
its not as uncommon as most people would assume, they just hide it better

#13

Here is teh Link for the ESPN video - http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/clip?id=4108295&categoryid=null

#14

I’ve turned my back slightly on MD after The Blechman shafted Romano and Palumbo, but to stay on subject I think Gregg’s influence on bodybuilding is mixed. He’s the ugly side times 100 in regards to his abuse of AAS, his other clandestine business ventures, and general psychotic behavior (come on man, no pinning in the bis).

Personally, he’s someone I would like to buy a giant t-bone and sit down and talk to him about how it used to be like. When the “stuff” flowed freely and we could do as we wished. It would probably be 4 hour steak dinner. I hold him in higher regard than a certain politician and 6 + a freebie Mr. Olympia. “When you play by the rules” My ass.

#15

[quote]optheta wrote:
Here is teh Link for the ESPN video - http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/clip?id=4108295&categoryid=null [/quote]

Awesome thank you.

#16

No such thing as bad media. I think he was a good influence in that he got the sport even more out into the spot light, when it comes to BBing. When the make love not warcraft ep of south park came out taking the piss out of World of Warcraft, 3 times as many people joined for the next month.

Do I think he gave BBing good media, hell no, but that does not mean it was bad.

#17

Just got done watching.

Its wierd to think of him being completely against steroids now.

I look forward to his new posts though.

#18

[quote]Skinless wrote:
Just got done watching.

Its wierd to think of him being completely against steroids now.

I look forward to his new posts though.[/quote]

I doubt that hes against him. He was using them for such a long time i think honestly that he couldn’t be totally against I mean look at what they got him? They got him to his Goals.

However I am surprized that ESPN kept the last part were they discussed his health im glad they kept that in. Which i woulda thought they would have taken it out as it shows that steroids dun kill you

#19

[quote]optheta wrote:
Skinless wrote:
Just got done watching.

Its wierd to think of him being completely against steroids now.

I look forward to his new posts though.

I doubt that hes against him. He was using them for such a long time i think honestly that he couldn’t be totally against I mean look at what they got him? They got him to his Goals.

However I am surprized that ESPN kept the last part were they discussed his health im glad they kept that in. Which i woulda thought they would have taken it out as it shows that steroids dun kill you[/quote]

Yeah I know what you mean about the health part at the end. You would think they would totaly skew the facts or something and turn it into an anti steroid add.

#20

[quote]Vatic wrote:
No such thing as bad media. I think he was a good influence in that he got the sport even more out into the spot light, when it comes to BBing. When the make love not warcraft ep of south park came out taking the piss out of World of Warcraft, 3 times as many people joined for the next month.

Do I think he gave BBing good media, hell no, but that does not mean it was bad.[/quote]

If bodybuilding needs any “spot lights” shown on it, they need to shine on the most well rounded and respectable individuals involved at the top of the sport, not some fool who injected oil into his arms until they distorted beyond any semblance of aesthetic/natural shape and development who insists “roids” did it when everyone else knows otherwise.

How do you see him as a “good influence”?

I really believe most of the people who think like you do so because no one mistakes you as a bodybuilder on a regular basis. You don’t have to worry about being grouped together with that lunatic so you don’t see the negative impact.