I think one of the things pro bodybuilding could do to get back into the public eye would be to make someone like Melvin Anthony, Dexter Jackson, or Darrem Charles Mr. O.
Show the world a representative with an attracive, aesthetic, achievable (even though it’s really not) physique.
Last champ like that was the Professor’s beloved Lee Haney, who for all the sheer yardage his back took up, had a tiny waist and legs that–while massively muscled and defined–weren’t the oddly shaped zip codes that Ronnie has.
Hell, even before Lee, they were going towards mutants: while Dorian Yates may be one of my favorites (his front lat spread is one of the wonders of the world, and the image that imspires me through every back day), he certainly did not have an aesthetic physique.
Bring back Frank Zane. Hell…bring back Bob Paris! Anybody remember that guy?
I was waiting in line for my little brother…he lives in another state and is a huge Dexter Jackson fan, so trying to be the good brother I was getting it for him…that’s not the point though is it…
He was doing a service because he was getting PAID to do it. These guys do get paid for their guest apperance. So why charge fans money.
Jay Cutler was the pro 2 years ago, and Jonnie Jackson was the pro last year, and these guys were total studs! Dexter acted like he was so damn cool that he was charging 10 bucks for his autograph. And yes, he took 5th and 6th in the last couple of years, but guess what, he still makes money…my point is that it isn’t like these guys are hurting for cash!
Speaking of Lee Priest, I saw this \ recently,on another site. Even though its a couple years old, it says, rougly how they get paied, and how much they spend on drugs, etc.
Interesting read, and ditto about Priest being a straght shooter. More respect from me for him.
It will be intersting if he gets into NASCAR, but I bet it will be hard being 100 lbs above the other drivers.
Who’s benching 1000lb? Has that ever been done before?
Yeah, Gene Rychlak did 1005 lbs. Scott Mendelson is in that ballpark too. He has tried 1008 lbs, but has not done it yet, as far as I know. He did bench 755 raw though and 915 in a single ply shirt.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
I hear that a lot, but it isn’t like these guys are making that much money. Without a primary job, living as a pro bodybuilder won’t make you wealthy unless you are Mr. Olympia or handle finances and guest appearances extremely well like Shawn Ray or Cutler.
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I suppose winning the Arnold a few years in a row didn’t hurt Jay’s finances either, huh?
The whole Olympia is a joke, the bb's get shafted, its disgusting the way they are treated, truly disgusting while the parasites who run the show make their money without any risk.
Who’s benching 1000lb? Has that ever been done before?
Yeah, Gene Rychlak did 1005 lbs. Scott Mendelson is in that ballpark too. He has tried 1008 lbs, but has not done it yet, as far as I know. He did bench 755 raw though and 915 in a single ply shirt.[/quote]
I worked for Lee Haney for 2 and 1/2 years and I want to say he is a wonderful person. Humble, good to his employees, the whole nine yards.
I am bummed Lee Priest pulled out. He was looking good earlier in the season and I think he had a shot at top five.
I heard Troy Alves hurt his hamstring. But if he competes, I wish him the best of luck. Great look. And I was really impressed by the devotion to his wife on the Battle for the Olympia DVDs. (Yes, I have a couple. Flame away if you must.)
I like Dexter Jackson. To me, his physique is better than any of the others. No one has the mass, deep cuts, and symmetry as he. But Ronnie will probably win.
Show the world a representative with an attracive, aesthetic, achievable (even though it’s really not) physique.
Huh? Do you mean to say that the average Joe thinks he can look like Melvin Anthony?
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The “average joe” (someone with no concept of training, die, etc.) would view Melvin Anthony, Dexter Jackson, Ahmed Haidar as being far more “achievable” than he would Ronnie or Jay.
(Though, when I said achievable, I was really referring to the older guys: Arnold, Zane, etc.)
I may be wrong about this, but I do believe that 95% of the public thinks they could be “muscle-men” if they just lifted weights all the time and took a few steroids. Hell, some of the people on this board (with more than a few posts to their name) are kinda clueless, so I truly don’t think the vast majority knows the dedication to training and nutrition, the mind-boggling amounts of AAS, and the one-in-a-billion genetics needed to look like anyone on the Olympia stage, let alone the top three.
So, it’s really a matter of realtivity: the average man (IMO) looks at your smaller builders and says “I won’t look that.” He looks at Ronnie, Cutler, or Ruhl and says “I CAN’T look like that.”
