I don't think a bb having a diet, gear and training coach, sometimes they are different people, is outrageous at all. But sure, it was great with guys like Dorian doing everything, but he had an analytical mind plus even him most likely sought advice. Met with Duchaine etc.
I remember Duchaine saying it was like a 90/10 split guruing, 90% was just making sure they didn't do anything stupid, and stuck to diets, being on the phone for them at 4 in the morning, etc..... The other 10% was important things like figuring out dosing, sourcing this or that, etc....
He wasn't kind to Chad Nichols back in the day -
Sandwich: Chad Nichols…
Duchaine: (interrupts) Ahh, Chad Nichols…
Sandwich: He seems to be the number one contest prep guru for the top bodybuilders. And for those readers who do not know what a prep guru does, or, in this case, what Chad does, please tell us what this means. You were a very famous prep guru at one time, too.
Duchaine: A contest "coach" is being the babysitter of a 250 lbs. baby. Its that simple. You are almost holding their hand. Most of the advice is three words: "don’t do that." (chuckles) They will call you up and ask for your approval of the wackiest shit in the world! "I really think I need the cheesecake now!" "Don’t do that." That’s all he does! "And give me my three thousand dollars now." That’s all Chad does. He says, "don’t do that," "don’t eat," "eat now." Oh yeah, I’ve seen some of his contestants, and he’s done some pretty wacky stuff, and really stupid stuff, like fruit carb-ups. Fruit carb-ups so bad they are shitting out green from too many bananas!
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Side note - "The Sandwich" was a guy named Josh Brown on the Misc.Fitness.Weights newsgroup. He trolled for years, but then some of the more known guys took pity on him, and gave him interviews, and help getting published. Not sure if he gave up writing, or just couldn't get easily published when the muscle magazines gave up the "hot talk" format.