I don't get the fascination with Rhoden at ALL. He's vaguely reminiscent of Flex Wheeler from an angle or two. He has a small waist and pretty big arms.
He's also smooth, lacks "pop" as others have said, and in some poses his arms go, in the immortal words of $20 Louie, "Go doo nuffin'." That hands-on-hips MM is a perfect example. I think if Cedric McMillian ever gets his head out of his ass and gets in contest-shape, he'd school all but the top two guys.
Speaking of ...
I know practically everybody here likes to think Kai won the last Olympia, but I still think Phil had it. Break it down by compulsories. Just how many did Kai actually WIN? Front biceps? BZZZT. Puny forearms, smooth abs, flat chest. Rear biceps? BZZZT. Arguably better legs, but good as Kai's back is, his traps are ridiculously weak.
I'd like to see a pose-for-pose comparison between the two. As noted, it seems like 90% of Getbig just hates "Philinsulin," and I do understand at least some of the reasons why.
Hatred for him aside, seriously: where did Grapefruit really BEAT him? And what do Grapefruit's supporters say about his very, VERY weak poses, like the traditional most-muscular? Overlooking Yates' torn biceps is one thing, but disregarding an entire pose is another.
