Lighten up dude, we're having fun. Let off some steam with a few sets of squats and get back to me.
Seems to be your calling card, Pumpster old chap. Somebody posts the reasons why X isn't Y, and you either ignore it or just repeat what you said before. Incidentally, I did mention Platz above - right from the very beginning - and as stated, he's the exception that proves the rule.
I concur that evidently it appears prioritisation is the main reason why legs exploded after this era.
Regarding squats vs leg press - the reason why the leg press is relatively
easier is because (a) your back is supported and (b) it's more isolating for the quad (with some hams) than the squat, which as we know is probably THE ultimate all-body exercise (or the only one that comes close). Naturally the leg press will seem less taxing *on your body* as only really your legs are doing any work (and mostly your quads, depending on foot position - for most people it's mostly quads.) That doesn't mean as a *quad* exercise it isn't as effecient, or possibly even more so, depending on the weights being used (with full reps, proper form etc.)
Regarding squates and structure, Dorian Yates himself (and we know, we know, he's no Paul Dillet), stated that, "... I perservered with the exercise until October of 1989, when I finally accepted my structure - narrow hips, longish legs - was not ideal for heavy barbell squats. Instead, I began to rely on leg presses and Smith Machine squats as mass builders for thighs. However, I still recommend that everyone, beginners in particular, earn their thigh-building spurs with barbell squats. You should cease doing them only if you feel, as I did, that they're causing more harm than good."
He adds: "For stimulating sheer quad mass, the leg press is my exercise of choice. Beware, however, because it is one of the most abused and misused exercises in the bodybuilding repertoire. The sport abounds with erroneous claims from guys citing leg-preses in excess of 1,500 pounds. These guys may indeed have 1,500 pounds loaded on the machine, but they certainly aren't using a full range of motion. What most of these guys do is set the supporting backboard at such an extreme upright angle that their knees can only move four or five inches during their so-called 'reps'. They're doing only a partial movement and, thus, achieving only a partial stimulation of the thigh muscles."
Dorian, incidentally, claims he maxed out at 1,265 pounds on the leg press.
As usual, there are no hard and fasts - if it works for you, it works. And that's it.