Here are some shots of Ed Corney today at the NPC San Francisco show.

He's seated with NPC competitor Candace Covington who is also a member of the NBA Sacramento Kings dance team. 

http://www.EdCorney.net

Danny "The Giant Killer" Padilla was born Dennis Padilla on April 3, 1951. He was the sixth child for Ramon and Frances Padilla.

On January 29, 1970 he entered the "Mr. Rochester" bodybuilding competition and, at the age of 18, he was the youngest person ever to win that title.

Dan went on to win the 1975 IFBB Mr. USA, the 1977 IFBB Mr. America, win his class that same year at the '77 IFBB Universe, finish in the top ten at the IFBB Night of the Champions and the IFBB Mr. Olympia (including the Masters Olympia) nine separate times and gain induction into the IFBB Hall of Fame this year (2009).

You can send your birthday greeting directly to him at: info@danpadilla.com

Danny was inducted into Joe Weider's IFBB Bodybuilding Hall Of Fame . . . Received the January issue of Flex today with the announcement.

Photo montage is a snapshot belonging to Danny of him receiving his Mr. Rochester title at age 18 . . . The next photo is just 11 years later, an unpublished shot of Dan on the Olympia stage.

http://www.danpadilla.com

I picked up Tim Belknap's domain name for him over a year ago . . . And despite some folks in "high places" in the industry offering to help me find him and give him his web site, nothing has come through yet.

The site is just a one page "hold" right now.  It clearly says that it's available to him free-of-charge and then gives a contact e-mail address.  Well, despite what I thought was fairly clear language that explains that the site is NOT yet his, I've been getting e-mail for him (old girlfriends, etc.) . . .

Anyone know how I might hook him up with this page?

http://www.TimBelknap.com

At what point when you were forwarded this private e-mail between two other people talking about a third person's private medical information did you think it was appropriate to post it in a public forum?

Yesterday, on Danny's birthday, photographer Ed Taylor sent him another previously unpublished photo that he shot at the 1981 Mr. Olympia contest.

It is, in my humble opinion, an insanely impressive most muscular pose.

You can see it about half way down the page at:

http://www.goldenagebodybuilding.com

The growth hormone rumors about Chris are really ironic . . . When he was preparing for his seminar this past January (2008), he told me that he was a bit concerned that there might be some questions from the audience about growth hormone and other "modern" performance enhancing drugs . . . What was his concern?  He knows absolutely NOTHING about growth hormone and such things, and didn't want to appear "out of step" with the current state of anabolic enhancement in the sport.  I had to laugh to myself that there are some out there that are absolutely CONVINCED that he used (or abused) substances that, in fact, he has not ever had a glancing acquaintance with. 

Thanks for posting that photographic "history" of Nubret's career.  Great stuff!

I think the most important contribution to the sport, or legacy, of a guy like Serge Nubret is that his kind of aesthetically pleasing physique encouraged and inspired a whole lot of guys to train, buy the magazines, follow the sport, etc. 

You hear the same thing said about a physique like Frank Zane's.  Some will say that Nubret or Zane presented a look that was both desirable to a wide range of people and "attainable".  I understand where this sentiment comes from but I have to respectfully disagree on the "attainable" aspect.  While Nubret always looked like a "human ideal" (not what some today refer to as a "freak"), the average Joe was not going to attain Serge's look no matter what they did in (or out) of the gym . . . There is only one Serge Nubret . . . Let's just say that he is what many folks would "aspire" to look like (if they could) . . . There is a far smaller group of people that aspire to look like today's 300 pound pros even if, as I do, they deeply respect their achievements.

I can't wait to hear the interview.

Dan and Bob

One of your best shows yet.  You were able to cover so much relevant ground with your questions.  You both came across as extremely well prepared and knowledgeable regarding Paris' life and career.  The feeling of the interview was easy, confident and smooth but also interesting and compelling . . . basically, everything a good interview should be.  The addition of Jay near the end of the hour was absolutely perfect.  The questions that you directed towards Jay (and his thoughtful responses) really added dimension to the show . . . what could have just been a surprise "cameo" by him instead truly enhanced Paris' appearance on the show.

Great job.

His departure from the IFBB was the end of an era (actually maybe a bit after that era had already passed, based on his contest history) of that truly classic look. 

No, his son is, of course, quite aware of the troubles that split up his family.  If you recall, during his interview segment, Sergio said quite a few times what a "good" and "important" show PBW is, he was referring exclusively to what his son had told him about your show . . . that it is respectful, respectable, etc. . . . So, in essence, his son "vouched" for a show that then went on to trash his mom on the air.  What was that you were saying at the beginning of last night's show about not talking about wives or any other people who are "not there to defend themselves"? 

You also asked his dad about police brutality.  A nice tidbit that David Robson pulled out of a trash bag for you (just like his stellar contribution to journalism that was the center of last week's show).

You're right, the show isn't turning into the National Inquirer, it's a bit more like The Star . . . American Media owns that trash rag as well as your sponsor Weider Publications . . . and the list goes on. 

Sergio did a good job . . . He was gracious, funny and self-deprecating. Listen carefully and you'll find some real gems in there.

The question regarding the violence between Sergio and his ex-wife seemed to be gratuitous . . . especially when you only have 22 minutes to talk to the greatest bodybuilder of all time. It's important to remember that this talk doesn't just involve Sergio and his ex-wife, it is also potentially very upsetting to their son, Sergio Jr.

The same goes for the "fight" story question regarding an incident during his police career.  The show is now getting real good at repeating the sensationalistic garbage that certain writers seem to have made their stock and trade to dig up.  Let's stick to the sport or else rename it PGW (Pro Gossip Weekly).

The semi-comic/tragic moment came when Bob included Chuck Sipes in a list of living bodybuilders in an attempt to make a point about the longevity of many of the champions of the sport. ooops!

I thought that the Nasser portion of the show was pathetic and it was despicable to give him any air time. It brought the show down to the level of the worst kind of petty garbage that takes place on the GetBig forums . . . and for all the hype and "controversy", the ironic thing is that he was incredibly boring to listen to.

This blog was e-mailed to me yesterday (it's NOT mine) . . .

I thought I'd share it because it's articulate and tracks the thoughts and detailed preparation of a "regular guy" getting ready for an NPC show.

http://mycontestprep.blogspot.com

Now, as an adult, I work with a lot of these guys doing web work, publicity, etc. . . . But I think that it's really the people that you meet when you're young and just starting to train that leave the biggest impression on you.

In 1981 I met my first two pro bodybuilders.  Before that I had only seen these guys in the magazines.  I was so young and naive that I didn't realize that they wouldn't be six feet tall and as wide as a house in person . . .  I also didn't know that there was such a thing as an "off season".  I thought that the athletes looked like they did at contest time all year round. 

I met Mike Mentzer and Chris Dickerson that year.  Mike was pretty bitter and out of shape (post 1980 Olympia debacle).  Chris was in the lobby of the Beacon theater in New York just about to win the Night of Champions.  I could go on and on about the impact it had on me to meet these guys and get both positive and negative "reality checks" about my innocent conceptions of the sport . . . But I'll just say that meeting other pro athletes now (at age 42) is nothing like meeting them when I was a wide eyed 16-year-old.  I actually work with Chris now and it's just a whole different thing.  I admire his achievements in the sport.  He's a good friend.  But now we're both adults and my days of "heroes" are long behind me.


http://www.SkunkTerrier.com

I just wanted to thank the GetBig members who have contacted me with not only their own personal stories about Ron but also a bunch of good leads about contacting others who knew him well.  I, and his friends and family, appreciate all the positive input that we've received as news of this tribute web site spreads.

Photographer Ed Taylor was kind enough to send some more amazing photos that he took of Danny at the 1981 Olympia.

You can see them on Dan's web site.

http://www.danpadilla.com/taylor.html

If any of you would like to share some of your memories or thoughts about Ron Teufel's life and career, please submit them to info@ronteufel.com

We're working on a web site (in it's initial stages).  I've been in touch with Ron's family and they've been receptive to the idea of having the web site expand over time into a place of tribute to Ron on the Internet.

You can see the first stages of the site at:

http://www.RonTeufel.com

My girlfriend does sports rehab physical therapy . . . She and I both know Chris and when she saw a photo of his elbows from late in his career the very first thing she said to me was "Olecranon Bursitis".  It is an inflammation of a small sac of fluid located on the tip of the elbow. She's seen it in quite a few of her clients, none of whom have anything to do with bodybuilding or the associated drugs. 

I have never asked Chris directly about this because, well, it would be sort of obnoxious and it seems to me to be quite unnecessary.

I don't know what to say . . .  that was, in my opinion, your finest hour on PBW so far. 

The interview was so well constructed, informative and, most importantly, extremely moving. 

I don't think I'm overstating the case when I say that you've created a very important and lasting piece of bodybuilding history with this episode of the show.

I scanned and posted a photo of Ed Corney doing a posedown with Reg's grandson Tamarak in South Africa in 1978.  Ed was there at Reg's invitation to guest pose at the Mr. Southern Africa show and do a seminar at his gym.

You can find the photo at:

http://www.goldenagebodybuilding.com

It took the better part of two years to locate the man who was IFBB Mr. Universe at age 19 and entered his first (and the first) Olympia at age 21 - IFBB Hall Of Fame bodybuilder, Harold Poole.

We've been speaking to each other for close to six months and we were planning his "return" to the public eye with an official web site and some press in the magazines . . . This was supposed to all take place about three months from now, but due to "circumstances beyond our control" we had to push the launch of his web site up and do it now.

It's far from finished . . . but the site is a good beginning that will grow over the coming months.

You can find it at: http://www.HaroldPoole.com

Thanks to Dan Solomon and Bob for doing such a good job with the interview. 

I talked to Danny this morning in Virginia, where he's working on a project until the end of the week, and he said that he had a great time doing the show and really enjoyed the whole experience.

You can always reach him directly at: info@danpadilla.com




http://www.DannyPadilla.com

I've finally been able to get the first version of the official Samir Bannout web site up and running.  It will grow and expand over time . . . You can check it out at:

http://www.samirbannout.net

I believe that shot was taken for either his 1994 or 1995 Masters Olympia competition.  Boyer still trains very intensely and continues to maintain a physique (at 60-years-old) that I wouldn't mind having at 42 (or really ANY age). 

Boyer is so busy with his business and other side projects - especially this time of  the year which is "high season" for his work, and therefore quite hectic - So, in order to keep it easier for him, I suggested that we do what we did on the Earl Maynard web site  - www.EarlMaynard.net - and just have Boyer sign a limited edition of photos, send them to me and then have me take care of filling individual orders.  In Earl's case, we did it because he lives in Barbados and it just made more sense to have me ship from here in California.  I can't say that we won't eventually be able to have Boyer do personalisation on the photos . . . It just seemed like right now it's the best way to work with a guy as busy and active as Boyer currently is.  It's by no means any indication of his lack of interest in catering to his fans.  It's just a pragmatic decision.