Maybe the question, "who's the greatest bodybuilding champion" needs different criteria. Considering the changes in BBing drugs, equipment and nutrition how can there be a "reasonable" comparison? Maybe someone can morph Ronnie's pic to see how he would have looked in the 60's and 70's? Same thing with ArnoldMAybe that would help.
I think part of being a great champion is how you carry yourself outside the stage and how you support the sport. I think, hands down, that Arnold made more of his opprotunities and I think he really ushered BBing into the mainstream of the 80's and early 90's. A whole industry sprang up and modern sports and coaching took notice about how to improve athletes performance. It wasn't all Arnolds credit, but a great deal was. His will and charisma took BBing to a whole new level and made people feel like going to the gym and giving a sh*t about their health was important and attainable.
Now to be fair to Ron, I think he's also a great champ in that he does what's needed to win at the level he competes. But outside of that, how does he support and represent the sport? To many people, Ronnie is the embodiment all that is WRONG with BBing. The insane amount of drugs...the pursuit of size to such extreme levels that the majority of people turn their noses up. and walk away laughing. Is that good for bbing? Is he representitive of what healthy living and regular exercise can do? Is he on the President's physical fitness team?
Nope.
Arnold was for 2 presidents and 2 govenors. Something to think about.....
Ronnie has an almost comic book physique and I think it does nothing to inspire the fat mass of American people, outside of a small group of BBing-mass-fanatics.
Im not taking away Ronnies hard work ethic. Ive seen his videos, its impressive regardless of whether he has a "look" you like, but is he "good for BBing?"
Does he carry himself as a champion and represent the way Arnold did?
