The 1980 Olympia - Arnold v. Mentzer

[Palpatine Q]

Roy Callender was a great BBer

[suckmymuscle]

  I have a 1995 issue of MD - from the time that publication was still a bodybuilding mag and not an advertisement catalog for Organon and Searle companies -, which shows Arnold preparing or the 1980 Olympia in Sidney and then at the show itself. The pictures were taken by George Butler.

  From the pictures, it's obvious that Arnold was so genetically superior to his competitors that it was ridiculous. The difference in muscularity itself put him a dozen years ahead of his time and made him the clear winner. Here was a 6' 2 man with round and long muscle bellies, wide clavicles and not a single muscle missing from his frame. What is there left to discuss, folks?

  Many point out that the 1980 Olympia was fixed. Which is true. But that's not telling the whole story: it was fixed, but Arnold also convincingly won it. The judges would probably give it to Arnold anyway even if he screwed up, but the bottom line is that they didn't have to because Arnold won it. From a pure bodybuilding perspective, Arnold's symmetry and presentation were as good as the best of his competitors and his muscularity was on a whole other level. His conditioning was also superb.

SUCKMYMUSCLE

[The D-Unit]

1980

[BEAST 8692]

You're absolutely right, my fault, I forgot that part. He was standing, and as Mike aproached him with his angry tone, Arnold got seated pretty scared (sorry, Alexxx)!!

and obviously averted eye contact too, just like a submissive dog.

i'm afraid mentzer was the alpha male that day ...

or maybe the great arnold intuition prevailed and he realized, even back then, that mentzer wasn't playin with the full deck.

[Eric2]

I see it another way. Arnold played Mike, made him look like the aggressor thus making things work more for him.

[pumpster]

I see it another way. Arnold played Mike, made him look like the aggressor thus making things work more for him.

No advantage either way. Sounds nice in theory, goes with Arnold's claims

[DVSGOD]

 I have a 1995 issue of MD - from the time that publication was still a bodybuilding mag and not an advertisement catalog for Organon and Searle companies -, which shows Arnold preparing or the 1980 Olympia in Sidney and then at the show itself. The pictures were taken by George Butler.

  From the pictures, it's obvious that Arnold was so genetically superior to his competitors that it was ridiculous. The difference in muscularity itself put him a dozen years ahead of his time and made him the clear winner. Here was a 6' 2 man with round and long muscle bellies, wide clavicles and not a single muscle missing from his frame. What is there left to discuss, folks?

  Many point out that the 1980 Olympia was fixed. Which is true. But that's not telling the whole story: it was fixed, but Arnold also convincingly won it. The judges would probably give it to Arnold anyway even if he screwed up, but the bottom line is that they didn't have to because Arnold won it. From a pure bodybuilding perspective, Arnold's symmetry and presentation were as good as the best of his competitors and his muscularity was on a whole other level. His conditioning was also superb.

SUCKMYMUSCLE

Agree,Arnold may not have been at his best but he still was ahead of the competion,As has been said he won on the day-end of story.

[jonsande]

Chris Dickerson owns everyone in that lineup. 

[Sir Bigness]

How can this still be a topic...Go to bed!!! If there was no Arnold, there would be no BB today!

[LongtimeLurker]

what happenned was this, there was not anyone who BEAT arnold, so the king kept the crown

Exactly.  That sounds like the most probable state of the matter, just like it is with many top-level competitions.

[BEAST 8692]

Roy Callender was a great BBer

that's a great shot of roy. what year was that?