THIS WAS THE BIGGEST ROBBERY AT THE NATIONALS!!!!!!!!!!

[The Coach]

I don't know why you're so sensitive to the issue, there isn't gonna be anyone with more attention on him than you at the Excalibur.  If anyone beats you, it will not be because of their "name."  You've been around the sport your whole life, you know all the old timers in the game locally, you trained with Bill Pearl, you won shows in the 70's, everyone knows your Mr. Intenseone handle on here, now your Coach handle, you have a feud going with Milos which he publicly acknowledges and plays into, trust me, if you lose, it will not be on lack of name recognition.  If you bring it, you will be justly rewarded, IMO.  

I haven't been around in 17 years Jeff.....17 years, my name was forgot 16 years 10 months ago, I'm not exactly in the media spotlight and getbig doesn't count, but don't worry, I'll bring it!!

[240 is Back]

So you're saying he needs to "pay his dues" before they give him a title instead of just judging him on his physique?

I agree it's total BS... I agree the contest should be judged purely on the best physique.

However, the reality of the situation - in ALL sports - is that favortism is often showed to those teams/individuals who will grow the sport the most, or make the sport owners more money.

Steelers winning the Super Bowl so Big Ben and Jerome Bettis could get a ring.  Remember all those shady calls?

NBC/refs dissing the shit out of the Knicks and Cavs over the years to escort Jordan into the NBA finals.  

Why?  Cause these teams sell more ad revenue.  Likewise, chances are, at the 2008 NY Pro, a competitor named "Evan Centopani" will sell at least one more ticket, and one more dollar in ad revenue, over a guy named "Atoyan".  Chances are, a lot more tickets, ad revenue, or webcast hits.  

It's how things are.  They often give it to the best physique, but sometimes (think Chris Cook) they give it to the man who will sell the most tickets, ad space, or supplements at the next level - even if the guy is a total bust in the pro ranks.

It ain't fair - but it's a business.

[McFarland]

I haven't been around in 17 years Jeff.....17 years, my name was forgot 16 years 10 months ago, I'm not exactly in the media spotlight and getbig doesn't count, but don't worry, I'll bring it!!

GETBIG DOESN'T COUNT?  Shit, sometimes I wish it didn't count, either, but it most certainly does anymore, bro!  

 

[Andre Nickatina]

Delt looks a bit fishy, no? Although i'm not arguing he's looking like a winner there he still looks to have overdone the shoulder  

[240 is Back]

I'm not exactly in the media spotlight and getbig doesn't count, but don't worry, I'll bring it!!

Please don't underestimate getbig.

Every judge who is familar with the web reads getbig.  

THe excalibur judges know to look for the name Joe Marino.  They've seen your threads leading up to the show.  They know he's a knowledgeable guy who helps others online.  They know he studies this stuff nonstop.  They also know he's a daily Rush listener, an avid student of the Bible, and believes everything Bush says.

So as long as they don't hold that against you, then your name will be the first they look for on the sheets.

[The Coach]

Please don't underestimate getbig.

Every judge who is familar with the web reads getbig.  

THe excalibur judges know to look for the name Joe Marino.  They've seen your threads leading up to the show.  They know he's a knowledgeable guy who helps others online.  They know he studies this stuff nonstop.  They also know he's a daily Rush listener, an avid student of the Bible, and believes everything Bush says.

So as long as they don't hold that against you, then your name will be the first they look for on the sheets.

Thanks Rob....nothing like a little pressure

[chaos]

I think contestants should have to wear brown bags on their heads so the judges can't recognize their faces.

[Lift Studios]

Atoyan was not even close to Evan. He was also a poor sport. He took his trophy and walked off stage before any pics could be taken.  This wasn't the first time he's done this.

[chaos]

Atoyan was not even close to Evan. He was also a poor sport. He took his trophy and walked off stage before any pics could be taken.  This wasn't the first time he's done this.

So the dudes a whiny, pouty, self absorbed, little bitch?

[240 is Back]

Rob you could help guys do this stuff. Pick guys you think have potential and get in touch with them, see what they're about and try to come up with a way to help them establish whatever image you think they can take and run with.  Nothing necessarily cheesy, or off-base, I mean, keep it real, but help them put it all together.  Being the best bodybuilder isn't enough these days, it never was.  

I agree completely with you... but the problem is, more exposure only works when it's a good bodybuilder.  When it's a prick or a crybaby or an uneducated clod, all getbig does is give the world a chance to get the person to implode.  remember the poor guy who putnam beat at USAs?  He signed up to vent, and ended up coming across very very badly for all the judges and his peers to read.  Same with Bui.  He'd have a job for life at some expo table if he'd just never signed up on myspace.  A platform is awesome for those bodybuilders with a brain and some PR sense.  But for the majority of them, it's an avenue to expose their flaws and deliver an entertaining beltdown.  Your idea is a good one, and works with the right guy.

[ManBearPig...]

Team "El Mariachi" fully supports The Coach.  Just don't forget your dictionary calf raises the day of the show and you'll be set!

[chaos]

I agree completely with you... but the problem is, more exposure only works when it's a good bodybuilder.  When it's a prick or a crybaby or an uneducated clod, all getbig does is give the world a chance to get the person to implode.  remember the poor guy who putnam beat at USAs?  He signed up to vent, and ended up coming across very very badly for all the judges and his peers to read.  Same with Bui.  He'd have a job for life at some expo table if he'd just never signed up on myspace.  A platform is awesome for those bodybuilders with a brain and some PR sense.  But for the majority of them, it's an avenue to expose their flaws and deliver an entertaining beltdown.  Your idea is a good one, and works with the right guy.

Excellent insight, 240.

[240 is Back]

Thanks Rob....nothing like a little pressure

LOL... you could have avoided every ounce of pressure and not posted week-by-week progress pics leading up to ths show.  It's more pressure, sure, but it's smart to play it this way.  You're a smart man and know your stuff and will represent the Excalibur well as a class or overall winner.  You're a family man, who works high-level in the industry, You would serve their show well as the winner.  

All things equal (or close), I'd give the trophy to the family man who will have "2007 Excalibur Winner" on his stationary displayed at the top SoCal gyms for the next year.  I'd choose Joe Marino, fitness writer and personal trainer extraordinaire, over John Doe, guy who will win it and do nothing.  

[McFarland]

Good point, 240, but how do you explain Nasser's star power?  "Nasser El Sonbaty."  Despite all his shortcomings, he was one of the most recognizable stars in the bodybuilding universe thoughout the last half of the 90's.  Key word, recognizable.  This guy Attoyan is not "one of a kind," in any way yet, he's pretty good in alot of ways, but there have been guys bigger than him, there have been guys more cut than him, there have been guys both bigger, and more conditioned than him.  There have been better hairstyles, there have been WORSE hairstyles.  Either one would benefit him here.  Just a blonde Britney wig and 10% better conditioning would set him apart if you ask me.  Then he'll be ready to turn pro.  He's just washed out at present, you need some contrast.  Nasser's head to his body was the definition of contrast.  You need to be a "character."  And after saying all this, I'm still not sure you can deliberately put this package together, I just think it's the result of the proper mindset.      

[240 is Back]

Good point, 240, but how do you explain Nasser's star power?  "Nasser El Sonbaty."  Despite all his shortcomings, he was one of the most recognizable stars in the bodybuilding universe thoughout the last half of the 90's.  Key word, recognizable.  This guy Attoyan is not "one of a kind," in any way yet, he's pretty good in alot of ways, but there have been guys bigger than him, there have been guys more cut than him, there have been guys both bigger, and more conditioned than him.  There have been better hairstyles, there have been WORSE hairstyles.  Either one would benefit him here.  Just a blonde Britney wig and 10% better conditioning would set him apart if you ask me.  Then he'll be ready to turn pro.  He's just washed out at present, you need some contrast.  Nasser's head to his body was the definition of contrast.  You need to be a "character."  And after all this, I'm still not sure you can deliberately put this package together, I just think it's the result of the proper mindset.      

Nasser has broken off lead in more blonde fitness girls than ten Tituses.  He's a pimp, an anomaly, and just has game which premeates all accepted standards and cultural norms.  He is an anomaly.  An outlier.  I can't pretend to understand Nasser's power. 

Yeah, a new look would benefit Attoyan though.  It sounds like his attitude might be a problem he cannot overcome.  If a tantrum happens once, well, he was emotional and made a mistake.  When it happens the second time, and the dude disregards his experience for immediate emotional vindication, he's just screwing his own pooch.

[Noel Fuller]

Evan beat the guy....the second place guy has a wider waist ..even has better arms...the guy has better wheels but even was more cut..second place guy wasnt the best this night.

[Darth Muscle]

I guess everyone forgets that Grigori showed his ass the year Capresise Murray won the heavies and finished 2nd in the overalls behind Chris Cook.  The judges didn't forget, because everyone claimed Grigori "showed them up" by walking off stage instead of staying for the top 5 pics.  That's bullshit IMO, because looking at the pics, Grigori looked better than Evan.

[McFarland]

I agree completely with you... but the problem is, more exposure only works when it's a good bodybuilder.  When it's a prick or a crybaby or an uneducated clod, all getbig does is give the world a chance to get the person to implode.  remember the poor guy who putnam beat at USAs?  He signed up to vent, and ended up coming across very very badly for all the judges and his peers to read.  Same with Bui.  He'd have a job for life at some expo table if he'd just never signed up on myspace.  A platform is awesome for those bodybuilders with a brain and some PR sense.  But for the majority of them, it's an avenue to expose their flaws and deliver an entertaining beltdown.  Your idea is a good one, and works with the right guy.

Rob, are you saying that despite your best efforts to make Jack London a household bodybuilding name by creating for him a hard-hitting, stylish website, that your efforts were essentially rendered ineffective by his repeated, ridiculous online self-representations to the contrary?      

[RagingBull]

Very suspicious medial delts on Atoyan.

[Noel Fuller]

Atayan was not better than Evan.

[Matt C]

Grigori appeared in the prime cuts DVD also featuring Layne Norton:

http://www.bodybuildingpro.com/primecutsvolume1dvd.html

I'm not so sure he destroys Evan, but they are both very close!!

[AVBG]

Evans' upperchest tie-ins look weird.. Arms look like they've shrunk..

[240 is Back]

Evans' upperchest tie-ins look weird.. Arms look like they've shrunk..

he went with the low carb precontest prep, I believe.  WIll be interesting to see the MD pics from the day after the show, when he's filled out more.

[AVBG]

He'll do well, once he leaves the MD roster.

[Sir William Idol]

i was at the cal in 2002 when he won the overall.  amazing physique.  then a year later i was randomly driving through auburn (near sacramento) and stopped into a tiny max muscle to get some protein bars.  dude was in there by himself at the desk at like 260 offseason looking monstrous.


when he won the cal his shoulders looked very suspect, however