Read this.
http://ironage.us/yabbse/index.php?topic=2340.0
just read it.
i didn't even think that this was in contention. it is completely consistant with everything i've seen and read of arnold. hell, even watching pumping iron will tell you this much. arnold was a typical highly competitive athlete that used everything he had at his disposal to
win, including his wit. how about what he was saying in reference to franco about mind fucking him in the prep or breakfast with lou, the "it's not your year this time lou. you haven't peaked. you'll be better in another year but then, so will i..." or words to that effect. then lou's dad saying, "you are the king of kings, arnold." lol, was i the only one noticing lou shot down in flames right there?
it's like how ali did all that shit talking and posturing with liston, frazier and foreman. he knew exactly how to taunt these guys simply because he thought outside the box and realised that psychology is a very powerful weapon in sports.
i'm not morally justifying waht arnold did any more than ali calling frasier an 'uncle tom (for his being managed by whites, as if ali didn't start his pro career exactly in that fashion), liston an ugly gorrilla or insighting africans to keep chanting "ali, boombayae" (translates to
ali kill him) and, by fight night, every african in africa wanted to see foreman die and
he knew it.
or bernard hopkins throwing the puerto rican flag on the ground in front of felix trinnidad before their mw title bout which was pretty ballsy considering hops was in puerto rica at the time (hyping the fight) in front of thousands.
psychology is the weapon not to be ignored if you want to be the best.