Have you met any bodybuilding pros?

[powerpack]

I see Dorian Yates nearly every day - he came into the gym for a brief moment when I was training yesterday with loads of christmas shopping and wrapping paper for his little girl - it was kinda surreal when you consider he used to weigh 300lbs and was formerly the best bodybuilder on the planet.

I would still love to meet the man

[Mark1]

I went to the states for a holiday a few years back. I trained in golds a few times and saw Gunter training with Glass, saw Chic too and I think I saw Cormier but not 100% sure.

[regmac]

The first show I ever attended   was the 91 North American  in Redondo Bch.....I met Shawn Ray and Diana Dennis ...they were the first i ever met  and I have been a big fan of both ever since.   Shawn was a bit ego-istic back then   but hey   he was the No.3 best pro in the world.....Lady Di  was  such a true pro back then....since I live in LA   I had a good frienship with Denise Rutkowski  until the drama life hit her...I 've met a number of pros   since i also compete...many have offered me help with dieting others just gave loads of encouragement   like Matterazzo and Shan cheering for me at the 93 Orange County and 2005 Orange respectively...talk about a dram come true!!!

[Luv_2build]

i have met Dorian, Ronnie, Kevin Levrone, Chris Cormier, Flex, Dennis James, Lee, Milos, Markus,Titus, Shawn, DJ Dowadoo or however it's spelled, Melvin, Art Atwood, and numerous others.  The only guy i have ever met that was a downright dick was Lou Ferrigno.  What an ass.  I need $20 bucks if you want a picture with me.  I live close to vegas and have gone down to the O every year since 2000.  If anyone goes down for the O you need to go to the meet the olympians on the thursday before the show.

[wes]

Met a ton of pros from Arnold and Franco to Coleman and Cutler and tons of others in between.

Just a few off the top of my head.......too many to remeber all of them in one sitting.

Bob Chick
Kevin Levrone
Lou Ferrigno
Paul Dillett
James Roberts
Jeff Poulin
Johnny Jackson
Jeff King
Darrem Charles
George Farrah
Jeremy Freeman
Mat Duval
Dave Marinelli
Palumbo
Mike Katz
Jose` Raymond
King Kamali
Greg Kovacs
Chris Cormeir
Shawn Ray
Boyer Coe
Chris Dickerson
Orville Burke
Carla Salotti
Shelly Beattie
Valentina Chepiga
Collette Nelson
Danny Padilla
Milos Sarcev
Kris Dim
Craig Richardson
Dexter Jackson
Steve Nesbit
Denise Rutkowski
Mike Mattarazzo


Drawing a blank,but there`s lots more.

I`ve done a lot of contests and this is where I have met most of the pros I`ve listed.

[alejandro_torres]

gustavo badell in argentina.. he was my heroe, but reallised he is just a dick

cristian lobarede in paraguay.... i have never seen someone with such a big gut, he seemed pregnant,i thought he was in the ofseason, but he lifted his shirt up while working out and he was ripped...

[Narkissos]

I've met 8 so far...

Trained with 6 of the 8..

Helped one prep for his pro debut.

Trained one the pro-qualifiers that brought her the IFBB pro-card. (Figure)

-CNS

[the_doc]

Went to the Olympia last year. meet the Olympians the night before was great. Got to meet and say a few words to all of the competitors except Jay and Ronnie. they had a 1-2 hour line which is too much of my time to just say hi and take a pic. i was going to see them on stage the next day anyway. Most of the pro's were quite relaxed. They were mostly freindly and had plenty of time too answer questions and joke around. Vince Taylor told me all about his prep and injury problems. Gustavo told me he was really tired and wanted to get out of there soon. he looked like he was going to fall asleep but kept smiling and mugging around with people for photos.
I spoke to some retired and non-qualified pros at the competiton and at the expo. Some of the guys really do look just "out of there" up close. Wolfe's arms loooked incredible, bigger and harder than anyone else in the competition.Quincy taylor looks like a real life giant. ed van Amsredam was funny. he asked me if I was in the IRA when i told him I was Irish.

[JasonH]

Oh yes, Ernie Taylor (forgot about him!)

[SF1900]

I was at the 2007 new york pro and met  several pros

branch warren- very standoffish. maybe he was in the "zone" and getting mentally prepared for the show :::shrugs:::
Craig richardson- nice guy
melvin anthony- nice guy. we talked about our hernia operations ..i had an inguinal
paco bautista- just took a picture with him, not much said.
phil heath- talked with him for a little and he was dissapointed that branch won the show
victor martinez- nice guy, talked with him for a minute or so about the 2006 mr olympia
desmond miller- took a picture with him and that was all.
dennis james- after prejudging, he was quick to get out of there. just shook his hand
flex wheeler- eh, who cares
dennis wolf- nicest one out of all of them!

[joelbrandw]

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

[Oaf]

JD Dawudo - top guy who is very laid back even when some dumbass almost dropped a 180lb dumbell on his head while spotting him. He had no problem spotting those around him in the gym.

Art Atwood - another nice guy with a good heart.

Branch Warren - was brief but polite. He was 2 days out from a comp and was very tired so no complaints about being brief.

Chris Cook - very polite and a fun guy just to hang out with

Palumbo - PAAAAAAAAAR--TY!!!!

Titus - unrealiable and ungrateful

Kovacs - my overall impression was that of shyness

Lou Ferrigno - money hungry asshole. Seems to hate life.

Dina - Sweet heart and not shy!

Shawn Ray - Professional and helped me when I needed it. I like him.

Lee Priest - A very dry sense of humour - I got the impression that his 'care-free' attitude had an element of anger/bitterness in there.

Charles Glass - sat beside him on a plane and he was happy to answer my training questions. Lots of smiling.

Ronnie - spoke to him in a strip club and he was distracted so hard to tell!

Jay - total gentleman and happy to help. No ego.

Cathy Priest (or whatever her name is now) - even more beautiful in person. Sweet girl.

Thats all I can remember now.

[Oz Boy]

travelled to the US a couple of times during the 90's & meet alot.

Cormier - trained with him at Golds, ( Farkin strong ) very cool & relaxed

Jim Quinn - very cool & talktive, incredible vascurality (just competed)

Porter Cottrell - couldnt meet a nicer bloke, talkative.....talk under water

Mike Matarazzo - good bloke, the kinda fella that would be good have a drink with

Larra Creavalle - absoulute sweetie, hung out for a while,very gratefull to her fans!

Rich Gaspari - idiolized this bloke as a kid but not after meeting him. Could of caught him at a bad time??

Gary Strydom - cant say enough good bout him. Went to his Crazee wear store and bought some things. Put our stuff in the car and went to another place. When we got back to the car it had been broken into and everything stolen. Anyway saw Garry at Golds later that night and approached him and it got onto our shit experience earlier that day. Garry just goes come back to the shop tomorrow and ask for me. So we did and he then proceeded to just GIVE me & my mate some clothes straight of the rack. BLOODY LEGEND!!

Ernie Taylor - cool fella, i asked him when he was competeing again (this was 97) and he just said he'll have to save some money before he can think bout competing again....

Tom Platz - gave out alot of advice, total professional, i walked away impressed

Francis Benfatto - another really good fella!! hung out for a bit. He's another that loves a chat.

Kevin Levrone & Flex - my thoughts?.... probabley the owners of the 2 best bods that ive metioned here BUT.....nah

[GetBigOrDieTrying]

My wife and I sat behind Francis Befatto and his woman at a show last year and I introduced my self.
He is very easy to approch and seems to like the attention of the fans a lot.

What show was that>?

[Ed Corney]

I've met a few here and there . . .

On stage. 


Ed

[dr.chimps]

I've met a few here and there . . .

On stage. 


Ed

Ha! Touche'. Like asking Eisenhower if he knows any military men. 

[candidizzle]

yup i have met ONE professional bodybuilder. and he was a really cool dude... he is actually supposed to start training legs and back with me and my trainer starting this week or next.......my trainer is a good friend of his and a bodybuilder also and is going to help him bring up those two body parts for an upcoming show.

[smaul]

I've met a few here and there . . .

On stage. 


Ed

I didn't realize you were on getbig!  Very cool to have you here! 

[sickwitit]

I met Ronnie and he was a total dick. There were about 150 people waiting to see him and he stopped the line so he could clip his nails!!!
I met Jay at the the Chicago Ironman, which i competed in and he was real cool about pics.

[candidizzle]

when i said i have only met one pro bb'er, i met one that currently competes. i have met ed corney.. he comes in and trains at my gym(my old gym now..i recently switched) sometimes. really inspiring to see him still in the gym pumping iron.

[mass 04]

not a pro BB but i met HHH in 2002 at his peak and he looked unbelievable.

[Bruffy]

The first guy I ever met was Shaun Davis.  I also met Quincy Taylor.  Both very big guys.

[Moosejay]

I've met a few here and there . . .

On stage. 


Ed

Mr. Corney:

It is a pleasure to have a legend here. I have been friends with and promotiuons partner with Mike Katz for many years here in CT. He always speaks fondly of you. He was reminicing at dinner a few months ago about your search for junk food after the show in Iraq (1972 or 1973)...and all there was was boiling sheep's heads in barrels in the streets!

Hope you didn't eat any of that and waited for some good old American pizza!

[Moosejay]

Mike Mattarazzo (best guy...supportive of all competitors)
Mike Katz (legend and truly nice guy)
Dennis Tinnerino (Charismatic)
Boyer Coe (very proper, respectful, thoughtful of answers to all questions)
Kal Szkalak (told it like it was)
Frank Zane (Cerebral, brilliant, very detailed)
Lance Dreher (just remeber huge arms)
Robby Robinson (Not much I'd rather say)
Aaron Baker (did a few sets with him...was hurried and barely let me get a photo with him)
Gary Strydom (Giant and biggest eater I ever saw...rivalring Waller)
Johnny Morant (huge back...jokester)
Tony Pearson (cool guy...looks smallins in clothers...but just expands onstage)
Danny Padilla (as short as they say...very strong leg presser)
Troy Zuccolatto-( saw him posing with those fake, silver weights for WBF)
Rich Gaspari-tenacious, smart, successful business man...if you are using his products he will really only respond to you if you make marked increases in size)
Franco Santoriello-Sat with him at a booth years ago...kept me laughing...didn't really do his "job" as he was scoping out all the honies)
Mike Christian (not very nice...)
Gunther Schlierkamp (Very Nice...took time to let us work in and joked with us)
Jeff King (stood on stage next to him as teen and looked like a tattoo on his pec)
Bill Pearl-(shook his hand outside the PDI show)
Ron Coleman (NOT Ronnie Coleman!)-very eloquest...stuck at Twinlab booth and would engage in lengthy discourse with anyone would care to.
Sonny Schmidt-(man of few words)
Gary Strydom(he told me he had to eat a whole box of PR bars while doing bike/cardio or his body would just 'eat itself') 
David Dearth
Phil Hill (not very nice...)
Greg Rando (I think he does have partial site...I may be wrong on this)
Kent Kuehn (popped me on the head when I was 15 in 1978 training at original Gold's...scared me shitless but then I saw he was only joking...even at fiteen, I knew who he was...!)
Ed Giulianni...Let me train for free for one week at Gold's or World's (I think he was Gold's at this point...since I was friends with Miuke Katz. I was nervouse around these guys...but not too nervous to mentions Katz's name
Joe Gold (only saw him at counter)
Bob Jodkiewicz
Andreas Cahling
Chris Dickerson-I swear he looked at me in a lascivious way -thought-correctly...this one must be gay-just before he won O.
Greg Deferro (shoulders upon which you could land a jet fighter
Evan Centopani (about as thankful nd gracious as a pro could be)
The Barbarian Brothers...(On my 1978 trip to cali as a 15 year old...they were their benching tons...slapping each other...with a guy snapping shots and some flowery, granola gal flapping around them as if high or otherwise.

1998...training with Robby...ran into Art Zeller...I was in shape so it bugs me to this day I did not ask art to take some shots of Robby and me....those would have been classics...he seemed definitely willing to do so...and he died several months later.

[Moosejay]

Just a few add-ons!

Tom Platz...when he was running WBF for McMahon in CT...would talkk to anyone after he was done training...came off as very astute in business

Bob Chick...approached him when he won the Pro Master's NY and reminded him that I took 9th and he 4th in the 1981 teen natural America in Utica, NY. A good laugh was had by both of us. I was surprised at how much he time talking to me just about things in general, with a smile, and he had to go back on stage soon to win the show. Much of you all say on here about him is bunk, if you ask me.

Kevin Levrone...I approached him at one of his two guest posings at the Montanari brother's and Mike Katz's Junior Nats help in Hartford CT around 2000 and 2001 (may be off on years...but right aroiund there)

I had berought a friend who was interested in bb but was more of a muscian. He was the real deal...played with Grand Funk Railroad 20 years earlier and was getting back in.

Knowing Levrone had something of musical talent himslef with a band, I was certain he'd be interested to speak to someone of Ike's standing.

Well, not only was Levrone about 300 pounds of cut-devoid floppy flesh (the worst of the amateurs could have beated him that night) he pretty much blew Ike and me off.

Of course, Ike just said fuck it...I was a bit more fleutered. Since, Ike plays backup to some of the bands of a few of the late-nite shows (although they are sporadic gigs) and does studio work for Janet Jacket among others. He told me he made $80,000 for six months of work doing shity that he loves...and that he gets royalties.

So, remember, Mr. Levrone...you NEVER know who you are talking to.

Whener I bring up Kevin's name to Ike (I like to break his balls)...he says...fuck that lard-ass...Mike...please do not ever waste my time like that again.

Fopr the record, and to the dismay olf the promoters...Levrone showed, sulking and all...t o the next year's edition even more of a butterball. I mean...it didn 't even look like him. Katz was so pissed he wondered allow if he could get the 5,000$ guest pose fee back (note: he could not-as a Weider contracted athlete...guest pose fees go to the IFBB.)

Janet Tech...80's female bb...sexy, too skinny.
Donna Oliviera.." " " " " " " " ..handed out trophies to m y class
Fred Jarrett
Eliott Gilchrist
Len Bosland