Met Lee Priest today in Sydney - April 20/08. Photos.

[Vince B]

Yes, I have a big, well equipped gym. I also have some machines at the factory. That isn't sufficient to motivate me to train. When I go to my gym I have to check equipment and then talk to staff and members. There is little time to train. I honestly don't have the energy much of the time. Training seems to be a chore instead of a pleasant thing to do.

I have found over the decades than unless I am persistent and keep training then gains won't stay. It then becomes rather pointless to train unless a commitment to keep it up is there.

Hank reveals no evidence that he lifts weights so what gives him the moral authority to bag anyone here on Getbig? He likes to poke fun at people and challenge them about things. How easy is it for anonymous guys who can say what they like and who are responsible to no one. I don't respect cowards on the internet. What should be an amazing place to interact has evolved into a cesspool where dickheads proliferate and have a platform. Getbig is one of the worst forums and the result is few pros or intelligent bodybuilders post here. Well, I forgot that Goodrum claims to have an IQ of 131. That is why in one year he went from needing coupons to get meals at Las Vegas to being able to afford a new Mercedes!

I spend time here because it is a challenge to avoid being tarred and feathered by the flotsam and netstalkers. Instead of writing for magazines I prefer to write my articles and publish them here. That is what I think of the magazines and the whole scene. We deserve what we get and we get what we deserve.

Where else on line can you post a photo of a lovely girl and before long some jerk will post that he would bang her? There is absolutely no way I would post photos of my daughters here at Getbig.

[WhiteCastle]

Who's the broad posing with that homeless guy that looks like Mayor Daley?

[knny187]

The way the fitness scene has evolved is typical of what happens when all those pseudo experts try to make money. How on earth can silly equipment designed by some eccentric guy a century ago be popular today? I am talking about Pilates here. I see the programs on TV where spruikers claim they lose weight on those machines. Yeah, sure. Then I look at the alternative medicine crap that is involved. These people contribute almost nothing to the fitness scene yet find suckers to buy their products. Several companies were demonstrating vibration machines. I thought those disappeared forever about 30 years ago. Nope, still around today and some cost $10,000 or more. Whatever is standing on vibrating machines supposed to do for fitness?

I am not totally convinced on Vibration Machines...but NASA has done alot with it. 

[busyB]

Why is he autographing "Musclemags" when he just signed with MD??

don't let Steve see that photo!! 

[New Hank Wood]

Lee will 'sign' any God damn magazine that he wants to!  No one tells Lee  what he can, and can't do!

Lee does it all for the fans! Never forget that!

Lee is a rebel. 

He would hoping that Blechman sees these photos.  Of course Blechman will be angry!  Afterall, Lee has signed with MD and at the first opportunity he is signing MuscleMags.

Lee, be careful what you do behind Blechman's back!  Remember when you gave 'the bird' that time?

Be careful Lee, you don't want to jeopardize another contract!

[m8]

hank wood believes in "God".

[AVBG]

Vince B, I find it a bit creepy that you attend someone's funeral that you haven't met before, those occasions should be left for friends and family of the deceased not someone who met a relative (Lee) for the first time the day before ... There must've been relations whispering amongst themselves  "who's the dude with the dog t-shirt"... just my opinion.

[danielson]

bloated and sweaty

Both of them.

[Vince B]

Why should anyone be limited from attending a funeral who wants to support someone who is there? Funerals are for the living. Ron told me to tell Lee that many on Getbig were sending condolences to him for the loss of his grandfather. I have read about how close Lee was to his family and especially his grandparents who helped bring him up. I am glad I was there to support Lee. There were no other bodybuilders at the funeral. I was moved by how close the family is and how his grandfather accepted people and tried to help everyone. He didn't mind kids crying at funerals because he loved kids. Owen was an ordinary bloke but he was a very good one. I can now understand why Lee is the way he is. His folk didn't need tricks and subterfuge but said what was on their minds. These are straight forward, decent folk and Lee must feel out of place in Las Vegas where so much is fake. No wonder he is disgusted with the way bodybuilding is run. I agree.

After the funeral everyone got together and it was a warm occasion. I felt accepted there and talked to people and took some photos for Lee. He has a good heart and I respect him as a person. It was a privilege to be there and I don't regret it at all. Those are good people and they wouldn't turn anyone away who wanted to be there. There was a lot of love there and it poured out of the people who spoke about Owen.

I haven't posted too much about the funeral because of the lads here who are rather uncivil when it comes to sensitive things like that.

[technokc]

Yes, I have a big, well equipped gym. I also have some machines at the factory. That isn't sufficient to motivate me to train. When I go to my gym I have to check equipment and then talk to staff and members. There is little time to train. I honestly don't have the energy much of the time. Training seems to be a chore instead of a pleasant thing to do.

I have found over the decades than unless I am persistent and keep training then gains won't stay. It then becomes rather pointless to train unless a commitment to keep it up is there.

Hank reveals no evidence that he lifts weights so what gives him the moral authority to bag anyone here on Getbig? He likes to poke fun at people and challenge them about things. How easy is it for anonymous guys who can say what they like and who are responsible to no one. I don't respect cowards on the internet. What should be an amazing place to interact has evolved into a cesspool where dickheads proliferate and have a platform. Getbig is one of the worst forums and the result is few pros or intelligent bodybuilders post here. Well, I forgot that Goodrum claims to have an IQ of 131. That is why in one year he went from needing coupons to get meals at Las Vegas to being able to afford a new Mercedes!

I spend time here because it is a challenge to avoid being tarred and feathered by the flotsam and netstalkers. Instead of writing for magazines I prefer to write my articles and publish them here. That is what I think of the magazines and the whole scene. We deserve what we get and we get what we deserve.

Where else on line can you post a photo of a lovely girl and before long some jerk will post that he would bang her? There is absolutely no way I would post photos of my daughters here at Getbig.

Actually have to agree with you here, Hank Wood is hands down the most annoying person on here.

[New Hank Wood]

Why should anyone be limited from attending a funeral who wants to support someone who is there? Funerals are for the living. Ron told me to tell Lee that many on Getbig were sending condolences to him for the loss of his grandfather. I have read about how close Lee was to his family and especially his grandparents who helped bring him up. I am glad I was there to support Lee. There were no other bodybuilders at the funeral. I was moved by how close the family is and how his grandfather accepted people and tried to help everyone. He didn't mind kids crying at funerals because he loved kids. Owen was an ordinary bloke but he was a very good one. I can now understand why Lee is the way he is. His folk didn't need tricks and subterfuge but said what was on their minds. These are straight forward, decent folk and Lee must feel out of place in Las Vegas where so much is fake. No wonder he is disgusted with the way bodybuilding is run. I agree.

After the funeral everyone got together and it was a warm occasion. I felt accepted there and talked to people and took some photos for Lee. He has a good heart and I respect him as a person. It was a privilege to be there and I don't regret it at all. Those are good people and they wouldn't turn anyone away who wanted to be there. There was a lot of love there and it poured out of the people who spoke about Owen.

I haven't posted too much about the funeral because of the lads here who are rather uncivil when it comes to sensitive things like that.

Vince, what business is it of yours to go to a funeral of someone you have never met in your life? 

Was  it out of respect for Lee? I call bullshit!    You are 'stalker' material. 

Vince, you lurked around at that exhibition just so you could see Lee.  And then you invite yourself to his grandfather's funeral.  That  is such in 'badtaste'. 

Going to a funeral of someone you do not know, just so you can take photos of Lee and his greiving family.  You are a leach Basile. An insidious, sickening, prying blood sucking leach!

[Vince B]

Hank, you are a vicious person.  So righteous yet so invisible.

I got to know Lee through his posts on Getbig. Then I read about his bio. I also heard about him from two of my gym members who went to see him and get advice, etc. I relate to Lee because I, too, am an individualist who has copped plenty of injustice in my career. I admire the way Lee speaks his mind and he deserves to get support from others in this sport.

I so dislike funerals but at the last minute thought I should go and support Lee and relate what Ron posted about sending condolences. Where were all those who knew him through bodybuilding? I wondered about attending but Lee made me feel welcome so I stayed. Simple as that. He said it was okay to take photos for him. He is a good bloke and I was glad I went. What does longevity have to do with respect or friendship? It is true I knew him in person for a total of about 5 minutes before the funeral.

In this case I felt I did a good thing and will let Lee tell me if it was inappropriate.

[New Hank Wood]

OK, you are very honest and candid in your response.  It prompted me to remove a similar post i just made on the 'bitterness thread'.

Yes, i was harsh in my criticism when i learnt you went to this man's funeral.  At the time it just reeked on 'cashing in' on Lee.  Now though, it appears that your heart was in the right place.

Vince, you are an eccentric personality. You wear your heart on your sleeve and that is what makes you one of the true 'getbig characters'.

Peace.

[Vince B]

I wrote to Lee and apologized if I wasn't welcome there. I doubt Owen would have minded. The stories I heard about him made me respect and admire the guy. Lee is a chip off that block and it was great to see the sensitive side of Lee who spoke with much feeling after losing his cherished grandfather. He lost his grandmother about 5 months ago so it was doubly hard to lose Owen.

[chaos]

I wrote to Lee and apologized if I wasn't welcome there.

Were you invited by a family member/friend?

[Chick]

I swear Basile..you get creepier all the time.

[webcake]

I swear Basile..you get creepier all the time.

lol

It was nice of Vince to pass on his condolences, but going to the funeral was a bit too much. Still, Vince was just trying to show support to Lee and his family.

[Chick]

lol

It was nice of Vince to pass on his condolences, but going to the funeral was a bit too much. Still, Vince was just trying to show support to Lee and his family.

Funerals and weddings are intimate settings, reserved for friends, family and loved ones...you know...INVITED only. If he wanted to show support, write him an email. I'm sure Lee felt supported and consoled by a guy he doesn't know...

Basile gives me the heebie jeebies

[AVBG]

I can appreciate if Vince went to support Lee but from the post Vince made there wasn't any shortage of real friends or family there. If family was scarce I could understand Vince making up the numbers by attending. I could imagine Lee introducing a camera toting Vince.. "Aunt Dorothy this is Vince a gym owner from Sydney (4hrs away from Newcastle) who posts on getbig..you know the internet?"

[webcake]

Funerals and weddings are intimate settings, reserved for friends, family and loved ones...you know...INVITED only. If he wanted to show support, write him an email. I'm sure Lee felt supported and consoled by a guy he doesn't know...

Basile gives me the heebie jeebies

Yep, definietly agree with you. Im sure he meant no harm, but basically an internet friend attented a funeral of a man he never met. Bit weird...

[New Hank Wood]

Look, as i stated earlier Vince is an eccentric character.  Getbig has become his family. Turning up to the funeral is what family do, albeit 'an internet family'.


Showing up, uninvited, with camera in hand to the funeral of a grandfather that is related to an x-Pro  (Lee; he use to post here) is unusual and out of the ordinary. 

In summary, Vince believes in his mind he is 'related' because he is part of the Getbig-family! And yes, family is family!

[jr]

He won't recover.

[Vince B]

While I respect that one needs an invitation to attend a wedding I have never felt that funeral services needed any such thing. Anyone who wants to show their respects to the departed can attend.

Trust the lads here to make an issue out of a very sensitive and sad occasion.

[io856]

Personally, I don't think that Vince Basile's attendance at the funeral sounds inappropriate.

[webcake]

While I respect that one needs an invitation to attend a wedding I have never felt that funeral services needed any such thing. Anyone who wants to show their respects to the departed can attend.

Trust the lads here to make an issue out of a very sensitive and sad occasion.

One of the stupidest things i have EVER heard.

Anyone can attend?! well i don't know aboput you Vince, but  if i was at a funeral of a loved one, i wouldnt want some random off the street to attend. Funerals are very intimate times, reserved for close friends and family.

anyone can attend fuck your stupid