1978 to 1981...Kal, Dennis, Robby and others...real kool photos...

[The Squadfather]

I was 21 there...and about low 170's...never said I was 185 in that shot. If you read through...there are pics up of me at 190.

More will come later from 1986-1987...my biggest onstage weights of 185-190.

Squad, why do you never believe anything?

There is no conspiracy with me. I generally don't lie.

come on dude just be honest, you don't look low 170's there, your legs look like they're 18 inches around and your head is bigger than your torso.

[knny187]

This guy was only 5'7, 5'8, 250# and could hit 405 inclines for 6-8 with good form (and yes, I was an eyewitness);




Funny thing is he could barely hit 405 on squats though despite large wheels........

Rick looks good there.  Never seen these photo's before.

Yeah, he's a short guy...& I know he was strong...but didn't know he weighed 250 pounds.  I thought he was around 225?

And besides Jim & Rick...I thought there was another guy that had a partnership untill Rick broke it off? 

[Moosejay]

Well, I was 170's...despite your interpretations.

Like I said, I have never been totally satisfied...which is why I still train squad.

For your happiness...I will poost 190 lb shots later...where I look 225 onstage.

Which is what its all about...ONSTAGE.

Like some say Zane looked like a swimmer...well...he was Mr. O onstage...

[natural al]

One more of Rick, and to be honest I think Rick had a pro physique, could easily have competed in the pro's;

he was a good BB.....predicted he'd win the nationals one year and didn't then he fell off the face of the earth.

[Moosejay]

Yes, Al.

He stived to the business world and left that of bb. Had he persisted, he could have reached the heights.

[JohnnyVegas]

Rick looks good there.  Never seen these photo's before.

Yeah, he's a short guy...& I know he was strong...but didn't know he weighed 250 pounds.  I thought he was around 225?

And besides Jim & Rick...I thought there was another guy that had a partnership untill Rick broke it off? 

Actually Rick CLAIMED to weigh in at 260#...cough...bullshit...cough...cough.

As for the gym ownership there were well over 10 partners in the begining with varying ownership degrees.

Jim was not actually an owner until 88, or 2 years after Edny sold the gym to Connors and crew..... Steve Henneberry (Tower on American Gladiators) was an original owner (10%), Pat Dillion was an original owner (25%, Dan Duchanies steroid partner, also lent Rick the $10K Rick needed to buy in), Jon Depolo (Opened San marcos?escondido Gold's in 91) became an owner in 87, Dave Zacherey in 88...... plus a few others not worth mentioning.............

Yes, Al.

He stived to the business world and left that of bb. Had he persisted, he could have reached the heights.

Rick looked GREAT from the front-his main problem was when he turned around, no back detail....an earlier version of Nasser if you will........When you see the 87 Cal video with Shawn Ray they both looked fantastic from the front, with Rick being slightly harder-but when they turned around it was game over for Rick. No back detail, while Shawn had detail everywhere.

he was a good BB.....predicted he'd win the nationals one year and didn't then he fell off the face of the earth.

Rick was without doubt the best BBer in San Diego in the late 80's..... and when Jerry Rodgers won the 1990 Nationals, and Rick placed 4th behind Ron Coleman, Rick could not cope or handle the defeat. Rick always considered himself the best in the San Diego area, and the fact someone locally beat him burned him up (in 1988 Cathy Wright won the womens overall CAL, while Rick won the mens title, and Rick hated sharing the spot light with Cathy-hated it).

In addition, Milos Sarcev, who was scared to train at Gold's, had finally joined up Gold's in 1990 and had sent a pic of himself to Ben Weider asking to be granted pro status, and Weider said yes. Now remember, Rick at this time had 20+ inch arms, had won the Cal, placed in numerous national shows- while Milos had 17.5 inch arms and had just come off a 5th place HVYWT placing at the 89 Cal. And yet 6 months later Milos was a Pro. Rick could not deal with that either.

[knny187]

Actually Rick CLAIMED to weigh in at 260#...cough...bullshit...cough...cough.

As for the gym ownership there were well over 10 partners in the begining with varying ownership degrees.

Jim was not actually an owner until 88, or 2 years after Edny sold the gym to Connors and crew..... Steve Henneberry (Tower on American Gladiators) was an original owner (10%), Pat Dillion was an original owner (25%, Dan Duchanies steroid partner, also lent Rick the $10K Rick needed to buy in), Jon Depolo (Opened San marcos?escondido Gold's in 91) became an owner in 87, Dave Zacherey in 88...... plus a few others not worth mentioning.............

Rick looked GREAT from the front-his main problem was when he turned around, no back detail....an earlier version of Nasser if you will........When you see the 87 Cal video with Shawn Ray they both looked fantastic from the front, with Rick being slightly harder-but when they turned around it was game over for Rick. No back detail, while Shawn had detail everywhere.

Rick was without doubt the best BBer in San Diego in the late 80's..... and when Jerry Rodgers won the 1990 Nationals, and Rick placed 4th behind Ron Coleman, Rick could not cope or handle the defeat. Rick always considered himself the best in the San Diego area, and the fact someone locally beat him burned him up (in 1988 Cathy Wright won the womens overall CAL, while Rick won the mens title, and Rick hated sharing the spot light with Cathy-hated it).

In addition, Milos Sarcev, who was scared to train at Gold's, had finally joined up Gold's in 1990 and had sent a pic of himself to Ben Weider asking to be granted pro status, and Weider said yes. Now remember, Rick at this time had 20+ inch arms, had won the Cal, placed in numerous national shows- while Milos had 17.5 inch arms and had just come off a 5th place HVYWT placing at the 89 Cal. And yet 6 months later Milos was a Pro. Rick could not deal with that either.

I like Rick...but you have to admit he is an ego maniac.

And like I said....Maybe 225....I seriously doubt he was above that.  He was/is pretty short, small to medium frame.

[JohnnyVegas]

I like Rick...but you have to admit he is an ego maniac.

And like I said....Maybe 225....I seriously doubt he was above that.  He was/is pretty short, small to medium frame.

Rick though he was some busniness guru after the success of PB Gold's (none of it due to him or his management!).

Rick woud always go arond spouting off about how he "has a business to run"...lol, like he is Warren Buffett Jr.

The fact is PB Gold's was successful in spite of Rick-it is that simple.

Rick was not very smart, was LUCKY enough to have an opportunity to buy into the gym thru Connors, was even luckier to have been able to BORROW $10K as buy in money from Dilllion (who he stabbed in the back later on), and got even more luck when Connors sold Rick his shares-Connors stopped doing that later on with the gyms he bought.

[knny187]

Rick though he was some busniness guru after the success of PB Gold's (none of it due to him or his management!).

Rick woud always go arond spouting off about how he "has a business to run"...lol, like he is Warren Buffett Jr.

The fact is PB Gold's was successful in spite of Rick-it is that simple.

Rick was not very smart, was LUCKY enough to have an opportunity to buy into the gym thru Connors, was even luckier to have been able to BORROW $10K as buy in money from Dilllion (who he stabbed in the back later on), and got even more luck when Connors sold Rick his shares-Connors stopped doing that later on with the gyms he bought.

Well, one thing he was smart about...is the building is paid for & in his name.  No matter what, he was smart or sneaky how he did that one.

He also for years made good money with that giant murial he had painted on the side of the building.  That made him tons of money every month.

[The ChemistV2]

come on dude just be honest, you don't look low 170's there, your legs look like they're 18 inches around and your head is bigger than your torso.

Be honest Squad, do you have any photos floating around where you are at least in half-way decent shape? No? Didn't think so. You remind me of those insult-clowns at the fair sitting on top of the water tank that you throw the baseballs at to dunk them in. Sometime's your stuff is downright hilarious, but other times it just comes off bitter..ridiculing anyone who's shown some discipline and commitment to get in shape.

[sculpture]

Hey Johnny...great stuff. Yeah...Dayton did all the strong man stuff. Mangum was Mike Katz's protege and he really pushed him.

Julie Strain...yeah...don't I see her on the Spice Channel sometimes or sumpin like that?

Dayton's physique from that angle looks perfect.

Lets face it everyone here would give their left nut to have the abs and chest in that shot.

[JohnnyVegas]

Well, one thing he was smart about...is the building is paid for & in his name.  No matter what, he was smart or sneaky how he did that one.

He also for years made good money with that giant murial he had painted on the side of the building.  That made him tons of money every month.

The building is not paid for, he bought the building in 92 or so, for $850K on a 30 SBA small business loan, so he has a few years to go on the payment. That building sat vacant for over 4 years prior to PB Gold's buying it. Used to be a Toyota dealership, teh bank that owned that building failed, so the gov ened up owning it (because they received the failed banks assets)....

The old Gold's building, although smaller ( I have never been in the new one) was awesome, all windows in the front, cool buildout...really liked the old location-did not have enough parking though...... The new owners of the old locaton, a Nissan Dealer, tore down the Burger King and other building that was in front, so now there is TONS of parking!!!!!

Dayton's physique from that angle looks perfect.

Lets face it everyone here would give their left nut to have the abs and chest in that shot.

That is the best Dayton ever looked! He never looked that way in person though!

[knny187]

The building is not paid for, he bought the building in 92 or so, for $850K on a 30 SBA small business loan, so he has a few years to go on the payment. That building sat vacant for over 4 years prior to PB Gold's buying it. Used to be a Toyota dealership, teh bank that owned that building failed, so the gov ened up owning it (because they received the failed banks assets)....

The old Gold's building, although smaller ( I have never been in the new one) was awesome, all windows in the front, cool buildout...really liked the old location-did not have enough parking though...... The new owners of the old locaton, a Nissan Dealer, tore down the Burger King and other building that was in front, so now there is TONS of parking!!!!!

That is the best Dayton ever looked! He never looked that way in person though!

People I know says it's 100% paid for.

Maybe it can be looked up....but thats what I hear & one is from an old business partner of his

[Moosejay]

Be honest Squad, do you have any photos floating around where you are at least in half-way decent shape? No? Didn't think so. You remind me of those insult-clowns at the fair sitting on top of the water tank that you throw the baseballs at to dunk them in. Sometime's your stuff is downright hilarious, but other times it just comes off bitter..ridiculing anyone who's shown some discipline and commitment to get in shape.

Chem, he knoweth not what he sayeth...

[JohnnyVegas]

People I know says it's 100% paid for.

Maybe it can be looked up....but thats what I hear & one is from an old business partner of his

Not unless he paid it off 15 years early...but that is possible, though not likely because there are major ta advantages to having real property interest payments...only way to know for sure would be to visit the SD Recorders office on PCH ad look for a Trust Deed lien.

BWT, which old partner said that??

[knny187]

Not unless he paid it off 15 years early...but that is possible, though not likely because there are major ta advantages to having real property interest payments...only way to know for sure would be to visit the SD Recorders office on PCH ad look for a Trust Deed lien.

BWT, which old partner said that??

Well, I heard (I know this sounds crazy) but he was getting $10,000 a month in advertising for the Murial that was on the side of the building for Sea World.

His friend/associate is a friend of mine that owned Golds in Scripps.  Granted, not business partners, but were friends & associates.  He helped him move from the old location to the new one on garnet.

[JohnnyVegas]

Well, I heard (I know this sounds crazy) but he was getting $10,000 a month in advertising for the Murial that was on the side of the building for Sea World.

His friend/associate is a friend of mine that owned Golds in Scripps.  Granted, not business partners, but were friends & associates.  He helped him move from the old location to the new one on garnet.

That is a fantastic location for building signage/advertising...... I guess $10K is possible, that is $120K per year-so maybe....

[stuntmovie]

Hey, Moose! How ya do'en ? I've been on the road between No Cal, So Cal, Tahoe, and points asunder and haven't been reading these worthwhile posts too very often but your recent pics and input have stirred up some old memory cells which I'll do my best to comment on here.

Mike - Dayton. I knew Mike when he used to compete and attend various events un and down the Bay Area Peninsula during the peak of his hanging with a noose around his neck routine. A bit crazy, but one hell of a nice guy.

And I judged Stephenson in one of his first US contests if I recall correctly. He was still in the USAF and competed in and the Armed Forces contest on some island in the Pacific (but I also believe he competed in and won one of the contests held on one of the overseas military bases prior to that event).

Regardless of all that, it was definitely evident that he was going to be one of the best in California once he was released from active duty.

A few years later we visited Rick and his partners in the Pacific Beach Golds and I recall that it was one of the first gyms I'd ever seen with tube neon lit signage.

During that short two hour visit, Rick introduced us to his business partners, one of which/whom was prepping for an upcoming So Cal contest and it appeared to us that he was going to be the man to beat. Sorry I forgot his name but he was the younger partner with a most impressive build.

I always got Rick mixed up with another impressive bodybuilder from around that same time period. After winning a show we judged, he and his beautiful wife moved to California and got a job at Universal Studios playing the title character in the Conan show, which at that time was the major attraction in the park. One of you GetBiggers may recall whom I am speaking of as either he or his wife was related to John Wayne of movie fame and I'd sure like to recontact them to see how life has been treating them.

Same with Rick.

BTW, I did not realize that Pete G had more than three other partners at the time he bought Gold's in Santa Monica from Ken Sprague. Any help heere?

Thanks for the interest in my input, Moose. I'll try to get back to this business ASAP.

[Moosejay]

Thanks Stunt...talk to ya soon,

Moose

[onlyme]

Hey, Moose! How ya do'en ? I've been on the road between No Cal, So Cal, Tahoe, and points asunder and haven't been reading these worthwhile posts too very often but your recent pics and input have stirred up some old memory cells which I'll do my best to comment on here.

Mike - Dayton. I knew Mike when he used to compete and attend various events un and down the Bay Area Peninsula during the peak of his hanging with a noose around his neck routine. A bit crazy, but one hell of a nice guy.

And I judged Stephenson in one of his first US contests if I recall correctly. He was still in the USAF and competed in and the Armed Forces contest on some island in the Pacific (but I also believe he competed in and won one of the contests held on one of the overseas military bases prior to that event).

Regardless of all that, it was definitely evident that he was going to be one of the best in California once he was released from active duty.

A few years later we visited Rick and his partners in the Pacific Beach Golds and I recall that it was one of the first gyms I'd ever seen with tube neon lit signage.

During that short two hour visit, Rick introduced us to his business partners, one of which/whom was prepping for an upcoming So Cal contest and it appeared to us that he was going to be the man to beat. Sorry I forgot his name but he was the younger partner with a most impressive build.

I always got Rick mixed up with another impressive bodybuilder from around that same time period. After winning a show we judged, he and his beautiful wife moved to California and got a job at Universal Studios playing the title character in the Conan show, which at that time was the major attraction in the park. One of you GetBiggers may recall whom I am speaking of as either he or his wife was related to John Wayne of movie fame and I'd sure like to recontact them to see how life has been treating them.

Same with Rick.

BTW, I did not realize that Pete G had more than three other partners at the time he bought Gold's in Santa Monica from Ken Sprague. Any help heere?

Thanks for the interest in my input, Moose. I'll try to get back to this business ASAP.

I think they are talking about the Gold's down south not Venice.  By the way the guys who know Gold's down South have you ever heard of a girl who trained there named Kim Grady.  She was a very hot and freindly blind girl who I knew trained at one of the Gold's.  I did a movie that we shot in Mission Bay and she was one of the bikini models.  I was seeing her for awhile till I moved to Hawaii and we lost touch.

[knny187]

That is a fantastic location for building signage/advertising...... I guess $10K is possible, that is $120K per year-so maybe....

It's what I was told...but I'll ask my friend again & see if he remembers.

I know that ended a few years ago

[knny187]

And I judged Stephenson in one of his first US contests if I recall correctly. He was still in the USAF and competed in and the Armed Forces contest on some island in the Pacific (but I also believe he competed in and won one of the contests held on one of the overseas military bases prior to that event).

One thing most people get confused with Rick is the tattoo he has that say's "Ranger"

They automatically assume he was in the Army but in fact went to Ranger school while serving in the Air Force

[knny187]

I think they are talking about the Gold's down south not Venice.  By the way the guys who know Gold's down South have you ever heard of a girl who trained there named Kim Grady.  She was a very hot and freindly blind girl who I knew trained at one of the Gold's.  I did a movie that we shot in Mission Bay and she was one of the bikini models.  I was seeing her for awhile till I moved to Hawaii and we lost touch.

No...don't know her.

Then again...I was very low key & never talked to many people there.  In that whole gym there was only a handful on women that trained there.  One was Sandra Blackie....& the other used to wear as little clothing as possible.  She used to wear tank & cutoff tops....then used to do alot of chin ups & pull downs where her shirt used to rise up alittle too far.

It was pretty distracting to the point when I saw her coming, I would go to the other side of the gym because she used to attract to many guys starring.

[JohnnyVegas]

A few years later we visited Rick and his partners in the Pacific Beach Golds and I recall that it was one of the first gyms I'd ever seen with tube neon lit signage.

During that short two hour visit, Rick introduced us to his business partners, one of which/whom was prepping for an upcoming So Cal contest and it appeared to us that he was going to be the man to beat. Sorry I forgot his name but he was the younger partner with a most impressive build.

Ed Connors put neon lights on the inside of all the gyms he was running in the late 80's. That was one of his trade marks.

The young partner you speak of is Jon Depolo, who later opened up San Marcos/Escondido Golds. Great build, minus the arms. Best legs in the gym. Won the Palm Springs and also beat Milos in the 89 Cal hvywt's, where Jon took 4th to Milos's 5th. Not a very smart or bright guy (similar to Rick actually), but well liked.

[schwarzenpecker]

Ed Connors put neon lights on the inside of all the gyms he was running in the late 80's. That was one of his trade marks.

The young partner you speak of is Jon Depolo, who later opened up San Marcos/Escondido Golds. Great build, minus the arms. Best legs in the gym. Won the Palm Springs and also beat Milos in the 89 Cal hvywt's, where Jon took 4th to Milos's 5th. Not a very smart or bright guy (similar to Rick actually), but well liked.

I worked out at that Gold's in Pacific Beach from 1988 to 1991 and remember both of them very well. Rick was always very friendly and upbeat, Jon I didn't talk to much. What makes you think they weren't very smart?