Are bodybuilders "athletes"?

[Earl1972]

Well that's almost true. The Kings, like many other "loser" teams, hire their own sports writers that contribute to the papers.

there is no article on away games, the beat writer doesn't attend them

it's just a box score like every other team in the league

that was last year though, maybe they have a guy covering the game now

E

[Oldschool Flip]

athletes are not and never have been created equal

michael jordan wanted to be a baseball player, he failed

does that mean baseball players are better athletes?  i say no but like i said, different sports and there aren't too many people great at one thing, let alone two

E

I agree with you on athletes of sports never being created equal. But you have to admit that diet, nutrition, conditioning and presentation are the real factors in a body building competition more so than the physical off season training. Many pros train hard, gain muscle, work on separation, etc. in the off season, but that doesn't mean anything if they come in fat and off. And how do you measure that physical work during the competition? You don't. And again, take away the drugs, how "athletic" are the pros then?

[Oldschool Flip]

there is no article on away games, the beat writer doesn't attend them

it's just a box score like every other team in the league

that was last year though, maybe they have a guy covering the game now

E

They hired someone.
http://www.oberjuerge.com/http:/www.oberjuerge.com/la-kings-hire-their-own-reporter-start-of-trend/

[Earl1972]

I agree with you on athletes of sports never being created equal. But you have to admit that diet, nutrition, conditioning and presentation are the real factors in a body building competition more so than the physical off season training. Many pros train hard, gain muscle, work on separation, etc. in the off season, but that doesn't mean anything if they come in fat and off. And how do you measure that physical work during the competition? You don't. And again, take away the drugs, how "athletic" are the pros then?

jay cutler did a half assed posing routine at the 2001 olympia, he was ahead of ronnie until then

posing and presentation affects placings, it's not just "how you look", many shows have guys improve their placing due to superior posing skills and knowing how to display the physique to their advantage

take away the drugs how "athletic" are pros in other sports?  drugs help everybody

E

[Oldschool Flip]

jay cutler did a half assed posing routine at the 2001 olympia, he was ahead of ronnie until then

posing and presentation affects placings, it's not just "how you look", many shows have guys improve their placing due to superior posing skills and knowing how to display the physique to their advantage

take away the drugs how "athletic" are pros in other sports?  drugs help everybody

E

Didn't I say that? Presentation is posing and displaying physique if you relate it to body building. And unlike other pro sports, pro and amateur body building competitors and competition RELY COMPLETELY on drugs in order for it to survive. Take away the drugs and how much of a "sport" would it be even to the loyal body building fan? If it were that way, then Natural shows would make headlines in the sports section, and even though drug free events don't. Take away drugs from pro baseball, the pitchers can still pitch 85-90 miles per hour, pro football players will still run 4.5 40's, and pro basket ball players will still hit 3 pointers. We already know what happens to pro body builders when they "de juice". Nowhere even close to the physique they would display without them.

[Cleanest Natural]

For example Paul Dillet was a great bodybuilder but extremely uncoordonated. Mindspin can back me up on this. Not an athlete by any means. There are some that are genuinely athletic ( Phil Heath, Franco Columbu, Mr Twizzler, Frank Hillebrand,etc ). So I would not generalize. Some are, some aren't. I believe Bob Chick used to play competitive sports too ( right Bob? )

[pugalist666]

For example Paul Dillet was a great bodybuilder but extremely uncoordonated. Mindspin can back me up on this. Not an athlete by any means. There are some that are genuinely athletic ( Phil Heath, Franco Columbu, Mr Twizzler, Frank Hillebrand,etc ). So I would not generalize. Some are, some aren't. I believe Bob Chick used to play competitive sports too ( right Bob? )

"hide the sausage" is not a " competitive sport "

[kiwiol]

Earl pw3ning Mindspin's bitter ass to oblivion

[Oldschool Flip]

For example Paul Dillet was a great bodybuilder but extremely uncoordonated. Mindspin can back me up on this. Not an athlete by any means. There are some that are genuinely athletic ( Phil Heath, Franco Columbu, Mr Twizzler, Frank Hillebrand,etc ). So I would not generalize. Some are, some aren't. I believe Bob Chick used to play competitive sports too ( right Bob? )

But again, if they thrived and were just as competitive in the pro sports they were athletic in, they would probably be competing in that pro sport and not bodybuilding. Bodybuilding is usually their second choice since most have to conform to drug use, eat tremendous amounts of food, diet, etc.

[The_Punisher]

One of the greatest athletes the sport has seen! Can't move....

hahahhaha.....shit!...this pic will never go out of style. Big Paul had a Cramping Problem all his career. this one seemed like it was the most serious.

[noworries]

Being an athlete is not the same as being athletic.  I would (as my friends growing up) would consider me athletic cause I was good at most sports I competed in or tried.  I was exceptionally in some such as baseball and skiing.  I could shoot a basketball and kick ass in "horse" but I wasn't the best dribbler (I could get by).  But, I did get a basket in a game I played in with Dr. J (he passed it to me).  Yes I had to name drop.  By the way John Havlichik and Rick Barry were on the same team.  Here is another name drop.  I played against Bjorn Borg in front of about 5000 people.  He hit me in the chest with the ball too.  I love golf and was quite good at that.  I even played a few games of Polo in Hawaii.  When the newspaper and TV interviewed me I told them it was one of the hardest sports I have ever played.  Polo really is hard.  I could bowl very good too with numerous 200+ games.  I think my high was 230 something.  Any sport that required any kind of long distance running or endurance though I sucked at.  I am not a runner by any means.  From high school into the pros it seemed that running a 6 minute mile was something you had to do.  Not once did I ever do that.  If it wasn't for my skill I don't think they would have let my slide by.  And it wasn't that I got really tired more than just bored.  Cause I could ride a bike forever and at times would log in 30 to 50 miles a day in Hawaii riding my bike.  I just get bored quick.  Any sport that takes aiming into account I was good at too.  My dad owned a shooting and archery range in Inglewood, CA and I got into that stuff when I was really little. 

And I am sure most of the people on here can say the same as me when they we younger but that just means you are athletic.  Does not mean you are an athlete.  Being an athlete is something I take as it being your job you are making an actual living from it.  Many people do everything I have done above and alot more.  But, they do it as a hobby or to stay in shape.  Not as a living.  An athlete makes a living from competing in a sport.  many people are athletic but few are athletes.

Hope this helps.  I ramble cause I am working while I type this shit so I get all mixed up but you can figure it out

[Oldschool Flip]

And I am sure most of the people on here can say the same as me when they we younger but that just means you are athletic.  Does not mean you are an athlete.  Being an athlete is something I take as it being your job you are making an actual living from it.  Many people do everything I have done above and alot more.  But, they do it as a hobby or to stay in shape.  Not as a living.  An athlete makes a living from competing in a sport.  many people are athletic but few are athletes.

I agree here. Only a handful of pro bodybuilders have lucrative enough supplement and endorsement contracts to sustain a living based on the cost that it takes to compete. Most pros have to have "real" job to support their bodybuilding career and can't rely on just themselves being a pro to make money. Lol, G4P seems to supplement as a job for many though.
Of course the top tier make a living off bodybuilding contracts with mags, supplement companies, equipment companies, etc. but again even mediocre pro athletes (people that sit on the bench or are 2nd, 3rd, 4th string players) make a living off being a pro athlete.

[LurkyLurker]

and most people here hate everything about bodybuilding yet they can't stop coming back

your links

http://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/11/sports/backtalk-extreme-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder.html?scp=2&sq=mr.+olympia+bodybuilding&st=nyt


http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08124/878890-139.stm

the first is an article, the other is advertising a show

you may notice what section these links are located in

E

Thanks for the links. I never saw that Bob Lipsyte article before. Very nice!

[bigbobs]

Notice this was covered a "sports" TV network as the icon in the corner suggests

[The Showstoppa]

Notice this was covered a "sports" TV network as the icon in the corner suggests

So?  Pool is on ESPN and Sky Sports.

[emn1964]

ESPN has also covered spelling bees bi-bobs...does that mean that is a sports event as well?  Dipshit.

[noworries]

Didn't I say that? Presentation is posing and displaying physique if you relate it to body building. And unlike other pro sports, pro and amateur body building competitors and competition RELY COMPLETELY on drugs in order for it to survive. Take away the drugs and how much of a "sport" would it be even to the loyal body building fan? If it were that way, then Natural shows would make headlines in the sports section, and even though drug free events don't. Take away drugs from pro baseball, the pitchers can still pitch 85-90 miles per hour, pro football players will still run 4.5 40's, and pro basket ball players will still hit 3 pointers. We already know what happens to pro body builders when they "de juice". Nowhere even close to the physique they would display without them.

You are right here.  Drugs play such a huge part of bodybuilding. Without them there probably wouldn't be any major contest coverage at all.  Roids in football, baseball, basketball, or any other "real" sport really hasn't affected it that much.  Baseball is probably the most affected and that pertains to hitting distance not frequency.  Roids play absolutely no role on getting the bat on the ball.  It does though to a point on bat speed and power hence the increased number of home runs.  But they do not improve hand/eye cooridnation.  They also have a positive affect on throwing speed and physical recovery.  But, in football and other sports what have they really done that is so drastic from 50 years ago.  Golf scores are not that much better than they were 50+ years ago when they were using wooden clubs.  Guys were shooting in the 60's back then just like today.  Drives might be a little further but that's it.  Track and Field events are noticeably better but training equipment and technique have a big part of that.  

No other activity depends more of the use of drugs than bodybuilding.  Pure and simple.

[Earl1972]

Didn't I say that? Presentation is posing and displaying physique if you relate it to body building. And unlike other pro sports, pro and amateur body building competitors and competition RELY COMPLETELY on drugs in order for it to survive. Take away the drugs and how much of a "sport" would it be even to the loyal body building fan? If it were that way, then Natural shows would make headlines in the sports section, and even though drug free events don't. Take away drugs from pro baseball, the pitchers can still pitch 85-90 miles per hour, pro football players will still run 4.5 40's, and pro basket ball players will still hit 3 pointers. We already know what happens to pro body builders when they "de juice". Nowhere even close to the physique they would display without them.

what do the drugs have to do with the physical exertion on stage?

E

[Earl1972]

Earl pw3ning Mindspin's bitter ass to oblivion

hahaha you know it, he won't recover

E

[Earl1972]

But again, if they thrived and were just as competitive in the pro sports they were athletic in, they would probably be competing in that pro sport and not bodybuilding. Bodybuilding is usually their second choice since most have to conform to drug use, eat tremendous amounts of food, diet, etc.

basketball at one time was michael jordan's second choice

football was antonio gates second choice

i don't understand what you are saying

E

[Earl1972]

I agree here. Only a handful of pro bodybuilders have lucrative enough supplement and endorsement contracts to sustain a living based on the cost that it takes to compete. Most pros have to have "real" job to support their bodybuilding career and can't rely on just themselves being a pro to make money. Lol, G4P seems to supplement as a job for many though.
Of course the top tier make a living off bodybuilding contracts with mags, supplement companies, equipment companies, etc. but again even mediocre pro athletes (people that sit on the bench or are 2nd, 3rd, 4th string players) make a living off being a pro athlete.

so now salary decides whether you are an athlete or not

ps natural competitive bodybuilding is a sport too

E

[Oldschool Flip]

what do the drugs have to do with the physical exertion on stage?

E

Well since anabolics help with recovery and strength, in a totally depleted, dehydrated physical state it makes sense it assists in flexing and posing.

[Oldschool Flip]

basketball at one time was michael jordan's second choice

After he achieved all he could in basketball. His scholarship was for basketball, he was drafted as a basketball star.

football was antonio gates second choice

i don't understand what you are saying

I'll agree with you an this one, but just like a guy who can't become a cop settles for being a security guard, supposedly "athletic" bodybuilders settle for bodybuilding after failing to cut it as an athlete.

E
[/quote]

[Oldschool Flip]

so now salary decides whether you are an athlete or not

ps natural competitive bodybuilding is a sport too

E

How many "true athletes" in any given sport work a regular job along with their chosen sport?

[wild willie]

ESPN has also covered spelling bees bi-bobs...does that mean that is a sports event as well?  Dipshit.

don't be ashamed......no one needs to know that you were a penguin's bitch at the zoo