Author Topic: FRANK ZANE boycotted the Mr Olympia contest after the controversial 1980 contest  (Read 57950 times)

CREALMADRID

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Whats the story behind that,obviously he wasnt happy with ARNOLDs win!

Hurricane Beef !

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As did Coe, Mentzer and a few others. Dickerson was in fact part of the boycott and backed out last minute . . . who would have thought one of them would do that.

THE BEEF

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Can't really blame them. Zane said that many of the guys didn't talk to Arnold for a long time after 1980.

andreisdaman

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Can't really blame them. Zane said that many of the guys didn't talk to Arnold for a long time after 1980.


From what I understand, Arnold wasn't supposed to compete..he had retired a few years before.....Zane said he saw Arnold in the gym training really hard one day and this shocked him...he went over to Arnold and asked him point blank if he was going to compete at the next Olympia and Arnold said no...that he was just trying to get back in shape.....All the athletes were shocked when Arnold appeared at the pre-Olympia meeting....

I think they all felt betrayed because Arnold lied to them and also some strings were supposedly pulled so Arnold could compete since he had missed the deadline to formally sign up..

All this is what led to people believing that Arnold was given the Olympia on a silver platter by his friends in the industry.

Supposedly Arnold was upset with Zane because Arnold was working as a TV commentator and interviewer   at Zane's last Olympia win and Zane embarassed Arnold on live TV.... while Arnold was interviewing him, Arnold asked him about his great conditioning.....and Zane replied with "I haven't been in this great a shape since I beat you" referring to some past contest they were in....this supposedly incensed Arnold to the point where he wanted revenge..hence his entering the Olympia

6 Reps

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I often wondered if the reason Arnold did the 1980 Olympia was because his movie career wasn't going that well at that time.  Remember, this was four years before Terminator.

andreisdaman

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I often wondered if the reason Arnold did the 1980 Olympia was because his movie career wasn't going that well at that time.  Remember, this was four years before Terminator.

Arnold was working as a TV commentator...I think he was doing quite well

jwb

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Arnold was the promoter of the 1981 Olympia so that is why they weren't going to compete.

ChopperRider

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Arnold was the promoter of the 1981 Olympia so that is why they weren't going to compete.

Correct, they felt they wouldn't get a fair shake against a friend of Arnold's like Franco Columbu.

Figo

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I often wondered if the reason Arnold did the 1980 Olympia was because his movie career wasn't going that well at that time.  Remember, this was four years before Terminator.

Conan was being folmed in spain, and delayed by a year

Arnold's spin was that he decided to do and train for the show in 6 weeks, meanwhile it secretely was more like 6 months under the guise of training for conan the barbarian

He had already done enough work to be considered an actor, and also wasn't struggling financially

hazbin

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it wasn't the first time Arnold betrayed the american bodybuilders.  in the late 60's he was friendly with them all until franco arrived. then he called them all paper champions in an article.

Figo

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Arnold was the promoter of the 1981 Olympia so that is why they weren't going to compete.

In 76, arnold was also co-promoter with lorimer

Coincidentally, franco won then, too ! Over Zane, who was arguably better on the day

arce1988

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 they all felt betrayed because Arnold lied to them

hench

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arnold wanted to teach zane and mentzer a lesson, he said this a few times.

Viking11

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arnold wanted to teach zane and mentzer a lesson, he said this a few times.
What lesson? That he owned the IFBB? 

oldtimer1

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The winner of a bodybuilding contest is a subjective thing. I watched the film of the 1980 contest. Even though Arnold was at 80% he looked better than anyone else at that contest. Zane and Dickerson was the most ripped. I could have seen Dickerson winning looking at still pictures. Mentzer looked good but he wasn't the winner when three guys looked better. Look at anyone standing by Arnold in the film and he just looked better.

wolfgang187

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HA HA HA HA SILLY KIDS. NOW YOU KNOW WHY ARNOLD IS NUMBER #1.

Figo

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The winner of a bodybuilding contest is a subjective thing. I watched the film of the 1980 contest. Even though Arnold was at 80% he looked better than anyone else at that contest. Zane and Dickerson was the most ripped. I could have seen Dickerson winning looking at still pictures. Mentzer looked good but he wasn't the winner when three guys looked better. Look at anyone standing by Arnold in the film and he just looked better.

Zane was nowehere near his best because of hospital stay and muscle loss

Arnold was probably the best. Platz was overlooked, he deserved higher

For some reason, mentzer and coe both thought they were mr olympia that day

NotMrAverage

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I think Arnold won this contest fair and I have`nt seen video footage. Even if Arnold was`nt at his best, he was good enough. One thing that could be said against him was the he did`nt do some of the mandatory poses. Side triceps and rear latspread. It`s almost impossible to find a pic of Arnold doing rear latspread even from his better years. Kinda like the opposite of Yates.
MIRAGETROPIN

Wiggs

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Arnold's a scumbag. He wasn't supposed to be allowed to enter the show last min. Of course the IFBB made an exception cause he's Arnold. That's an obvious violation of the rules. There's no rule about exceptions. You sign a contract by a deadline for a reason. Arnold 6 time Mr. O. Dorian is the better 6 time Mr. O.
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NotMrAverage

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Arnie actually had seven wins.
MIRAGETROPIN

Wiggs

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Arnie actually had seven wins.

No, 1980 doesn't count. Null and void. 6x Mr. O. Dorian is the better 6x Mr. O. Arnold is a prick.
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Vince B

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Some of us in Sydney knew Arnold had enterred the Olympia in 1980 about a month beforehand. Paul Graham, the promoter, told me but to not broadcast it. So it was no last minute entry.
Paul and Arnold were mates, however, and lived together in LA just after Arnold arrived in America.

Zane is a cocky guy and when Arnold suggested that winning the Olympia for the third time must made him feel the best ever Frank smugly replied that no, beating Arnold for the Universe in Miami in 1968 was a bigger thrill. That pissed Arnold off. Guys like Arnold are already motivated so adding fuel to the fire is not helping things. He trained in secret. Then Frank got hurt just before the contest and lost some size. He damaged his urethra in a swimming pool when he fell. Ouch.

Read the long thread of 38 pages over at Ironage for more photos and details. It is all there. However, you have to join the site first to read the forums.

wild willie

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No, 1980 doesn't count. Null and void. 6x Mr. O. Dorian is the better 6x Mr. O. Arnold is a prick.
1980 doesn't count???? it is in the record books!

Figo

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Some of us in Sydney knew Arnold had enterred the Olympia in 1980 about a month beforehand. Paul Graham, the promoter, told me but to not broadcast it. So it was no last minute entry.
Paul and Arnold were mates, however, and lived together in LA just after Arnold arrived in America.

Zane is a cocky guy and when Arnold suggested that winning the Olympia for the third time must made him feel the best ever Frank smugly replied that no, beating Arnold for the Universe in Miami in 1968 was a bigger thrill. That pissed Arnold off. Guys like Arnold are already motivated so adding fuel to the fire is not helping things. He trained in secret. Then Frank got hurt just before the contest and lost some size. He damaged his urethra in a swimming pool when he fell. Ouch.

Read the long thread of 38 pages over at Ironage for more photos and details. It is all there. However, you have to join the site first to read the forums.


Is Paul Graham the guy that's giggling at everything Arnold says and fawning over him backstage? The one he shares the Jim Beam joke with..wearing a jacket

wild willie

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i think that guy is bill drake....