FRANK ZANE boycotted the Mr Olympia contest after the controversial 1980 contest

[gracie bjj]

i saw dennis tinerino guest posing in 82 at bill pearls gym in summit,NJ. he looked great and was a cool dude

[Thespritz0]

.    I honestly think it was a political decision he placed so poorly........ Rewind to 1980 and youll see that the whole year was about Frank ( current champ) and Mentzer an alternative new force not necessarily a Weider boy" who was growing in popularity in the same way as Serge or Sergio did before him. Arnold was out of picture,Lou was doing the Hulk,Franco was injured ,Sergio and Serge were simply out of the IFBB umbrella..... So it was Mike Mentzer reign about to begin with new era (decade) he was freakier than Zane,Dickerson etc and he had the looks that sells magazine, even the Weider mustache" as many used to joke around Weiders offices.  Not to mention how eloquent and persuasive he was.......On his Physique, his chest while lacking, wasn't really a weak point back then as it has become after the Internet era .....it's hard to say if he could have won. Everyone  says Arnold won cause he had better arms than Chris, but so did Mike. You could ask 5 people on the audience that day and they will give you 5 different names!!!   No one dominated yet the current champ,Zane ended up in 3rd place.  Had Mike won or finished second in 1980 he probably would have taken the tittle from Columbu Dickerson and Bannout in following years....Mike never reached his peak he retired in his 20's.  

^^
Excellent analysis in depth chief!!  I somehow suspect Joe Weider would have had a much tougher time preventing Mike from winning in 1981 against Franco... or even 1982, by then he WOULD have won.

[kimo]

its three decades and more ago . amazing .

[kimo]

arnold in his memoirs sais his comeback was not the wisest decision he made . a confession of humility untypical to arnold .

[Pet shop boys]

arnold in his memoirs sais his comeback was not the wisest decision he made . a confession of humility untypical to arnold .

Is not being an act of "humility"....  he knows that the 1980 Mr.O will always be the "stain in his bodybuilding jacket" ...

Out of every legend/elite of bodybuilding, Only Franco and Platz think he should have won in 1980; and that hurts his ego.....

Arnold might be the greatest but Lee Haney won 8 times the Mr.O,  and dominated 8 times.... no boycott,lies,'traffic of influence"bribery, enemies, not a single negative comment from any competetor but love and admiration for the awesome Lee....

From Reg Park,Yorton,Bill pearl  to Yates,Ray,Coleman, they all think "1980 Mr.O Sydney opera house" was a joke



Again only Franco and Tom tell Arnold he was the best bodybuilder standing on his last showing.

WOOOSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH H

[kimo]

lee is lees rakish than arnold . arnold a more complex personality . i still prefer ti watch the oak at his peak in 1974 1975 than lee haney at his best eventhough i dont deny lee haney greatness . . yes mr o 1980 was a  strange thing .

[kimo]

reg park thought that arnold was a great winner in 1980 . he was arnold hero . the others i cant say .