Except for his legs, Tom didn't impress at the 1980 Mr Olympia. However, he surprised everyone by coming back in 81 with a much improved upper body and deserved to place ahead of Franco.
In those days we had to wait until the mags came out to see how they looked. I remember my jaw just dropping when I saw pics of Platz after the '81 Olympia. His upper body really came up especially his back. He had that look like he took his body through hell and back. Just so massive and polished.
Padilla was sheer perfection but Platz was more "wow". I preferred Platz but would have been just as happy if Padilla had won. When they gave it to the bow legged, gyno plague, Sardinia side kick to Arnold I stopped following bodybuilding entirely. First the Arnold fiasco in 1980 and now the worse decision ever in the Mr. Olympia history just a year later. Really turned me off to the whole "sport". I could only imagine how Platz and Padilla must have felt. To put your whole heart and soul into something and only to have the powers that be spit in your face.
I missed the whole Haney/Dorian era. I started following it again when I saw Coleman's "Unbelievable" DVD while staying at a friends house. This was after Coleman's first win and I was pretty taken aback and inspired at his size and especially his strength