Mike Matarazzo - Fighting For His Life (RIP 08/17/2014)

[Mawse]

Depending on how much peanut butter he eats, it might not be that bad for him. Peanut butter in small amounts can stimulate your body to produce the HDL cholesterol that clean LDL out of your bloodstream and reduce your cholesterol. However, the saturated fats in peanut butter mean your body will simultaneously produce harmful LDL as well. Health organization Kaiser Permanente advises that people with high blood pressure can eat peanut butter, but are better off eating it in small amounts.

Do tell us more about "harmful" LDL and what a huge difference it makes statistically to the risk of heart disease  

also please share more of your cutting edge research from kaiser.com about how dietary cholesterol affects blood LDL , and maybe post a 80s food pyramid to illustrate healthy eating while you're at it.

Seriously you parrot the worst , most outdated government propaganda on everything to do with food and meds. Google "buoyant LDL" and educate yourself please.

[falco]

Mike seem like nice peoples. I am pretty sure God will forgive him for his wrong path in life and let him enter heaven.
He will be hanging with Jesus hitting some poses with his tong out and making Jesus laugh ou loud.

[Royalty]

I just realized that Mike never won a pro show.

[falco]

I always got the feeling that Phil is a relatively low dose guy.
I think if anyone it'll be Branch who suffers the most once he hits his 50's, or Kai - maybe not injury-wise but definitely health problems.

Of course they all push the limits. Its hard to understand unless you see it from their eyes.
Just like Olympic athletes, they are willing to do whatever it takes to win, and it doesn't matter to them if they keel over the next day. Of course, Olympic athletes make way more money and actually need skill to win their sport, but the mentality is the same nonetheless.

After his first heart attack i saw an interview of him where he was saying that kids were asking him advice on steroids and e-mail him what he called "crazy cycles" (dose related). I was under the impression that he wasn't a big user also.

[falco]

I just realized that Mike never won a pro show.

Kind of same as Paul DeMayo. Guys who stand out from the croud and had some charisma albeit never winning nothing worth recording.

[K1RB]

I get the competitive side and the "must win at all cost" attitude-what I don't get is why not apply it to something that will potentially be more lucrative, rather than playing Russian Roulette with ones health? That's why one can't help but to get the impression that these guys are all stupid, with no vision whatsoever-
Take Heath and his "lifestyle" for example-How much money can he really be making? In the real world, it's shit. He should't be spending like it will never end-
Why not take that energy and build a business, something that can potentially create a legacy for himself and family?
Instead, he pumps himself full of drugs, spends like he is headed to the gas chamber, and has zero thoughts about what the future may bring.
  

[WannaBePro]

I get the competitive side and the "must win at all cost" attitude-what I don't get is why not apply it to something that will potentially be more lucrative, rather than playing Russian Roulette with ones health? That's why one can't help but to get the impression that these guys are all stupid, with no vision whatsoever-
Take Heath and his "lifestyle" for example-How much money can he really be making? In the real world, it's shit. He should't be spending like it will never end-
Why not take that energy and build a business, something that can potentially create a legacy for himself and family?
Instead, he pumps himself full of drugs, spends like he is headed to the gas chamber, and has zero thoughts about what the future may bring.
  

I don't think any of us know what he's actually investing into. I mean, I get the whole spending thing, I've seen the car he drives. But like Jay, he may be investing in real estate or something along those lines. I can't imagine Heath is dumb enough to think that the stream of money will never end. He is, after all, college educated and seems like a level headed guy (cocky, but level headed).
I hope for his sake he learned a thing or two from Jay's successes and failures, he has a great opportunity to retire like a king.

[Mr Anabolic]

I always got the feeling that Phil is a relatively low dose guy.
I think if anyone it'll be Branch who suffers the most once he hits his 50's, or Kai - maybe not injury-wise but definitely health problems.

Of course they all push the limits. Its hard to understand unless you see it from their eyes.
Just like Olympic athletes, they are willing to do whatever it takes to win, and it doesn't matter to them if they keel over the next day. Of course, Olympic athletes make way more money and actually need skill to win their sport, but the mentality is the same nonetheless.

Heath is still fairly young.  As he ages the ill-health effects will catch up to him too.  He still has a few years left before his body says fuck you.

The average competitive life span of a juiced to the gills pro bodybuilder is about 10 years.  The very top guys are the ones who are constantly pushing the envelope.  The main reason they got to the top is because of... 1) The amount of drugs they're taking, and 2) Their body's ability to tolerate it.  However, the human body can only take so much abuse.   These guys always think "It can never happen to me, I can handle the drug regime"... that's the androgens talking.

[WannaBePro]

Heath is still fairly young.  As he ages the ill-health effects will catch up to him too.  He still has a few years left before his body says fuck you.

The average competitive life span of a juiced to the gills pro bodybuilder is about 10 years.  The very top guys are the ones who are constantly pushing the envelope.  The reason they got to the top is because of... 1) The amount of drugs they're taking, and 2) Their body's ability to tolerate it.  However, the human body can only take so much abuse.   These guys always think "It can never happen to me, I can handle the drug regime"... that's the androgens talking.

What's "a few years?" In 2002 Ronnie came into the O at 300lbs and it was obvious he was on unfathomable amounts of gear, gh, slin, etc... His body took that abuse all the way to 2006 when he finally started to regress into a lump of shit. And I bet if he downsized even more than he has now he'd be way healthier and pull a couple more years of life.
If Phil is smart, he'll quit at around 6 or 7 Sandows and downsize to his college weight. It won't be pretty, but at least his body will receive a much needed rest. I know it won't happen, he'll try to beat Ronnie's record, and I get that, that's what being competitive is all about. But its his decision and he has to live with the consequences. Just like it was Mike's decision to sit in the hotel room and shoot all sorts of shit into his body before prejudging. He knew the risk, or at last should of had some clue of the risk, but decided that's what he needed to do to be competitive.

Another good example of someone who should have died years ago is Markus Ruhl. I can't believe he's still kicking around, but the body is an amazing thing, and he hit the jackpot when it came to tolerance of abuse of that magnitude.

[The Abdominal Snoman]

I just realized that Mike never won a pro show.

He did it for the love of the thong. Not a single pro trophy to show for it. Got invited to the Olympias to get the schmoes all hyped up with his posing...I believe he's only won two contests in his life. Gold's Classic State show was his first show in Boston to qualify him for the USA's...He then won the USA's and never won another show again...He was invited to 7 Mr.Olympias all because of who his sponsor was...I wonder if he was never invited to the Mr Olympia's would he have given up bodybuilding earlier in his career. Something tells me giving him invites to the big show kept the "delusion" going and most likely hurt him health wise...

[Mr Anabolic]

What's "a few years?" In 2002 Ronnie came into the O at 300lbs and it was obvious he was on unfathomable amounts of gear, gh, slin, etc... His body took that abuse all the way to 2006 when he finally started to regress into a lump of shit. And I bet if he downsized even more than he has now he'd be way healthier and pull a couple more years of life.
If Phil is smart, he'll quit at around 6 or 7 Sandows and downsize to his college weight. It won't be pretty, but at least his body will receive a much needed rest. I know it won't happen, he'll try to beat Ronnie's record, and I get that, that's what being competitive is all about. But its his decision and he has to live with the consequences. Just like it was Mike's decision to sit in the hotel room and shoot all sorts of shit into his body before prejudging. He knew the risk, or at last should of had some clue of the risk, but decided that's what he needed to do to be competitive.

Another good example of someone who should have died years ago is Markus Ruhl. I can't believe he's still kicking around, but the body is an amazing thing, and he hit the jackpot when it came to tolerance of abuse of that magnitude.

3, 4, 5 years?... who knows.  It depends and how much gear he takes and for how long.  90% of them turn into distended lumps of shit eventually.  Even Wheeler started to get bloofy towards the end.

[njflex]

Kind of same as Paul DeMayo. Guys who stand out from the croud and had some charisma albeit never winning nothing worth recording.

PAUL DEMAYO had the it factor as well as mike ,guest posing crowd like these guys for freaky bodyparts ,demayo if he was in his 1994 shape at nationals in his pro career he could have been pretty good pro..

[Royalty]

He did it for the love of the thong. Not a single pro trophy to show for it. Got invited to the Olympias to get the schmoes all hyped up with his posing...I believe he's only won two contests in his life. Gold's Classic State show was his first show in Boston to qualify him for the USA's...He then won the USA's and never won another show again...He was invited to 7 Mr.Olympias all because of who his sponsor was...I wonder if he was never invited to the Mr Olympia's would he have given up bodybuilding earlier in his career. Something tells me giving him invites to the big show kept the "delusion" going and most likely hurt him health wise...

Sounds like The Mr Olympia qualification system is a protective measure, protecting those that are NOT genetically gifted enough to compete. Thereby, protecting their kidneys, livers, heart, from the drugs needed to compensate for their lesser genetics.

Mike bypassed the protective system.

[Mr Anabolic]

PAUL DEMAYO had the it factor as well as mike ,guest posing crowd like these guys for freaky bodyparts ,demayo if he was in his 1994 shape at nationals in his pro career he could have been pretty good pro..

Androgens fucked up his mind as well.  He did some stupid things, got in trouble with the law and that was that.

[OneMoreRep]

Wishing Mike all the best!

"1"

[Primemuscle]

Mike has had a rich history in bodybuilding. Here is his contest info:

1991 NPC USA Championships, Heavyweight, 1st and Overall
1991 Mr. Olympia, Did not place
1992 Arnold Classic, 15th
1992 Ironman Pro Invitational, 5th
1993 Marissa Classic, 6th
1993 Night of Champions, 8th
1993 Mr. Olympia, 18th
1993 Pittsburgh Pro Invitational, 2nd
1994 Arnold Classic, 9th
1994 San Jose Pro Invitational, 8th
1995 Florida Pro Invitational, 7th
1995 South Beach Pro Invitational, 7th
1996 Grand Prix Czech Republic, 9th
1996 Grand Prix Russia, 9th
1996 Grand Prix Switzerland, 9th
1996 Night of Champions, 5th
1996 Mr. Olympia, 13th
1997 Canada Pro Cup, 2nd
1997 Grand Prix Germany, 11th
1997 Grand Prix Hungary, 10th
1997 Grand Prix Spain, 10th
1997 Night of Champions, 4th
1997 Mr. Olympia, 13th
1997 Toronto Pro Invitational, 2nd
1998 Night of Champions, 3rd
1998 Mr. Olympia, 9th
1998 San Francisco Pro Invitational, 7th
1998 Toronto Pro Invitational, 3rd
1999 Mr. Olympia, 11th
2000 Night of Champions, Did not place
2000 Toronto Pro Invitational, 6t
2001 Night of Champions, 5th
2001 Mr. Olympia, 21st

It is interesting that so many of you who spend considerable time posting on Getbig, a bodybuilding forum, have so little good to say about almost all bodybuilders. If you believe most pro bodybuilders are a bunch of losers who follow insane diets, inject a raft of PEDS, love the thong, waste their G4P money and sleep mainly with whores, why does bodybuilding interest you so much that you post here? It seems like such a negative endeavor to follow. Why not post on a roller skating, bicycling or organic gardening forum?

Maybe you just want to distance yourselves from folks like Mike as soon as they become ill because you realize that there for the grace of God, go you.

[njflex]

Mike has had a rich history in bodybuilding. Here is his contest info:

1991 NPC USA Championships, Heavyweight, 1st and Overall
1991 Mr. Olympia, Did not place
1992 Arnold Classic, 15th
1992 Ironman Pro Invitational, 5th
1993 Marissa Classic, 6th
1993 Night of Champions, 8th
1993 Mr. Olympia, 18th
1993 Pittsburgh Pro Invitational, 2nd
1994 Arnold Classic, 9th
1994 San Jose Pro Invitational, 8th
1995 Florida Pro Invitational, 7th
1995 South Beach Pro Invitational, 7th
1996 Grand Prix Czech Republic, 9th
1996 Grand Prix Russia, 9th
1996 Grand Prix Switzerland, 9th
1996 Night of Champions, 5th
1996 Mr. Olympia, 13th
1997 Canada Pro Cup, 2nd
1997 Grand Prix Germany, 11th
1997 Grand Prix Hungary, 10th
1997 Grand Prix Spain, 10th
1997 Night of Champions, 4th
1997 Mr. Olympia, 13th
1997 Toronto Pro Invitational, 2nd
1998 Night of Champions, 3rd
1998 Mr. Olympia, 9th
1998 San Francisco Pro Invitational, 7th
1998 Toronto Pro Invitational, 3rd
1999 Mr. Olympia, 11th
2000 Night of Champions, Did not place
2000 Toronto Pro Invitational, 6t
2001 Night of Champions, 5th
2001 Mr. Olympia, 21st

It is interesting that so many of you who spend considerable time posting on Getbig, a bodybuilding forum, have so little good to say about almost all bodybuilders. If you believe most pro bodybuilders are a bunch of losers who follow insane diets, inject a raft of PEDS, love the thong, waste their G4P money and sleep mainly with whores, why does bodybuilding interest you so much that you post here? It seems like such a negative endeavor to follow. Why not post on a roller skating, bicycling or organic gardening forum?

Maybe you just want to distance yourselves from folks like Mike as soon as they become ill because you realize that there for the grace of God, go you.

8 TOP 5'S NOT BAD..

[Primemuscle]

Androgens fucked up his mind as well.  He did some stupid things, got in trouble with the law and that was that.

Really?

What about all those other folks in the world who find themselves on the wrong side of the law? Can they use androgen use as a defense? People screw up. Not everything everyone does is a result of drug use.

[SquatsRule]

Get well soon Matarazzo. You were the subject of many arm and calf training articles I read back in the day.

[michael arvilla]

[bigmikecox]

You're cheating on MD by posting here Mike!!!

[michael arvilla]

[michael arvilla]

You're cheating on MD by posting here Mike!!!

haHAhahahahahahah! 

[James28]

In an interview with Ron Harris posted on MD forums on 23/01/2014 he states that nobody in his family ever had a history of heart problems.  Link to said interview;

http://forums.musculardevelopment.com/showthread.php/78535-Mike-Matarazzo/page2

For the more intellectually challenged amongst us, please see the 4th question and answer, 4th sentence in answer.

'Nobody in my family ever had heart problems'

Awful lot of bodybuilders with a precondition of 'heart problems'   . Nasser, Art Atwood, Mike Matarazzo, Sonny Schmidt,  Momo Benaziza, Munzer, Mentzer brothers, the famous pros with kidney issues, Flex Wheeler, Don Long, Tom Prince the Aussie fella, fuck knows his name Luke Wood. Countless others like Dennis Newman,  Danny Padilla, Ollie Burke, Dan Duchaine. A lot of these men didn't even see 40. Most of them literally not even 50. Very very healthy 'sport'.  

Off course it ain't got nothing to do with taking mind-bending amounts of steroids. Tennis/Golf/Badminton/Squash players die of 'precondition' heart attacks all the time  

[Mr Anabolic]

Really?

What about all those other folks in the world who find themselves on the wrong side of the law? Can they use androgen use as a defense? People screw up. Not everything everyone does is a result of drug use.

Sure.  Androgens have dramatic effects on the brain and cause people to make rash/dumb decisions.  Someone who is already high strung should not be taking roids.

Most violent male criminals have been shown to have higher T levels than average men.