Here is an edited photo I took at the 1980 Mr Olympia. Mike looks like the winner here but he didn't do so well in the comparisons and placed a disappointing 5th.
He followed the philosophy of Ayn Rand so figured he had the one correct theory about training. His whole world collapsed after
this contest. Mike was an exceptional writer and one of the few to embrace a comprehensive philosophy that he lived by.
Vince, I did't know you took that pic! In those days to get any info on contests you had to wait for the mags to come out. I could never afford a subscription but would read them at the news stands selectively buying the ones that seemed worth it. The 1980 Olympia edition qualified and it was the only time I bought a mag without flipping through it first. I actually restrained myself from going through it on the drive home but waiting until I go home and settled. I opened the mag to the Olympia section and this pic was the first one I saw. I actually said "WOW!" out loud to myself. He seemed flawless in a very difficult pose to pull off. I was sure Mentzer had won. Reading his articles prior it seemed predestined.
I don't consider myself an expert now and especially way back then, but to my untrained eyes I did not think Arnold should have won. But I resigned myself to the fact that Arnold was Arnold and when the smoke clears he always comes out the winner. I remember that scene in PI where he says that even if Louie came in a little bit better than he was he would still win. "I'd put us in a room."
BTW, good to see you back. You were sorely missed.
