Shawn RAY's rant about Gurus !!

[ChristopherA]

Wheeler was ahead of Coleman after the prejudging in 1998. That was a nip-and-tuck show. Up to that point, Wheeler would usually beat Coleman handily; whereas Coleman would upset Wheeler (i.e. 1996 Canada Pro cup, where it took a tie-breaker and Coleman won by ONE POINT).

Ronnie Coleman dropped the floor for a reason. Wheeler went into that show the heavy favorite and initially it looked to be his.

Coleman was not light years ahead of anybody that year. Again, Levrone beat him in 1998 and swept him in all those 1997 Grand Prix shows (except the last one).

The only reason Flex was ahead was he was a fav of the judges and it was supposed to be his show to win. As the show went on they couldn't deny Coleman was on another level. '98-99 Ronnie will never be matched

[Bevo]

Respectfully, how would you know they were never gonna let him win the big one?  He never showed deserving to win the big one.  His best showing was 93 and Yates was bigger and better in every way.  98?  Judges must have filled out the round 1 score cards prior to pre judging.  No way in hell in any way shape or form Flex was better than Ronnie at any time that day.  At the end of the day, if Flex slid to 3rd in 98 it would have been less controversial than if he had won.  Ronnie destroyed the field.

He was always one of the favs and at the time , 4x arnold champion and numerous wins at other shows, he was very popular

I doubt it. if they gave the win to flex in 98, no one would really care, it would be controversial. Just like kai losing to Phil, Jay losing to Ronnie in 01, etc….. been happening forever in a subjective “sport”

[MCWAY]

The only reason Flex was ahead was he was a fav of the judges and it was supposed to be his show to win. As the show went on they couldn't deny Coleman was on another level. '98-99 Ronnie will never be matched

Maybe from 1999 onward, he was.

But, in 1998 he barely got by Wheeler and lost to Levrone earlier that year in San Francisco before tightening up and beating Levrone in Toronto, the NOC and, of course, the Olympia.

[Humble Narcissist]

On the score cards it was close? Because really Ronnie DESTROYED him. Ronnie was like granite. I go back and watch those shows and all I think is how overated Flex was. Fat ass and soft hams. Just a soft build in general. He never worked hard and came in totally peeled just relied on his amazing genetics. He wasn't close to Dorian either. He was prettier. But got buried if you go by judging criteria

His torso was very slim as well.  He looked like a gnat next to Dorian and Ronnie.

[MCWAY]

On the score cards it was close? Because really Ronnie DESTROYED him. Ronnie was like granite. I go back and watch those shows and all I think is how overated Flex was. Fat ass and soft hams. Just a soft build in general. He never worked hard and came in totally peeled just relied on his amazing genetics. He wasn't close to Dorian either. He was prettier. But got buried if you go by judging criteria

It was close. Ronnie beat Flex by three points. That's usually how it went since 1996. Flex would beat Ronnie decisively. Ronnie would squeak by Flex on occasion (he beat Flex by one point at the 1996 Canada Cup).

How can you say he didn't work hard? He placed 2nd at the O three times and won four ASC shows (especially in 1998; he looked unstoppable). Add to that, NOC, IronMan, Florida Pro, and a slew of other shows.

He won everything except the Olympia and he came within a whisker of doing that.

[Taffin]

His torso was very slim as well.  He looked like a gnat next to Dorian and Ronnie.

Well he was always a super-ecto, wasn't he

[Humble Narcissist]

Yes, he was.  Look at how thin he was before he started training.  Even when he won the California on ESPN he was skinny.

[ChristopherA]

It was close. Ronnie beat Flex by three points. That's usually how it went since 1996. Flex would beat Ronnie decisively. Ronnie would squeak by Flex on occasion (he beat Flex by one point at the 1996 Canada Cup).

How can you say he didn't work hard? He placed 2nd at the O three times and won four ASC shows (especially in 1998; he looked unstoppable). Add to that, NOC, IronMan, Florida Pro, and a slew of other shows.

He won everything except the Olympia and he came within a whisker of doing that.

Him beating Ronnie pre '98 is meaningless. That was Ronnie before he mutated. They all but engraved his name on the Sandow for '98 before they even had the show. All he had to do was come in in shape. I didn't realize the show was that close on the score sheets so I was wrong there. But anyone who watched the show know he got smoked. Everyone did by Ronnie. Shredded and just a freak that we won't ever see anything like that again. Flex looked like his little brother in size without even at least being conditioned

[MCWAY]

Him beating Ronnie pre '98 is meaningless. That was Ronnie before he mutated. They all but engraved his name on the Sandow for '98 before they even had the show. All he had to do was come in in shape. I didn't realize the show was that close on the score sheets so I was wrong there. But anyone who watched the show know he got smoked. Everyone did by Ronnie. Shredded and just a freak that we won't ever see anything like that again. Flex looked like his little brother in size without even at least being conditioned

Ronnie had already morphed to a degree. He looked great at NOC and Toronto. But, he did get beat by Kevin Levrone in San Francisco, prior to that.

That Olympia was truly up for grabs. Ronnie squeaked through and won it that night. He would smoke the competition in later Olympias. But not in 1998. After pre-judging, the smart money said Wheeler's coronation was merely a formality.

The crowd reaction told the story too. Many people thought Flex had it. There was utter shock/surprise when he was announced 2nd.

[Taffin]

Yes, he was.  Look at how thin he was before he started training.  Even when he won the California on ESPN he was skinny.

Absolutely - and I know it's been posted a thousand times, but it's always taking another look at this pic and noting just how Goddamn skinny he was - and would have been forever - without year after year of bio-identical supra-physiological hormone therapy gear...

[affeman]

Crazy - must have doubled his bodyweight within a couple of years (oh, and drugs are just the finishing touch btw)

[Humble Narcissist]

All Weider supplements while applying the Weider principles to training.

[pellius]

That's nuts about 600 grams of protein, I want to say it's not right but can't say for sure. Palumbo himself never ate 600 grams of protein. Really, that's a crazy amount. His baseline contest prep diet has been posted all over. Egg meals, one salmon meal, protein shakes I think, almost no carbs.
Bostin Loyd for whom Palumbo had been like a mentor said his prep diet, the amounts, didn't change once over 12 weeks. Cardio increased a little, T3 and clen increased progressively. Supposedly Palumbo doesn't like to touch the diet at all.

Palumbo thinks McDonalds quarter pounders are somehow very anabolic, contain some special type of salt 

I've told this story many times here but I just think it was hilarious. Bob Chick was asked what he thought of Palumbo's diet, did he see anything wrong with it. Bob goes, "what's right about it?" 
It was McDonalds a couple of times a day, Carbo fuel drinks and protein shakes.

I like the sound of that.

[MCWAY]

Absolutely - and I know it's been posted a thousand times, but it's always taking another look at this pic and noting just how Goddamn skinny he was - and would have been forever - without year after year of bio-identical supra-physiological hormone therapy gear...

Notwithstanding that Flex is hardly "skinny", he'd just started training. What did you expect him to turn into a monster in a year or two?

Crazy - must have doubled his bodyweight within a couple of years (oh, and drugs are just the finishing touch btw)

There's at least a DECADE'S difference between those two pictures. So, just ignore the eating, the training, the sleeping.....all the other stuff.

All Flex did was inject steroids and POOF!!! Instant monster!!

Notice how nobody compares Dorian Yates' high school pics to his Olympia form and claim he's "all drugs" or sarcastically claim that "drugs are just the finishing touch".

[MCWAY]

His torso was very slim as well.  He looked like a gnat next to Dorian and Ronnie.

Him beating Ronnie pre '98 is meaningless. That was Ronnie before he mutated. They all but engraved his name on the Sandow for '98 before they even had the show. All he had to do was come in in shape. I didn't realize the show was that close on the score sheets so I was wrong there. But anyone who watched the show know he got smoked. Everyone did by Ronnie. Shredded and just a freak that we won't ever see anything like that again. Flex looked like his little brother in size without even at least being conditioned

Gnat? Little brother? I don't think so.

[Humble Narcissist]

He looked very thin from the side.  His torso was much thinner than Dorian or Ronnie or Levrone or Dillett or.............

[ThisisOverload]

Notwithstanding that Flex is hardly "skinny", he'd just started training. What did you expect him to turn into a monster in a year or two?

He was eating grass fed beef (rinsed of course) and wala wala onions.

Obviously AAS only accounted for the last 5% or so.

[Taffin]

Notwithstanding that Flex is hardly "skinny", he'd just started training. What did you expect him to turn into a monster in a year or two?

There's at least a DECADE'S difference between those two pictures. So, just ignore the eating, the training, the sleeping.....all the other stuff.

All Flex did was inject steroids and POOF!!! Instant monster!!

Notice how nobody compares Dorian Yates' high school pics to his Olympia form and claim he's "all drugs" or sarcastically claim that "drugs are just the finishing touch".

a.  That wasn't my point - I meant that he started off very skinny, was all - didn't criticise him in any way (or mention a time frame)

b.  I would say the same for Dorian actually - they are all all drugs - again, not a criticism, I love drugs!



Y so salty, Bro?  Need a hug? 



Edit:  how about this pic of Dorian when he was younger compared to his Olympia days..?  "Just the finishing touch"