But "the secret" isn't and wasn't ever a secret, it was just something you say for fun and games. Everyone knows the deal. Is O'Hearn's juicing a secret? It's not, they all laugh about it, but this joker Levrone claims to believe him. Now that's a joke, no one believes that shit.
It's not just Levrone. Wheeler, Yates, Ray are among dudes, independently of each other (some of whom would arguably would all have Sandows but for the BEAST that Coleman became) vouching for Coleman. Even guys like Mike Quinn (whom Ronnie beat at the 1994 Olympia; Coleman placed 15th to Quinn's "16th" have done so, interview where Ronnie wasn't even the topic of conversation.
Ronnie for sure was big before drugs and would beat most people drug free. He does have great genetics. And again it comes down to levels, say Ronnie just used testosterone as an amateur, as some say Ronnie admitted to, that does not make him natural but leaves him with a lot of room for improvement by stepping up the drugs.
Let's say he didn't use testosterone at all, early in his career. How big was he before he started using that or anyone else?
Regarding the drug testing, I don't believe he "beat" it as such as there never was any reliable testing. How many winners failed the Team U drug testing? I don't recall but obviously most didn't fail unless you think most were naturals at that show and NO ONE believes that. HOW MANY HAVE YOU SEEN FAIL THE MR UNIVERSE DRUG TESTING?! There have been many failures throughout the years but how many won and then were denied the pro card? Zero, as far as I know. Think about that for a while. That's corruption. Interestingly Lee Priest said they fucked him at 17 and had him fail while he was still natural. Remember Milos' adventures with the Philippines Universe team? He accused the officials of cheating in various ways and he was proven right eventually. Paul Chua was ousted for corruption. According to Milos not even the weigh-ins were legitimate. Corrupt as fuck = the testing is a joke.
And lets say Ronnie passed legitimate tests and he was just using "basic stuff" as he called it as an amateur. It was easy at the time. Just stop using for a few weeks.
That's why I asked. If it's THAT EASY to beat the Universe testing, why did so few American amateurs who didn't win the USA, North American, or Nationals simply "stop using for a few weeks", head to the Universe and go for their pro cards there?
They even made the Team Universe a pro qualifier in 2003, because the IFBB kept having the U held in Muslim countries and the USA contigent didn't go to compete.
I don't doubt there's cheating at the Universe. Heck, for most amateurs from other countries, the Universe is the be-all-end-all. They know if they take those pro cards, they'll get slaughtered in the IFBB. Some, particularly in the middle east, forfeited the pro cards they got as their countries' national champions, to compete in the Universe. Their native land offered them way more fame and fortune for winning their classes at the U, than they'd EVER GET as IFBB pros (i.e. Hamdullah Aytukulu).
Remember the tantrum Craig Titus threw when he lost the USA heavyweight class to the late Phil Herndon in 1995? He, in theory, could have easily stopped using for a few weeks, head to the Universe and turn pro. It's not as if he could have been in obscurity, as he was one of those amateurs who got more press than most established IFBB pros in the mid 90s.
