So you say. again.
The other shows were a means to qualify for the Olympia as well as making living for people who wasn't really going to win the Olympia. Why do think think Flex always competed in the spring shows? Easy pay day and he had a legitimate chance of winning the Olympia where Shawn never did
Flex? Labrada? Clairmonte? Nasser? lower-level? Francois won his first 4 pro shows something Shawn never did , in fact he won more pro shows in 2 years than Shawn did in 13
And yet, when he got to the Olympia, Ray placed higher. And while Ray would remain among the top 5 at the O, Francois unfortunately would never improve on his 7th-place finish.
There are other shows than lower-level that's your strawman. placing top 5 at the Olympia does not hold anymore weight then you know actually winning a professional contest. Francois winning the first 4 pro shows as a rookie and beating seasoned pro in the process with infinitely more impressive than Shawn top 5 at the Olympia. The ultimate goal of entering any pro contest is to win it. Shawn almost never won. You can't escape that.
Yes it does. Why do you think Shawn Ray is in the iFBB Hall of Fame, whereas Francois, Charles, and other IFBB pros who have won more shows ARE NOT?
Answer: Top 5 at the Olympia, 12 years straight for Shawn Ray.
And that's all he won ever in 19 competitions. Again that's no consolation Shawn bitched & moaned about it the entire time you think he was content with top 5? absolutely not.
Nobody claimed he was. Again, for most of his career, he competed only in the Olympia.
Where do you come up with this nonsense? If you consistently lose , it determine how great you are? What the heck? 
Wrong , what determined greatness if what you won and how many times. The whole point is to WIN the Olympia and not merely do well. Shawn was NEVER the best bodybuilder , he one one of the best at certain years but NEVER the best. he promised to beat the best he failed. You see it in the video he's not claiming he's there to do well or consistent. He said he was going to beat Haney. Haney is arguably the GOAT Shawn isn't , he's not in the same league , he was never a threat , he's not great in any context of the word. That's why I say he's vastly overrated he's convinced people like you he's in their league and he's NOT , NEVER was NEVER will be. He had an excellent physique did well for himself all things considered was a mediocre competitive bodybuilder with just 2 wins to his credit and that's it.
A number of guys said they were going to beat Haney but didn't. But, Ray never being a threat? PLEASE!! He was always a threat to win. Unfortunately for him (especially in 1994), it didn't happen.
Mediocre doesn't get you in the top 5 at the Olympia, especially for a decade plus. There was a reason why placing top 10 at the Olympia automatically qualified you for the next Olympia: How you placed there determined how good you really were and that trumped even winning lower shows.
