Yates was never a B-tier Pro as you say , he was an top-tier Pro from his first contest , he never placed below second in his whole career !! in comparison Ronnie who placed 11th in his first Pro show , and 16th in his first Olympia , thats bottom of the barrel D-teir Pro !!
he never placed below second in his whole career- this really says it all motherfuckers.
If it hasn't occured to you just yet, what it says is that the Olympia's a commercial enterprise. That Lavrone, Wheeler, Dillet, Robinson & Fox have not a single Olympia amongst them while you rhapsodize about Yates' record says alot about your naivete. Yates' margins of victory were usually either slim, non-existent & questionable, as a matter of fact.
Coleman on the other hand, is unchallenged for the most part-it's been close only a couple of times. Something like Oliva in the late 60s.
Sorry to have to embarass you with this, but hey at least you understand now. Yates' good fortune was to be a very very good journeyman at the right time, right place.
