You guys are funny.Gene NEVER professed to be a great raw bencher.He is a guy who wears a shirt[by the way,shirts are legal in ALL feds]and he is the first guy to bench 900 and 1000lbs.Whats the problem?He isnt trying to be a bodybuilder,he isnt trying to be like so many of you who love wearing your wifebeaters to the mall with the lats spread the entire time ,he competes in powerlifting.Powerliftin g is judged by who lifts the most weight.We dont care how you look,we care what you can lift.Genes has totaled 2300 in a meet,so not only can he bench but he can do all 3 lifts.Im amazed at the hostility towards a guy who minds his buisiness and lifts.To my knowlege he has never said or posted one negative thing about anyone ever.I will say this.Im much more disturbed by some of the bodybuilders websites that sell pictures of the guys with a towel wrapped around their waist in a pool or ocean or just coming out of a shower.Is bodybuilding and bodybuilders trying to corner the gay market?Heres a bet.Put on ANY type of shirt you want and bench 1000lbs.So far there are two guys who have done it,if its so easy ,you can be the third.