Im going to have to respectfully disagree with your assessment, my friend...
Nothing wrong with that Robert, always a pleasure to discuss these types of topics amongst friends.
You say he has no idea what he's getting himself into...what would that be, exactly? He already has MHP and MD behind him, and Victor helping him as well....Victor, who has done pretty well himself financially..
Robert, this kid is
NOT you or Victor. While he does have MHP and MD behind him, they certainly aren't paying him the type of money that they would pay you or even Victor (When he does place high). It's all about how marketable an athlete can be and how much money they can also bring the sponsor in return and this young man isn't too high on the IFBB foodchain to be capable of bringing in fans, money etc..
He never makes any statements of quitting his job, or delusions of grandeur...just that he has a goal.
I agree. That's why I have stressed through many of my posts thus far, that he is a genuine kid with a good heart.
You then seem to give him two options...be a top 5 pro and make the big buck....or be hustled into the seedy underworld of G4P, etc....how about he continues to work AND competes at the same time....as many others have done? There is no guarantee he wins the USA, or turns pro anytime soon (trust me, I know a little about this subject...) He never makes any ridiculous statements, or seems to be unrealistic in the video...
Even if he does continue to work hard and competes, that is no guarantee that he will make a decent living from the combination of the two. The amount of money that is spent monthly on steroids and other things, like food, can take a toll on the meager salary he will be receiving from competition and sponsorships. While he can certainly continue to work as an elevator technician, lets face it, it isn't necessarily a Mark Dugdale-esque career that will truly allow him to make
REAL money and live comfortably.
As for bringing his food and water to the job...lol...pretty much standard procedure if youre going to contend for the top prize...why would you view that as "pathetic" rather than "dedicated"? If you think being on steroids is a substitute for getting a hot dog and a beer after sweating your ass off in an elevator shaft for 6 hours...I've got news for you...it isnt. AAS isnt a substitute for cardio, or clean eating, or training.
I don't think that being on steroids will be a substitute for cardio or solid training (Which most professional bodybuilders don't do as much as they or
EVEN you used to when in competition), but I do feel pretty certain that the use of
GH has allowed for a sloppier diet to be employed when training. I could be wrong, but I have seen many of the NYC pros eating their share of McDonald's & pizzas even while prepping for a show.
You're usually pretty spot on your posts...on this, you're way off base and make a lot of assumptions which he never even eludes to...
You are correct in that I am making assumptions that
he did not necessarily make. I am making these assumptions because I've seen the troubles that these men TRULY run into once they enter this so-called lifestyle and start to realize that there isn't a safe financial future ahead of them.
Victor is a very nice guy and I appreciate the fact that he has taken a liking to this young man, but Victor knows
VERY well about the types of issues that "pros" can run into when it comes to money, especially when they aren't going to be a top tier pro.
There aren't many men that make
GREAT money in this sport and you know that. If you're a top five guy and have
various sponsorships (the combination of which might get you close to or over 100K), plus
a good number of high placing and/or wins, then yes, you can make decent money.
If you're a solid business man (i.e. Robert Michael and especially Shawn Ray), then yes you can make decent money, because you are HIGHLY marketable and can serve as a spokesperson for the sport. A figurehead that most supplement companies, targetting young youths looking into bodybuilding, would gladly invest money into because when you
SPEAK, it is convincing. Most pros are not as well spoken as Shawn Ray or even Robert Michael, but they always think that someone will "pick" them up and give them money for a few pictures and for showing up to a few booths throughout the year.
Again, Robert, I don't mind being disagreed with, but there is more that I am not saying (purposely), that I know you have seen over the decades involved within this sport.
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