David Shaw’s fond recollection of the inauspicious 1980 Mr Olympia which he attended from his book ‘ Over the edge’
“Mentzer was given fifth. It didn’t sink in for a moment ,Then there was bedlam. Everyone was screaming abuse. I’m not sure where they were directing their insults to but doubt Mike Mentzer heard them. He couldn’t believe the ridiculous decision. King was frothing at the mouth.
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“Fifth-fifth. Fucking how could they put my man fifth? Fuck you Arnold. Fuck you Arnold! Fuck, fuck,fuck.” He could not accept it. He would not accept it.
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Frankie sat back in his seat. Mentzer retired on the spot . Boyer Coe came in 4th he went on backstage like an innocent man led to the gallows, then threw a few chairs around and smashed a few lockers.
Zane was lucky to come 3rd.He didn’t think so, he smashed his trophy on the Opera house steps
Chris Dickerson took 2nd . Perhaps he was in shock, perhaps he knew all along.
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Arnold won. I can’t recall hearing the announcement. All you could hear were chants of ‘rigged,rigged,rigged’ The video that was made of the competition cut Arnold’s speech short simply because you couldn’t hear it.
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