Originally Posted by mrmark

Does anyone know how to judges are selected at the Olympia?

I've heard from various sources (Pro and Board members) that because of the choice of judges, the positioning doesn't necessarily reflect the quality of the competitors.

Also, do you think Ronnie is going to win because he has done so 8x already, will he win because he'll be judged the best, or will he lose to someone else?

Originally Posted by THEUNIT(XXL)

No I don't think it will be given to him just because he is 8x Mr.O.
If you want to beat the champ, you got to knock him out, if he comes in really "off" and there is someone that has a body to match his and that person is "on", then that person will win the title, it's great to talk about Weider and his influence, but today it are completly diff. people, like Jim Manion and David Pecker.
I honestly(whatup john H ) believe that Jay came so close last Olympia, that everybody knows that Coleman might lose in 2006.
But then again that's just the Olympia, if you look at the npc/Nationals, that's a diff. story, those people will pecome pro's and off course they use a little politics to not have some @sshole new pro, who will compete in multi million$$ shows, and fuck it up. So that's good, look at Bob Cicherillo, he had to compete 14( ) times in the Nationals before becomeing a pro, because they knew he would take care of business(like he is doing as a rep).

Originally Posted by musclepump

Are you kidding? You don't think Manion and Pecker aren't in Joe's pockets? Titles don't mean much, Weider still calls the shots, even with AMI paying the bills.

Originally Posted by THEUNIT(XXL)

How would he do that? he has no power left, no Flex/M&F, no Olympia, he is only there for the honer.
Yes he has some power, because of his brother Ben, and because of Arnold, but that's it, have you seen him at the Mr.O 2005? the "speech"? no way people would let that man stay in control.

Originally Posted by musclepump

It still is called "Joe Weider's My. Olympia" and as long as it is, he'll call the shots.

Originally Posted by THEUNIT(XXL)

He sold the show!!, like I said, it's just for fun now.

Originally Posted by musclepump

It still is called "Joe Weider's My. Olympia" and as long as it is, he'll call the shots.

Originally Posted by petrainer

Dude:

The winners of bodybuilding shows on EVERY level are always influenced politcally. If Weider wants Ronnie to win, he is going to.

Same thing in your town. If you show up to Mr. East Main street better than everyone else, but Mr X knows the promoter he has a pretty big leg up on you.

The criteria in the pro ranks isn't even clean anymore. Ronnie is just a big lump of muscle. He looks like shit compared to Arnold, Olivia, even Zane, but he would kill them all today.

The current state of bodybuilding is a farce.

Originally Posted by petrainer

Dude:

The winners of bodybuilding shows on EVERY level are always influenced politcally. If Weider wants Ronnie to win, he is going to.

Same thing in your town. If you show up to Mr. East Main street better than everyone else, but Mr X knows the promoter he has a pretty big leg up on you.

The criteria in the pro ranks isn't even clean anymore. Ronnie is just a big lump of muscle. He looks like shit compared to Arnold, Olivia, even Zane, but he would kill them all today.

The current state of bodybuilding is a farce.

Originally Posted by Tha Don

agreed with everything you said apart from that, as much as i prefer the looks of yesterdays pros compared with todays, ronnie looks out of this world, he is easily better then all those guys you mentioned in virtually every department (apart from maybe athstetics), yeah he looks like a freak show but i wouldn't excatly say he looks shit