Thread: One of my old lifting partners in the 80's

Very cool, man. Awesome link too!

ever try to get in touch with him?

I remember him making a big impact when he was hitting contests back then - it still sucks that his pro career was stunted because he saw how much others compromised their health and values to maintain their position.

You have to admire a man's values when he gives up the prospect of a lot of fame and money in order to respect himself. I'm glad he's doing well, Fire....but did the guy find that the other federations out there were pushing the same thing so it was just better to hang it up?

As much as Weider pushes wanting bodybuilding in the Olympics, you'd think the sport would clean itself up - and not keep losing good represenative athletes.

I dunno if you know much about this, but remember...geez, like ten years ago or so, when Vince McMahon started up that whole bodybuilding thing as a side to his wrestling empire? It lasted a couple of years or so, a lot of media hype, and quite a few guys like Strydom, DeMey and Mike Christian jumped the Weider ship to compete there. I always wondered what happened to those guys when it folded. . .some were at the best point in their pro careers.

According to that site Platz was involved with the McMahon project.

I believe Arnold was given credit with attempting to create a bodybuilders union at one point.

Hill was awesome. The guy had a killer posing routine. Gaspari could not pose for crap IMHO. But he displayed some solid, ripped mass...good guy too. Great link.

Originally posted by oaktownboy
ever try to get in touch with him?

Naa not really. We were what I call gym friends. We hung out together from time to time and hung out at each others homes to watch a game or something from time to time but we weren't like best friends that you keep in touch with over the years. We just went our seperate ways at some point. He went and did his thing and I did mine. We all have had relationships such as this. Ya just move on.

Originally posted by kbm8795
I remember him making a big impact when he was hitting contests back then - it still sucks that his pro career was stunted because he saw how much others compromised their health and values to maintain their position.

You have to admire a man's values when he gives up the prospect of a lot of fame and money in order to respect himself. I'm glad he's doing well, Fire....but did the guy find that the other federations out there were pushing the same thing so it was just better to hang it up?

As much as Weider pushes wanting bodybuilding in the Olympics, you'd think the sport would clean itself up - and not keep losing good represenative athletes.

I dunno if you know much about this, but remember...geez, like ten years ago or so, when Vince McMahon started up that whole bodybuilding thing as a side to his wrestling empire? It lasted a couple of years or so, a lot of media hype, and quite a few guys like Strydom, DeMey and Mike Christian jumped the Weider ship to compete there. I always wondered what happened to those guys when it folded. . .some were at the best point in their pro careers.

OK, here is the "true" low down on Phils departure as told to me by Phil himself. 1st off, health issues were not an issue with him. He didn't care what others did. He used steroids but had his limits. He was moreso about hard work so health issues were not behind his reason to leave the sport.

What he did see in such a short period and expecially on his one and only Mr. Olympia contest was the homosexuality. Sponsors approached him back stage offering sponsorship if basically he would "punk himself out" I don't remember the exact verbage he used but those handing out the big sponsorships expected sexual favors and they didn't care if you were straight. In short he said you either play the game or your black balled and you get no sponsorships from even the legit companies. Your marked as not being a team player so nobody wants anything to do with you. so for guys like Phil that trained for a "living" and did not have jobs that paid exceptionally well in those days needed sponsorship. He basically told them to fuck off and got on a plane and came home. He also said many of the pros were assholes and he didn't want anything to do with them. He was just all around turned off by the professional level. Very different world then the amatuer levels.
Guys like Ron Coleman held/hold real paying jobs and some get away with making it without having to play "that" game. Another that refused to play in recent years was Lee Priest who downright refused to homosexual act for money and did so only like a down under Aussie would do. Very nastily.
Things have gotten a bit better since the 80s because Lee was still able to get sponsors. The sponsors look at certain people with a huge fan fare and can't just discard them because like it or not, he is going to make them money.

Another way the pros get money(sponsors) is private nude photography. they will pose nude for rich Gay men.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by kbm8795

I dunno if you know much about this, but remember...geez, like ten years ago or so, when Vince McMahon started up that whole bodybuilding thing as a side to his wrestling empire?

Absolutely being a bodybuilder at the time and also a huge wrestling fan.

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It lasted a couple of years or so, a lot of media hype, and quite a few guys like Strydom, DeMey and Mike Christian jumped the Weider ship to compete there.

As threatened by Weider himself to those individuals, If you leave me you will never work for me again. (they were black balled)
Weider did in fact go back on his threat with a few of them such as Christian but some were just not brought back or if they were, not given the same coverage and opportunities as they once had.

Thanks a lot for that explanation, Firestorm....as much as I dislike the use of terms like "homo" and "fag" because of their derogatory nature, there isn't a lot of room to find more polite terms to describe sexual harassment for money or placement. I had heard some rumors for years, but not with reps from supplement companies - I had always just wondered how Weider managed to keep such an iron grip on the pro circuit, especially when I'd hear snippets of unhappy remarks kinda drift through people from some pros.

I had even heard about private allegations on some of the amateur levels about playing that same kind of game with the judges - I wondered if that had ever been cleaned up. But to have to cope with that for sponsorship? Man, that's the ultimate in disrespect for a sport and a competitor - I doubt that something like Nike expected Jordan to put out for years...know what I mean?

I thought a couple of times about pitching a story about these things, but then figured that even if someone could penetrate the inner walls of that corruption, most mainstream publications would only use it to trash the sport into the gutter more than it's already perceived to be....

I have a lot of respect for Phil (and people like him) who valued himself as a person rather than feel coerced into personal compromise to that level. There's been enough of that game played on every group of people. While I've seen it happen on smaller levels in corporations with heterosexuals, at least they had some degree of movement or eventual recourse - that's what sexual harassment laws are supposed to be for.

There are times when I favor a witch hunt....when there are legitimate crimes and corruption being committed against any person. But I can imagine the position he must have been placed in - like a career dead in the water and no money to keep training unless he played in the gutter, or move along like he did. That kind of treatment robs both fans and the sport. At least Coleman and some of the others managed to hang onto occupations - I wonder how those companies deal with them and what they've seen as observers? I'd be hoping the advice they would be giving guys (of any sexual orientation) who are getting their pro card is: "Don't give up your day job -- ever."

It does make me wonder about Bob Paris, too. You'd think he would have been an ideal candidate for the company vultures, since he was gay anyway...at least until he came out. Maybe Satan was right - his endorsements dried up as soon as he announced he was gay and had a stable relationship - like he said in another thread, who wants a homo for an idol?

Also, thanks for the stuff about the McMahon thing - I kinda figured it was probably one of those Weider "you'll never work for me again" things. Seems more like the athletes work themselves into the ground and end up being little more than pawns unless they've had a way of earning another living along the way.

Hey...by the way...I had been meaning to ask you if you ever read the book "Muscle: Confessions of an Unlikely Bodybuilder." by Samuel Russell. I don't know if the book is still in print, but somehow I thought you might find it interesting - it came out in 1991 and is the story of a guy who takes up bodybuilding (roids and all) in the late 1980's and ends up competing in a small contest in California...like one woman reviewer for the Boston Globe at the time called it "A kind of Beefcake Alice in Wonderland." I found a copy (a bit dusty) in a box of books I was unpacking today....

i remember seeing that book Muscles:Confessions of a BB when i was at Border's Books a while back, so its probably still out there for sale.......

i knew all that "gay" shit went on, but its actually alot creepier when you relaly think about it. When i was reading Arnold's unauthorized bio, there was this gay guy that offered Arnold tons of $ to do nude photos (and probably worse than that). He said no, and never talked to that guy again. i have heard stories of shit like that in the pros nowadays, and its downright NASTY. it makes you think also, about how much $ they spend on juice where they have to sink down to levels that low.

Originally posted by kbm8795
Thanks a lot for that explanation, Firestorm....as much as I dislike the use of terms like "homo" and "fag" because of their derogatory nature, there isn't a lot of room to find more polite terms to describe sexual harassment for money or placement.

Derrogitory statement "noted" and respected. I've edited the post to exclude the words. Thank you for your honest response to being offended.
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I had heard some rumors for years, but not with reps from supplement companies - I had always just wondered how Weider managed to keep such an iron grip on the pro circuit, especially when I'd hear snippets of unhappy remarks kinda drift through people from some pros.

I had even heard about private allegations on some of the amateur levels about playing that same kind of game with the judges - I wondered if that had ever been cleaned up. But to have to cope with that for sponsorship? Man, that's the ultimate in disrespect for a sport and a competitor - I doubt that something like Nike expected Jordan to put out for years...know what I mean?

No, Jordan if anything could have made them put out to have him endorse their product. Actually the companies DID PUT OUT. But in the form of cash.
Professional sports are different because they DON'T need the money. Bodybuilders NEED the money to stay in the sport. A MJ can make do with his paychecks from the BB team.
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I thought a couple of times about pitching a story about these things, but then figured that even if someone could penetrate the inner walls of that corruption, most mainstream publications would only use it to trash the sport into the gutter more than it's already perceived to be....

Very true. Like always the real victim becomes the target.
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I have a lot of respect for Phil (and people like him) who valued himself as a person rather than feel coerced into personal compromise to that level. There's been enough of that game played on every group of people. While I've seen it happen on smaller levels in corporations with heterosexuals, at least they had some degree of movement or eventual recourse - that's what sexual harassment laws are supposed to be for.

Yes but if a body builder files such a thing he will still be black balled by everyone else. So and so supplement company just picks up some other bodybuilder as well as the rest of the companies that use those tactics.

KEEP IN MIND THAT NOT ALL COMPANIES INVOLVED WITH PROFESSIONAL BODYBUILDING PARTICIPATE IN SUCH ACTS. When you see an AD for MuscleTeck please don't assume that the Bodybuilder in the AD had to do something nasty to get that job. This is NOT the case. It just so happened to be the very 1st company to approach fill that did it so he was on a plane home afterwards. He saw too much in a very short period.
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There are times when I favor a witch hunt....when there are legitimate crimes and corruption being committed against any person. But I can imagine the position he must have been placed in - like a career dead in the water and no money to keep training unless he played in the gutter, or move along like he did. That kind of treatment robs both fans and the sport. At least Coleman and some of the others managed to hang onto occupations - I wonder how those companies deal with them and what they've seen as observers? I'd be hoping the advice they would be giving guys (of any sexual orientation) who are getting their pro card is: "Don't give up your day job -- ever."

It does make me wonder about Bob Paris, too. You'd think he would have been an ideal candidate for the company vultures, since he was gay anyway...at least until he came out. Maybe Satan was right - his endorsements dried up as soon as he announced he was gay and had a stable relationship - like he said in another thread, who wants a homo for an idol?

ummm homosexuals maybe???? Seriously think about how many homosexuals pick up bodybuilding mags or go to shows. They are a perfect market in that sport. That is like a straight guy picking up a magazine with women in bikinis in it. The swimsuit Sports Illustrated is the highest selling month for the company. So I'd adverstise real manly man goods in that issue.
As for bodybuilding,, hell I'd have a gay BBer advertise my goods without a doubt and make a killing doing so. Gays would be very supportive of a company that support a gay athelete and consider it a vicorty for gay rights.
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Also, thanks for the stuff about the McMahon thing - I kinda figured it was probably one of those Weider "you'll never work for me again" things. Seems more like the athletes work themselves into the ground and end up being little more than pawns unless they've had a way of earning another living along the way.

McMahons company was under scrutiny back during the steroid trial and storys errupted from Wrestlers coming forward with similar alligations that the McMahon team would give new and possible future stars a similar optomatum: to put out or get out. Or put out or stay in the house shows. Basically to get ahead or be something in the business you had to have exceptional talent to start or to be given assistance on bettering yourself and get exposure you had to put out.
Pat Paterson (ex wrestler was one individual named in the suit and an out of court settlement was reached with a gag order) Smart move by McMahon Law team to keep that under the carpet.
Note: Vince himself was NOT one of those accused of these acts. It was his talent scouts and other execs such as Pat Patterson as I already stated.

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Hey...by the way...I had been meaning to ask you if you ever read the book "Muscle: Confessions of an Unlikely Bodybuilder." by Samuel Russell. I don't know if the book is still in print, but somehow I thought you might find it interesting - it came out in 1991 and is the story of a guy who takes up bodybuilding (roids and all) in the late 1980's and ends up competing in a small contest in California...like one woman reviewer for the Boston Globe at the time called it "A kind of Beefcake Alice in Wonderland." I found a copy (a bit dusty) in a box of books I was unpacking today....

No I'm afraid I haven't read the book my friend. Sounds excellent though.

I know you are right about that, Flex - it just irritates the crap outa me that its hard to crack it all out in the open without ruining the sport. Makes me feel like the sport is held for sexual ransom.

I honestly don't have a problem with people doing whatever they choose willingly...but I hate pariahs in any form who can put their victim in an impossible position. It's sleazy.

Ya know it's kinda funny, here you have these HUGE MASS monsters being literally controlled by skinny little gay guys. Think I'd rather stay puney myself when ya think about it.

Man, Fire...I should apologize...cuz I didn't mean for you to drop those words from that post. I meant to say that I don't like seeing them because there is a history of violence associated with their use...but in the context you were using them, the acts you were describing WERE violent. What I meant to say was there wasn't any kind of polite term you can use for the things those guys are doing to the pros. . . it just makes me wonder if there isn't some way for those companies to clean house - I mean, ALL their employees can't be like that, can they?

Anyway, about that book - I can't honestly remember the whole story, since it's been at least a decade since I've read it - I just know it was published way outside the bodybuilding world. Still, it might be a good winter read, even if it gets you riled...

The back flap description says:

"At age 26, scrawny, Oxford-educated Samuel Fussell entered a YMCA gym in New York to escape the terrors of big city life. Four years and 80lbs. of firm, bulging muscle later, he was competing for bodybuilding titles in the 'Iron Mecca' of Southern California - so weak from intense training and starvation he could barely walk. (hmmm..Prince might have given him a big lecture here). MUSCLE is the harrowing, often hilarious chronicle of Fussell's divine obsession, his search for identity in a bizarre, eccentric world of 'health fascists,' 'gym bunnies,' and 'muscleheads' - and his devout, single-minded acceptance of illness, pain, nausea, and steroid-induced rage in his quest for the holy grail of physical perfection."

Hmm..I'm not sure how positive the angle is - hell, I'd read it again myself over break if I wasn't heading into my doctoral prelims.

Originally posted by kbm8795
Man, Fire...I should apologize...cuz I didn't mean for you to drop those words from that post. I meant to say that I don't like seeing them because there is a history of violence associated with their use...but in the context you were using them, the acts you were describing WERE violent. What I meant to say was there wasn't any kind of polite term you can use for the things those guys are doing to the pros. . . it just makes me wonder if there isn't some way for those companies to clean house - I mean, ALL their employees can't be like that, can they?

I read your post "entirely" before making my changes and I was well aware that you meant no disrespect to me. You just made me reread my own post and disliked the usage myself and figured that if a gay member DID see it that they may be offended so I removed the words on their behalf. I actually am glad you pointed out my ignorance in using such derogitory terms when not really necessary to get my point across. In short, I thank you for pointing it out not disliking it.
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Anyway, about that book - I can't honestly remember the whole story, since it's been at least a decade since I've read it - I just know it was published way outside the bodybuilding world. Still, it might be a good winter read, even if it gets you riled...

Nothing gets me that riled. Seeing a persons view from outside our world is important. How "they" see us intregues me. False or unwitting perceptions are amusing. Hateful perceptions rile me. There is a difference. I'd like to read this book.
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The back flap description says:

"At age 26, scrawny, Oxford-educated Samuel Fussell entered a YMCA gym in New York to escape the terrors of big city life. Four years and 80lbs. of firm, bulging muscle later, he was competing for bodybuilding titles in the 'Iron Mecca' of Southern California - so weak from intense training and starvation he could barely walk. (hmmm..Prince might have given him a big lecture here). MUSCLE is the harrowing, often hilarious chronicle of Fussell's divine obsession, his search for identity in a bizarre, eccentric world of 'health fascists,' 'gym bunnies,' and 'muscleheads' - and his devout, single-minded acceptance of illness, pain, nausea, and steroid-induced rage in his quest for the holy grail of physical perfection."

Actually from reading that I may be agreeing with much of this guys stance then you think I would. Many bodybuilders "not in the know" considered "dieting down" for contests as cutting Calories to the bare minimum and even a few top bodybuilders have acually passed out on stage due to the lack of water in their systems on top of decreased energy levels from the loss of calories.

Gyms with the gym bunnies also exist. My old gym was loaded with the high hair fully painted war paint(makeup) coming in to meet guys rather then sweat. Have you seen any posts of mine explaining why I no longer train in gyms and went to the expense of buying a full gym for my basement? The bunnies were one of the reasons.

I don't really know where they are going with that description on "pain" and nausia so I'm not commenting on them. Pain as in injury pain or the pain of the "burn" from performing perfect reps?

As for Steroid inducec rages. Yep true and yep I know this from not a book but from personnel experience.



Hmm..I'm not sure how positive the angle is - hell, I'd read it again myself over break if I wasn't heading into my doctoral prelims.

Your heading into your doctoral relims??? WEll I hope the tests come back negative buddy!!!! hahahahahaha that was a joke. Seriously that is outstanding that your expanding your education that far. Very impressed my friend.

On that web site, it mentions the Mentzer brothers, they both died in '01, 3 days apart, anyone know what happened, just curious, I found it eerie..........??????

i just read that columbu had a 485 bench press UNGODLYYYYY

for a guy thats 5'5 thats just insane

And did you check his weight?? he was under 200 pounds and benched that.

Francos deadlift was fuqing INSANE!!! There are pros today on far more drugs and much better supplements then they had back then and they couldn't touch him on Deadlifts.

One of the most awesome video spots or movie spots I've ever seen was a piece on Franco doing deadlifts. He had 45's loaded all the way to the very tip of the bar. He started banging away rep after rep. Plates were literally falling off the damn bar and he kept going like a gawd damn machine. plates crashing to the floor on on this side of the bar then a rep and one from the other side goes flying then another then another. It was amazing!!!!

Originally posted by firestorm
Your heading into your doctoral relims??? WEll I hope the tests come back negative buddy!!!! hahahahahaha that was a joke. Seriously that is outstanding that your expanding your education that far. Very impressed my friend.

Haha....man, I just hope I survive them - a solid month of nothing but writing research problems on top of trying to get a grip on another crop of students for the semester. They are the toughest part before the dissertation -

Ya know, it does sound like you'd be into that Fussell book - I kinda leafed through it briefly this evening (kinda my down time after 12 hours of adding grades and turning stuff in) - the guy was kinda this well-off Oxford boy who ditches everything, uses some inheritance money and heads into bodybuilding with a twice-a-day workout madness - I was reading a few pages where he was describing all the exercises he did for his early routines in New York for the first couple of years - hell, I don't even do half of his routine! It is kinda interesting how he writes about the relationships he has with his new lifter friends - stuff they talk about, things like that. I think you might find it kinda fun reading - slap that one on your Xmas list!
If you do have some trouble locating it, I can always ship you my old copy....

I've seen some of that stuff...well, about the gym bunnies and the purists - when I lived in Atlanta, I went to a gym in one of the suburbs that Lex Lugar and ...I wanna say Sting owned - it was probably the hardest core place I've ever been to. Since I'm at a university gym here, you don't see so much of that - but I remember seeing a couple of young women (full makeup, lipstick) lounging on machines doing the occasional two rep set - I kept wondering why they were wearing makeup in a big sweaty room at 9 p.m. on a weeknight . . .

Actually, I think my own biggest laugh came when this guy approached me. . .I was doing standing leg curls and he walks over and says "You really have great legs." This kinda surprised me...like I'm in a college gym, I'm 49 years old and had hardly advanced beyond heavy Nautilus use...I'm only about 5'10 and 180 right now - hardly ready to bump Flex's back off of..uh..FLEX magazine. Worse, I always thought I had crap legs - great calves (I'm half-German) but quads and hams that seemed too small to me, so I worked them as much as I could.
Anyway, before I could say thanks, he said "I'd tell ya that the rest of your body looks great too, but I don't wanna sound like I'm gay." I started laughing so hard that I had to stop my set...and he was looking a little embarassed.

I still don't see myself as looking that incredible - just a lot more inshape than I've been in years...but, just like the author in this book says, as he got bigger, more people talked with him. I can remember a point where suddenly people started nodding more to me, talking a bit, etc. Now it could be that I'm so much older than most of them, but it seems to me that even the big guys say hello or help out once they see you are serious about your own goals. My only problem is with sports medicine - every one of them knows me by name...

Anyway, I got way off the subject here - it just seems to me that you might like parts of that book and maybe get an idea or two about writing about some of your own experiences - seems to me that you've got a gold mine there of memories.

Now, since you built a home gym, do you ever miss...well, like seeing people by going out to a gym? I have to admit, sometimes I've been so busy during a semester that just going to the gym is like my sad, social event - just gets my body moving and a chance for me to mingle with people outside academics....
It has to be kinda great for ya...I mean, you can teach your sons a lot about using it and you get to train whenever you want -

Man, as for Franco...that guy was amazing! I remember them describing him as the strongest man in bodybuilding - almost an embarassment at his height and weight, but he trained like he was almost in a trance. I remember watching those scenes of him in Pumping Iron - when he went home to Sicily to see his family...didn't he become like a chiropractor or something?

Originally posted by katie64
On that web site, it mentions the Mentzer brothers, they both died in '01, 3 days apart, anyone know what happened, just curious, I found it eerie..........??????

You know Katie - I wanted to answer this earlier, but I honestly couldn't remember what the conclusion was about their cause of death. I thought I had read that it was suicidal, but I hesitate stating that because I'm not sure anything like that was confirmed.

You might check out this web site - maybe they've got more information in the tribute links on the homepage...:

http://www.mikementzer.com/

Originally posted by kbm8795
Haha....man, I just hope I survive them - a solid month of nothing but writing research problems on top of trying to get a grip on another crop of students for the semester. They are the toughest part before the dissertation -

Ya know, it does sound like you'd be into that Fussell book - I kinda leafed through it briefly this evening (kinda my down time after 12 hours of adding grades and turning stuff in) - the guy was kinda this well-off Oxford boy who ditches everything, uses some inheritance money and heads into bodybuilding with a twice-a-day workout madness - I was reading a few pages where he was describing all the exercises he did for his early routines in New York for the first couple of years - hell, I don't even do half of his routine! It is kinda interesting how he writes about the relationships he has with his new lifter friends - stuff they talk about, things like that. I think you might find it kinda fun reading - slap that one on your Xmas list!
If you do have some trouble locating it, I can always ship you my old copy....

That is a very very kind offer but I'd never ask you to do that. I'm sure I can get a book store to find and order it for me. I'll give that a try and let you know how well I fair.
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I've seen some of that stuff...well, about the gym bunnies and the purists - when I lived in Atlanta, I went to a gym in one of the suburbs that Lex Lugar and ...I wanna say Sting owned - it was probably the hardest core place I've ever been to. Since I'm at a university gym here, you don't see so much of that - but I remember seeing a couple of young women (full makeup, lipstick) lounging on machines doing the occasional two rep set - I kept wondering why they were wearing makeup in a big sweaty room at 9 p.m. on a weeknight . . .

Your totally correct. Lex Lugar and ***** Borden(Sting;forget his 1st name) own(ed) that gym. I think but not certain that Sting sold his part to Lex. Don't hold me to that.
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Actually, I think my own biggest laugh came when this guy approached me. . .I was doing standing leg curls and he walks over and says "You really have great legs." This kinda surprised me...like I'm in a college gym, I'm 49 years old and had hardly advanced beyond heavy Nautilus use...I'm only about 5'10 and 180 right now - hardly ready to bump Flex's back off of..uh..FLEX magazine. Worse, I always thought I had crap legs - great calves (I'm half-German) but quads and hams that seemed too small to me, so I worked them as much as I could.
Anyway, before I could say thanks, he said "I'd tell ya that the rest of your body looks great too, but I don't wanna sound like I'm gay." I started laughing so hard that I had to stop my set...and he was looking a little embarassed.

I hear you there, That used to happen to me quite frequently way back when. I actually did get a kick out of the crowd that would gather around when my partner and I would load 405 plus on an incline bench. Or the insane amounts of poundages on a leg press machine or squat. that was the best about training in a gym. It was very motivational.
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I still don't see myself as looking that incredible - just a lot more inshape than I've been in years...but, just like the author in this book says, as he got bigger, more people talked with him. I can remember a point where suddenly people started nodding more to me, talking a bit, etc. Now it could be that I'm so much older than most of them, but it seems to me that even the big guys say hello or help out once they see you are serious about your own goals. My only problem is with sports medicine - every one of them knows me by name...

I can't comment about you personnally on this subject but I can say from personnel accounts that people that go from being overweight or puney, work out, go through a metamophasis of personality changes. These changes come from the new found pride they found within themselves and the all around feeling about themselves as a person. In doing so, they project these accomplishements with vigor and new found vitality. They walk into a room with a commanding presence.
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Anyway, I got way off the subject here - it just seems to me that you might like parts of that book and maybe get an idea or two about writing about some of your own experiences - seems to me that you've got a gold mine there of memories.

Oh yes I certainly have several volumes worth. How about being in a Mexican night club in Pueto Viarta and having a gang of mexicans approach you and your 250 pound Bodybuilder buddy your on vaction with suddenly expecting trouble, only to have the biggest one of them,, all 5'6" 190lb. of him challenge you to an arm wrestling match for a mexican beer. So being a nice guy and not wanting to insult him or his 20 gang friends, you agree and of course defeat him in a timely fashion. You think your done but another challenger steps up to the plate. Before I knew it, my buddy Steve and I EACH had our very own Chorus line of Mexicans awaiting thier turn to challenge the mucho mucley Americanos. Turned out to be a very fun night.

On the same trip, while walking the streets of town taking in the sites, a military personnel carrier comes to a halt and about 6 militia exit the vehicle and approach you. Now again you figure your in some Mexican Chili only again to find the men quite friendly and stopping us only for a picture with them. We took pics with them with our camera and one of theirs. In one of "my" photos I'm posing with one of thier Weapons in the middle of the 6 men in front of their vehicle. Pretty funny time.
Oh and one of them gave us some really good Cigars.

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Now, since you built a home gym, do you ever miss...well, like seeing people by going out to a gym? I have to admit, sometimes I've been so busy during a semester that just going to the gym is like my sad, social event - just gets my body moving and a chance for me to mingle with people outside academics....
It has to be kinda great for ya...I mean, you can teach your sons a lot about using it and you get to train whenever you want -

I'd rather not answer this question 'honestly" but I shall. Absolutely Positively NO I do not miss the people. I miss seeing some of the good ole boys "outside" the gym but not in the gym. I'm quite happy without the "eye candy" taking my partners mind of spotting me or the very pesterous members asking for workout tips "during" a training session or while your spotting your partner trying to keep him motivated during his set while some kid comes up with
"Excuse me but is it better to go all the way down to the ground on squats or stop half way??? As your partner is just coming UP from his last leg burnen rep and ready to pass the hell out you BARK out..... GO DOWN! Your partner that you have been encouraging throughout his set thinks your talking to him and proceeds to start another rep and goes to the floor with over 400 pounds slamming into the safty rails. Hell I didn't expect him to do another rep, I walked away!!!! hahahaha So no, I don't miss it one damn bit. They make funny stories now but not funny then.
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Man, as for Franco...that guy was amazing! I remember them describing him as the strongest man in bodybuilding -

He was actually sescribed as one of the strongest men in the world and even participated in the strongest man in the world contests but broke his leg carrying a refridgerator on his back. I actually still remember seeing it that day.
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almost an embarassment at his height and weight, but he trained like he was almost in a trance. I remember watching those scenes of him in Pumping Iron - when he went home to Sicily to see his family...didn't he become like a chiropractor or something?

Yeppers he is a practicing chiropractor in California and yea I know the scene you speak of in P/I. I really liked that scene very much.

Originally posted by katie64
On that web site, it mentions the Mentzer brothers, they both died in '01, 3 days apart, anyone know what happened, just curious, I found it eerie..........??????

Not exactly sure, but I can say that Mike was a huge meth user, that probably had something to do with it I bet!!

Thanks guys, I'll check out the site, probably the older brother died from Meth and the younger one, being that more than likely he idolized his older brother, commited suicide, too bad and really quite sad..........