Kai Greene: Bodybuilding?s Red Headed Step Child
by Matt Meinrod ~ source
Let me start with saying I love the Kai Greene persona. His guest posing masks and unique posing style is truly original and captivating. His training videos are intense and motivating. And his 20 minute rants on life and bodybuilding are can?t miss videos on my computer. Over the past 6 years we have gotten to see the ?Dirty Diana? Kai, we?ve gotten to see the goofy, training with Victor at Bev?s Powerhouse Gym Kai, we?ve seen the philosophical Cardio Confessional Kai, we?ve seen the chicken and rice ? one word press conference speaking Kai, and then recently we?ve seen the ?deny deny deny, counter accuse? Kai.
Who really is Kai Greene?
Far from me to try to answer that question, I?m not sure if Kai himself knows the answer. Looking back at Kai?s career may tell the story. He lived in boys homes and with foster parents, spent most of his time in community centers, and in his early years he found comfort working out in local gyms trying to stay out of trouble. We?ve heard stories of Kai living off of cans of tuna and white rice while dominating local shows and eventually becoming a Team Universe champion.
And then along comes Oscar Ardon and Kai?s world would soon be turned upside down. It was almost as though Kai started to see bodybuilding for what it really was. He learned new nutritional strategies, stepped up his intensity on how to train, and of course became savvy as to the ways of professional bodybuilding?s chemical enhancement. Who?s to say if Kai hadn?t tested the waters prior to Oscar, but his skills and strategies surely went from high school to grad student when the duo started passing notes. Little Kai went from winning the 2007 Shawn Ray Colorado Pro/Am to winning the 2008 New York Pro and looking like he went through some sort of Cold War experimentation in the process. The dude had muscles coming out of places I didn?t think muscle existed. Bravo, Oscar, you?ve officially created a monster!
But while Oscar was feeding Kai a steady diet of Joel Osteen and Tony Robbins motivational books on tape, Kai was certainly plotting his hostile takeover. Say what you want about Oscar Ardon, the guy is a phenomenal bodybuilding coach and advisor. Some might say a tad bit greedy with rumors around the community that say he nabbed 50% of all prize money Kai earned while the two worked together. I?d call it a bargain considering without the help of Oscar, Kai never would have reached his potential to begin with. None the less, Kai moved on from Oscar and became more and more reclusive and peculiar.
From my view, Kai is a crafty son of a bitch and while he embraced the help of one of the top bodybuilding minds in the industry, he was quickly looking for an out as soon as the timing was right. Kai was never taught the ethics of business loyalty that many of us learn at home or in higher education. It appears as though Kai has a ?me first? mentality and everyone else had better watch out.
Just take a look back at the Kai Greene we have all grown to love. He started out as an annoying child trapped in a man?s body. I remember watching videos of him dancing around the gym while doing video shoots with MD. Then there was the ?Melt Down in Manhattan? that lead to him spending a few weeks in Venice Beach with Charles Glass prior to the Arnold Classic as he was looking for a new perspective on bodybuilding. We were all treated to some of the best 30 minutes in YouTube history while he indoctrinated the bodybuilding world on the ?Mind of Kai? during his epic Cardio Confessionals. And now to present time, as he has soon realized that his ultimate goal of becoming Mr. Olympia may never be realized due to the juggernaut that is Phil Heath?and his obvious past transgressions that include quality time with a camera and a grapefruit. Kai has become a victim of his own false reality and is dealing with the fact that a reclusive personality and bodybuilding superstardom are not necessarily one in the same.
Anyone who can do simple math and speculation would find it extremely odd that in all of the MD, Flex, and Mike Pulcinella videos and docudrama?s that with the amount of endorsement money and contest earnings, Kai would certainly be able to afford a better home than his small apartment in the projects of New York. Yet it came to our attention by Dave Palumbo that he indeed does own a $700,000 home in New York and that he just uses his old run down place for video shoots to try and perpetuate an image of poverty and hardships. Where does this strange behavior come from? Does Kai think we were all born yesterday? His MuscleMeds contract alone would have gotten him out of the projects.
By now we have all heard the recent allegations by Kai?s ?Two Trainers?, Ron Noreman and George Farah. Ron says he did all the heavy lifting in Kai?s 2012 Olympia prep and George claims that he doesn?t even know who Ron Noreman is. All the while, Kai is buying two hotel rooms, one for each guru, texting them both non-stop the way he would with a wife and mistress, and ?denying denying denying ? counter accusing? to save his own ass.
All you need to do is go to YouTube and look up the George Farah & Kai Greene 2012 Ireland Seminar and fast forward to 16:50 to understand how guilty Kai is in this accusation. I?ve never seen so much false bravado in Kai?s posture during an interview. He went from disinterested, to ordering a room service rotisserie chicken, to raising his voice like the police were trying to interrogate him, then back to ?hooded reclusive posture? ? while his mouth piece, George Farah, did all of his talking for him. Might I add this was a seminar where the fans came to hear what Kai Greene had to say, the #2 bodybuilder in the world, but like typical Kai he kept his mouth shut.
I?m not saying George didn?t help Kai and I?m not saying Ron didn?t teach Kai how to eat holistically and come in the shape of his life at the 2012 Mr. O, but what I am saying is that Kai Greene knows something and he isn?t telling anyone! He?s keeping George in the dark and he?s keeping Ron in the dark. He may have listened and filtered information from both of them in what he thought was the ultimate in precontest advice. What I can?t understand is why Kai has completely taken a shit on Ron Noreman and will not give the guy any credit considering he clearly had a hand in his outstanding 2012 physique, not to mention the guy has been a loyal friend and accountant of Kai for a few years helping the man save potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes. What kind of strangle hold does George Farah have on Kai? And isn?t it ironic that Kai can call somebody a ?parasite??while for years he received government housing, food, assistance ? while never holding a job. And he worked with Oscar Ardon for what virtually was ?good faith? for the Ardon Family. Now isn?t that the Pot Calling The Kettle Black?
At the end of the day it all comes down to one thing: Beat Phil Heath. Can Kai ever put the formula together that can beat The Gift? It might actually happen if Kai can put aside his childish behavior and finally become the man he was meant to be, but until then we?ll have to settle for hooded sweatshirts, Mike Pulcinella drama?s, and perpetual 2nd and 3rd place Mr. Olympia finishes for one Kai Greene. That is unless Shawn Rhoden and Chris Aceto have something to say about it.
As always, or as Kai Greene would put it, ?I encourage you? find me on Twitter @MattMeinrod until next time when I tackle, Christmas as a Bodybuilder! You won?t wanna miss the laughs on this one.
by Matt Meinrod ~ source
Let me start with saying I love the Kai Greene persona. His guest posing masks and unique posing style is truly original and captivating. His training videos are intense and motivating. And his 20 minute rants on life and bodybuilding are can?t miss videos on my computer. Over the past 6 years we have gotten to see the ?Dirty Diana? Kai, we?ve gotten to see the goofy, training with Victor at Bev?s Powerhouse Gym Kai, we?ve seen the philosophical Cardio Confessional Kai, we?ve seen the chicken and rice ? one word press conference speaking Kai, and then recently we?ve seen the ?deny deny deny, counter accuse? Kai.
Who really is Kai Greene?
Far from me to try to answer that question, I?m not sure if Kai himself knows the answer. Looking back at Kai?s career may tell the story. He lived in boys homes and with foster parents, spent most of his time in community centers, and in his early years he found comfort working out in local gyms trying to stay out of trouble. We?ve heard stories of Kai living off of cans of tuna and white rice while dominating local shows and eventually becoming a Team Universe champion.
And then along comes Oscar Ardon and Kai?s world would soon be turned upside down. It was almost as though Kai started to see bodybuilding for what it really was. He learned new nutritional strategies, stepped up his intensity on how to train, and of course became savvy as to the ways of professional bodybuilding?s chemical enhancement. Who?s to say if Kai hadn?t tested the waters prior to Oscar, but his skills and strategies surely went from high school to grad student when the duo started passing notes. Little Kai went from winning the 2007 Shawn Ray Colorado Pro/Am to winning the 2008 New York Pro and looking like he went through some sort of Cold War experimentation in the process. The dude had muscles coming out of places I didn?t think muscle existed. Bravo, Oscar, you?ve officially created a monster!
But while Oscar was feeding Kai a steady diet of Joel Osteen and Tony Robbins motivational books on tape, Kai was certainly plotting his hostile takeover. Say what you want about Oscar Ardon, the guy is a phenomenal bodybuilding coach and advisor. Some might say a tad bit greedy with rumors around the community that say he nabbed 50% of all prize money Kai earned while the two worked together. I?d call it a bargain considering without the help of Oscar, Kai never would have reached his potential to begin with. None the less, Kai moved on from Oscar and became more and more reclusive and peculiar.
From my view, Kai is a crafty son of a bitch and while he embraced the help of one of the top bodybuilding minds in the industry, he was quickly looking for an out as soon as the timing was right. Kai was never taught the ethics of business loyalty that many of us learn at home or in higher education. It appears as though Kai has a ?me first? mentality and everyone else had better watch out.
Just take a look back at the Kai Greene we have all grown to love. He started out as an annoying child trapped in a man?s body. I remember watching videos of him dancing around the gym while doing video shoots with MD. Then there was the ?Melt Down in Manhattan? that lead to him spending a few weeks in Venice Beach with Charles Glass prior to the Arnold Classic as he was looking for a new perspective on bodybuilding. We were all treated to some of the best 30 minutes in YouTube history while he indoctrinated the bodybuilding world on the ?Mind of Kai? during his epic Cardio Confessionals. And now to present time, as he has soon realized that his ultimate goal of becoming Mr. Olympia may never be realized due to the juggernaut that is Phil Heath?and his obvious past transgressions that include quality time with a camera and a grapefruit. Kai has become a victim of his own false reality and is dealing with the fact that a reclusive personality and bodybuilding superstardom are not necessarily one in the same.
Anyone who can do simple math and speculation would find it extremely odd that in all of the MD, Flex, and Mike Pulcinella videos and docudrama?s that with the amount of endorsement money and contest earnings, Kai would certainly be able to afford a better home than his small apartment in the projects of New York. Yet it came to our attention by Dave Palumbo that he indeed does own a $700,000 home in New York and that he just uses his old run down place for video shoots to try and perpetuate an image of poverty and hardships. Where does this strange behavior come from? Does Kai think we were all born yesterday? His MuscleMeds contract alone would have gotten him out of the projects.
By now we have all heard the recent allegations by Kai?s ?Two Trainers?, Ron Noreman and George Farah. Ron says he did all the heavy lifting in Kai?s 2012 Olympia prep and George claims that he doesn?t even know who Ron Noreman is. All the while, Kai is buying two hotel rooms, one for each guru, texting them both non-stop the way he would with a wife and mistress, and ?denying denying denying ? counter accusing? to save his own ass.
All you need to do is go to YouTube and look up the George Farah & Kai Greene 2012 Ireland Seminar and fast forward to 16:50 to understand how guilty Kai is in this accusation. I?ve never seen so much false bravado in Kai?s posture during an interview. He went from disinterested, to ordering a room service rotisserie chicken, to raising his voice like the police were trying to interrogate him, then back to ?hooded reclusive posture? ? while his mouth piece, George Farah, did all of his talking for him. Might I add this was a seminar where the fans came to hear what Kai Greene had to say, the #2 bodybuilder in the world, but like typical Kai he kept his mouth shut.
I?m not saying George didn?t help Kai and I?m not saying Ron didn?t teach Kai how to eat holistically and come in the shape of his life at the 2012 Mr. O, but what I am saying is that Kai Greene knows something and he isn?t telling anyone! He?s keeping George in the dark and he?s keeping Ron in the dark. He may have listened and filtered information from both of them in what he thought was the ultimate in precontest advice. What I can?t understand is why Kai has completely taken a shit on Ron Noreman and will not give the guy any credit considering he clearly had a hand in his outstanding 2012 physique, not to mention the guy has been a loyal friend and accountant of Kai for a few years helping the man save potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes. What kind of strangle hold does George Farah have on Kai? And isn?t it ironic that Kai can call somebody a ?parasite??while for years he received government housing, food, assistance ? while never holding a job. And he worked with Oscar Ardon for what virtually was ?good faith? for the Ardon Family. Now isn?t that the Pot Calling The Kettle Black?
At the end of the day it all comes down to one thing: Beat Phil Heath. Can Kai ever put the formula together that can beat The Gift? It might actually happen if Kai can put aside his childish behavior and finally become the man he was meant to be, but until then we?ll have to settle for hooded sweatshirts, Mike Pulcinella drama?s, and perpetual 2nd and 3rd place Mr. Olympia finishes for one Kai Greene. That is unless Shawn Rhoden and Chris Aceto have something to say about it.
As always, or as Kai Greene would put it, ?I encourage you? find me on Twitter @MattMeinrod until next time when I tackle, Christmas as a Bodybuilder! You won?t wanna miss the laughs on this one.
