Musk, those were guys that kids could look up to, and hope to look like one day. Kids don't look up to these guys anymore. Being a pro used to be something that was respected, now it's like a joke. I blame weider, but the bodybuilders haven't stood up to him.Pushingt to these extremes they are ruining the sport, and pushing it further into the closet. Guys like Lou and Arnold help bring it out, and make it something people didn't fear, or think was weird. Shit, you got guys like Chic and King who want it to be like pro wrestling, what kind of shit is that? Instead of doing that, Arnold was out promoting bodybuilding as rehabilitation to prisoners, teaching the army how to get in shape (and yes this was before he was a big star. he actually did this because he loved spreading the word). You could look at them and say these guys look healthy, they look athletic. They look like they could do more than pose.
Hey, I love the freaks. I have mucho respect for Ronnie, Cutler, and all the other big guys now on the scene. I myself am headed that route, at 250lbs, I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. But the truth is, nobody looks at the pro's, or guys with goals like mine with respect, only people in our cult world. It's no longer about giving off an image of health. It's no longer about being role models, or being a real athlete. Do I think that Weider, or the current pro's know what a true champion is, or care about the sport? I just don't think so. Hey that's just my opinion.
I hate when people say Arnold, and the guys from his era were 'great In their day'. A quote "It may be fair to say that it never got better than the best from twenty years ago. It would be ludicrous to insinuate Arnold or Reeves or Zane weren't muscular enough. Most women would be thrilled if their husband of boyfriend had a physique comparable to any of those gentlemen. Most men would love nothing more than to look like them. Can the same be said about some of todays so called "champions?" Food for thought...