MY Mr Olympia Thoughts

[Chris Aceto]

MR Olympia Thoughts.

Who gives an assessment a month after the show!? I do. Ok I was too busy on the road to do so in print after the show, although Dave and I did throw in our thoughts on the Heavy Muscle Radio the Monday after the Mr O. Plus, its easy to do an assessment this far after a show as its easier to see “black and white” once the adrenaline excitement has eased. What did I learn? Phil Heath didn't have to sing negro spiritual hymns come Sunday morning as Kai Greene was adamantly suggesting at the Barnum and Bailey Press Conference a couple days before the show.

Here are some of my thought post “SuperBowl” week.

1. Press Conference. It's not really a press conference as much as it is a chance to have the athletes “meet the internet.” It provides material for the entire year! It's a chance to try stir some things up, but the only ones who seem to get stirred up are Phil – who each year strongly defends the fact that he doesn't lose ( or get a single second place vote as he pointed out to Kai Greene) and Kai whom is always baited but this year not only took the bait but exploded then imploded. The idea floated later that it was all a ruse is not just ridiculous but as insulting to the fans as was Kai's outburst. I know people want to win and work unimaginably hard but we are a sport of colored underwear and quarter turns, not body slams and pile drivers. That said, at the end of the day, the Press Conference was and has been the talk of the weekend and if they wanted to double the seating capacity for next years event, they probably would sell out. So while personally, I dislike the way it all went down, there probably is a silver lining. Next years event may be more anticipated then the prejudging.
2. HEATH. “For Heath” he was flat in prejudging and oddly washed out and bloated in the midsection which took away from his “cartoonness” which is his calling card. Typically, I watch the Mr O and say “ ok Kai is bigger or freakier” but its rarely enough to get you to fully take your eyes off Heath when he looks blown out in fullness. Although Heath was off ( for him) he still maintains a level of condition that's close to best in show and no matter how flat he is, he still looks like he is flexing balloons. Very round body parts make him very hard to get by.
3. KAI. Ok my personal assessment is that he is crazy lean with a film of water that keeps him from looking like 2009 condition or 2008 condition. In addition, he was flat in the pecs which hurt him on the hands on hips most muscular and crab shot. Phil's best shot is the most muscular so Kai can't be flat if he hopes to force Phil into being humble on Sunday ( another reference from the press conference to Kai questioning whether Phil would be humble in defeat) Has tough time peaking at this show.
4. RHODEN. Probably nailed it for his body- as full and tight as he could be- without looking flat in any way or water retentive in any way. That was enough to solidly put him in the absolute most crucial prejudging call of the show which was the initial call out of Phil, Kai and Shawn.Phil told me in Europe he sees the battle between himself and Rhoden. What a boring press conference that would be.
5. WOLF. Without question, I feel he and Rhoden have the capability to push Phil. Wolfs problem is simple. He is has a stock market body. It's up and down and different every day. At the prejudging when he came out I knew instantly “4^th.” He was too flat. At the finals he was fuller but in my eyes still well outside the top 3. The problem for a tall guy is the difficulty in staying full. A full Wolf is a great Wolf. A not so full Wolf is a “ very good Wolf” The difference between great and very good might as well be a 1000 miles. The other problem is a “very full” wolf sometimes suffers in the glutes hams and lower back. They seem to wash out and actually look smaller.
6. Dexter Way off for this show in terms of “ fullness.” Was a monster coming into the show. Just didn't have that size. Somehow lost it in final three weeks
7. RAMY. Reminds me of Coleman or Cutler in Prime. Just way way bigger then the field.

212 Mr Olympia

1. Flex Lewis Mr Olympia standing and in quarter turns. Last year I thought he just swallowed up this show. This year not so much. I felt he was off (for him) from the front. The less the stellar condition hurt his front double and ab shot. Legs from side seemed down a bit and when he hits the side tri ( which is not really a side tri but a standing mostly relaxed from the front) the abs were washed out. Back shots are stupendous.
2. EDUARDO CORREA As peeled as he has been but just bigger. Crazy back double negated Flex's dominance and freaky granite look made it hard to say “ well its Flex's shape”
3. JOSE RAYMOND All time freakiest look. Blasting wacky fullness and paper thing skin allowed him to push, in my mind for first spot. The contrasts were readily there a crazy dense Jose vs a Crazy granite ( and biggest in class) Eduardo vs the height width and roundness of FLEX. Dogfight all the way and the most exciting ( and loud) 212 prejudging at this show I have seen.

OTHERS:

Show is beyond big from Meet and Greet all the categories, pressconference, trade show etc. For the size, its remarkably organized.

[Poker face Ace]

I agree. Last year Flex def. looked some what bigger a lil than this year.

[Joel's hamburger]

Did Mahyar "Milos" Mostafazadeh-asl compete?

[Ironbrian82]

wasnt flex sick as a pig going into the show and in the show, or was it b.s, as i had correa wining and flex and jose flip a coin, i would have had ramy before dexter 100%

[mackdaddy567]

Rhoden vs Heath next year would be an awesome two man last callout! I beeive Rhoden has the tools and disagree about Wolf, he is just too incomplete and canot fill in the gaps he's had for the last 6 years or so. Also Wolf's muscle is not as pretty as it was say in 2007-2008, his body has gotten beat up, except for his quads which still look off the charts.

Rhoden can push Phil, Chris what do you think he needs to push him over the top and beat Phil?
I believe he needs some more upper body meat in the lats, delts, pecs and arms. This additional meat will allow him to come in razor condition (ie Dallas 2012, Arnold Europe 2012) and still be big enough to beat Phil. Right now I feel like he has to be very full to have enough thickness in the upper body and that may lead to a small sacrifice to the super thin skin condition he needs. Some size, about 5 pounds will look nuts on him especially with crazy crazy condition. He can beat Heath! Team Aceto!