PJ Statement to rxmuscle members

[mikepence]

He may not have won, but he is *our* champion. Class act, all the way, PJ.

Give some hugs and kisses to Evan when you get back to your apartment, for us.

[ghung]

just dont forget lube next time they screw u wont hurt as much.(ha,ha).
keep your head up bro you should b proud.

[Australian 5'7 Guy]

Lets be REAL. you have no quads. If you can't even compete with national guys, how on earth are you going to compete with pros if you turned pro?

[Tre]

Lets be REAL. you have no quads. If you can't even compete with national guys, how on earth are you going to compete with pros if you turned pro?

"We're all about being real here at Team PJ. PJ is working with several of the harshest physique critics in the world to assess all weaknesses and from those consultations, a plan of attack will be formulated for each. Bodybuilding - as are most things is life - is about progression and PJ has always been grounded and kept his expectations tempered. That will not change, but the package PJ takes to the stage with the help of Species will. Thanks for your feedback, and we hope you'll continue to follow PJ's progress over the next 13 months.

-Team PJ"

[PJ BRAUN]

"We're all about being real here at Team PJ. PJ is working with several of the harshest physique critics in the world to assess all weaknesses and from those consultations, a plan of attack will be formulated for each. Bodybuilding - as are most things is life - is about progression and PJ has always been grounded and kept his expectations tempered. That will not change, but the package PJ takes to the stage with the help of Species will. Thanks for your feedback, and we hope you'll continue to follow PJ's progress over the next 13 months.

-Team PJ"

Thank you Tre. Check is in the mail.

[PJ BRAUN]

Some pics from My Jimmy Murtaugh shoot a week before Nats. This guy is really good. I hope he makes a name for himself in the industry.
side pose.jpg

back lat.jpg

quads.jpg

pulley row.jpg

[R_U_Red_D]

Tre, I'll address this to you since you're representing "Team PJ"

Do you think this thread as a whole is a wise move on PJ's part in terms of personal image in correlation to his competition image?

Can this thread be misconstrued as a very polite platform for laying fault at the judging table, and if so won't this negatively impact future competitive endeavors that PJ onstage?

[Tre]

Tre, I'll address this to you since you're representing "Team PJ"

Do you think this thread as a whole is a wise move on PJ's part in terms of personal image in correlation to his competition image?

Can this thread be misconstrued as a very polite platform for laying fault at the judging table, and if so won't this negatively impact future competitive endeavors that PJ onstage?

While your concern is certainly a valid one, I can answer without hesitation: absolutely not.

When PJ says he feels he should've placed higher, he isn't saying that to criticize the judges. He's a competitive physique athlete and if he didn't feel that way, one would have to question his commitment and/or competitiveness. That's all he meant by that statement.

As for the thread itself, a significant part of PJ's brand has always been his accessibility. Despite having the top PR team in the business, he answers all his own PMs and emails. He has never made an effort to distance himself from the fans as many other top amateurs and pros have done or been advised to do. And that's not just PJ's 'brand', that's who he is as a person, which is why he commits so many hours to sharing training advice or just insights to his life with his many fans. That's the real PJ.

We know that the NPC judges have a tremendously difficult job, but we also know it's a job they take great pride in and we believe wholeheartedly in the integrity of the judging panel. Having re-read all of PJ's comments, we would be highly surprised if any sanctions were forthcoming.

[Tre]

Thank you Tre. Check is in the mail.

No prob, bro.































(no homo )

[R_U_Red_D]

I appreciate the prompt response. I can see that "Team PJ" is well represented.

Let's focus more on my second question "Can this thread be misconstrued as a very polite platform for laying fault at the judging table, and if so won't this negatively impact future competitive endeavors that PJ onstage?" and your response to it.

When PJ says he feels he should've placed higher, he isn't saying that to criticize the judges. He's a competitive physique athlete and if he didn't feel that way, one would have to question his commitment and/or competitiveness. That's all he meant by that statement.

While it's true that no competitor should step onstage without the attitude that they competing to win, isn't saying that he should have placed higher a covert attack on how the judging transpired?

While you know the context of this thread, being the spokesperson of "Team PJ", others may not see it in this fashion.

How would you address those people who may have the perception that this thread is, for a lack of a better phrase, a "whine" fest?

[osfitness]

Hey PJ, I think there should be more call outs to all competitors... in the past they would move around guys from the back of the line up-----to "COMPARE"....

I noticed in the last few years...this is not happening.... it seems like they call out 5 guys and compare...then that is it....

It is great to see BB moving in a direction of more competiton.... yet it looks like it will become a "Business" or a corporate entity....not an art form....

I am coming back after 19 years to do a show and I hope that the judges call out more than once....

Some guys look great next to the guy next to them.....then pull out a guy from the back.... and it changes.....

So yeah, ya kinda got ripped in the fact that you were not compared to others......

Ken

[Triple-H_2005]

There should absolutely be more comparisons...but with 14 bazillion divisions, this will never happen.

Give this Bikini and "Physique" crap its own day and let's see it sink or swim on its own, and let bodybuilding be judged as it should. Not like it is a 40-meter sprint.

[Tre]

Let's focus more on my second question "Can this thread be misconstrued as a very polite platform for laying fault at the judging table, and if so won't this negatively impact future competitive endeavors that PJ onstage?" and your response to it.

While you know the context of this thread, being the spokesperson of "Team PJ", others may not see it in this fashion.

How would you address those people who may have the perception that this thread is, for a lack of a better phrase, a "whine" fest?

Fair point indeed.

While PJ did express an opinion that more comparisons might be warranted at national competitions, this was not intended to be perceived as a reason as to why he wasn't in the top 5. As a competitor, he wants to see how he stacked up against the best in his class and as a fan, he knows other fans wanted to see more comparisons, too.

At the end of the day, though, excuses don't explain and explanations don't excuse, and this is what you can expect to hear from our camp from now on. Any perceived whining was purely unintentional.

[Triple-H_2005]

It's the Nationals, for crying out loud...it is NOT too much to ask to want to be compared to other athletes on the same level.

Honestly, after the top 2 or 3, they could have shaken out ANY WAY. Maybe it would make the placing easier for PJ to swallow if he'd actually been allowed to COMPETE against guys placed ahead of him.

There are far too few callouts on the National level.

"Whine fest"? Hardly.

[stunt101]

PJ i agree with the strategy of coming in at top of heavies and think the points on emphasis on conditioning definitely have valid points...... the problem is objectively judging a combination of all important judging criteria at one time is difficult and its almost impossible to objectively judge everyone the same because each competitor has different strengths that taken collectively make close calls tough unless someone is just glaringly superior....Branden Ray and Victor Prisk would be to me the only easy cases for top honors in their class.......your class was hard to judge......

If judging in your class was based more on conditioning then you have a case for being higher and someone like Smalls should most definitely not have won because he does have some gifts but his conditioning was a joke, guest posers a few days after pro and national shows look better than he did I don't think anyone should be winning top honors at a pro or national show without great conditioning regardless of superior shape, genetics etc....part of being the best is predetermined by genetics shape and structure its the same parallel idea in other sports, people with best genetics rise to the top, no one can deny shape and structure and what looks best especially in a sport based on appearance BUT conditioning being a factor noone not in great shape should win a pro or national show.....off 5% sure your structure and shape can carry you, but like in your class at the 2010 nationals no way Smalls should win with that level of conditioning, that actually personifies antiaesthetic and diminishes their would be so called "god given shape, lines and structure and it is a slap in the face to the other conditioned athletes. Conditioning absolutely counts and the ability to get in shape definitely should be mandatory skill and criteria for top national and pro bodybuilders.