Best BBer without a Sandow?

**floridairon** · 07-02-2012, 09:59 PM

I just listened to last weeks PBW where they discussed who was the greatest bodybuilder of all time, It was a great show and recommend everybody to check it out. But during the show Lee Thompson said to be in the conversation you had to have at least 1 Sandow. And Chad Nichols said to him he thinks of the best physique on a stage at one time.

So I figured we could combine the two ideas on who was the best physique to step on stage the DIDNT win a Sandow?

Ill start it off with hands down to me was Flex Wheeler!!!!!

**jkanevskiy** · 07-02-2012, 10:04 PM

I agree Flex is one, Levrone, Shawn Ray are a few that come to mind, they all arguably could have one at least one sandow during their careers. . Lee Labrada almost etched out Lee Haney during an olympia, Gaspari came close to Haney. Victor in 2007 could have won, Jay was off and Vic was his best. Dennis Wolf, Vic, Evan and Branch are best bbers without sandow right now, it's hard to beat Phil he's perfect.

**ManimalPatB** · 07-02-2012, 10:08 PM

I am going to have to go with one of my favorites

BIG KEVIN LEVRONE!!!!

levrone04.jpg Kevin_Levrone.jpg Kevin+Levrone+and+Ronnie+Coleman,+Winner+Announced+at+the+2000+Mr.+Olympia.JPG

**jkanevskiy** · 07-02-2012, 10:12 PM

Kai is capable of attaining a sandow some point in the future, he just needs to come in super peeled and freaky and it's his, this year will be a good battle. He and Phil will be 1 and 2 in no particular order.

**floridairon** · 07-02-2012, 10:20 PM

[QUOTE=ManimalPatB;1684240]I am going to have to go with one of my favorites

BIG KEVIN LEVRONE!!!!/QUOTE]

He was my next choice, Im so pumped he's the guest presenter at my next show in Oct. cant wait to meet him!

**Aaron Singerman** · 07-02-2012, 10:34 PM

Kevin, ftw.

**Timbo89** · 07-02-2012, 10:46 PM

Victor Richards.

**Hydroshake** · 07-02-2012, 10:54 PM

it's between levrone and flex.

i prefer levrone but his back wasn't that great.

**PTB** · 07-02-2012, 10:55 PM

I have to say Shawn Ray. Mr. consistent for 12 years. 1994 'O should have been his

**soujerz** · 07-02-2012, 11:06 PM

Levrone

**Barrett** · 07-02-2012, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by floridairon

I just listened to last weeks PBW where they discussed who was the greatest bodybuilder of all time, It was a great show and recommend everybody to check it out. But during the show Lee Thompson said to be in the conversation you had to have at least 1 Sandow. And Chad Nichols said to him he thinks of the best physique on a stage at one time.

So I figured we could combine the two ideas on who was the best physique to step on stage the DIDNT win a Sandow?

Ill start it off with hands down to me was Flex Wheeler!!!!!

Flex is by far the best without a sandow. The sports direction would have changed so much if he would have won a sandow. It's a shame he didn't. He was perfect.

**floridairon** · 07-02-2012, 11:17 PM

Originally Posted by barrett

flex is by far the best without a sandow. The sports direction would have changed so much if he would have won a sandow. It's a shame he didn't. He was perfect.

amen brotha!!!

**Waylon** · 07-02-2012, 11:50 PM

Originally Posted by Barrett

Flex is by far the best without a sandow. The sports direction would have changed so much if he would have won a sandow. It's a shame he didn't. He was perfect.

Why so everyone would have busted kidneys and fat asses?

You are right though, maybe in 1993 if they had rewarded him before he blew out his physique, and by blew out I mean went from one of the best physiques on the planet/universe to 2nd-4th lol.

...ninjas!

**Dee** · 07-03-2012, 12:06 AM

flex wheeler by far?

**icewater** · 07-03-2012, 12:06 AM

Kevin Levrone.

**Barrett** · 07-03-2012, 12:18 AM

Originally Posted by Waylon

Why so everyone would have busted kidneys and fat asses?

You are right though, maybe in 1993 if they had rewarded him before he blew out his physique, and by blew out I mean went from one of the best physiques on the planet/universe to 2nd-4th lol.

...ninjas!

Yep. A 93' Flex winning the Sandow would have meant Ray, Levrone and maybe even Cormier would have won. I watch Flex vids before I train. The hayday vids. 96, 97, 98, 99.

**juiceinator3000** · 07-03-2012, 12:18 AM

Levrone's a douche. Flex all the way.

**zubbeyboy** · 07-03-2012, 12:25 AM

LEVRONE.... all day!!!

**Jason Newman** · 07-03-2012, 12:25 AM

either Flex or Shawn Ray, personalities aside and such. physique to physique.... Shawn or Flex easily

**dyeell0499** · 07-03-2012, 02:33 AM

Originally Posted by juiceinator3000

Levrone's a douche. Flex all the way.

How is he a douche? Seems like the coolest, most genuine guy in the sport

**Pheedno** · 07-03-2012, 04:02 AM

ray

**AVBG** · 07-03-2012, 04:09 AM

Lee Labrada

**retwa** · 07-03-2012, 04:14 AM

Levrone

**LookinFit75** · 07-03-2012, 04:42 AM

The Maryland Muscle Machine, hands down.

**Yoshe** · 07-03-2012, 04:57 AM

The 90s were the Second Golden Era. All the top pros could have been Mr. Olympia on any given day...just a different quality and type of physique then.

That said, it's hard to make a case AGAINST Ray, Flex, and Levrone. I'm surprised no one has said Nasser yet!

And what about the 80s?! Tons of fantastic physiques then too!

**Rambo2** · 07-03-2012, 05:10 AM

the Levrone/Flex and Ray triad!

probably Flex though

**a11** · 07-03-2012, 06:12 AM

One of the best posing routines i've ever seen...

shape, size, aesthetics, vascularity, definition, posing, healthy looking, shredded lower back and hamstrings...awesome, mr olympia in my book

**Matt Meinrod** · 07-03-2012, 07:59 AM

1. Ray
2. Levrone
3. Flex
4. Cormier
5. Lebrada
6. Kai
7. Victor
8. Nasser
9. Gunter
10. Ferigno

**SwoleChamp** · 07-03-2012, 09:16 AM

Levrone and Ray

Sent from my DROID2 using Tapatalk 2

**Young Gotti** · 07-03-2012, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by floridairon

I just listened to last weeks PBW where they discussed who was the greatest bodybuilder of all time, It was a great show and recommend everybody to check it out. But during the show Lee Thompson said to be in the conversation you had to have at least 1 Sandow. And Chad Nichols said to him he thinks of the best physique on a stage at one time.

So I figured we could combine the two ideas on who was the best physique to step on stage the DIDNT win a Sandow?

Ill start it off with hands down to me was Flex Wheeler!!!!!

the top pick has to be one of the best pictures ever....it just looks like the ideal body that every bodybuilder should shoot for

**The Big Sexy** · 07-03-2012, 09:51 AM

Kevin Levrone hands down IMO.

**ob205** · 07-03-2012, 10:03 AM

Shawn Ray - conditioning & consistency
Mike Mentzer in '81 if did not meltdown after the 80' fiasco

**Provo82** · 07-03-2012, 10:17 AM

i think it would depend on what our definition is gonna be for the best bodybuilder.

is it the guy with the most mass? the guy with the best aesthetics? or the guy that knocked on the door so many years constantly improving doing everything he could to get better doing all the small things right and just barely not grabbing his sandow?

**Rackyourweights** · 07-03-2012, 10:17 AM

Dennis James all the way

**PTB** · 07-03-2012, 10:29 AM

I know a lot of folks have mentioned Kevin and Flex, but can you give a year specifically, where you truly think they were robbed? Was Kevin that much better than Ronnie in 2000? Or Flex much better that much better in '93 against Yates or in '98 against Ronnie? In 1994, Yates was clearly injured and brought true meaning to the term "I can beat you with one arm tied behind my back". It may have also been correct to add Nasser, as he certainly gave Yates a run in '97, but he was far from having a flawless physique.

**Freakzilla** · 07-03-2012, 12:00 PM

If Flex never introduced Ronnie to Chad, I think we would be talking about Flex and his multiple Mr. O's. Funny how that works out.

**Prince** · 07-03-2012, 12:25 PM

Kevin Levrone and Shawn Ray.

**ebfitness** · 07-03-2012, 01:06 PM

Dan Hill...

**HeavyDutyGuy** · 07-03-2012, 01:24 PM

Limiting it to guys who really were robbed or where there was some funny judging manipulation-Harold Poole who was actually ahead on the scorecards but the promoter had Scott booked on a European tour as Mr Olympia-he was the defending champion. Mentzer in 79 was ahead after the prejudging, in 81 several guys- take your pick.

**ob205** · 07-03-2012, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by Rackyourweights

Dennis James all the way

You are correct, if Olympia held 4 weeks out in the gym with tank top on

**Yoshe** · 07-03-2012, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by PTB

I know a lot of folks have mentioned Kevin and Flex, but can you give a year specifically, where you truly think they were robbed? Was Kevin that much better than Ronnie in 2000? Or Flex much better that much better in '93 against Yates or in '98 against Ronnie? In 1994, Yates was clearly injured and brought true meaning to the term "I can beat you with one arm tied behind my back". It may have also been correct to add Nasser, as he certainly gave Yates a run in '97, but he was far from having a flawless physique.

This is a fair point to bring up, but I don't think it's what the OP had in mind for the thread. He's not asking if they SHOULD have won, he's asking who we think are the best who NEVER won.

**juiceinator3000** · 07-03-2012, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by dyeell0499

How is he a douche? Seems like the coolest, most genuine guy in the sport

Met him in 09. Douche.

**nsp** · 07-03-2012, 05:25 PM

Levrone..........I go with him because he seemed to have more of a balance of what bodybuilding is judged upon; shape, conditioning and muscularity.

Shawn Ray just wasn't muscular enough for his day in age when the mass monster craze was on the rising. Sure he held his own be'n runner up to Dorian but the days of the Mr. Olympia winner out weighing the runner up by 50-60 are now over IMO. So I rule Shawn out simply on size.

Then you got Flex. Arguably perfect shape but he just never seemed to be able to get that dry conditioning since his neck injury. He'd compete at a bodyweight of 240's at times but just never had the crispness at that weight to take out Dorian or Ronnie. So I rule Flex out on conditioning coupled with his heavier competitive weight.

Levrone, however, could still hang with the monsterz with a stage weight of 250+ all a while having striated glutes with good aesthetics. He's also holds the most IFBB wins other than Ronnie I believe. That considered, I give the edge to Levrone.

Some also mentioned Dennis James. If the Olympia were judged in gym lighting wearing a string tank with a pump then he's have a handful of sandows.