Can we finally put an end to the controversy surrounding the 1980 Olympia?

[chenko]

Don't think those pictures tell the true story

Those that were actually there overwhelming felt Arnold was gifted 1980

Didnt ESPN or NBC or someone pull out of covering the contest because they felt it was rigged in Arnolds favour

Again this is from a very vague memory but i thought Arnold also registered for the contest well after the cut off date and the rules were bent to allow him in ....not a huge thing alone but goes to a pattern

[MaximusPlatypus]

Don't think those pictures tell the true story

Those that were actually there overwhelming felt Arnold was gifted 1980

Didnt ESPN or NBC or someone pull out of covering the contest because they felt it was rigged in Arnolds favour

Again this is from a very vague memory but i thought Arnold also registered for the contest well after the cut off date and the rules were bent to allow him in ....not a huge thing alone but goes to a pattern

lol... multiple pics from multiple angles shot from multiple cameras... and every single one of them shows Arnold as the clear winner... I don't think it matters if a few delusional haters feel that Arnold was gifted.

In before "oh but pics don't tell the whole story, you had to be there".....

I didnt know cameras were biased towards Arnie... apparently they add 30lbs of muscle... yea......... that's why he looks bigger.......


picture/video evidence > your vague recollections

[siersy]

Don't think those pictures tell the true story

Those that were actually there overwhelming felt Arnold was gifted 1980

Didnt ESPN or NBC or someone pull out of covering the contest because they felt it was rigged in Arnolds favour

Again this is from a very vague memory but i thought Arnold also registered for the contest well after the cut off date and the rules were bent to allow him in ....not a huge thing alone but goes to a pattern

lol there are quite a few rules the the olympia contest....

ONE of them being that they have total discrection over who can and cannot compete lol

smart little communists

[YAMBOLAN]

Don't think those pictures tell the true story

Those that were actually there overwhelming felt Arnold was gifted 1980

Who?The jealous competitors who were humiliated by Arnold's win and their fans?
The two photographers who took most pictures of the contest-Robert Nailon and Vince Bassile are convinced that Arnold was the clear winner.Nailon said that :"Mike Mentzer was unfinished",and Bassile stated that:"Those who had Mentzer as the winner actually weren't there"!

[VoxExMachina]

I wasn't following bodybuilding back then, and was definitely not at any of the shows. But based on the Olympia winners and competitors in '76, '77, '78, '79, '80, & '81, it seems likely that Arnold would have swept the contest from '70-'81 if he'd felt like it (maybe even '82).

Who would have beaten him? Zane? Mentzer? Franco? Dickerson?

I think if anybody, Ferrigno or maybe Nubret could have done it.

Which leads me to my conspiracy theory: Weider talked Arnold out of competing in the late '70's so that someone else could win and not turn the whole Olympia into the "Arnold Show".

[mark118]

lol there are quite a few rules the the olympia contest....

ONE of them being that they have total discrection over who can and cannot compete lol

smart little communists

I'm glad they let arnie compete and he may not have been 100% but he sure looked good

Just as i think we'd all be happy for Ronnie, should he want, to be invited to compete in a future O

[Hugh2]

I wasn't following bodybuilding back then, and was definitely not at any of the shows. But based on the Olympia winners and competitors in '76, '77, '78, '79, '80, & '81, it seems likely that Arnold would have swept the contest from '70-'81 if he'd felt like it (maybe even '82).

Who would have beaten him? Zane? Mentzer? Franco? Dickerson?

I think if anybody, Ferrigno or maybe Nubret could have done it.

Which leads me to my conspiracy theory: Weider talked Arnold out of competing in the late '70's so that someone else could win and not turn the whole Olympia into the "Arnold Show".

Yeah no offence to those guys but without Arnold, Olivia, Ferrigno and Nubret the Olympia was just wide open until Haney came along. I understand why all these tiny tits were pissed in 1980, they had gotten unrealistic expectations of their placings in contests because of the absence of the big boys and then Arnold comes back trains for 2 months and dwarfs them all and reminds them that they were basically just keeping his seat warm all along. The truth hurts but they were only placing high because the bigger and better guys had other things to do.

Looking big and wide in 1980.

[morderstwo]

I wasn't following bodybuilding back then, and was definitely not at any of the shows. But based on the Olympia winners and competitors in '76, '77, '78, '79, '80, & '81, it seems likely that Arnold would have swept the contest from '70-'81 if he'd felt like it (maybe even '82).

Who would have beaten him? Zane? Mentzer? Franco? Dickerson?

I think if anybody, Ferrigno or maybe Nubret could have done it.

Which leads me to my conspiracy theory: Weider talked Arnold out of competing in the late '70's so that someone else could win and not turn the whole Olympia into the "Arnold Show".

dude, he wanted to get into the movies. he talked about it even before winning the olympia. theres no way he would have wanted to continue winning olympias 1 after the other.

[chenko]

lol... multiple pics from multiple angles shot from multiple cameras... and every single one of them shows Arnold as the clear winner... I don't think it matters if a few delusional haters feel that Arnold was gifted.

In before "oh but pics don't tell the whole story, you had to be there".....

I didnt know cameras were biased towards Arnie... apparently they add 30lbs of muscle... yea......... that's why he looks bigger.......


picture/video evidence > your vague recollections

Few delusional haters? The entire crowd booed the **** out of the decision.

CBS didnt put to air their story on the contest because they thought it was fixed

Several of the judges were Arnolds friends

Facts

[MaximusPlatypus]

Few delusional haters? The entire crowd booed the **** out of the decision.

CBS didnt put to air their story on the contest because they thought it was fixed

Several of the judges were Arnolds friends

Facts

Arnold is the clear winner in every picture and video made of this competition.

Pics/vids > bandwagoner fans that heard the competition was fixed and joined in booing because it made them feel critical and intelligent

[first_second]

Few delusional haters? The entire crowd booed the **** out of the decision.

CBS didnt put to air their story on the contest because they thought it was fixed

Several of the judges were Arnolds friends

Facts

Arnold was the clear winner.

[Coal Man]

Arnold was the clear winner, no doubt

[MaximusPlatypus]

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deer weiner

[HotChuven]

I am lovin' these pics of classic physiques, Arnold looks awesome, clear winner (deer weiner), why doesn't anyone have gyno though?

[clm12704]

It even made the Flex top 10 Olympia moments as #1, but looking at it here, I don't see the controversy... at all. All I see is deer weiner.

[YAMBOLAN]

Few delusional haters? The entire crowd booed the **** out of the decision.

CBS didnt put to air their story on the contest because they thought it was fixed

Several of the judges were Arnolds friends

Facts

Not exactly!
Arnold wasn't booed by the entire crowd.According to Vince Bassile(who was there),that's a lie.There was initial boo by the smaller part of the crowd when Dickerson was announced 2nd,but later on the crowd cheered for Arnold.There was no booing after the 5th place announcement though!

CBS didn't air the contest,but they never made a statement why,let alone to say"because it was fixed",that's Mike Mentzer's opinion(or lie)!

Before the contest,at a meeting of contestants,Bill Pearl read out a list of the judges and asked if anyone objected.No one said a word!Later on there were complaints,but of course,this was too late.

And finally,why don't you just concentrate on the photo/video evidence and try to make your own opinion,rather than blindly believe everything what you read/hear about the contest?

[YAMBOLAN]

Yeah no offence to those guys but without Arnold, Olivia, Ferrigno and Nubret the Olympia was just wide open until Haney came along. I understand why all these tiny tits were pissed in 1980, they had gotten unrealistic expectations of their placings in contests because of the absence of the big boys and then Arnold comes back trains for 2 months and dwarfs them all and reminds them that they were basically just keeping his seat warm all along. The truth hurts but they were only placing high because the bigger and better guys had other things to do.

Precisely.

[siersy]

Arnold is the clear winner in every picture and video made of this competition.

Pics/vids > bandwagoner fans that heard the competition was fixed and joined in booing because it made them feel critical and intelligent

THIS X an 8 on the side

[a-dog]

I don't have all the pics in front of me, I looked at them last night. First, Arnold looks better in these pics than I remember BUT the sport had changed in the years since he won his last Olympia. Arnold was taller but metzer was more complete IMO, the only weakness Metzer had was his chest was not as full as arnolds. Arnolds legs aren't in the same league as Mike's, calves yes but thighs...no way. Mike was in better condition.

There wa a pic I saw last night of a FDB and Mike looks incredible in it with the stomach vacum.

it wasn't as clear cut a victory as some on here claim.

[Hugh2]

I don't have all the pics in front of me, I looked at them last night. First, Arnold looks better in these pics than I remember BUT the sport had changed in the years since he won his last Olympia. Arnold was taller but metzer was more complete IMO, the only weakness Metzer had was his chest was not as full as arnolds. Arnolds legs aren't in the same league as Mike's, calves yes but thighs...no way. Mike was in better condition.

There wa a pic I saw last night of a FDB and Mike looks incredible in it with the stomach vacum.

it wasn't as clear cut a victory as some on here claim.

It wasn't just Mentzers chest that was weak, his back had very little thickness or width. Here's Arnold, Zane and Dickerson owning Mike from the back.


His back didn't have much detail either, here he is getting owned by Padilla.


He was also quite narrow.


And lastly his gut stuck out as far as his small chest so I have to agree with whoever said Mike looked unfinished.


He did have good arms though I'll give him that.

[Zeneth]

That pic is ridiculous. Mentzer looks like a child, and Arnold has become his Farder.

Mentzer's flaws are not helped by his presentation.

[a-dog]

It wasn't just Mentzers chest that was weak, his back had very little thickness or width. Here's Arnold, Zane and Dickerson owning Mike from the back.


His back didn't have much detail either, here he is getting owned by Padilla.


He was also quite narrow.


And lastly his gut stuck out as far as his small chest so I have to agree with whoever said Mike looked unfinished.


He did have good arms though I'll give him that.

I can't see the pics at work but I'm betting if someone really wanted to they could find and post pics of arnolds deficiencies as well, his conditioning while improved from his 1975 showing was not up to the standard in 1980, his thighs were undersized and I don't think his abs were up to par-this is all from memory so don't go nuts on me if it's not 100% accurate, I just scanned the thread once last night.

[Hugh2]

I can't see the pics at work but I'm betting if someone really wanted to they could find and post pics of arnolds deficiencies as well, his conditioning while improved from his 1975 showing was not up to the standard in 1980, his thighs were undersized and I don't think his abs were up to par-this is all from memory so don't go nuts on me if it's not 100% accurate, I just scanned the thread once last night.

I will go nuts on you, so look out because I'm so mad at your half remembered musings about the 1980 Olympia that I'm liable to tip something over at any minute!



Seriously though you're right Arnold wasn't perfect or complete but neither was Mentzer (or Zane or Coe etc). Here since you were nice enough to provide a list of Arnolds shortcomings let me give you some for Mike.

He had the smallest thinnest pecs of the whole contest.
His back had no thickness or width...... or much detail really.
His shoulders were small.
He had trouble keeping his gut in and let it hang out past his chest.
He also had wide hips and a big ass.

Chest.


I've already posted pics about this but I really think Mentzers back sucked ass. Small with little detail.


Same thing with his delts. Compare them to Arnolds in 1980.


Bob Cicherillo was the first guy I know off who commented that Mentzer had wide hips and a big ass but after checking the pics I have to say I think he's right. But having a big ass isn't so bad but it kinda hurts the flow of your physique when you are a short guy.

[Hugh2]

Here let me post one of Mentzers all time best pics which isn't from 1980. Look at the size of his hips, and he's only 5'7. There is no flow there whatsoever.
He's just all hips and arms.




I'll just post one more his best pics. He looks good at first but honestly you can see just how short he is in this pic. That is also a very poor shoulder to waist ratio right there. His physique is just dominated by his hips, ass and quads...... he's dumpy and bottom heavy with very narrow shoulders.

[Hugh2]

Being short and dumpy is pretty bad but the fact that he was a small guy who couldn't keep his gut in and just let it hang out all over the stage sealed it!

[a-dog]

all I see is a big red x when I'm at work so I can't dispute what you're saying....sorry

[gnarlysky]

Since when has Mr Olympia been about size?
The comparison from the first thread, all talking about size, proves nothing.

I can point out multiple things on both guys.

[Ian_B]

Since when has Mr Olympia been about size?
The comparison from the first thread, all talking about size, proves nothing.

I can point out multiple things on both guys.

Arnold put everyone else on the stage to shame in size, proportion, symmetry and even conditioning to some degree.

[Hugh2]

From a photographer who was there during the contest...

"Evaluating the physiques on stage, I didn't think Arnold looked his best compared to the past. His thighs were smaller front on and he wasn't as cut as he normally appeared in competition but he still had a lot going for him and stood out.

Zane had great shape and was ripped but I felt he was too lean (10 pounds too light). Dickerson was in good shape but his arms looked small. Coe was big and ripped, had exceptional arms but looked blocky. Mentzer was also big but didn't look finished.

Most bodybuilders had good size and proportion but lacked competition muscularity. Looking at the line up, all the contestants looked good generally but had their individual faults. As Reg Park said to me after the judging "All eyes were on Arnold, he was the biggest and the tallest and doing a side chest in a line up, who could compare" - Robert Nailon http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/1980_olympia_review.htm

[Hugh2]

all I see is a big red x when I'm at work so I can't dispute what you're saying....sorry

That's okay, I just wanted to point out that Mentzer was far from complete himself. I usually find these Arnie vs Mentzer threads to be a bit annoying because people always post a bunch of Mentzers best shots from his offseason photoshoots and then declare that yes Mentzer was robbed! He should have won the 1980 Olympia!
The actual comparison shots of Arnold and Mentzer standing next to each other on stage rarely get posted, but they show that Mentzer was giving up quite a lot of size to Arnold and even though he had better conditioning he also had narrower shoulders than Phil Heath and a stomach that stuck out further than his flat chest.

But what can you do, the supposed controversy over the 1980 Olympia will never die.



Looking wide in 1980.