I’m pretty happy with this Olympia.
Phil deserved it over Kai, Wolf got 3rd and the hype machine didn’t help Ramy.
I just hope to god Wolf gets some good rest and goes in for the Arnold Classic with the same conditioning.
First time watching the live stream. I enjoyed it, and for the most part agreed with the judging decisions, though Jay and Branch were scored generously.
Like many I was hoping for Kai to win, but wouldn’t go as far to say he was robbed. Again there wasn’t much between them, maybe Phil took the lead in the prejudging. Wolf had an awesome showing too, and wasn’t far behind those guys.
Looking forward to seeing improvements from guys like McMillian, Curry and Beyeke. Heaps of potential there. Ramy will be insane if he can manage to add more mass and improve his conditioning.
Good showing. Top notch.
[quote]niksamaras wrote:
[quote]MytchBucanan wrote:
Kai got robbed again! It was close last year but Heath looked completely overshadowed by Kai’s size this time around. I think he even had the edge on conditioning. I hope het gets it next year…total bullshit![/quote]
x2. Probably Kai had a bit of water in the prejudging, but for God’s sake, at the rear-front double bicep and most muscular he is almost twice as big as Phil. Next to him, Phil looks like a 212.[/quote]
I actually didn’t think it was close last year - Phil was so much thicker than Kai. But this year Kai was just massive. I think Phil is one of those guys who can really wow you when he’s by himself, but is always closer in comarison shots… I felt like Kai’s over all size dwarfed Phil this year.
When your lats practically hang down to your ass you’re gonna tend to dwarf anyone next to you!
Awesome to see Wolf in 3rd, good god that man is enormous.
[quote]iDrDan wrote:
Dexter has grey whiskers. He’s 43 and still looks awesome.[/quote]
43 aint THAT old buddy!
I knew, no matter who won and what place Kai had, there would be a group of folks saying he got robbed and yadda yadda. Kai’s a great dude but the unwavering homerism has to be stifled at some point.
Heath proved in every way why he’s the best in the business right now. And - as far as I’m concerned - Wolfe easily did enough to have earned himself the #2 spot IMO. I really do like Kai as much as anyone else, but I just don’t think he did enough with his physique in the last two days to show that he deserved to be #1… (or #2 for that matter… ahem.)
Sorry I missed out on our little thread/spill for the finals guys, had too many people over watching and I couldn’t be the ‘dick’ on his laptop all night (especially when we were all watching the contest on the widescreen yelling and commentating the whole time anyway).
With the 212’s, Yes, I believe that Lewis had it, no question. A few of my thoughts on the others though:
-Henry- definitely the best he’s been since popping back on the scene. Even with his lagging lower half, he still looks very complete, BUT, at this level, standing next to the other top 212’ers,. it’s not good enough. When the guys on your left and right both have monstrous quads, the judges will always see yours as lagging, no mater how good they are.
-English- Yes, he’s a big mofo, and to anyone who’s ever seen him out at Bev’s, he’s a cool cat, always wiling to stop, say hi, and exchange a bit. BUT, even when he was being awarded the 212 titles (I say “awarded” because I never thought he really won them), he never had a complete physique that looked worthy of being called the best example of what the top bodybuilder under 212 lbs in the world should look like.
-Correa- I love this guy, he’s just so densely packed, and his conditioning is insane,. BUT, for some reason through his mid-section, he doesn’t flow well and conveys a very non-aesthetic look. Of course if the judges can overlook English’s ‘unique’ proportions, I don’t understand why they don’t reward Correa more. (get a job working the desk at one of the judge’s gyms for next year’s show maybe?)
-Raymond - Tons of muscle, veiny and shredded, but very similar to our beloved Meadows, he doesn’t have the prettiest physique, and standing next to guys like Lewis, who have discernible muscle separation (not just a ‘mush of muscles’), I don’t think he’ll ever get the top nod.
-Sami- I think he got overlooked. The guy has a beautiful physique in every sense, and while standing still may not look as dry and diced as some of the others, when he locks in a pose, I find no flaws. Maybe that’s his flaw then, nothing standing out because he’s in such balance. I felt he should have gotten the win at the NYP as well.
S
[quote]DonDooley wrote:
Branch’s waist is so goddamn thick.[/quote]
Yeh he looks bloody awful this time out!
[quote]bigjoey wrote:
[quote]niksamaras wrote:
[quote]MytchBucanan wrote:
Kai got robbed again! It was close last year but Heath looked completely overshadowed by Kai’s size this time around. I think he even had the edge on conditioning. I hope het gets it next year…total bullshit![/quote]
x2. Probably Kai had a bit of water in the prejudging, but for God’s sake, at the rear-front double bicep and most muscular he is almost twice as big as Phil. Next to him, Phil looks like a 212.[/quote]
I actually didn’t think it was close last year - Phil was so much thicker than Kai. But this year Kai was just massive. I think Phil is one of those guys who can really wow you when he’s by himself, but is always closer in comarison shots… I felt like Kai’s over all size dwarfed Phil this year.[/quote]
Kai won’t win because of his very public morally questionable conduct.
Politics man… Politics.
[quote]mntnbiker wrote:
[quote]DonDooley wrote:
Branch’s waist is so goddamn thick.[/quote]
Yeh he looks bloody awful this time out![/quote]
Turrible
Kai is lucky with his 2nd place imo…
This is purely my opinion,but of the current crop of pro’s big Ced is head and shoulders above the rest.I know hes not as conditioned as many,but he has the best proportions- dare i say"regal" look that i dont think since haney anyone else has displayed.No weak body parts(his calves crap on wolf’s) and his quads/hams are by no means small,i imagine they’ve probably got a larger circumference than his waist. top that with him being a soldier and a family man,hell if ever bodybuilding was to go mainstream Ced would certainly be a pretty good poster boy
[quote]mntnbiker wrote:
This is purely my opinion,but of the current crop of pro’s big Ced is head and shoulders above the rest.I know hes not as conditioned as many,but he has the best proportions- dare i say"regal" look that i dont think since haney anyone else has displayed.No weak body parts(his calves crap on wolf’s) and his quads/hams are by no means small,i imagine they’ve probably got a larger circumference than his waist. top that with him being a soldier and a family man,hell if ever bodybuilding was to go mainstream Ced would certainly be a pretty good poster boy[/quote]
One from behind-maybe not shredded glutes(when did bodybuilding become all about judging a blokes ass-thanks alot gaspari!)but his hams are pretty tight and I think his physique is pretty hard to fault…
[quote]mntnbiker wrote:
[quote]mntnbiker wrote:
This is purely my opinion,but of the current crop of pro’s big Ced is head and shoulders above the rest.I know hes not as conditioned as many,but he has the best proportions- dare i say"regal" look that i dont think since haney anyone else has displayed.No weak body parts(his calves crap on wolf’s) and his quads/hams are by no means small,i imagine they’ve probably got a larger circumference than his waist. top that with him being a soldier and a family man,hell if ever bodybuilding was to go mainstream Ced would certainly be a pretty good poster boy[/quote]
One from behind-maybe not shredded glutes(when did bodybuilding become all about judging a blokes ass-thanks alot gaspari!)but his hams are pretty tight and I think his physique is pretty hard to fault…[/quote]
Small(ish) shoulders.
[quote]RATTLEHEAD wrote:
I’m pretty happy with this Olympia.
Phil deserved it over Kai, Wolf got 3rd and the hype machine didn’t help Ramy.
I just hope to god Wolf gets some good rest and goes in for the Arnold Classic with the same conditioning.[/quote]
In what universe, does a guy A LOT smaller, wins over a guy dwarfing him in almost every pose, but is a little less defined?? Last year it was controversial, this year it is clear: Kai will never be Mr.O, because they don;t want him to be.
[quote]niksamaras wrote:
[quote]RATTLEHEAD wrote:
I’m pretty happy with this Olympia.
Phil deserved it over Kai, Wolf got 3rd and the hype machine didn’t help Ramy.
I just hope to god Wolf gets some good rest and goes in for the Arnold Classic with the same conditioning.[/quote]
In what universe, does a guy A LOT smaller, wins over a guy dwarfing him in almost every pose, but is a little less defined?? Last year it was controversial, this year it is clear: Kai will never be Mr.O, because they don;t want him to be.[/quote]
In this universe. Size isn’t the end all be all judging criteria.
[quote]gregron wrote:
[quote]niksamaras wrote:
[quote]RATTLEHEAD wrote:
I’m pretty happy with this Olympia.
Phil deserved it over Kai, Wolf got 3rd and the hype machine didn’t help Ramy.
I just hope to god Wolf gets some good rest and goes in for the Arnold Classic with the same conditioning.[/quote]
In what universe, does a guy A LOT smaller, wins over a guy dwarfing him in almost every pose, but is a little less defined?? Last year it was controversial, this year it is clear: Kai will never be Mr.O, because they don;t want him to be.[/quote]
In this universe. Size isn’t the end all be all judging criteria.[/quote]
Yep.
[quote]gregron wrote:
[quote]niksamaras wrote:
[quote]RATTLEHEAD wrote:
I’m pretty happy with this Olympia.
Phil deserved it over Kai, Wolf got 3rd and the hype machine didn’t help Ramy.
I just hope to god Wolf gets some good rest and goes in for the Arnold Classic with the same conditioning.[/quote]
In what universe, does a guy A LOT smaller, wins over a guy dwarfing him in almost every pose, but is a little less defined?? Last year it was controversial, this year it is clear: Kai will never be Mr.O, because they don;t want him to be.[/quote]
In this universe. Size isn’t the end all be all judging criteria.[/quote]
damn, beat me to it lol.
Cedric looks incredible, maybe more delts and back if I’m going to nitpick
“And why the hell is Branch still standing there?”
[quote]RATTLEHEAD wrote:
[quote]gregron wrote:
[quote]niksamaras wrote:
[quote]RATTLEHEAD wrote:
I’m pretty happy with this Olympia.
Phil deserved it over Kai, Wolf got 3rd and the hype machine didn’t help Ramy.
I just hope to god Wolf gets some good rest and goes in for the Arnold Classic with the same conditioning.[/quote]
In what universe, does a guy A LOT smaller, wins over a guy dwarfing him in almost every pose, but is a little less defined?? Last year it was controversial, this year it is clear: Kai will never be Mr.O, because they don;t want him to be.[/quote]
In this universe. Size isn’t the end all be all judging criteria.[/quote]
damn, beat me to it lol.[/quote]
Probably it isn’t in fitness competitions where they where long shorts and take gay poses. This is MR OLYMPIA, where (judging from the previous winners) size was above everything, following symmetry, following conditioning. But oh well, if it is that Mr O will turn into a fucking physique contest, at least they should have the honesty to declare it. GO KAI!