TheBodyguard’s BodyBlog

As the audience Q & A began I was a bit disapointed that the media didn’t inquire more than they did and wished what was inquired had been a little more hardball not obnoxious or disrespectful by any means but it seemed the media asked very basic generic questions.

A few audience members asked a few question including 202 SHowdown Competitor Tricky Jackson who asked again how the figure head of the sport would help represent and further along sport in general, a question from a fan inquired as to what each competitor hoped the juding panel would see in them as an individual that would separate them from the other competitors. As a side not to this either from the perspective everyone being depleted and simply wanting to lay down and rest or the way in which this question was worded seemed to either be hard for the competitors to answer or to satisfy the person asking but in short order this was answered relatively satisfactory and the attention turned then to the Swedish Giant Martin Kjellstrom Martin looked Huge and Full standing 6ft at about 270lbs he looked enormous even on the top tier of the Olympians onstage seating area with a bit of urging and some stumbling through the language barrier the big guy was urged to strip down after apologizing for not having any color and he was joking Martin was huge but looked as if he hadn’t seen even 5 mins of sun let alone Pro Tan yet anyway. But none the less the fans gave him his due as he stripped out of his track suit and hit poses for the crowd.

I have to say there was far more bits and pieces to this great press conferance than I have written about but I just wanted to highlight a few of the more involved happenings.

With the last of the dropping of trou the uttering of bad quips from Big Bob and the bravado and humbleness of the competitors the 2009 Olympia Weekend Press Conference came to a end. The massive swell of fans competiors, notables, luminaries and media funneled back out into the gaming space of the Orleans Casino.

It was Time to eat man I was pumped, stoked and starved feel free to throw in your own adjectives but I was ready to eat, I needed to run back to my VIP Sute first and as I made my way back to the elevators on the otherside of the gaming floor I ran into Flex Wheeler and Man Moutain Stan (The Rhino) Efferding.

To be continued…………….

Perenial fan favorite man mountain Markus Rhul takes his turn at the mic, previously the 5′10" German Giant who steps on stage at roughly 280-295lbs and hulks around off season at a mind numbing 320-340lbs  hadn’t competed since the 2006 grand prix circuit came out of retirement earlier this yr with a phenomenal comeback at the 2009 IFBB New York Pro placing 3rd.

Markus is jovial and humble joking while he may not be able to defaet The Blade at the "O" he could definately crush him at the dinner table, he also jokes that the Battle cry of his fans "RUUUHHHHLLLLL" was a bit disconcerting to some of the folks back home who thought they were booing him he chuckled and the audience laughed along anytime I have been around this gentle giant he has been very humble and appreciative of his fans and from their reaction they Love him too. It’s kind hard not to like a guy who weighs damn near 400lbs off season who has a pet Parakeet.

Next at the mic is the arguable king of the $10,000 shows with 70 pro shows under his belt and 9 pro wins Darrem Charles thanks his fans for their support and eludeds to retirement in several yrs as quite frankly did several others. Darrem doesn’t say much and quite frankly doesn’t look very lean in the face certainly not as much as he has in the past I am wandering if he just phoned it in this time. Things that make you Hmmmmnnn!

DJ Dennis James chimes in again as he did frequently having more mic time then just about anyone. DJ says that there has never been a line up like this and I have to agree DJ says there is easily for the first time at least 15 guys who are potential top 10 finishers and I have to agree I have see almost every Olympia and this is definately arguably the most heavily stacked line up ever the level and calibur of champions vying for the title is unprecedented this is going to be the most heavily contested show in years.

As the press conferance moves along various other competitors share a few words Mo El Moussawi, Silvio Samuel etc. as Bob and Dan ably keep the conference flowing toward the Q & A from the audience I look around at all the fans, luminaries and Olympians and think to myself how far this sport has come and the grand scale it is presented.

The Q & A Begins

To be continued……………….

At 40 y/o Dennis James states he finally has it down concerening his contest prep, and quite frankly he just may often critisized in the past for trying to play the size game and sacrificing asthetics for mass which destroyed his symetry and blocked out his waist far to much for his frame which is already packed to the nines with thick dense mature muscle.

This yr of course fellow bodybuilding fans if you are not aware DJ pulled off two back to back wins scoring two IFBB Pro Titles at the Tampa Pro Bodybuilding Weekly Championships and the Europa Super Show.

Dennis is very well spoken tells it like it is speaks his mind doesn’t engage in bashing but has a more realist point of view on the sport and makes staements to the fact that more of his fellow competitors need to be more realistic as well and realize while they may be champions in there own right they may not be the best overall on a given day and that sometimes you take what you get and should be content with it if you have done your best because sometimes you move up in the sport by someone else being off.

Dennis feels confident he has prepared his best and whatever his placing he feels that what he lacked in the past aesthetic wise and being spot on condition wise come contest day is a thing of the past and while he may not be the best bodybuilder that day he finally knows what he needs to do to be his personal best and that makes him happy.

Kudos to DJ as he has definately improved his aesthetics as evident even through his tracksuit his shoulder to waist ratio was vastly improved plus his earlier showings this yr proved as much as well. Also major props as DJ spoke up and was very respectfully vocal through the entire Press Conference as compared to his fellow competitors.

As a adendum to the above earlier it was brought up by Big Bob and Dan Solomon that that amongst many of the chimer in and talking heads as well as fellow competitors all felt Dexter was going to fall from his throne this yr, DJ clarified he did not ever say such a thing and actually predicted Dex for the win this yr.

On a personal side note both Dennis James and I share the same Birthday granted I have a cple of yrs on him but none the less couldn’t think of a better guy to share a B-Day with class act.

Next up was Troy Alves a much underated Bodybuilder in my opinion this yr was another turning point as it proved to be another comeback story with Troy winning his first Pro Show the Europa Show of Champions and giving a very respectable showing with a third place finish at the Atlantic City Pro Troy respectfully predicts he will give his fans their monies worth, Troy is very lean in the face and did indeed look vastly conditioned in his last two outings this yr as a side note Troy worked with Chris Aceto this yr in preparation for his comeback.

Attention is now turned to the 2009 Atlantic City Pro Champion the Freakin Rican Gustavo Badell under the tutelage of Chad Nichols. Gustavo thanks God his fans and a states he does what he does not just for himself but his people. Gustavo is sporting a wicked set of sideburns highlighting his sunken cheeks Gustavo looks thick and is soft spoken it will be interesting to see if he has held on to his Atlantic City conditioning.

To be continued………..

At 29 yrs of age and 7 Pro Shows under his Belt Phil (The Gift) Heath has been considered a Future Mr. Olympia by many right out of the gate coming from his amateur background leading into his impressive Pro Debut Phil Humbly thanks his supporters and and respectfully explains his focus on the prize this yr. Obvious fan support from the press conferance audience and the question could this be the yr. floats about the room.

As the Mic makes it way back across the line up to The X-Man Toney Freeman I get a sense that things are about to get a little edgy as Toney has been known to be very vocally opinionated in the past as many listners of PBW have bared witness. Plus Bob Chicherillo has a way of pulling some of that gusto or at least trying to out of the competitors at times.

And my prediction seems to be heading in that direction as The X-Man starts directing his opining on The Gift, saying that at 29 Phil seems to have maxed out far sooner than alot of guys in their career and that Phil doesn’t have the structure put on more size/mass where he referring back to himself could easily handle another 30lbs. on his 6′ 2" frame.

Phil maintains his composure and makes abrief statement about it not being all about size and that since he hasn’t reached his peak yet only time will tell, With much Bravado the X-Man retorts "You can’t put an 8-bedroom house on a 4-bedroom foundation!" thats all I’m tryin to say! Which draws much laughter from the audience and others in attendance.

Toney is cajolled into standing and dropping trou to bolster his contention of bringing his "A" game, Toney Stands the pants drop to his ankles and yes indeed the X-Man is sliced the crowd acknowledges his conditioning boisterously.

At which point the focus turns to the opposite end of the stage where King of Wheels sits the (Texas Rattle Snake) Branch Warren. Branch predicts being able to handly move ahead of Toney in the placings, of course once you turn to Branch and someone else has already dropped trou you can’t pass up the oportunity to get a heavy hitter like Branch in the Wheel department to do the same and he does "HOLY ****!" Branches Quads and hams and calees split and erupt into monsterous mountains and valleys of vascualr madness Ladies and Gentlemen again I am a Old School fan seen them all and have followed branch’s career as well he has always been arguably untouchable in the lowers but hes has never brought it like this (Pardon me as I doff my hat) Branch is the man onstage right now, his showing to the trained eye definatly overshadows Toney.

About this time The Marvelos one Melvin Anthony announces he has to Pee and jokinly jabs Dan Solomon for being racist and not letting Toney have Stripper music like Branch had, made a joke about the color of Dan’s Jacket (But I ain’t going there) and hurried to leave the stage to relieve his bladder.

The Mic makes it’s way around to Nutrex Poster Boy and German Giant Dennis The Big Bad Wolf owning up to coming in much to flat at the previous Olympia but promising a much bigger fuller physique this yr thanks to Ronnie (Big Daddy) Coleman’s old nutritional advisor Chad Nichols at 30 y/o and 6 ft Dennis Wolf is a imposing figure in his track suit and looked big and wide the rumors wer floating around he had packed on another 20-30lbs I was concerend a bit as his face seemed a little lean but still fuller than some of the other very often the competitors play the size game a little to close and it doesn’t do them any favors my prediction at this point Wolf is out of contention.

Finally the man of the oh so awesome comeback DJ Dennis James gets the Mic. I really was looking forward to hearing from him, speaking of looking wide in his track suit DJ’s upper body leaning over his table looked immense and DJ had plenty to say.

To be continued…………………