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by Christian Duque<\/em><\/p>\n So this text is a rewrite. I had a 3-page magnificence that was able to go about 4 or 5 days in the past and it was primarily based on the truth that I believed that Bob value Phil the 2025 Masters Olympia by means of an interview that he did on Muscle Discord on September 4th, 2024. In that interview Bob completely trashed Phil, accused him of being anti-federation, and tore him down personally. He dropped among the greatest names within the business and he did so in an interview that was under no circumstances flattering to Clahar. That was my article then; nonetheless, a lot extra has occurred that I scrapped the earlier article and am scripting this one as a substitute. Regardless that the Masters O seldom will get a re-examination, the 2025 could go down in historical past as considerably of a novelty for some, and a theft for others. Now despite the fact that Bob has already lengthy clarified the purpose that he’s actually not the Athlete\u2019s Rep and that the Athlete\u2019s Rep is basically ceremonial, for that individual interview he wasn\u2019t singing that tune. Actually, one in all his greatest grievances with Phil was the truth that Phil didn’t use him as an middleman between himself and the federation. In spite of everything, that was the fiction that was bought to us for properly over 20 years. And that’s that Bob was the voice between the troubled plenty and the powers that be in Pittsburgh. It was as if he had a seat on the huge desk and as if the bigwigs consulted with him previous to implementing new guidelines and coverage. I can guarantee you that nobody in Pittsburgh consults with Bob earlier than implementing any adjustments. It simply doesn\u2019t occur and the concept that it will, is laughable.<\/p>\n Even nonetheless, Cicherillo went out of his option to pull the wool over the eyes of the bodybuilding group. Bob takes credit score for the introduction of latest divisions, he takes credit score for getting the athletes medical health insurance, and he even takes credit score for getting Lee Priest\u2019s professional card reinstated. I imagine if Chick had a option to do it, he would take credit score for inventing the web, however I believe Al Gore beat him to it. So since Phil didn’t undergo Bob and as a substitute selected to make his case on his personal social media platforms and by occurring podcasts, apparently that earned him Cicherillo\u2019s disdain. On account of that, it will appear that 10 months later Phil getting screwed out of the largest title of his profession, would increase a couple of purple flags.<\/p>\n Once more I simply wish to make the case that whereas it has occurred earlier than that bodybuilders win the prejudging and lose the competition, none of these cases have ever been ones that don’t increase an eyebrow. Each instance the place this occurs has led to plenty of turmoil throughout the followers and plenty of division throughout the media. The instance of Bev Francis, was one which created plenty of friction within the sport. The choice to let Lee Haney defeat Lee Labrada in 1990 was fairly weird, to say the least. The choice to offer it to Ronnie Coleman in 2001 regardless of the actual fact Jay Cutler had defeated him within the prejudging created plenty of turmoil. And so does this determination on the Masters Olympia. Whereas it\u2019s true that the Masters Olympia was not a contest that was talked about a lot, this uncommon determination has created a tsunami of curiosity by followers, media personalities, and commentators alike. It simply by no means occurs. And never by this variety of factors, both.<\/p>\n So what may clarify this? What may clarify Phil successful the prejudging however then allegedly falling aside within the finals. After which taking 2nd place? Somebody who falls aside, will get 2nd place, third place? How does one who has fallen aside actually have a case for being within the Prime 5 of any contest? Once you begin asking your self these questions, most of you’ll begin drawing blanks. THAT is the place we\u2019re at.<\/p>\n Now Phil\u2019s competitors included the man that might go on to win the title, Dorian Haywood, and a few different guys that have been in unbelievable situation. The highest 4 deserved to be within the Prime 4. I’m not taking something away from them. However I assumed it was fairly clear who gained the competition. I assumed the prejudging was the a part of the present the place the winner was determined. It has typically been stated that the finals are for the followers. That\u2019s the place you could have the person posing routines and the extremely entertaining pose down. It may be the place they crown the Finest Poser, Most Improved, and Most Muscular. Generally, they use the finals to crown a Folks\u2019s Champion.<\/p>\n However by the point the finals come across the judges have already just about determined who gained the competition. Now I perceive the nuances of the game and the powers that be eager to create a affirmation spherical however that\u2019s hogwash. A affirmation spherical? We\u2019re speaking about judges who choose the Olympia, we\u2019re speaking about judges that see 1000’s if not tens of 1000’s of physiques stroll throughout them each 12 months. In the event that they have been take a look at judges or native judges I may perceive a affirmation spherical, however while you\u2019re coping with one of the best judges on this planet, do we actually have to have them verify their opinion from the prejudging? I imply, I perceive what the coverage says however I additionally perceive the way in which the true world works. Should you dominate the prejudging in a bodybuilding present, you win the present. Should you\u2019re first name outs, and also you\u2019re useless heart for your entire prejudging, until there\u2019s an act of god, you\u2019re going to win the bodybuilding present. So when followers begin asking questions, when opponents begin asking questions, it isn\u2019t essentially all that unreasonable.<\/p>\n The actual fact is Phil didn\u2019t dominate Dorian and Dorian didn\u2019t dominate Phil. Neither man was leagues forward of the opposite; nonetheless, they each deserved to be within the prime two in my view. The third and fourth place finishers may have gained the entire present if it was a present primarily based solely on situation. I\u2019m not the one one which has stated this and I\u2019m not the final that\u2019s going to say it, both. These guys have been dialed in they usually did their homework. They have been TOTALLY dialed in, however bodybuilding isn’t just about situation. It\u2019s about muscularity, symmetry, and posing. All in all, I actually do imagine that Dorian and Phil have been To 2 \u2013 all day. I\u2019m not going to say that Phil was robbed due to the truth that Dorian didn\u2019t look nearly as good. However I’ll say that Phil was robbed as a result of he gained the prejudging and he misplaced the finals in a really odd type of means.<\/p>\n Now usually if we have been coping with a deadheat and the judges wanted some further rounds of posing or to see the mandatories once more, we may increase a purple flag on the reality they picked the incorrect man for no matter purpose. However that\u2019s not what occurred right here.<\/p>\n These guys weren’t in a stalemate \u2013 a minimum of the scorecards didn\u2019t mirror that. Phil clearly gained \u2013 almost by double digits \u2013 within the prejudging. And anyone that noticed Phil on the finals may inform that he was in nice form and was not a lot completely different than he was within the prejudging. So given the truth that Dorian needed to make up for a deficit within the prejudging after which immediately wins the finals, that’s mathematically very tough to attain. And that\u2019s the place folks, like myself and others, begin to search for different clues, different prospects that might have resulted in stated final result. We don\u2019t know something concrete. What we all know is a few historical past, some conjecture, and we throw in a few of our instinct into the combination. It\u2019s in no way an hermetic case. However plenty of occasions there\u2019s one thing to it.<\/p>\n When you could have lined the game of bodybuilding for over 20 years, you begin to develop a reasonably good sense of who performed it and what occurred. And thoughts you, 20 years is a drop within the bucket. Me protecting the game for 20 years is nothing to brag about. There are folks on this sport like Ron Harris, for instance, or the late nice Peter McGough, or the late nice Joe Weider, who spent their whole lives writing about bodybuilding, protecting bodybuilding exhibits, doing interviews and actually studying in regards to the intricacies of the game. 20 years is nothing. I don\u2019t ever brag about doing this for 20 years as a result of 20 years is nothing, however I can inform you that in 20 years I’ve developed sufficient insights to form some fairly rattling near-decent views. Taking a look at what Bob did to Phil on that September 4th, 2024 interview at Muscle Discord paints a sure image some could not wish to take a look at. That stated, if a tree falls within the woods, it makes a noise, even when nobody\u2019s round to listen to it.<\/p>\n What Bob did to Phil is inexcusable. What\u2019s additionally inexcusable is the video that Bob did with \u201cSugar\u201d Shawn Ray lashing out at Ron Harris. Bob accused Ron of agreeing with every little thing Matt Tsinkorang and Phil Clahar needed to say on the 2025 Masters Olympia on Muscle Discord. That by no means occurred. Ron listened attentively, didn\u2019t interrupt, and provided restricted dialogue. In hindsight, I can see the place possibly he was uncomfortable being there, but when that was the case, he shouldn\u2019t have performed the podcast. Both means, what Bob and Shawn did was mischaracterize Ron and all however lie about what he stated. Then Cicherillo accused Ron of \u201cnot having any nuts.\u201d In the end, Bob and Shawn\u2019s video induced Ron to tug away from Muscle Discord. Whereas I agree that Ron ought to deal with doing his personal content material and must be extra assertive in terms of sharing his opinion, I felt that his \u201cNo Extra Mr. Good Man\u201d video pandered to Bob\u2019s intimidation techniques and can greater than seemingly embolden Bob to do that method when coping with different critics \u2013 perceived or precise. Will he go after Muscle Discord, subsequent? Perhaps StrengthAddicts? Perhaps IronMag?<\/p>\n You NEVER give into bullies. That solely makes issues worse.<\/p>\n In any occasion, I don\u2019t know why Phil took second on the Masters Olympia. I believe that Dorian shall be an excellent champion. Nonetheless, nobody has been capable of clarify to me how the discrepancy in factors was made up. Phil regarded phenomenal for the prejudging and he regarded phenomenal for the finals. But he obtained second. Solely time will inform, however I’ve a sense we are going to by no means know. The identical means we by no means knew about 1980, \u201881, \u201890, 2001.<\/p>\n Do you agree with the placings and the scoring on the 2025 Masters Olympia? Do you assume Bob is completed bullying those that disagree with him? As all the time, I look ahead to studying your suggestions within the feedback. Please you should definitely copy and paste a hyperlink to this text on all of your social media feeds. It\u2019s certain to generate some vigorous dialog.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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