Archive for September, 2008

Finishing Third in Maiden Olympia a Huge Accomplishment
By Joe Pietaro, MuscleSport Mag

Heading into the 2008 Mr. Olympia contest, the one name being tossed around as a wild card was Phil Heath. The man known as the Gift was making his first appearance on the Olympia stage, but has had a very productive year. Winning the IFBB Iron Man and finishing second to Dexter Jackson at the Arnold Classic had the 28 year-old in line for a good finish in Las Vegas.

Two days before the Olympia, Heath remained humble about his chances. “Any time that you have the opportunity to be mentioned like that, it is a privilege,” he said. “Especially being a rookie, with the build up, to be in my position (being picked as) in the top six going in, for me, it’s an honor and a privilege.”
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No Contest in Taking the Sandow from Jay Cutler
By Joe Pietaro, MuscleSport Mag

Dexter Jackson’s reaction upon hearing his name announced as the 2008 Mr. Olympia winner.

Las Vegas, NV – Although a good portion of time had passed, when Dexter Jackson arrived at the after party, the newly-crowned Mr. Olympia was still at a loss for words. Arriving fashionably late dressed in a dapper dark blue suit, the man known as ‘The Blade’ was introduced and spoke briefly to the gathering as he accepted his FLEX Magazine award for ‘Bodybuilder of the Year.’

“I still can’t believe it,” he stated more than once. But believe it, because it’s true. Once the top six competitors were down to two, there was no way that Jay Cutler was going to make it three straight.
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As MuscleSport Mag Predicted, the Blade Unseats Jay Cutler
By Joe Pietaro, MuscleSport Mag

Las Vegas, NV – On Thursday night, Dexter Jackson took the high road when asked where he would finish in the Mr. Olympia competition. “No predictions,” the humble one said. But surely he had to have an opinion inside, one that was very high. Who could blame him after winning three contests in the calendar year.

Winning the Arnold Classic, Australian Pro and New Zealand Grand Prix were incredible accomplishments, but paled in comparison to latest triumph by the Blade. On Saturday night in at the Orleans Arena, Dexter Jackson was named the new Mr. Olympia.

It came down to two men, both who stood on the stage awaiting the announcement from host Bob Cicherillo. As his name was read, Jackson was visibly emotional and went down to one knee and bowed his head. By the time he was able to arise, tears of joy were flowing down his face while the crowd erupted even louder.

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Pre-Judging for Mr. Olympia Title Complete
By Joe Pietaro, MuscleSport Mag

Call it reading into something. Or reading between the lines. It could be either or a combination of the two. But it certainly appeared on Saturday night during the pre-judging for the 2008 Mr. Olympia that reigning two-time champion Jay Cutler and Dennis Wolf are going to be in the forefront tonight at the finals.

Both received a raucous ovation when introduced, and even more so when they were placed next to one another during the comparison stages. That may have been what occurred when the two behemoths were performing the requested poses, but the interesting moments came as they stood off to the side while some of the other competitors were posing.
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Fans Line Up for Defending Champion at ‘Meet the Olympians’
By Joe Pietaro, MuscleSport Mag

When you’re the defending champion, long lines are expected at these ‘meet and greet’ functions. That also holds true if you’re the guy that everyone feels has the best chance to unseat number one. It just so happens that both of these people were seated on completely opposite ends of the Mardi Gras Ballroom, but directly across from one another.

That made for difficult logistics as each line grew. By the time the majority of the crowd was allowed in the room, it was difficult to see who was sanding where. Jay Cutler and Dennis Wolf were the obvious stars of the session, and the fans that showed the patience to wait for a few moments with them, it was all worth it.
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Getting Started at The Orleans

By Joe Pietaro, MuscleSport Mag

Viva Las Vegas. After a nearly five-hour flight from New York, it was good to settle down at The Orleans Hotel. But who has time to settle down? After a decent workout in the ‘Fitness Center’ (don’t you just hate those places in hotels?) and a quick bite to eat, it was off to ‘Meet the Olympians’ in the Mardi Gras Ballroom.

With all the competitors seated in a wide, rectangular-shaped room, the lines for the top ones ran all the way across to the far side. By the time the velvet ropes opened up to the public, the place was packed. It was a good thing that the press was allowed in during the V.I.P. hour.

We had the opportunity to speak to a number of the men that have their eyes on the Sandow. All of them looked to be in fantastic shape and hungry for the stage.

Injuries to Many Top Contenders an Unexpected “Gift”

By Joe Pietaro, MuscleSport Mag

The bodybuilder known as “The Gift” may receive an unexpected one come September 27. Phil Heath was not being spoken about as a top three contender for the Mr. Olympia title, but after a few good men had to drop out due to injuries, his stock has risen.

Victor Martinez finished a controversial second to Jay Cutler at last year’s Olympia, but suffered a knee injury earlier in the year. Branch Warren tore a tricep and Kai Green is recovering from a hernia.

Heath did not compete in the ‘07 Olympia, but has had a productive year. He won the Iron Man contest and finished second to Dexter Jackson two weeks later at the Arnold Classic. The former University of Denver basketball star may make a statement at this show, even if it to finish ahead of Jackson.

Considering that this is his first time going for the Sandow, if Heath can finish in the top three, that would be a big step for the 28 year-old. A top-five is more likely.

The Ramblin’ Freak Speaks his Mind About Steroids in Sports

By Joe Pietaro, MuscleSport Mag

The following article will appear in the October 2008 issue of New York Sportscene magazine. (www.nysportscene.com)

At Arm’s Length

Gregg Valentino Flexes his Opinion About Steroids

The old saying “Don’t throw stones in a glass house,” doesn’t apply to Gregg Valentino. When he talks about anabolic steroids and performance-enhancing drugs, people listen. It’s sort of like that old Payne Webber television commercial. You see, Valentino has no problem admitting to steroid use that would probably eclipse every baseball clubhouse in the late 1990s.

“I was up to 4,000 milligrams of testosterone a week, and that’s not even counting the equipoise,” he said, not bragging but just being truthful. When you inject such high quantities of juice in your body, it should come as no surprise that Valentino laid claim to having the largest biceps in the world. At one point during the height of his usage, his arms were an astronomical 28 inches. Read the rest of this entry »

Jay Looking to Three-Peat While Wolf, Jax Eye Upset

By Joe Pietaro, MuscleSport Mag

The photos of the top contenders have been making the rounds on the Internet, some legitimate, others not. While this makes the anticipation for the Mr. Olympia contest even more frenzied, it also puts either confidence or doubt in the minds of the fans. What their favorite bodybuilder actually looks like may not be ascertained until September 27 at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas.

One of the names that has been repeated often as a wild card has been Dennis Wolf. The young German has even been called the ‘next Arnold.’ If that isn’t enough pressure to put on anyone, the photos of him three weeks out of the contest prove that he is headed in the right direction.

The biggest complaint heard in the ‘No Bull’ forum on Muscular Development’s website was that Wolf needed a tan! If that is the worst of it, then Wolf is doing exactly what he should be. He looks huge and shredded. A championship-worthy physique. Read the rest of this entry »

MuscleSport Mag Sits Down with MD’s Own Gregg Valentino

Recently, MuscleSport Mag had the pleasure of doing a one-on-one interview with Gregg Valentino, who is a top staff writer in ‘Muscular Development’ magazine. His ‘Ramblin’ Freak’ column is just one of his contributions each month to the famous publication and is known throughout the industry as the type of writer that pulls no punches and tells it like it is – if it pisses off some people or not.
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The Black Prince Reaches Out to the Olympic Swimming Champion

By Robby Robinson

Dear Michael,

Congratulations on your Olympic sweep. Your athleticism was truly awe-inspiring to watch. I asked my friend Joe Pietaro at MuscleSport Mag and New York Sportscene magazine to forward this letter to you.

When I learned of your 12,000 empty calorie eating regime, I became concerned not only about your health and longevity as an athlete, but also about the billions of people around the world that you are now in a position to influence. It wasn’t so much the quantity of calories that was a shock, as their quality. One can argue that your diet has worked for you so far, but your short-term choices can lead to serious long-term consequences. Massive quantities of refined carbohydrates at one sitting trigger the pancreas to excrete an over-abundance of insulin, creating the possibility of becoming a diabetic. And while fats in your meals will help slow that reaction a bit, your fats, from what I read, are all saturated. They will deposit in your arteries and give you high cholesterol. Being an athlete does not negate the effect of these foods, but being young allows you to get away with it for now.
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“It’s All About Muscle” with Prolab at Joe Weider’s 2008 Olympia Weekend in Las Vegas, September 26-27

Visitors Can Enter Prolab’s Dodge(R) Charger Giveaway Sweepstakes to Win a 2008 Dodge(R) Charger SXT Show Attendees Can Also Meet TEAM PROLAB Athletes, Taste Products at Prolab’s Shake & Nitro Fire(R) Bar, and Receive Samples and Other Giveaways

CHATSWORTH, Calif., Sep 09, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Prolab Nutrition, Inc. is offering an exciting experience for all attendees at Joe Weider’s 2008 Olympia Weekend. At this event, Prolab’s booth theme is “The Muscle Garage” where the company is featuring its muscle-building products, its muscular Team Prolab athletes, and its “muscle car” consumer sweepstakes for show attendees to enter to win a 2008 Dodge Charger SXT (at Prolab’s booth #1037). For more chances to win, consumers can also enter once daily, until October 31, 2008, at www.bodybuilding.com, the world’s top online sports nutrition retailer and most visited bodybuilding and fitness Web site.
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Muscle Beach East Caps Off Summer

By Joe Pietaro, MuscleSport Mag

A perfect beach day was made even better with last Sunday’s ‘Mr. & Mrs. Jones Beach USA’ Bodybuilding and Beach Body competition (www.jonesbeachusa.com). Billed as ‘Muscle Beach East’ and ‘New York’s Muscle Beach,’ Dan Lurie, Steve Michalik and Emy Silvagni didn’t disappoint.

Winners in their categories were Steve Pecora (Overall Men’s Bodybuilding, Men’s Tall and Masters 40+); Mahmood Malik (Men’s Short); Alan Feldman (Master’s 50+); Glenda Bozett (Women’s Bodybuilding) and Dorian Feleppa (Bikini Swimsuit). Read the rest of this entry »