by Craig Titus
This column does not represent the opinions or views of IronMagazine, it’s advertisers or affiliates. Craig’s column is unedited and for entertainment purposes only, read at your own risk.
Out of all the Pros from the 90’s who do you think could still make a success comeback and why?
Instantly, four names come to mind and one name I know for sure could beat most of the Pro’s currently competing today. Chris Cormier, Shawn Ray, Flex Wheeler, and Dennis Newman…And as much as I hate to give Shawn any accolades, he’d be right back at home on the Olympia stage pissin off the 202’s…not to mention he’d more then likely be placing in the top four of the Olympia.
Here’s the thing, Shawn has always maintained over the course of his long bodybuilding career, that his steroids and HGH use was consistently at a very low level, just using athletic enhancing drugs as a finishing touch. What that means is, Shawn Ray was a champion based on his God given genetics with little or no steroid use.
His receptors are clean and undamaged, he suffers from 0 industries from years of smart training and the muscle memory would be phenomenal to say the least. So just image for a moment Shawn training for approx. 27 Months, using substantial amount of anabolics and HGH, on addition to his years of knowledge and God given genetics…I believe without a shadow of doubt, he wouldn’t be merely placing in competitions, he’d be winning an once again a champion. Now Flex Wheeler, you have to first acknowledge the fact he’s already placed top 10 in the Olympia steroid free clean. Certainly willing to undergo a drug test to prove he was clean. Thad’s an accomplishment that other no Pro bodybuilders have achieved only solidifying the true greatness of Wheeler’s physique. If it wasn’t for the presence of Ronnie Coleman during Wheeler’s career, Flex would’ve been Mr. Olympia several times over. Wheeler processes small joints creating exaggerated muscle insertions and dramatic full bellied muscles. Those accompanied with a, absurdly small waist would dramatically decrease the difficulty in negotiating a successful come back. Providing Flex’s kidneys are in good working condition, he would only have to partake in using minimal of anabolics and HGH. Simply put, Wheeler’s superior genetic structure would make it fairly easy to successfully complete with today’s pros. Then you have Chris Comier and Dennis Newman. Both of these athlete’s have one significant thing in common…the bodybuilding enthusiast and fans absolutely love to see them on stage!! I’ve always believe and still do that it Cormier ever decided to just train, to just focus on nothing but pursuing greatness in bodybuilding and leave partying in the rear view mirror…he would’ve been Mr. Olympia long ago. Chris has every attribute needed to successfully make a comeback not only is Cormier’s structure perfect for bodybuilding, but his personality and charisma tend to draw you in and quickly make you a true “Real Deal” fan. You find yourself rooting for him and thinking to yourself that he really needs to win, that he deserves to win, and in the end just like I feel at this very moment, you wish Chris “THE REAL DEAL” Cormier would in fact buckle down and make a comeback for the ages!! Last but certainly not least, I believe Dennis Newman could make a successful comeback. Not in the sense that he’d be placing high among the top pro’s, rather that his career was robbed from him clue to Lukemia following the 1994 USA Championships. It would be a great come back story and bodybuilding fans adore Dennis Newman. He was the quintessential real life “Super Man” with black hair, blue eyes, tall and handsome. Fans, promoters, publishers’ and the entire bodybuilding and fitness community would be behind Dennis 100% regardless of his placing’s. I mean can you imagine one of the most famous bodybuilding personalities of the ‘90’s, who’s career was so tragically ripped from his grasp, was to announce he was back in training for the IFBB Stage? The response from the industry would be EPIC!! Photographers would be lining up scheduling photo shoots with Newman even if his physique was a shadow it’s former greatness. As I write this column, I find myself hoping and wishing both Chris Cormier and Dennis Newman would announce a come back quest. Hopefully after reading these words, the bodybuilding community can some how light a fire in the hearts of these two warriors and grace us once again with their presence.
Can you tell us some more Shawn Ray?
Let me start by saying, I don’t like Shawn Ray, in fact I dislike him so much, it gives me great joy exposing the two faced, insecure, hypocrite he truly is. I have disdain for Shawn for so many reasons…besides the fact he relishes in hiding behind his computer under pseudo screen name posting derogatory comments about me and countless other athlete’s in the bodybuilding and fitness Community…besides the fact he was one of the first people to gladly give interviews tearing my character apart driving the “Titus is guilty” ban-wagon besides the fact he’s that guy who shakes you hand, smiles to your face and then runs you hand, smiles to your face and then runs you down the moment you walk away…Shawn Ray is also the reason myself and half a dozen other IFBB Pro Bodybuilder’s were served subpoena’s while sitting in our hotel rooms at the Arnold Classic waiting to compete the next morning. That’s right, I am sitting in my room, carb loading, putting on Pro Tan and just preparing for pre-Judging the next morning and boom…there’s a hard knock at my door…A very distinct knock that only comes from an authority figure. It was two drug enforcement officers serving me a subpoena forcing me to testify before a federal grand jury in regard to where I purchase my anabolics, how bodybuilders use anabolics and any other valuable information they could obtain to aid their steroid task force. It was t6he next day at pre-judging when I found out my subpoena was just one of a half dozen other’s served in Columbus that weekend. I know of three other big name bodybuilders who were definitely forced to sit before the grand jury , but for obvious reasons I’m not going to disclose that information. I say three big names because we discussed together questions what asked, what information we disclosed during our questioning and who were the other three athletes served subpoenas at the Arnold Classic? The one piece of information we all shared and knew to be factual is that buy Sshawn Ray’s own admission, he welcomed the drug enforcement agents into his home where he answered questions for what he said to be four hours!! Mind you this all took place around the time of the Balco Labatory scandal when Victo Comte was questioned for aiding professional athlete’s in the use of Athletic enhancing drugs. This was a time when the DEA was trying to get information and obtain greater understanding of the anabolic world. My first thought was why would Shawn be answering questions in regard to steroid use for four hours? Then my next thought was…how many of his “friends” did Shawn throw under a bus? Then it dawned on me…Shawn was retired at that time, he wasn’t using steroids anymore nor was he going to again, he had nothing to lose at that point, so why not give them all the names they wanted along with any information necessary to possibly destroy careers. When our subpoena all my suspicions were confirmed!! For the record, I answered any and all questions by the grand jury as to what steroids I used, how I used the drugs, how steroids actually worked in enhancing athletic performance and more so far building massive physiques. I told them how I purchased anabolics in Spain and Andorra never trusting underground manufactures. When I was asked questions as to what other bodybuilders were doing, my answer was always the same…I don’t know. What blew my mind is how the bodybuilding community just accepted the fact Shawn Ray was responsible for several of the IFBBs stars being served subpoenas. WOW!! Even some of the bodybuilders served subpoenas accepted Shawn’s actions like it was the thing to do, like it was no big deal!! Who knows, maybe a few or even all of bodybuilders who were forced to talk to the federal grand jury, will read this article and decide to come forward only confirming it’s validity. Mind you it doesn’t really matter, I know it’s true, the other 6 bodybuilders served subpoenas know it to be true, the drug enforcement agents know it to be true and Shawn Ray by his own admission certainly knows it to be true. Let me once again say “it really does feel fantastic to share my Shawn Ray stories” with you!
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Craig Michael Titus was born in Wyandotte, Michigan on Jan 14, 1967. The eldest of Michael and Sandra Titus’ three children. In high school, Craig wrestled for his school team at 132lbs. After graduation, decided to put on some muscle via weight training. When Craig graduated from high school he was 5’6″ and 140lbs. By the age of 21, he was 5’9″ and 185lbs. Once he started weight training and seeing results, he was hooked. Craig’s first bodybuilding show was the 1988 Houston Bodybuilding Championships in which he won the Men’s Open middleweight class and the overall title.
Competitive Record
2002 Mr. Olympia – 11th
2002 Night of Champions XIV – 5th
2002 Southwest Pro – 7th
2001 British Grand Prix – 9th
2001 Mr. Olympia – 12th
2001 Arnold Classic – 6th
2001 SAN FRANCISCO GRAND PRIX – 2nd
2001 IRONMAN PRO INVITATIONAL – 5th
2000 Toronto Pro – 1st
2000 Arnold Classic – 10th
2000 Night of Champions – 11th
2000 Ironman Pro Invitational – 8th
1996 NPC USA Championships — 1st Heavyweight and Overall
1995 NPC USA Championships — 2nd Heavyweight
1994 NPC National Championships — 2nd Heavyweight
1994 NPC USA Championships — 2nd Heavyweight
1993 NPC USA Championships — 4th Heavyweight
1991 NPC Ironman/Ironmaiden — Overall
1990 NPC Tournament of Champions — 3rd Heavyweight
1990 NPC Western Cup — Overall
1989 NPC Houston Bodybuilding Championships — Overall
1988 NPC Houston Bodybuilding Championships — 1st, Middleweight and Overall
