List-en up! 150 reasons not to miss the big O

Flex, Nov, 2004 by Kevin Horton, Tiffany Mortensen

We've said it before in the pages of FLEX: This year's Mr. Olympia contest will be unlike any other. The format has been changed to create a more dynamic and entertaining event, and the weekend has really hit the big time with more celebrities, more events and more muscle. Changes in judging have been instituted--the most-muscular is now a mandatory pose and the top six competitors will go pose to pose against one another to determine the winner. Our fervor over this new format has us listing more than the Tower of Pisa. In list form, here are the things to check out at the most historic Olympia ever.

10 NEW THINGS AT THIS YEAR'S OLYMPIA

 1 The Challenge Round
 2 Onstage digital scoreboard shows changes as they happen
 3 Judges scores shown immediately on the scoreboard
 4 21st-century set design
 5 Sly Stallone on the mike
 6 New format to the press conference
 7 Rookies: Kris Dim, Richard Jones, Mustafa Mohammad and Craig
   Richardson
 8 Other rookies, such as Victor Martinez and Mat DuVall, may qualify
   through the GNC Show of Strength
 9 The most-muscular pose has been added to the mandatories
10 A preponderance of mainstream celebrities onstage and in the audience

10 REASONS RONNIE COLEMAN CAN'T BE BEAT

 1 The Olympia is about brute size and the IFBB refuses to change that
   direction
 2 Last year's winner always wins
 3 At 40, he's getting better with age
 4 World's best back
 5 His 800-pound squats, 800-pound deadlifts, 600-pound T-bar rows and
   365-pound walking lunges
 6 His overall mass and development more than make up for his subpar
   calves and midsection
 7 Ronnie's a pumpkin
 8 Nearly everything Texan is on a winning streak
 9 It's not 1994 and Dorian Yates won't be competing
10 Joe Weider has fixed the contest

10 REASONS RONNIE COLEMAN CAN BE BEAT

 1 Smaller, more aesthetic bodybuilders have been winning this year and
   the IFBB has changed direction
 2 The powers that be don't want him to match Arnold Schwarzenegger's
   seven-title haul
 3 At 40, he's too old
 4 Back double-biceps pose will be banned just before the contest
 5 His 800-pound squats, 800-pound deadlifts, 600-pound T-bar rows and
   365-pound walking lunges are a passport to injury
 6 His subpar calves and abs
 7 This year's contest is about apples and oranges
 8 In September, he'll relocate to Des Moines, Iowa
 9 He'll be attacked by ninjas a few days before the contest (has
   happened before)
10 Joe Weider has fixed the contest

10 THINGS TO DO DURING THE OLYMPIA WEEKEND

 1 Strut your stuff on Muscle Beach
 2 Stroll through the Olympia expo
 3 Attend the Olympia Champions Seminar on Sunday morning
 4 Mingle with the athletes and celebs at the Victory Gala on Saturday
   night
 5 Work out--the Gold's Gym at 4720 West Sahara Avenue is one of the
   best gyms in the country
 6 Dress to impress--Olympia weekend is the time to break out your gold
   lame hot pants
 7 Pig out--nearly every hotel has an all-you-can-eat buffet
 8 Gamble--believe it or not, it's legal in Vegas!
 9 Walk and gawk--one block on the Strip equals an hour of cardio
   training
10 Get your freak on

10 MR. OLYMPIAS

 1 Larry Scott (1965-66)
 2 Sergio Oliva (1967-69)
 3 Arnold Schwarzenegger (1970-75, 1980)
 4 Franco Columbu (1976, 1981)
 5 Frank Zane (1977-79)
 6 Chris Dickerson (1982)
 7 Samir Bannout (1983)
 8 Lee Haney (1984-91)
 9 Dorian Yates (1992-97)
10 Ronnie Coleman (1998 to present)

10 BEST BODYBUILDERS WHO NEVER WON THE MR. O

1 Jay Cutler (not yet anyway) 2 Nasser EI Sonbaty 3 Lou Ferrigno 4 Rich Gaspari 5 Lee Labrada 6 Kevin Levrone 7 Tom Platz 8 Shawn Ray 9 Robby Robinson 10 Flex Wheeler

10 THINGS TO DO AT THE EXPO

 1 Witness a who's who of bodybuilding--everyone is there
 2 Check out the babes
 3 Score free supplements
 4 Read the free program you get at the expo
 5 Check out the babes
 6 See the prejudging for the three women's contests on Friday
 7 Witness the onstage expo events (strongman, karate, fashion show, et
   al.)
 8 Visit the Weider booth--get autographs and your pic taken with
   Coleman, Schlierkamp and the gang
 9 Attend the Walk of Fame induction on Friday
10 Check out the babes

10 OLYMPIA COMPETITORS WHO COULD FINISH IN THE TOP SIX

1 Troy Alves 2 Darrem Charles 3 Ronnie Coleman 4 Chris Cormier 5 Jay Cutler 6 Dexter Jackson 7 Dennis James 8 Richard Jones 9 Markus Ruhl 10 Gunter Schlierkamp 11 Victor Martinez (Due to try to qualify at the GNC Show of Strength. Hey! How'd we get to 11? See how difficult this is?)

10 THINGS YOU WON'T HEAR FROM THE OLYMPIA EMCEE

 1 Boy, oh boy, that's a whole lotta German!
 2 Hey, Ronnie! Can I get fries with that shake?
 3 And now, the limbo round!
 4 Hey, somebody call a doctor! These guys are covered with lumps!
 5 While we have a break in the action, I'd like to introduce everyone
   to Stevie, my pet monkey
 6 Did you know that the term "bodybuilding"
   comes from the Greek word "bodybuilding"?
 7 Believe it or not, this is my first time emceeing in the buff
 8 Looking at these 20 majestic athletes onstage, all I can say is
   "Thank God for steroids!" Are you with me on this one, folks?
 9 Who here tonight likes cheese?
10 How many bodybuilders does it take to screw in a light bulb?