OK, I have to respond.....

I have to admit that over the years I look at bodybuilding boards from time to time just to see the latest chatter involving my name. After all it is my name and I am human so of coarse curiosity does get the best of me some times.

It's always been against my better judgement to waste time responding to people on forums who want to spew negative, uninformed insults at me. I figure it is a battle I can't win and I don't want to lower myself to their level. I try to be above it and understand that these people are coming from a place of negativity which probably stems from their own inability to achieve what they really want. So instead of looking to someone who is more accomplished then they are for inspiration or information, they would rather attack them.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Not everyone has to like my physique and I am fine with that. After all I devoted my lift to a sport that the entire premise is to be judged on your weaknesses. BUT what I do not understand is why people take on personal attacks towards me when they have never even talked to me for 1 minute. Many of the posts I have read over the years, even as recent as this morning, become very personal attacks which have nothing at all to do with my physique.

For example.....I was looking at a board to see some chatter about our documentary "I Want to Look Like That Guy". None of these people had actually seen the film but were all making their judgements based on a 2 minute trailer. One of the discussions quickly turned to me, "the trainer", and the direct quote was.....

........"The trainer is also a joke. He knows nothing on coaching and getting people motivated. Telling someone you're disappointed is an instant motivation kill. He needs to take some exercise and sport psychology classes if he wants to be taken seriously. At this point, he's just a jackass."

Now seriously. From a 2 minute trailer this person was able to surmise that I am a jackass and a joke?

I am not going to list my accomplishments as I feel they speak for themselves and I am not going to list my educational background either. It is all out there if someone really wanted to take the time to find out. Normally I would not even dignify this quote with a response but this morning is different. This morning I am going to talk about it for the simple fact that I can and it makes me feel better!

I've read a lot of crap written about me over the years and for the most part I always sat quiet. I've been called pretty much every name in the book.....liar, cheater, fraud, fake, etc etc and now I can add jackass to that list....too funny. I've been accused of taking all kinds of drugs even to the point of anonymous (of course) people claiming to have either sold me stuff or actually seen me taking stuff. That is just ridiculous but if I said it never bothered me that would be a lie. To insult my physique is one thing, to question my integrity and character is completely different.

See, what people sometimes fail to realize is that I am a human being.

So the next time you want to call me a name, attack my character, question my qualifications or insult my intelligence maybe you should think twice. Maybe you should list everything you've accomplished in the bodybuilding/fitness arena and list everything I've accomplished and compare the two. You might just figure out that maybe I know a thing or two about what I am talking about. Maybe you should take the time to do a little research about me before you open your mouth.

Believe. Achieve.