New Branch Warren Pics!

[deetrakt]

Branch Warren won his first pro contest last weekend (Europa?) and the pictures have started hitting the Net.

New shaved head, cut to ribbons and (I think) better symmetry. Of course, he still looks as if he's being forced to pose at gunpoint and still never smiles. However, he, Johnnie Jackson (who finished second) and Quincy Taylor (third) all are qualified for the Olympia, so at least there'll be some new beef to ogle.

Here are three of the better shots (more at Flex Online and elsewhere):

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...branchpic1.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...branchpic2.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...branchpic3.jpg

[glammaman2000]

The body is amazing!All the gear does not do nice things to the face(I used to think he was kinda handsome)BUT THAT BOD!

[RonnieRules]

I agree. His body is really inflated. Especially his legs. My gosh, like tree trunks!

[UKBeefy]

I really hope he wins the Mr O as I am getting well and truely bored of the Ronnie Coleman "stitch up" - I don't actually think Ronnie has a particularly good physique. To me it seems strange that so many of the Mr O contests seem to be won for 3-5 yrs by the same person. It always looks to me as if there is some prior planning of who will be "king" for a certain reign.The pics are incredible - as others have said the sheer muscularity of Branch Warren is incredible - cuts and striations where some people don't even have muscles....

[Mdlftr]

Originally Posted by UKBeefy

I really hope he wins the Mr O as I am getting well and truely bored of the Ronnie Coleman "stitch up" - I don't actually think Ronnie has a particularly good physique. To me it seems strange that so many of the Mr O contests seem to be won for 3-5 yrs by the same person. It always looks to me as if there is some prior planning of who will be "king" for a certain reign.....

....as the sun rises in the east, a bear sh*ts in the woods, and you always have death and taxes!

Expecting a real "contest" for the Mr. O -- where the outcome is EVER is doubt, is like standing in a downpour and expecting the sun to shine.

Precisely because it is "predetermined" is a big reason why the "O" is not taken seriously as any kind of sporting event. The "Criteria" for judging are so subjective that anything can be justified.

Mass monsters sell magazines...and supplements...and workout clothes....and a "look".

Eventually, the 'powers that be' will find a newly marketable Mr. O -- and he will be in vogue for a few years. The cynic in me suspects that they will tap one of two popular demographics: blond haired, blue eyed guys who sell magazines (e.g. Jay Cutler, Chris Cook) or they'll go for the 'hard working, ethnic look - e.g., dark hair and eyes (formerly Italian, now Hispanic) Gustav Badero, etc.)

Mdlftr

[deetrakt]

Check out his intercostals!

[jerseyflex]

does anyone else remember Branch Waren's first appearance in MuscleMag in the early 90's when he won one of his first teen contests?

poor guy.......his pubes were sticking out of his posing trunks.....

i admire the guy for sticking with it - if i were him, 10 years and about 100+ pounds of solid muscle later, i would have gone and kicked robert kennedy's ass

[dallasmsl]

Originally Posted by Mdlftr

....as the sun rises in the east, a bear sh*ts in the woods, and you always have death and taxes!

Expecting a real "contest" for the Mr. O -- where the outcome is EVER is doubt, is like standing in a downpour and expecting the sun to shine.

Precisely because it is "predetermined" is a big reason why the "O" is not taken seriously as any kind of sporting event. The "Criteria" for judging are so subjective that anything can be justified.

Mass monsters sell magazines...and supplements...and workout clothes....and a "look".

Eventually, the 'powers that be' will find a newly marketable Mr. O -- and he will be in vogue for a few years. The cynic in me suspects that they will tap one of two popular demographics: blond haired, blue eyed guys who sell magazines (e.g. Jay Cutler, Chris Cook) or they'll go for the 'hard working, ethnic look - e.g., dark hair and eyes (formerly Italian, now Hispanic) Gustav Badero, etc.)

Mdlftr

I agree and disagree (call me confused). The Mr. Olympia is as subjective as any "sporting event" could ever be and that's why it will never be accepted into main stream sporting (not even taking into account the homosexual undertones). But to say that the powers-that-be WANT Ronnie Coleman to win as often as he does is a bit far-fetched. I've RARELY seen him being used to endorse ANYTHING...clothes, supplements, or anything else for that matter. He's not photogenic; not personable; not a good actor; etc. As a standard-bearer for bodybuilding, I seriously doubt that the powers-that-be have found Mr. Coleman to be their ideal in a bodybuilder.

Now, is the Mr. Olympia "fixed" or pre-determined; most probably so. Why should it be any different than any other bodybuilding contest? Does the best man always win? Sometimes yes; sometimes no....but that's what happens when you have a subjectively judged contest.

[UKBeefy]

Originally Posted by dallasmsl

I agree and disagree (call me confused). The Mr. Olympia is as subjective as any "sporting event" could ever be and that's why it will never be accepted into main stream sporting (not even taking into account the homosexual undertones). But to say that the powers-that-be WANT Ronnie Coleman to win as often as he does is a bit far-fetched. I've RARELY seen him being used to endorse ANYTHING...clothes, supplements, or anything else for that matter. He's not photogenic; not personable; not a good actor; etc. As a standard-bearer for bodybuilding, I seriously doubt that the powers-that-be have found Mr. Coleman to be their ideal in a bodybuilder.

Now, is the Mr. Olympia "fixed" or pre-determined; most probably so. Why should it be any different than any other bodybuilding contest? Does the best man always win? Sometimes yes; sometimes no....but that's what happens when you have a subjectively judged contest.

Well I agree that Ronnie has been not much of a poster boy for the sport outside of hardcore fans. I remember once either reading (it might have been in the Bob Paris biography) or seeing on TV some discussion of how when various black stars were winning contests that the Weider group were looking for a new "white" champion (think they were talking of Gary Strydom or Berry de Mey) to stop the sport becoming seen as a black man's sport (like basketball etc). It is funny how the sport seems to have evolved where a group of stars seem to get some of the royalty cake but that the contests themselves seem to be less and less significant as sporting events. What is more important now is well known stars becoming brand advocates - appearing or hosting events like the whole week long Olympia thing or FIBO etc. Some of the stars appear to make quite a bit (plenty seem to have Hummers and 5 bed houses in Vegas but then there are also alot who are not making anything at all.