by Craig Titus
I was recently reading MD magazine, more specifically “How I See It” with Shawn Ray, Flex Wheeler and Kevin Levrone. Incidentally I think this particular monthly column is excellent and in my opinion a fairly good read. Since I have an ongoing propensity to tell is like it is with a total disregard for being politically correct, let me keep it real as to the reason why bodybuilding will never appeal to the masses and become a mainstream sport.
Bodybuilding will always be a “cult sport” or more accurately a “Cult art Form,” for the same exact reason it will never be an Olympic Event…it is immersed in drugs! Bodybuilding will never appeal to the masses because to be a professional bodybuilder, you simply must be willing to break the law…period. Now I’m certain this wasn’t the case when bodybuilding originally began many years ago, but unfortunately that’s precisely what’s it’s developed into. Problem is, to be a successful high ranking professional bodybuilder you must be willing to use inordinate dosages of anabolic steroids, HGH, Plasma Expanders, insulin and a whole list of other drugs you obtain without a prescription. Anyway you approach using steroids and other PEDs you’re going to at some point break the law. If you travel to another country and legally purchase performance enhancing drugs, the moment you ship them or carry the drugs back into our country, you break the law. Once in UD and you begin to inject or ingest the drugs, you’re breaking the law.
Truth be told, to be a professional bodybuilder in our country, you must break the law. Needless to say, this fact does not in anyway appeal to the masses or more importantly, nor does it appeal to corporate sponsors. Unlike other sports areans, bodybuilders simply cannot hide or deny the fact they’re using steroids/HGH/PEDs. The general public can easily determine whether a bodybuilder is using steroids by their excessive muscular appearance. Sure, the man or women can certainly deny the fact they’re using steroids, but any idiot with working eye sight can see the unusual and extreme muscle mass a pro bodybuilder possesses, only to be obtained by using PEDs. You see, here lies the hypocrisy in regard to other sports arenas. All other professional athletes can simply deny using PEDs where as its visually obvious a bodybuilder is using steroids. Bodybuilding is about building muscle, its main objective is to pack on abnormal amounts of muscle fiber and then show case their physique in front of judges…point is, a bodybuilder, and especially professionals cannot hide their steroid use. Professional Baseball players, football players, MMA fighters, boxes, swimmers, cyclist and athlete’s in all other sports arenas can deny using PEDs…their steroid use is not visually obvious.
Corporate sponsors who rake in billions of dollars from the general public will never get involved with a sport immersed in steroids, HGH and other performance enhancing drugs. Companies such as Coke, Nike, or Power-ade etc would be hand pressed to say that a Mr. Olympia has a Sandows because he drank our product or used our shoes. Steroids do not appeal to the mainstream Public, so big dollar main stream corporations stay far away anything that’s not mainstream. It’s common sense really. Major league sports athlete’s continue to use PEDs in total secrecy and appeal to mainstream public just as long as discretion is possible. The moment a player PED use is exposed. Such as Alex Rodriguez on Lance Armstrong their careers are forever tainted and in most cases ruined. Bodybuilders never have the luxury or secrecy or privacy in regard to drug use…their drug use is visually exposed. And as far as bodybuilding attaining television exposure, that’s not going to happen. Companies would pull their televisions commercials faster then the US Postal service slapped a law suit against Lance Armstrong. They’d pull their advertisements faster then the MLB tried to suspend Alex Rodriguez…. The big name sports product Giants would pull their television spots faster then Vince Neil Snitched on me for giving him steroid and HGH injections. Bodybuilding as a mainstream sport? Not going to happen people. I had to laugh aloud when reading Shawn Ray’s explanation in regard to Professional Bodybuilding remaining a cult sport. He writes that it’s a cult sport because of its uniqueness and subjectivity regarding the judges, LMAO! Well, I suppose he’s correct in ones sense. It is unique alright. Bodybuilding is unique in that all those involved have no choice but to condone the use of steroids and other PEDs.
Unfortunately the mainstream public and corporate sponsors do not. Frankly speaking, bodybuilding is the only sport where it’s absolutely necessary to use steroids and PEDs. Although athletes in other sports areas use steroids, it’s not a crucial element in their training program. For example…you can be a NFL Football player without using PEDs. You can be a profession running back in the NFL without using steroids or Human Growth Hormone and that’s precisely why 110 million people watch the Super Bowl every year. Frankly speaking, you cannot be a Professional Bodybuilder without using steroids and PEDs which will never be appealing to the mainstream public. Then you have Kevin Levrone’s point of view in the “How I See It” Column. Kevin Points out that Men’s Physique is growing very rapidly and that some bodybuilding competitions have more men’s Physique contestants then bodybuilders. Kevin writes that the public can aspire to that type of build implying MPD is more appealing. He goes on to say “Men’s Physique is a step in the right direction to bring more interest and participation in our sport.” Right direction for what?! Right direction for Men’s Physique but certainly not ProBodyBuilding! The only thing MPD is going to do is totally phase out bodybuilding in general! You see, you can be a professional Men’s Physique athlete without using PEDs. A men’s Physique athlete can deny using PEDs. A men’s Physique athlete without using PEDs or really not use the drugs. All together and still be a professional Men’s Physique athlete…that’s appealing to the mainstream public. I’m not sure how it’s at all beneficial for Professional Bodybuilding to have more Men’s Physique athletes then bodybuilders? It’s not! As a matter of fact, I read in the back of Flex Magazine that the IFBB Pro League actually has competitions scheduled with no bodybuilding included!!! “ The Sacramento Pro Bikini, men’s and Master’s Physique” competition. What?!! How’s that beneficial for professional Bodybuilding? LMAO! I for one could care less if bodybuilding go mainstream. I am and always will be an advocate of steroids and HGH and I certainly don’t care if the mainstream public accepts that or not. I know one thing for sure …the IFBB Pro League certainly has found something more appealing and it’s not Pro Bodybuilding…it’s money!
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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
