Erik Fankhouser, North American Pro!

There's a new IFBB Pro in the house, specifically Erik "The House" Fankhouser, the 5'9" 215 or so pounder who passed on July's USA championships to concentrate on this past weekend's 2007 IFBB North American Bodybuilding contest held at the Renaissance Hotel in Cleveland, OH.

Erik brought his A-game, a fantastic taper, and those freaking fraking legs of his. Though a pre-contest favourite to win the whole shebang, he had a fight on his hand in a packed heavyweight class, though ultimately bested both Darrell Terrell and Michael Liberatore, the 2007 MD Cyber Classic champ and Dave Palumbo's actual pick for the top spot, a man who "brought a symmetrical, freaky-ripped, package to the stage and was rewarded with a deserving 3rd place."

Erik then rocked the house in his quest for overall domination taking down super-heavy Grigori Atoyan, middleweight Mexican Angel Rangel, and light-heavy Mark Perry (who's been competing at the national level since 1996).

With Erik's win I'm seriously tempted to support the guy and get one of his House Wear (as opposed to Thug Wear™ by Yanchulis) designed shirts (especially since Joe has one of Flex's tees).

Hold on a sec though... You may have noticed Erik's inability to crack a decent smile in the pix I've posted (or from clicking on through the links above), well that's another reason to go out and support this West Virginian native.












Yes, as you can see bad, bad teeth for this otherwise handsome man! Maybe he's got some British ancestry?

Suit Yourself. No More Off the Peg.

I've been needing to buy a new suit for a while now (especially since I had that little incident at work when I was showing someone how to squat), so I'd determined that this Labor Day Weekend, along with all the concurrent Labor Day Sales, would be the perfect time to search one out.

I figured Macy's would be my first stop with it's decent selection and well publicized sales, choosing to venture down Pico to the Westside Pavilion, and the store where I'd picked out my first Spago suit (formerly a Hecht's/Robinson-May branded store). After trying on a couple I figured a 42 short might work (so my movement was a tad restricted), but since I'm a comparison shopper and need much friendly affirmation I chose to continue the quest anyway. At Nordstrom the sales chap tried to put me in a couple of Hugo Boss jackets (which, given the $795.00 price tag, were thankfully too tight anyway). I left despondent and bought a Hagrid action figure and latte instead.

Joe came with me Saturday to search the Beverly Center Macy's, where he decided a 42 was too small anyway, and I really needed a 44. Now 42s come with 36 inch pants, and 44s with 38, and since I'm like a 33, that really isn't gone work is it (since the most a pair of pants can be altered in maybe 3 inches). Loehmann's followed (Ed, what were you thinking?), then Banana Republic (they don't carry jackets 42 and above in short lengths).

Today, Sunday, Joe was determined we try Men's Warehouse, so off we popped to Burbank. Greeted almost instantly by a salesman armed with his trusty tape measure, he took my measurements, lead us over to a rack and started handing me jackets. Quickly realising I'm actually a 46 short, separates were determined to be the only way to go.

The jacket still needs some major alterations to taper it, but with an instore tailor Men's Warehouse has made this simple one-stop shopping, and without being over bearing or at all pushy, the salesman told me what I'd pretty much discovered over the last couple of days, that manufactures just don't design suits for people with my "atheltic" (5'5" and 202 lbs) build.

But now it's done, I look as wide as hell, and to celebrate rather than pick up some Krispy Kremes, I got some canned snow instead (roll on Christmas)!