Mike Ergas: Prejudging Pix from Texas!

Here are some early prejudging shots from the lads over at Muscular Development.

According to big Dave Palumbo, who's reporting directly from the show and posting to the site's forum, Mike unfortunately "looks overdieted.......sacrificed muscle....... skin looks a little loose. Looks small.. Should have done under 210 class."

Mike was selected for the 3rd of the callouts, along with Derik Farnsworth, Mike Kindred, Aiman Faour and Marc Jacobs. So it sadly looks like he's behind Silvio Samuel, Bill Wilmore and Will Harris, Dave's pick for the top three.

The finals are later tonight!

Remember Mike?

No, not Bentley's Mike, who's new cell phone connected blog can be read here, but rather local bodybuilder "Mighty" Mike Ergas, a particular favourite of mine for pretty much ever (hell I've even given him his own blogger label), who finally earned his IFBB pro status at last year's NPC USA's (the somewhat lackluster 2007 edition of which took place just a couple of weekends ago).

Well, Mike is finally making his pro debut at the Europa Super Show this weekend in Dallas, TX. Up against such luminaries as Silvio Samuel and Quincy Taylor, Mike simply hopes to crack the top three (and therefore receive an invitation to this year's Mr. Olympia). Asked by Bodybuilding.com's Kris Gethin in a recent interview if he'll be "playing the size game" for his debut Mike's response was thus:

"My plan is to do what got me here in the first place and that is to come in as conditioned as I possibly can. Of course I want to be bigger than in the past but size without cuts will do nothing in regards of a decent placing anyway."

At 5'6" and about 220lbs, he's already a pretty damn big boy anyway. Let's just hope mass, with class, ultimately rules the day!

Mike Ergas - New IFBB Pro!

Pro at last!!!

Congratulations to Mike for not only taking 1st in the Heavyweight class at the USA's this past weekend, but for finally receiving his pro card, one of only two awarded that evening (the other going to Super Heavy, and Overall, winner Omar Deckard).

Reportedly close to retiring after being passed over at the 2005 Nationals, Mike was persuaded by friends and industry types to give it another go. Good thing he did since now he can add IFBB Pro Bodybuilder to his impressive resume (which includes his starring turn in A&E’s See Arnold Run).

Mike’s new found pro status does pose a few questions: Will Mike’s somewhat open gaiety harm his chances at profitable sponsorship deals with the big supplement companies? Will he take a year or so off to put on some serious pro-sized mass? Or will he just give up the competitive side of the sport now that he has earned the respect he deserves?

Let’s see what happens next!

Road to the USA

This weekend the 2006 NPC USA Bodybuilding Championship is being held in Las Vegas, NV. Like the NPC Nationals, this is another of amateur bodybuilding’s top contests with two of the guys qualifying for their IFBB pro status.

In the run up to the contest, Graphic Muscle has been interviewing some of the frontrunners, including my Perfect Tan guy, Curtis McGovert, and, as longtime readers should know, my particular fav, big Mike Ergas (who many believe was robbed of a win at last years Nationals, quite possibly because of his sexual orientation).

The following link is to Lonnie Teper's interview with Mike. At the beginning of July Mike weighed in at 225lbs, but he reckons his contest weight will be around 215/216 (5 to 6 pounds heavier than at the Nationals), and at only 5'6" that's one big man!

Mike Ergas: Never Say Die!

During the precontest period, with their continued heavy lifting, increased cardio, strict dieting, muscle depletion and carb-loading, bodybuilders are pretty mentally and physically exhausted (no matter how good they may look).

During my own USA “precontest training” I just concentrated on the carb-loading phase. After 6 months of solid lifting, my body badly needed a rest. So for the past 3 weeks I've been off from the gym (though I’m now jonesing to get back), and have instead focused on Dr. Bob's Ice Cream, a newfound fav, and Chips Ahoy (preferring the Chunky, rather than the Reduced Fat, varieties).

But even with all the cookies and ice cream, I'm still wasting away!!!

Mike Ergas - The Email

Remember back on New Year's when I didn't have the balls to go up and chat with big Mike Ergas, well in the wake of that, and suffering a little from the Tuesday Blues, I wrote Mike a very geeky fan email (which thankfully I don't have a copy of). Now Mike is pretty much my #1 favourite bodybuilder and hugely inspirational, so when I received this yesterday:

"Hi Matt,

Thanks so much for the email. It is very nice to hear from you. Also thanks for the nice words. So the next time you see me please come up and say hi.

Anyway, I hope the New Year is treating you well!

Take care,

Mike"

I was bloody flawed. Yes, it doesn't say a whole lot, but I read a whole lot into it!

Yes, I really might love him!!!

CELEBFLASH: New Year's Eve Edition

The new job is keeping me from the celebs, but a night at out The Hollywood Palladium to ring in 2006 was just the thing the doctor ordered for a few good sightings:

Remember My So Called Life? The short-lived, but critically acclaimed, '94-'95 series from Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick, the creators of thirtysomething. Remember Supernova, that really awful sci-fi movie with the really cute Mr. Jennie Garth as the baddie. Who connects the two? Wilson Cruz. Everyone's favourite mid-90s gay boy, in one of the few realistic portrayals of a teen coming to terms with his own sexuality. And unfortunately we all still remember him for this!

So a while back, soon after I started the blog, Matt from Cosmic Blast asked me to be on the look out for Colt man Chris Wide. Now I said I would, but at the time I really had no clue who he was talking about. Somehow however just recently I actually came across a picture of Chris, and OMG!, unbeknownst to little me I'd been working out right next to (and lusting after) him for months. When I saw him on NYE I got a friend to confirm that that was actually him (which it was). His pictures really don't do him justice, he is much more handsome in person and he truly has the greatest ass ever!

Lastly we have, again, and for the umpteenth time, Mike Ergas - who I might just be in love with. The guy is HUGE! He's only a tad taller than me at 5'6", but he must be close to 230lbs if not more (his off season high is 260lbs). What most impresses me about Mike however is his attitude and professionalism. Although he totally got screwed at the 2005 Nationals, he simply chalks it up as just another experience. The guy is a total class act!

Now I had a couple of opportunities to go up, introduce myself, proclaim myself a huge fan, and wotnot, but being a stupid wuss, I chicken out. Damn me, I'm supposed to be being more proactive in 2006. Not a good way to start!

[To see Mike posing at a massive post-nationals 220lbs click here]

Mike Ergas Robbed at Nationals!

2005 NATIONALS UPDATE:

"Mike Ergas Robbed at Nationals!" So reads one of the forum posts on the Muscle Mayhem board.

Mike got 2nd in the Heavy Weight class (so does not recieve his pro card), but there seems to be some dissention in the ranks. Having seen the pics (he was as hard as nails) and read the discussion, fans are rightly outraged at the decision. Clearly there was some politicking going on, and as one fans writes, "I'll tell you right now that if he didn't win his sexuality may have been a factor." What was I saying in my previous post? Hmmm!

Anyway, here are some pics of the the clear winner!!!