Just some thoughts...
I was actually kind of expecting some kind of thread from you about this kind of topic CG… I saw you lurking on the "Eat when hungry" thread all day when it first came out and I said to myself, "Even though he 'self-banned' himself before, he's going to come-back and say something about this" b/c I remember this being such an issue with you before.
CG- Really, you kind of scare me. Serious. What I'm going to say may be hurtful, but honestly, it's really not meant to be… but when I think of the past interactions between you and Phil, particularly all the anger I would see in your using extreme sized fonts followed by several exclamation points, run on verbal attacks and the like… well the word that comes to me is, "unstable." Saying Johnny Smiles is really Phil and getting all upset about Phil's comment about syntherol… can you read that again? Phil never said ANYTHING negative, he simply said, "… it happens".
You are a lot older than me, and I really want to respect you simply b/c of your "chronological position" (that's just how I was raised)… but I just can't. I'm sorry if hurts to hear this, but in some ways, I just feel real bad for you.
It seems like you have such a strong desire to "prove yourself." I'm not saying you or anyone else should just "take it" and roll over… but at the same time, some battles are just not worth fighting, and two, sometimes the more someone "fights" the more "weak" the person really is.
Yes, Phil is my trainer but he's not a "friend", though as time goes on we able to converse more freely and garner more respect for one another. Even if he were a friend, I wouldn't "stand-up" for him if he did something wrong… that's just enabling, a friend doesn't do that. I'm no "fan-boy"… my only "hero" is my Dad, but Phil has my respect. With that said, there are some characteristics of him I've noticed that you seem to miss…
- when he's wrong, he'll admit it
- r/t above, he's willing to say, "I'm sorry"
- he has given PLENTY of solid comments and encouragements to peoples pics THAT
ARE NOT HIS CLIENTS
- Phil wants people to live in "reality" b/c he knows it's all too easy for people to fool themselves (I fooled myself for YEARS that I didn't look that bad until I finally saw a pic of my FAT self jumping into my parents pool with my daughter… WAKE UP CALL)… this is why he may be "too strict" with some people… not to hurt them, but to make sure they are being honest with themselves
I think Phil said it best, "let it go." Really. People are showing respect for your physique… but I would question if they have respect for you as a person… and THAT is the greatest contest one should work the hardest to "win".