I was reading the message board the other day and a thread caught my eye. To paraphrase Mike Sansevero, owner of NorthAmericanBodies.com and a photographer for RxMuscle, "Interesting fact, more than 50% of the NPC card holders now are in the Men's Physique and Bikini Divisions". Well, the only thing that kept popping into my head was "So many f'n Pros".
This article is not meant to demean anyone who has earned an IFBB pro card, or is it an attempt to diminish their accomplishments because they all should be very proud. However, while the attainment of this goal may be impressive, it just doesn't seem to hold the same significance it once did. Maybe I'm wrong but I just think that a "professional" in any sport should be the elite. The best of the best. It's not just about winning a contest, it's about the perception people have when they hear you called a "pro". The very definition of a professional is a person who has achieved an acclaimed level of proficiency in a calling or trade. Sorry, but I can walk into most gyms in the country and find lots of pros that just don't fit that category.
My wife's hair dresser of 17 years recently decided to get into competing. She got herself a trainer and started a program and diet. Less than 60 days later she entered her 1st show and lo and behold, even though she didn't win, you guessed it, she's a Pro. It's not necessarily that she didn't work hard or that she didn't look good; it's just that this isn't what a professional should be (at least in my opinion). Earning a pro card these days has become very much similar to earning a Black Belt. In today's times, there is a martial arts studio on every block (and an NPC contest every week or so it seems). It's great to have self-confidence, but getting a black belt in 1 year doesn't make you a badass; and placing 3rd in the one and only contest you ever enter shouldn't make you a pro.
The governing organizations did a fantastic job identifying the need for more categories. They did a great job in making sure there are enough shows for people to compete in, and they have attracted tons of people to the sport. I know purists may hate some of the new classes but I think they were a necessity in the evolution of the sport. However, I think where they went wrong is in how they determined who should be awarded the highest honor; being named a pro. 
By creating a system wherein there are "so many f'n pros" you hurt not only the sport but actually the pros themselves. With over 50% of NPC card holders now being in 2 categories, imagine how difficult it must be to get an endorsement deal or sponsorship. How hard is it to get any coverage anywhere and promote your brand (which is really yourself)? Imagine the look on some of these pros faces when they come to the realization that they spent far more trying to obtain a pro card than they will ever earn from the card itself.
Something needs to change. Why not establish a point system similar to the one used in the IFBB? Maybe make the awarding of a pro card contingent upon earning X amount of points in a certain time frame? You would acquire points based on your placing in a minimum of X amount of contests. I can't see how this would have a negative effect. Many people compete for reasons that have nothing to do with getting a pro card and this would only force those that do seek out a card to enter more shows. You might even assign higher point values to certain shows like they do in the IFBB which would certainly incentivize promoters to go all out to try to make their contests the biggest and best. A side effect we would likely see is that each class would instantly get more competitive. If you have to place in multiple shows you are likely going to make sure you're as spot on as you can be before getting onstage for every show.
In all sports, there seems to be a limit on the number of people that are called professional. This serves to instantly garner respect for not only the athlete but for what it takes to participate in that endeavor. If our industry doesn't make efforts to adjust their current mindset to fall within this line of thinking, I'm afraid the catch phrase of "so many f'n pros" may soon morph into "so what; you're a pro".
