Flex: Samir the Swami: The 1983 Mr. Olympia champion gazes into the future to predict the outcome of

Samir "The Lion of Lebanon" Bannout is ready to go for broke in Las Vegas on October 19. Leaving the games of baccarat and blackjack to the likes of James Bond and Austin Powers, Bannout eschews rolling the dice on green-felt-lined tables in favor of telling it like it is in the high-stakes game of elite bodybuilding.

While the rest of the world is ready to place another crown on the regal head of four-time Mr. Olympia champion Ronnie Coleman, Bannout is prepared to go out on a limb to predict that "Iron Jay" Cutler is in the ideal position to upset the champ and grab the Sandow.

"I'm not just going to predict that Jay will win the Mr. O -- assuming that he decides to do the show at all -- but I'm prepared to prove to you that there is a very good reason why he should prevail," says Bannout, who came close to winning the Mr. Olympia in 1982 before claiming the title for one precious year in 1983. "Jay should compete because the fans are in his corner right now after his controversial loss to Ronnie in 2001. If he takes the year off, who knows what people will think?"

The intellectual brain trust at FLEX tabbed Bannout for the tough job of handicapping the Mr. O fracas for the simple reason that he has the guts to tell the truth and the insight and analytical ability to assess any physique from top to bottom, back to front, pose to pose.

At press time, we still don't know if Cutler is doing the Mr. Olympia. Bannout, though, is ready to tell you what will happen if Iron Jay takes the stage at Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino in pursuit of a historic victory.

-- Jim Rosenthal

RELATED ARTICLE: PRESSURIZED

The one edge that you have to give to Jay Cutler going into the 2002 Mr. Olympia is his ability to stand up under the pressurized environment of a close contest. Ronnie has the Mr. O title on the line and is still haunted by the evil demons of what went wrong last year. He didn't exactly lose it onstage, but you could see that he had serious doubts about whether he could win the contest. He heard the crowd's chants for Cutler and it put fear in his heart. Jay comes into the Mr. O with an air of confidence, fresh from the momentum of a victory at the 2002 Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic, and with the professional poise and charisma of a Dorian Yates or a Lee Labrada.

CRISP DETAIL

Jay Cutler blows the other bodybuilders away with the crisp detail of his muscularity from top to bottom. He has superior calves, hamstrings and glutes. His back is detailed and big, but it does not match up well against Ronnie, who has the second-best back in the history of bodybuilding behind the great Dorian Yates. Cutler has freaky arms -- although maybe not as freaky as Ronnie's -- that come into crystal clarity on a front or rear double biceps. The signature Cutler pose in my book is abs and thigh, which is exactly where he killed Ronnie and sent a signal that the outcome of the 2001 Mr. O was in doubt. Jay's biggest drawback is his lack of symmetry, a sticking point that you can see in the overdeveloped obliques that hinder his ability to convey a classic V taper.

FREAKY STRIATIONS

Ronnie Coleman makes his living on his V taper, sensational back and the freaky striations in his glutes. Ronnie's V taper is totally awesome: the broad massive shoulders; the narrow waist; the back as wide as the day is long. Unfortunately, Ronnie messed with a strength and turned it into a weakness at the 2001 Mr. Olympia. Ronnie must streamline his midsection if he wants to capitalize on his superior structure. Ronnie's back -- from lumbar to lats -- is by far the best in bodybuilding today. His glutes are always striated, and yet I'm critical of a secondary bodypart taking on so much importance. How much is too much? Why isn't presenting the ideal shape of the muscle as important as the fact that it is striated in the first place? Freaky biceps peaks, killer triceps and big bad quads and hamstrings round out Ronnie's Mr. O package.

HIGHWAY ROBBERY

One of things I admire about Jay is that he didn't complain about the highway robbery that took place onstage at the 2001 Mr. Olympia. Jay deserved to win that contest because he took it to Ronnie on the abs-and-thigh pose, the side chest and in presenting a more polished physique with crisp conditioning. Ronnie was too heavy and had to pay a stiff price for that watery look in the judging rounds. And yet, at the end of the day when Ronnie retained his title, Jay did not say any bad words about the other athletes or the judges. He was totally focused -- a professional athlete who kept his mouth shut and his eyes on the prize in 2002.

DEAD HEAT

Heading into the 2002 Mr. Olympia, there's no doubt in my mind that Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman are in a virtual tie -- a dead heat that can only be resolved on October 19 at Mandalay Bay. But it you put a gun to my head and demand a prediction, then I must tell you that Jay Cutler has the edge over Ronnie. If Jay comes prepared to do battle in rock-hard condition and with all that mature muscle masse he will beat the reigning champion by the slimmest of margins. Ronnie has spent the last year having nightmares about losing to Jay. It has haunted him, whether he wants to admit it or not. Jay has the confidence that goes with being the underdog, the victim of an unjust decision, and that psychological advantage will make the difference in the end.