American Gladiators

Mad Drama Teacher

I've been watching the reruns on ESPN Classic lately and it's bringing me back to childhood where I'd fantasize about smashing through the Eliminator, telling myself how the people on the show were too slow.My friend next door had a full arsenal of Nerf weapons, so one day we decided to construct obstacles out of the furniture and hold our own Assault. This was the main gun: This guy on here right now just pulled off what he called the "Roll a Dope" to dodge a tennis ball but still came up short in Assault. I swear I could have beaten that thing as a 12-year old.How hot are those female gladiators, too, especially when they're prodding some Jane Doe with a giant q-tip! Now that I think about it, they kind of look like David Lee Roth.Why do these idiots always run right at the gladiators in that football event?

Anyone else miss this show? Let's reminisce.

hcrink

I used to watch it. It was awesome.

rootlesscosmo

it's bringing me back to childhood where I'd fantasize about gladiators

Jroam

I remember an episode where Danny Manning was throwin down against the American Gladiators. Not sure if he won, probably too tall. My personal favorite or only episode I can recall?

SoulOnIce

haha you are only watching this because it comes
on after the 5:00 Champions Cup replays ... I left
it on last week and was cracking up remembering how
I used to get a charge out of that show. It always
seemed like total corn, though, even when I was young.
Tennis ball cannons? Please.
The only highlights were people getting wrecked on that
podium battle and the rare occasions when some schmuck
would really tag one of the Gladiators dudes, like Lazer
getting cold cocked in the rugby-styled game or something.

luck

Random Mike Adamle appearance. I've seen him in real life, and dude is short.

marwal_bust

maru

i remember staying up late to watch this. good times.

Symin

I ride for this show
not the kids version though. much to great a focus on nutrition.

remember siren, the def gladiator?

Mad Drama Teacher

haha you are only watching this because it comes
on after the 5:00 Champions Cup replays ... I left
it on last week and was cracking up remembering how
I used to get a charge out of that show. It always
seemed like total corn, though, even when I was young.
Tennis ball cannons? Please.
The only highlights were people getting wrecked on that
podium battle and the rare occasions when some schmuck
would really tag one of the Gladiators dudes, like Lazer
getting cold cocked in the rugby-styled game or something.

True, it did remind me.

Mad Drama Teacher

it's bringing me back to childhood where I'd fantasize about gladiators

Actually, I think the original was better:

"...it's bringing me back to childhood where I'd fantasize about smashing through the Eliminator."

Symin

whos gonna name them all?

asstro

I have been loving the re-runs, especially the way the Gladiators are still playing characters in the first season. The way Gemini smiles, then scowls, then smiles again before every event is so cheesy it's awesome.

The adidas they are rocking in that photo are incredible as well.

Electrode

Yeah...those giant Nerf obstacle courses were funny! Lynn Williams, the man who played Sabre (on the very left), was related to the family who used to live next door. He visited the house a couple times in the summer of '98, after the Mortal Kombat movie, where he plays Jax in the sequel, worked its brief way through the theaters and put on rental video shelves forever. He signed autographs for two kids down the street we used to hang out with during the summer. He told us stories about how he had to manage the prosthetic arm gear (40# total) in the hot weather of the South Pacific, where he met a lot of starving children. He said he harshly scolded his own kids whenever they could complain, "Don't smoke. Don't do steroids..." and so on. Nice guy.

Mad Drama Teacher

Can we stop using their real names in this thread?