GUTS... Do You Have It??

posted by Hi Five

Unfortunately the answer is "no" ever since this all time great sports competition gameshow starring young children and teenagers was cancelled in 1995. To those of us still placing bets on the blue, red and purple competitors via syndication, we got a piece of the Aggro Crag dropped on our televisions in 2007 when Nickelodeon GAS went off the air and thus squashed a piece of every person who grew up in the early 90's in the process.

For those of you who were homeschooled and too busy playing Oregon Trail in your backyard because your Mormon parents wouldnt allow TV, GUTS was a gameshow on Nickelodeon that pitted 3 preteens against each other to duel it out in a variety of sport-related events in the "Extreme Arena". These competitions, however, were by no means normal. "The Invisible Boat" allowed these kids to race over water in a Jesus like fashion, with only a paddle in hand and a harness strung from the heavens. The winner, of course, claimed Ultimate Messiah status and collected 300 points in their quest to become GUTS champion for that particular half hour. Other such memorable events were the Slam-a-Jama, Shoot Out and Wild Wheels. The latter was a competition that can only be described as the equivalent of a toddler dropping a couple tabs of acid and going for a joyride around the neighborhood on his tricycle.

This was the kind of show you often found yourself saying "Damn, I wish i had applied to this shit." Just once i want someone to ask me to "spill my guts" and I can tell them that to me GUTS means to "JAM OUT." The fact of the matter is that host Mike O'Malley is no longer asking these questions, referee Moira Quirk is no longer announcing that Paul "running man" Battson is running away with the competition, and the spotters are no longer jumping up and down for joy as a 13 year old climbs a mountain of styrofoam.

GUTS will forever stay atop the Aggro Crag, as one of the best - if not THE best - childrens' gameshow of all time. Not even Double Dare, Legends of the Hidden Temple, or even Wild and Crazy Kids can compete with this timeless gem. If only it were released to DVD we could all find out once again what it means to have...GUTS.