2017 Nickelodeon ‘Kids’ Choice Sports’: 11 Things You Didn’t See on TV

From Lindsey Vonn cheating at musical chairs to Michael Phelps getting drenched in gold slime, the messy awards show was packed with action

Michael Phelps Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sports Awards
Photo by Neilson Barnard/KCASports2017/Getty Images for Nickelodeon

The biggest names in sports invaded Los Angeles this week for the Nickelodeon “Kids’ Choice Sports 2017” on Thursday.

And after the serious and culturally-impactful tone of the ESPYs the night before (plus a plenty of very funny jokes from host Peyton Manning), it was all about slime-filled fun for Nickelodeon’s annual show.

From Russell Wilson getting down and dirty as host for the third year running to Lindsey Vonn viciously tackling Prince Fielder, there was non-stop action spilling out of UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles.

Mini-quarterback
Wilson was made to look like a midget by DeAndre Jordan and Andre Drummond when the came on stage for the mammoth Slime Mountain challenge. Wilson told the audience that he was “6-foot-5,” but don’t be fooled — the Seattle Seahawks QB is only 5-foot-11.

Slime overflow
After sliding down the 80-foot ramp, NBA giants slid across the platform into the front row of the audience, getting Wilson’s outfit messy in the process. 

Girl power in the house
While she wasn’t in attendance this year, mom-to-be Serena Williams sparked a massive roar from the young crowd when her name was called for the Athlete of the Year award. However, it was Simone Biles who got the biggest cheer when she won the coveted blimp. 

Wilson is a crowd-pleaser
The veteran host worked the crowd taking photos with kids and dishing out hugs during the break, pulling one unsuspecting victim out of the audience. He then threw snaps to his little receivers — some who were taller than Patriots receiver Julian Edelman — before lobbing them into the crowd.

Dance your ass off
The Dance Off hosted by Nick Cannon — a celebrity version of musical chairs to hipper tunes — proved that Lindsey Vonn has tougher glutes than any of us knew, and it’s safe to say that Prince Fielder got left falling on his ass. When she was eliminated, fellow competitor Gabby Douglas said she wasn’t used to losing, so instead she got sent to the “non-winners section.” Vonn’s questionable tackles eventually lost steam, and she was beaten out by WNBA player Breanna Stewart. We call that karma.

Neon light show
Every audience member found a chunky rubber wristband on their seats that lit up in neon orange, yellow, green and pink in time to the music during the show.

Tough challenge
The $50,000 soccer crossbar challenge may have looked easy on TV but it was deceptively difficult, especially with a screaming audience in a huge stadium. Despite being coached by World Cup champ Abby Wambach, our challenger couldn’t hit her target. 

Constant entertainment
During the breaks, the young crowd was constantly kept amused with dance competitions by neon-clad performers, T-shirt guns firing off into the audiences, and general shenanigans from a slew of assistant coaches.

Football rivalries die hard
Wilson snuck in a cheeky jab at Von Miller when he surprised him with a blast of slime after the cycle challenge. “You deserve that because you always try to sack the quarterback,” he said under his breath to the outside linebacker for the Denver Broncos.

Clean up crew
As we found out firsthand, producers warn anyone who’s slimed not to move afterwards, as they’re in danger of slipping. During the show they were just as vigilant, and the minute a challenge was over, cleaners swooped onto the stage to mop up the mess. This was especially needed when Michael Phelps got drowned in gold slime to close out the night.

Warnings, warnings, warnings
The relay race required numerous requests for kids to get their hands, feet, heads out of the aisles, stairways and upper concourse on as the athletes would be wildly racing through them. The audience then all stood up in awe, hoping to catch their favorite star flying past them (and hopefully not into them).

“Kids’ Choice Sports 2017”  was taped live on Thursday from UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, and aired Sunday, July 16 at 8 p.m. 

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