Team PlumbCrazy are a retired BattleBots team who competed in the first two World Championships on ABC, as well as various untelevised competitions between 2004 and 2009.
Despite not featuring in the Comedy Central era of the show, the team have a long history on the US live scene, best known for their highly-decorated 220lb heavyweight Sewer Snake. Sewer Snake was originally built for a prospective 'Season 6.0' in November 2002, though this did not happen with the original show's cancelation by Comedy Central.[1]
The team have also fought in several untelevised events sanctioned by BattleBots, including the 2004 NPC Charity Open with middleweight Devil's Plunger and lightweight Wipe Out #2, as well as the 2009 Pro Championship with the heavyweight Stinger: The Killer Bee. Sewer Snake itself would eventually debut at the JavaOne 2007 event, competing in an exhibition match against Greg Munson and Trey Roski's Ginsu.
In line with the ABC reboot of BattleBots, Stinger: The Killer Bee, often shortened to Stinger, was rebuilt to adopt a variety of interchangeable electric lifter and flamethrower configurations in common with the team's other machines. During 2015, Team PlumbCrazy, Inertia Labs and Mutant Robots featured in a BattleBots themed commercial for Pizza Hut.[2] Throughout its time in BattleBots, the team reached a career-best quarter-final finish before losing out to Bronco.
Outside BattleBots[]
Team PlumbCrazy also built and fought with many other robots of varying weight classes over the years following on from Season 5.0, including Pipe Wench, Wiped Out (predecessor to Wipe Out #2), Evil Plunger and Angry Asp. These would compete across numerous events across the country, including RoboGames, Combots Cup and RFL. Perhaps their most iconic build, Sewer Snake, has numerous accolades including overall championship victories at the 2003 Las Vegas Street Fight, the 2004 Robot Fighting League Heavyweight Open, the 2005 Combots Cup, and Gold medals at RoboGames in 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2011.[3]
With Angry Asp, the team were billed to compete in 2004 FRA World Championship event held in the United Kingdom. Despite being a middleweight, Angry Asp was registered to compete in the heavyweight bracket alongside robots from fellow American competitors Team Whyachi, Robotic Death Company, Team LOGICOM, Team Entropy and Sinclair Robotics. Angry Asp was slated to take on Team Storm and their World Championship-winning Storm 2 during a Friday showing.[4] However, the event would ultimately not go ahead. Matt and Wendy Maxham would travel across the pond to compete, but to instead fight in the 2006 FRA Championships with heavyweight Sewer Snake, ultimately going 1-2. The robot's success saw Sewer Snake inducted into The Combat Robot Hall of Fame in 2007, and its last known competition took place at RoboGames 2018.[5]
Team Members[]
Matt and Wendy Maxham with Pipe Wench (left), Sewer Snake (center), and Devil's Plunger (right).
Matt & Wendy Maxham[]
Both founders of Team PlumbCrazy, husband and wife pair Matt and Wendy Maxham were present for both ABC seasons with Stinger. After a hiatus, the Maxhams joined Robotic Death Company and Gigabyte, where Matt became the designated weapons operator. They continued their involvement with the team into the World Championship VI, and Matt Maxham took on the role of driver for their newly-acquired Cobalt.
The Maxhams during Season 5.0.
However, it was confirmed soon after the end of World Championship VI that he would step down from the role of driver, replaced by Gigabyte captain John Mladenik.
Tony Osladil & Jeff Gomez[]
New additions to the team for the World Championship II of BattleBots, their specific roles are unknown.
Robots[]
| Name | Weight Class | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Stinger: The Killer Bee | Heavyweight | Pro Championship 2009 World Championship I World Championship II |
| Sewer Snake | Heavyweight | 2007 BattleBots JavaOne (Exhibition only) |
| Devil's Plunger | Middleweight | 2004 NPC Charity Open |
| Wipe Out #2 | Lightweight | 2004 NPC Charity Open |
Wins/Losses[]
- Wins: 16
- Losses: 6
See Also[]
References[]
- ↑ 'Sewer Snake', Team PlumbCrazy website (archived)
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHvEhc3nl9o
- ↑ 'Fighting Robots Association - Sewer Snake', Fighting Robots Association (FRA) website
- ↑ Proposed FRA World Championship 2005 bracket
- ↑ 'The Combat Robot Hall of Fame ®', Team Run Amok website (archived 14 March, 2009)