For many of us who grew up with the Mike Hodges 1980 movie of the classic pulp character, its hard not to hear the words Flash Gordon without completing the sentence with quarterback, New York Jets! This, however, was an embellishment of Alex Raymonds character, who in his 1930s comic strip origins was believe it or not a polo player, before being abducted by Hans Zarkov and rocketed off to Mongo. It was logical enough to update Flashs sport of choice to something more befitting a modern definition of what makes a tough guy. Rather less logical, however, is the impromptu American football match that breaks out in the evil Emperor Mings throne room between Sam Jones Flash and Mings guards. In a scuffle, Flash winds up holding something that resembles a particularly large and heavy Faberge egg, and reacts the only way he knows how: by charging through his opponents NFL style. The fact that there clearly is no escape from the heavily armed guards, and nothing to stop them from blowing him away where he stands is neither here nor there. Still its a fun, knowingly silly scene in a fun, knowingly silly movie, so we cant be too hard on it.