Viral superhero soccer matchup will get critical breakdown with Batman, Spider-Man, The Flash, and extra

We’ve all heard the phrase “It’s not the X’s and O’s however the Jimmy’s and Joe’s that make the distinction”. A quote attributed to legendary Texas Longhorn coach Darrell Ok. Royal, who spoke in regards to the gamers you placed on the sphere mattering much more than the technique you scheme up. Nevertheless, when all expertise is comparatively equal, you need to take any schematic edge you will get.

Such is the case in our first ever model of Whiteboard Wars, the place we ask a gaggle of our writers who would win a matchup and the way they might win it. Our matchup comes from a viral tweet that rocked social media this week. With superheroes on either side of the ball, who has the benefit?

I imply, either side of the roster are loaded. A backfield of Superman, The Flash and Sonic is giving defenses nightmares, however a defensive position of Abomination, Thanos and Broly would possibly give the opposite aspect the sting.

Right here’s our ideas on the matchup, and who wins:

JP Acosta: Offense wins a nail-biter

So I believed means too laborious about this, and drew up schematic methods for either side to win.

On the offensive aspect, there’s a transparent power and weak point. The most important weak level is up entrance, with Baymax at heart. Whereas I like Baymax—when he goes into sport mode his agility and sturdiness are second to none—he is likely to be bodily overpowered by Thanos and Abomination. Nevertheless, the sides of our offensive line with Hulk and Venom might need some juice right here, particularly with as quick of a backfield as Supes, Flash and Sonic.

My first thought is straightforward: RUN THE OPTION. The protection has a transparent weak level at Droideka on the EDGE. No lateral quickness in any respect, the man is a stiff on the market. Whereas Goku is an outstanding athlete, he would possibly get distracted by all the attention sweet. Hulk at proper deal with provides us an final ace within the gap, so right here’s what I’m working. Pull Colossus to the correct, and have Hulk tackle Abomination. You learn Droideka and drive him to be flawed. If he’s too vast, the give is to Sonic and he goes bursting into the top zone. If Droideka closes that hole, Superman retains it and runs the choice with Goku because the goal. In case you wanna take out an extremely fast-paced defender, drive him to suppose and be flawed.

Within the passing sport, the apparent goal right here is Batman. Batman is nice, however whew shit is he out of his ingredient on this area. I can not stress sufficient how a lot Batman is JUST A DUDE IN A SUIT, and doesn’t have the foot velocity to maintain up with principally anybody within the backfield. I’m working angle routes and wheel routes at Bruce Wayne till he cries.

From the defensive perspective (once more, I believed WAY too laborious about this), the apparent weak level offensively is Baymax, however you need to have the ability to bottle up the velocity within the backfield. What this implies is setting a tough edge and forcing them again inside, to your power. Whereas Goku won’t at all times be the quickest thinker, even in his Tremendous Saiyan type he can journey past the velocity of sunshine. I would like that man coming downhill and wrecking every little thing. Droideka is gonna be used to take up area, and I’m slanting my line again in direction of the weakside, hopefully creating one-on-one matchups up entrance. This enables Batman to do what he does finest: use prep time. He can learn and react, cleansing up every little thing. The place we will actually get fascinating is involving the corners within the run match. I believe Maijin Vegeta would love to combine it up on the bottom, so I’d have he and Gojo enjoying the flat. As a result of my safeties have a lot vary, I’m high quality leaving them to the deep halves of the sphere.

Initially, I stated the protection wins however the offense makes it shut. Nevertheless, after going by way of the Xs and Os and potential gameplan for all sides, I believe the offense wins. Superman is simply far an excessive amount of of a drive multiplier on offense, and the one particular person that might match him on the opposite aspect is Goku, who you possibly can manipulate. Add within the velocity within the backfield and the power to isolate Batman and you bought hassle for the protection. Protection might simply completely dominate the road of scrimmage and flip this sport, nevertheless it’s laborious to maintain a Kryptonian down, and Kal-El is the very best of them.

James Dator: Heroes win, and it’s not even shut

I don’t suppose the one who created this hypothetical scenario stopped for a second to grasp simply how briskly The Flash is. It breaks the complete idea of this sport. I’ll put aside for a second why the hell you’ve him enjoying fullback, and simply give attention to the apparent game-breaking ingredient right here:

I’M RUNNING THE WILDCAT WITH THE FLASH!

If we settle for The Flash by his trendy accepted velocity he’s capable of run 13 trillion occasions the the velocity of sunshine. This it so incomprehensibly quick that the hero staff can simply cheat in the event that they need to. Direct snap the ball to The Flash, he runs backwards out of his personal finish zone, out of the stadium, does just a few laps across the earth for good measure, runs again to the stadium and re-enters on the opposite aspect of the sphere, stopping in the long run zone — growth, landing. Then you definitely run it once more on the two-point conversion.

There isn’t any referee in even fictional existence that might show The Flash did this. Earlier than a single defender strikes a millimeter he’s scored a TD. Solely 100 yards to The Flash is like your eye transferring a nanometer within the means of blinking.

Let’s assume he isn’t going to cheat, nevertheless. We’ll say it’s a hero code of ethics. So right here’s the issue: DC Comics have overpowered The Flash to the purpose the place his velocity is so incomprehensible that he can flip again time by altering the legal guidelines of physics. Because of this even working at a trillionth of his potential velocity he’s a lot quicker than anybody on protection that their actions would function at a crawl. All he’d have to do is take a relative stroll in-field, ducking any potential strikes to catch him, and stroll to the top zone.

Additionally, earlier than you come at me let’s be abundantly clear: No, no Saiyan from Dragon Ball Z isn’t remotely as quick as The Flash. Don’t get me flawed, Goku is quick as hell, however he’s clocked at 33,314 occasions the velocity of sunshine. As soon as once more, The Flash is 13 TRILLION TIMES THE SPEED OF LIGHT!

I cherished this little thought experiment, however The Flash breaks the complete factor. Placing Sonic in the identical backfield simply made this even sillier.

Mark Schofield: How the protection steals a win

First off, expensive readers, you need to perceive one thing.

When this was posted on social media Wednesday it introduced nearly all work on the SB Nation company places of work — or Slack channel, if you’ll — to a cease. All of us spent means an excessive amount of time sketching out play designs on either side of the ball, together with my expensive pal JP, who had a HURRICANE BEARING DOWN ON HIM IN FLORIDA.

So, we took this task critically.

For some odd purpose, my thoughts instantly centered on the defensive aspect of the soccer. As you’ve seen there are some … weaknesses alongside that defensive entrance seven. I’m anxious about Droideka on the sting, and as you simply learn from JP, he’s going to be working at Droideka all sport.

There’s additionally one other concern.

Batman.

Look all of us love Batman, however he’s an absolute legal responsibility as a center linebacker. The offensive goes to do all types of issues to get him remoted on both Sonic or the Flash within the passing sport — as an apart getting the Flash in right here as a fullback appears like dishonest however okay — and we have to assist him as a lot as attainable.

So we’re constructing this defensive construction round these safeties, and bringing again the Legion of Increase a bit.

We’re bringing Martain Manhunter down into the field in that Kam Chancellor position. His checklist of powers is so long as a Waffle Home menu. He’s going to be clogging passing lanes beneath, giving us a +1 within the field towards the run, and together with his velocity he may even go sideline-to-sideline as wanted towards the go and take away choices for Superman when he desires to throw beneath. Merely put, he’s going to be my first line of protection towards that Sonic/Flash tandem within the backfield.

This scheme would possibly ask a ton of our corners, however with the Silver Surfer enjoying deep in that Earl Thomas position, he may also help sideline-to-sideline as nicely.

As for Batman, in passing conditions we’re strolling him up into the a-gap between Factor and Baymax, forcing Superman to slip safety that means, and attempt to generate some one-on-one conditions with Droideka towards the Hulk. As a result of let’s face it, you would possibly catch him as Bruce Banner for a snap or two.

It’s a tall process, as that offense is loaded, however I believe counting on that security tandem provides this protection a shot to tug it out.