The All Superhero Football Team

... and no, I am not talking about the Chicago Bears.

I know this has been written before somewhere online, but I was sitting at a bar one Sunday night with a couple friends and somehow or another we got into this argument about Superheroes and who would make the best athlete and that progressed into the greatest football team of Superheroes. It got pretty heated, but when the dust settled this is what we came up with and why.

First, a couple notes: 

• The Superhero defense is set at a 3-4. We had a difficult time coming up with enough total lineman that we decided to go with the times and adjust to our current set up.
• Despite them all being Superheros, we agreed it only fair that there are no two-way players. 
• They had to be male, sorry ladies. 
• They had to be heroes, no villains included, although vigilantes were acceptable. 
• We were slightly biased as a majority of the debaters were more Marvel fans than DC
  

OFFENSE

Quarterback: Captain America

- Born leader. Tough as nails and you know can come through in crunch time. There were other choices, some obvious, like Superman, and some more subtle, like Gambit. But in the end, leadership and intangibles were high on our list and we liked Captain America's overall size. Plus, we felt Superman might be better utilized elsewhere.

Fullback: Cannonball

- This was a sleeper choice. Cannonball was part of the X-men series of Marvel. He can create a thermal chemical energy that allows him to be propelled through the air at great speed, perfect for making a hole for the running back. The energy can also allow him to form into an impenetrable wall, which makes him a potential Pro Bowler at picking up the blitz.

Running back: Wolverine

- While overall speed might be lacking, through his sheer intensity and will, he will be tough to bring down. With Wolverine following Cannonball, you can almost guarantee success inside the red zone. Also take into account his incredibly fast healing powers and you have a ferocious running back who you can rely on year after year.

Tight End: Iron Man

- Smart, quick, strong and a keen sense of perception all lead us to believe that Iron Man is the perfect fit at tight end. While he may lack the overall height, we believe that he has the strength, footwork and mindset to be able to both block and catch. He also trained under Captain America once, so the chemistry between QB and TE is definitely there.

Wide Receiver: Flash

- Obvious choice here. Speed and quickness. But one also has to take into account his ability to react at superhuman speed also, which means he can snag a frozen rope pass out of the air over the middle, allowing him to be more than just a deep threat.

Wide Receiver: Green Lantern

- This was a heavily debated selection. Others that were argued for included the Arc Angel, Spiderman, and the Human Torch. We finally settled on the Green Lantern because HE HAS A RING! You cannot minimize the effectiveness of a savvy vet that already has a ring. His powers also include the ability to "walk through walls," which means he is great at breaking tackles and gaining yards after contact. AND HE ALREADY HAS A RING!

Left Tackle: The Thing

- Incredible strength, resistance to injury and possessing superhuman stamina, the Thing is the perfect combination of ability and smarts to protect Captain America's blindside. While mobility might come into question, it is said that his reaction time and reflexes are still in top shape.

Left Guard: Colossus

- Standing at an imposing 7'5“, Colossus is not your prototypical guard. However, his strength, durability and stamina make him an excellent choice for offensive line, so he could be moved back and forth as needed. He can withstand any temperature (which is helpful because this team is an outdoor team...none of this indoor turf crap and he does not require water when in form, which means he will not suffer dehydration.

Center: The Beast

- The Beast is really exactly how a center should be. Smart, quick, durable, agile, balanced, and flexible. (Think Olin Kruetz.) He also is shorter than most, which gives him a low center of gravity and allows him to get underneath a defensive tackle. His hands are also large and strong and that means even during bad weather, he should have no trouble making the snap.

Right Guard: Warpath

- Part of X-force in Marvel, Warpath has many similar qualities to the rest of the offensive line. He is strong, quick, agile, and a high endurance. He has incredible reflexes and possesses superhuman senses. He also has a mean streak a mile long, which is exactly what we need from the O-line.

Right Tackle: He-Man

- Strong, fast, and acrobatic, this choice as a complete wildcard. When trying to decide on who to put here, in arguably the most important position on the field, it took several more drinks and a few phone calls (my brother in NY finally came through in the clutch) to come to the "most powerful man in the universe.” He-Man is an icon and will keep his head under stressful times. A real cornerstone of the offensive line.

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