13:18 - Mr. Terrific (Michael Holt) vs. Captain America

[UMPIRE]

SEASON 13, ROUND 18

Mr. Terrific (Michael Holt)

Slot: The Team's Athlete
Season Wins: 4
Season Losses: 0
Fantasy Team Page
Read more about Mr. Terrific (Michael Holt) at Wikipedia
Official Site: DC Comics

Captain America

Slot: The Team's Athlete
Season Wins: 3
Season Losses: 1
Fantasy Team Page
Read more about Captain America at Wikipedia
Official Site: Marvel

Battle Terrain
Team Athlete Challenge: Office Chair

[Culwych1]

Does everyone know what the key to winning the Office Chairs race is? Nope, not speed or even leg strength- it is balance. Its all about balancing and propelling yourself forward without falling off. 

And that's where a guy who spends his days and his battles balanced on spheres is going to absolutely shine. 

 

[DSkillz]

Heh, Cap is definitely no slouch in balance himself.

That's one of the main reasons he can pull off feats like this, and all without the aid of gadgets like the T-Spheres. 

Also, another key to winning an office chair race is to have strong ankles and feet to help move yourself along the track in a chair, and Cap has to have strong ankles, feet, etc., to pull something like this off. 

[Culwych1]

18 hours ago, DSkillz said:

Heh, Cap is definitely no slouch in balance himself.

That's one of the main reasons he can pull off feats like this, and all without the aid of gadgets like the T-Spheres. 

Also, another key to winning an office chair race is to have strong ankles and feet to help move yourself along the track in a chair, and Cap has to have strong ankles, feet, etc., to pull something like this off. 

It's not bad, but not sure it matches balancing on actual spheres (as a routine strategy)

Nor does it quite match up to the sheer agility of dodging fire whilst on those spheres

And I think above all, we need to remember the sheer intelligence at play here.

Someone mentioned here they are surprised I didn't pick Terrific as my scientist - I could well have but he is both a peak athlete who outperforms at every occasion coupled with the brains of a genius (3rd smartest man in DC). That is why he has all the black belts in martial arts under his belt, as well as the gold Olympics, as well as numerous PHDs.

[DSkillz]

On 2/5/2024 at 2:01 PM, Culwych1 said:

It's not bad, but not sure it matches balancing on actual spheres (as a routine strategy)

Nor does it quite match up to the sheer agility of dodging fire whilst on those spheres

There's a world of difference between balancing on spheres you can mentally control to be in just the right position to stay under you and moving along in a rolling chair you have much less control over. 

An office chair won't give Terrific anywhere near the support of his T-Spheres if he gets bumped around, and if a man of Cap's size and strength bumps into Holt, he's gonna be knocked around plenty. Since Steve can very easily do something like this while on-balance, imagine how far he'd knock Terrific off-course rolling at him at a decent speed. 

On 2/5/2024 at 2:01 PM, Culwych1 said:

And I think above all, we need to remember the sheer intelligence at play here.

Someone mentioned here they are surprised I didn't pick Terrific as my scientist - I could well have but he is both a peak athlete who outperforms at every occasion coupled with the brains of a genius (3rd smartest man in DC). That is why he has all the black belts in martial arts under his belt, as well as the gold Olympics, as well as numerous PHDs.

Right, and Cap's serum not only gives him peak human physical stats, but he also has virtually limitless stamina (since his body doesn't build up lactic acid), something that will come in handy in a mile-long race. At some point, even Holt will need to slow his pace to catch his breath or even take a water break while Steve can pretty much go at top pace for the entire race. Add this to Cap's healing factor (which will keep his muscles, tendons, etc. from cramping up, unlike Terrific), and not only will he already be moving faster, but he'll be able to keep it up to a near-constant pace. 

[Culwych1]

1 hour ago, DSkillz said:

There's a world of difference between balancing on spheres you can mentally control to be in just the right position to stay under you and moving along in a rolling chair you have much less control over. 

To float and fly and fight in the air balanced on spheres is definitely not just being in the right position! The sheer core strength and balance you must need is just amazing - and fits perfectly with controlling a chair as it moves with your feet. 

1 hour ago, DSkillz said:

An office chair won't give Terrific anywhere near the support of his T-Spheres if he gets bumped around, and if a man of Cap's size and strength bumps into Holt, he's gonna be knocked around plenty. Since Steve can very easily do something like this while on-balance, imagine how far he'd knock Terrific off-course rolling at him at a decent speed. 

A bump is far more likely to knock Steve over than a man who flies around in battle balancing on small spheres...

1 hour ago, DSkillz said:

Right, and Cap's serum not only gives him peak human physical stats, but he also has virtually limitless stamina (since his body doesn't build up lactic acid), something that will come in handy in a mile-long race. At some point, even Holt will need to slow his pace to catch his breath or even take a water break while Steve can pretty much go at top pace for the entire race. Add this to Cap's healing factor (which will his muscles, tendons, etc. from cramping up, unlike Terrific), and not only will he already be moving faster, but he'll be able to keep it up to a near-constant pace. 

Mr Terrific has fought straight for well over 90 minutes with countless attackers, and trains constantly in his various martial arts. He's got more than enough stamina to not have a mile-long race bother him. 

[DSkillz]

12 hours ago, Culwych1 said:

To float and fly and fight in the air balanced on spheres is definitely not just being in the right position! The sheer core strength and balance you must need is just amazing - and fits perfectly with controlling a chair as it moves with your feet. 

Holt has full mental control over his T-Spheres and the spheres themselves have full monitoring capabilities and a form of A.I. Sure, it takes good balance to stand on top of them, but between the spheres themselves and Holt's control over them, they can still determine exactly where to be positioned so Terrific doesn't fall over.

An office chair gives no such assistance. 

12 hours ago, Culwych1 said:

A bump is far more likely to knock Steve over than a man who flies around in battle balancing on small spheres...

Not if they're in office chairs that Terrific has no specific control over. 

12 hours ago, Culwych1 said:

Mr Terrific has fought straight for well over 90 minutes with countless attackers, and trains constantly in his various martial arts. He's got more than enough stamina to not have a mile-long race bother him. 

Cap has fought against armies for hours himself, trains even harder, and is master of various martial arts himself.

A mile-long race may not normally bother Holt that much, but in trying to keep pace with Steve, Terrific will have to rest a bit to keep from tiring out and his muscles from cramping up. Meanwhile, between his virtually limitless stamina and healing factor, Steve can keep going at his maximum pace for the duration of the race.

[Culwych1]

9 hours ago, DSkillz said:

Holt has full mental control over his T-Spheres and the spheres themselves have full monitoring capabilities and a form of A.I. Sure, it takes good balance to stand on top of them, but between the spheres themselves and Holt's control over them, they can still determine exactly where to be positioned so Terrific doesn't fall over.

An office chair gives no such assistance. 

Not if they're in office chairs that Terrific has no specific control over. 

Cap has fought against armies for hours himself, trains even harder, and is master of various martial arts himself.

A mile-long race may not normally bother Holt that much, but in trying to keep pace with Steve, Terrific will have to rest a bit to keep from tiring out and his muscles from cramping up. Meanwhile, between his virtually limitless stamina and healing factor, Steve can keep going at his maximum pace for the duration of the race.

A small moving sphere, even if it moves about to your will, is going to take considerable leg and core strength and practice to be able to balance on perfectly. And that's just to stay on it, forget about whooshing around the place and going in to battles alongside the likes of the Justice League! That is perfectly adaptable to balancing on a chair and moving around - the exact experience of staying up at all times is going to come into play. And given that Terrific can hold out at his max for hours fighting against a horde of enemies, he can definitely maintain his max pace as well for the duration. 

 

[DSkillz]

2 hours ago, Culwych1 said:

A small moving sphere, even if it moves about to your will, is going to take considerable leg and core strength and practice to be able to balance on perfectly. And that's just to stay on it, forget about whooshing around the place and going in to battles alongside the likes of the Justice League! That is perfectly adaptable to balancing on a chair and moving around - the exact experience of staying up at all times is going to come into play.

Thing is, the T-Spheres aren't just moving due to Holt's will; there also having some A.I. that assists in the movement/balancing/etc. Not to mention that the Spheres often flatten out into wider areas to stand on. And again, Steve also has impressive leg and core strength, agility, and balance. 

2 hours ago, Culwych1 said:

And given that Terrific can hold out at his max for hours fighting against a horde of enemies, he can definitely maintain his max pace as well for the duration. 

Terrific could maintain a max pace in normal conditions, but here he's racing against someone faster, stronger, and has that stamina and healing factor. In Holt's effort to keep up, he's going to start over-exerting himself and slow down accordingly, while Cap will be able to keep going at his own max pace. 

[Twogunkid]

I kind of am leaning T towards the balance argument.

[DSkillz]

Man, for (at least) the third time in this Draft, I thought a round was ending a day earlier than it was. Yep, I may be getting old. 😅 

5 hours ago, Twogunkid said:

I kind of am leaning T towards the balance argument.

Even though the T-Spheres actually do a lot of the balancing for Holt when he stands on them? Again, an office chair won't offer that kind of support. 

[Culwych1]

21 minutes ago, DSkillz said:

Man, for (at least) the third time in this Draft, I thought a round was ending a day earlier than it was. Yep, I may be getting old. 😅 

 

Same here! 

[Culwych1]

47 minutes ago, DSkillz said:

Even though the T-Spheres actually do a lot of the balancing for Holt when he stands on them? Again, an office chair won't offer that kind of support. 

This is where I think we mainly disagree. I think that while the T-spheres do some of the balancing, it is Holt who does the heavy lifting, and this is compounded by his significant martial arts training. 

[DSkillz]

2 hours ago, Culwych1 said:

This is where I think we mainly disagree. I think that while the T-spheres do some of the balancing, it is Holt who does the heavy lifting, and this is compounded by his significant martial arts training. 

And I'd say the Spheres would do a good deal more of the balancing for Holt than a normal office chair would. He'd have to rely more on his own natural athletic ability and balance, which Steve has more of in spades. 

[Culwych1]

23 hours ago, DSkillz said:

And I'd say the Spheres would do a good deal more of the balancing for Holt than a normal office chair would. He'd have to rely more on his own natural athletic ability and balance, which Steve has more of in spades. 

Given that balance is a technique that can be learned and perfected, I'd say that Holt has spades more of it than Steve, who is talented but ultimately relies more on his strength and speed. 

[DSkillz]

2 hours ago, Culwych1 said:

Given that balance is a technique that can be learned and perfected, I'd say that Holt has spades more of it than Steve, who is talented but ultimately relies more on his strength and speed. 

Not likely. 

Steve is peak human in literally every sense, which doesn't just go for his strength, speed, and agility, but also his hand-to-eye coordination, depth perception, spatial awareness, etc. All are fine-tuned to the point where he can throw a fast ball as hard as any MLB pitcher, hit any trick shot in billiards (hence a big part of how he can ricochet-throw his shield at any angle), and predict the paths of bullets fine enough to appear that he can dodge them. 

So yeah, he won't have any more trouble keeping balance in an office chair than Holt, and that and his superior physical attributes should allow him to outpace Terrific here. 

[UMPIRE]

Match Final Results

Mr. Terrific (Michael Holt): 8
Captain America: 3