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The films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are striking symbols of heroism and personal struggle in a fictional sandbox of a world that the creators have given us. We know that heroes are more than just a myth in our world, and a lot of them come in the form of the sports that we watch.
As Marvel Week continues here at SB Nation, we are out to blend both the MCU world and ours together to spit out some comparisons between The Avengers heroes we know and love and our sports icons and superstars.
Tiger Woods as Iron Man
He’s had his fair share of highs and lows and isn’t always what he used to be, but no matter what happens, he is usually the center of universe. As Woods’ career has faced more and more adversity, he has learned to become a more self-less man that leans on his family.
LeBron James as Thor
Like Thor, James is arguably the most powerful figure of his generation, but dealt with comparisons and the shadows of the greats that came before him. Once James matured and came into his own, he stopped worrying about what was expected of him and instead focused on who he was himself, which has proven to be pretty darn special in its own right.
Patrick Mahomes as Captain America
His skill-set features traits that you could only build in a lab. Like Steve Rogers, Mahomes is high-character guy that his teammates are willing to follow into battle and is almost unanimously loved by his peers. He is relentless in pursuit of his goals.
Aaron Donald as The Hulk
Donald is humble, smart, and soft-spoken when not in action, but an absolute monster when suited up. He is hands down one of the scariest figures on the field. His combination of power and explosion as he runs someone down is one of the most frightening sights in all of sports.
Alexander Ovechkin as Hawkeye
Ovechkin is a true sniper and does not miss when he has a chance to strike against you. Admittedly, this is where the comparisons start to get a bit wonky. Just play along, will you?
Simone Biles as Black Widow
An actual Russian may have preceded her on this list, but Biles is the best comparison to the acrobatic super spy on the Avengers. There’s a grace and artistry to her moves, but her arsenal packs a powerful punch that has always left her enemies stunned by the final results.
Roger Goodell as Loki
Goodell, like his MCU counterpart here, has done some good and some very egregiously bad things. He is almost universally loathed by everyone other those than who have profited from his chaos, and he seems to revel in the idea of being booed and hated.
Tom Brady as Vision
His personality can be strange and a little off-putting at times, but he’s an android that always executes at the highest level. But leaving the New England Patriots might be the equivalent of having the Mind Stone ripped right out of Vision’s forehead.
Megan Rapinoe as Scarlet Witch
The USNWT star and soccer icon been through a lot to get where she is today, but once unleashed she became one of the most powerful voices in all of sports and a hero on and off the field that very few people can measure up to.
Jose Altuve as Ant-Man
Altuve has done things he is not proud of, but wants to put that behind him. He has the ability to shrink (a strike zone) and rise to the occasion to makes himself valuable, but he also needs the help of technology to do so.
Steph Curry as Black Panther
He has followed in the footsteps of his father, who was a good player in his own right and was respected during his time in the league. However, the younger Curry’s leadership and skills are next level and have pushed boundaries that changed how the game is played.
Zion Williamson as Spider-Man
We have only gotten a taste of what he is capable of so far, but Williamson is a player bound to be special. We have already been introduced to what he brings to the table, but he figures to be at the forefront of the conversation when some of the greats of the generation he looks up to move on.
Sabrina Ionescu as Captain Marvel
Like Williamson, Ionescu is another relative newcomer to this wide-ranging universe, but it is hard not to imagine her being one of its most important figures moving forward. She is set to be one of the leaders of the next generation of sports heroes and an inspiration to move the women’s game forward. There are no weaknesses to her game and she is set to be extremely powerful for years to come.
Nick Saban as Thanos
A man who, when he has all of the right pieces assembled, is one of the most feared figures in the universe. He might stumble along the way here and there, but more often than not his shadow looms over the entirety of college sports. It is going to take a Herculean effort to truly achieve long-term success against him.