11:3 - Eric Taylor vs. Master Shifu

[UMPIRE]

SEASON 11, ROUND 3

Eric Taylor

Slot: The Team's Coach
Season Wins: 0
Season Losses: 0
Fantasy Team Page
Read more about Eric Taylor at this Wiki
Official Site: NBC

Master Shifu

Slot: The Team's Coach
Season Wins: 0
Season Losses: 0
Fantasy Team Page
Read more about Master Shifu at this Wiki
Official Site: Dreamworks Animation

Battle Terrain
Coach Challenge: The Locker Room Sads!

[Peypeypeypey]

I think Shifu would do well here. He's not the most comforting coach possible, but he is very patient and understanding, and very solution-focused. Shifu helped Po come to terms with his adoption, and the fate of his parents, and he's generally a very calming and reassuring mentor

[Magnamax]

Taylor has dealt with this A LOT throughout Friday Night Lights. Drug use, abusive families, negligent fathers, grades, bullying, etc. one of his hallmarks as a coach is being able to motivate people to overcome and succeed. I think this is more or less tailor made for his skills. I think he wins here.

[Macklemore]

Wasn't Shifu quite spiteful toward Po in the beginning? I don't know, Shifu has his understanding moments but he can also act bad towards his pupils at times. Eric Taylor is good all around (from what I've read).

[Peypeypeypey]

3 hours ago, Macklemore said:

Wasn't Shifu quite spiteful toward Po in the beginning? I don't know, Shifu has his understanding moments but he can also act bad towards his pupils at times. Eric Taylor is good all around (from what I've read).

He was at the beginning of the first movie, but by the end of the third he had very much adopted his master's temperament. I think it's only fair to take him at the end of his character arc, when he's fully embraced his role as a mentor

[Twogunkid]

Shifu may be a mentor, but pep talks aren't his specialty. Even at the End of Kung Fu Panda 2 (I haven't seen all of 3, but I'm pretty sure he gets turned into a statue early in that movie), he isn't exactly encouraging Po after having he achieves inner peace. He more is stunned he did it so young.

[Peypeypeypey]

6 hours ago, Twogunkid said:

Shifu may be a mentor, but pep talks aren't his specialty. Even at the End of Kung Fu Panda 2 (I haven't seen all of 3, but I'm pretty sure he gets turned into a statue early in that movie), he isn't exactly encouraging Po after having he achieves inner peace. He more is stunned he did it so young.

I think you're underselling Shifu here. He knows his pupils, and knows how to communicate with them effectively. This scene comes to mind of him motivating Po after Po failed at teaching. I also think him sincerely apologizing to Tai Lung could be seen as a great motivational moment for him. It didn't stop him from being evil, but it did genuinely affect him and he seemed to reassess what he was doing for a brief moment. 

[Magnamax]

I think Shifu’s growth as a character represents this challenge somewhat well, but Taylor just has way too much experience. His Star running back confesses to ateríos use in season one, in season threee he deals with an abusive parent, in seasons 4 & 5 he deals with players that are dealing with poverty, jail time and racist treatment. Every time he not overcomes, but generally gets that player to perform at their highest level. 

 

 Matt Saracen, Smash Williams, Vince Howard, and Tim Riggins all deal with explicit issues that Taylor helps them overcome and excel later on. Riggins and Howard each have fathers that turn out to be abusive and/or criminals that he then helps them deal with. Saracen takes care of his grandmother and is essentially growing up on his own, making all the money for the house, and Smash has the steroid problem. These are just the more major storylines in the show too, he’s got a lot more examples of working through these things, even after players graduate. I don’t doubt Shifu, I just think this is “Taylor”-made for Eric here (unintentional joke the first time, purposeful this time).

[UMPIRE]

Match Final Results

Eric Taylor: 9
Master Shifu: 4