League Rundown - Episode 623: Get ready to learn Spanish buddy

[00:00:12] Speaker A: Gets hit Kimmy kids a little too far here. He's gonna have to try and get himself out Living O Tillery and the rest of the shots of fire. Zion is just killing the next Zion can eat single handedly win the game by game by game by game by [00:00:26] Speaker B: should be. [00:00:27] Speaker A: Oh my God. Stupid Marches through and manages to the table with Messiah tanking it up. I do not believe he just believe. I cannot understand this game. Unicorns of love. It wasn't a mutant. They're Nexus. Hello and welcome to episode 623 of the League Rundown. This is your 2026 summer split, LEC and LCS week six review and week seven preview. This episode is lovingly entitled. Get ready to learn Spanish, buddy. We went from Mexico, home grounds and lcs. Now we're going to Spain next week for LEC playoff week one. I am your host Kangas and I'm joined by three esteemed co hosts. Up first, fresh out of the can, it's Badger. [00:01:32] Speaker B: I should have looked up how to say Korea is number one in Spanish because, you know, that would have been a good. Took French in high school. I. [00:01:42] Speaker A: Here, wait. I'll. I'll stall for you. [00:01:44] Speaker B: Okay? I'm not gonna do it. It's fine. It's. It's okay. [00:01:51] Speaker A: I. I gave you a window. [00:01:52] Speaker B: Numero uno is like the only thing that I can think of. So I don't know if it would be lcks. Numero uno would be. [00:01:59] Speaker A: That sounds good to me. I think that counts. Also. I don't know to let us know how correct he thinks that is. We got. [00:02:06] Speaker C: And the big Bickle pickle. [00:02:07] Speaker D: We got nit worlds before GTA 6. [00:02:11] Speaker C: Jesus Christ. [00:02:12] Speaker B: I forgot about that. [00:02:15] Speaker A: That had nothing to do with speaking Spanish, but I do appreciate the reference. Yeah, dude, speaking of. Okay, sorry, we're gonna delay the next intro here for a bit. Did everyone watch the GTA 6 trailer? [00:02:28] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:02:29] Speaker C: Are you talking? Are you talking? Am I allowed to. I feel weird talking because I'm the one that's been. Are you talking? Are you talking the trailer or like the extended cut of the game footage? [00:02:37] Speaker B: The Netflix? [00:02:38] Speaker A: Both, I guess. [00:02:38] Speaker C: Both. [00:02:39] Speaker D: More. [00:02:39] Speaker B: More. [00:02:39] Speaker A: The extended cut. [00:02:40] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:02:40] Speaker C: Yeah, I watched everything, so I've seen it. [00:02:42] Speaker A: Looks crazy. Look crazy good. As a switch to player, I'm sad I'm not going to be able to play it. But you just heard his voice. We also have a special guest joining us on this week's episode. We're gonna test him out to see how well he does and maybe convince him to come back for future ones. Because I'm gonna be honest, it's probably more. Beg him to come back and if he does well or not. We have Slayer joining us from the unofficial English broadcast. How's it going, Slayer? [00:03:07] Speaker C: I love how you said the unofficial English broadcast and then you did. [00:03:10] Speaker A: I should have finished. I should have finished sentence, and I didn't do it. [00:03:14] Speaker C: This sounds like. [00:03:15] Speaker A: But yeah, he has lpl. How's it going? [00:03:16] Speaker C: Sounds like this guy's bad at reading. So in the. In the. In the spirit of Spanish, you should be asking kangas donde estala biblioteca? Because you can't read. [00:03:26] Speaker A: Oh, that's. Where is the library, right? [00:03:28] Speaker C: That is where. It's the library. You're correct. [00:03:30] Speaker A: Hell, yeah. I never took Spanish, but I knew that. I knew that much. I don't even know how to say that in German, which is the language I took. I was gonna say vo is dare library. [00:03:43] Speaker C: I don't know. [00:03:46] Speaker A: There's a thing in German called Danglish where you're speaking Deutsch and English. [00:03:50] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:03:50] Speaker A: Together. And so, like, if you can't say everything in German, most Germans will still know the English word for something. You could just supplement the English word. I speak Danglish. That's what I tell people. [00:04:00] Speaker C: Nice. [00:04:01] Speaker A: But also to speak all about the LPL and give his thoughts on the LCS and maybe some of the LEC as well. We got Slayer joining us. Happy to have you on Slayer, your powerhouse of a play by play. I think I got a great Runway to have a fantastic career. And I think that a lot of folks will hopefully already recognize your voice, but if not, remember the name Slayer. Recognize his voice because, yeah, Leo's going places also. What a name. Slayer. I. I love calling to that in public places. Be like, hey, this is. This is Slayer. [00:04:33] Speaker C: It's very. It's very funny. It's. It's very funny because it's such like a. It's such a, like, fierce name. It's like. It's very fierce. [00:04:43] Speaker B: And then. [00:04:44] Speaker C: Then you see me, and I've been. I've been described as. As a person. Clifford the Big Red Dog. Because I'm a redhead also. For anyone. [00:04:52] Speaker A: You are ginger, and you are a large man. [00:04:56] Speaker C: Yeah. So, like, gentle giant is the. The vibe. That's why people called me Clifford, because Clifford's a giant dog. If you haven't seen the PBS show. And he's just really nice, but he's just a giant dog. So you. [00:05:06] Speaker A: I think. I think the average age of people that listen to the show is probably 35, so. Yeah, I think you're safe to have [00:05:11] Speaker C: a Clifford Big Red Dog reference. Well, I'm about to age. Yeah. I remember watching Clifford the Big Red Dog when I was like tiny. To age myself away from this. [00:05:21] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:05:21] Speaker C: Leo. [00:05:22] Speaker A: Leo is younger. You're what, 26? [00:05:24] Speaker C: Not yet, man. Relax with that. [00:05:26] Speaker A: You're 25. [00:05:28] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:05:28] Speaker D: Oh, my God. [00:05:29] Speaker C: He's a child. Well, I'm 26 in. In like six weeks, but yeah, sure. [00:05:34] Speaker A: True. Yeah. [00:05:34] Speaker B: Okay. [00:05:35] Speaker A: Yeah, we have very close birthdays. [00:05:36] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:05:37] Speaker A: So you're basically an old man. How's that back feeling? [00:05:39] Speaker C: It's feeling strong because I work it out enough. Screw you, man. [00:05:44] Speaker B: Wow. [00:05:44] Speaker A: Fair enough. All right, well, I think that's enough for intros. Awesome to have you on. Let's talk about news that went around the horn so far this past week. First up, roster news. Bickle. A big one. Dylan Falco, the coach of G2, officially leaving thoughts on this and how likely do you think it is that he comes back home? Can we get him to come back to na, please? [00:06:07] Speaker D: It's gonna be a bidding war between like almost every single team across the LCS and LEC to sign him because he's the biggest free agent coach in God knows how long. [00:06:20] Speaker B: But yeah, we the biggest free agent in the west right now. [00:06:23] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:06:24] Speaker B: Like, slated for the off season. I'm gonna be real Tim or Jojo. [00:06:28] Speaker A: I don't know if I can. I don't think if I could. I don't know if I can think of a coach that's as like high profile in the off season. Like, if any other coach left. I don't know, maybe like Rainover, maybe still be number one for me. [00:06:45] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:06:46] Speaker D: Like, if you go back in time grabs. But sure, after his current performance. [00:06:53] Speaker C: No, the only. The only thing I can think of that's comparable but it wouldn't be the west is like. I think. I think for like LPL fans wherever, whatever Tabe moves teams is like a big deal. But that's like the only. That's the only thing I could think of is comparable. But of course that's not a western version of it. [00:07:08] Speaker A: So. Yeah. Yeah. And I don't think that like an LCS team or an LLC team is getting Tabe. I think LCS and LEC teams are begging to get Dylan Falco. This guy's like, tenure in the LEC was insane. Even in the LCS when he first got started, he was pretty high up there in terms of like, success rate. So. Yeah, I think it's gonna be a fun offseason. See who picks him up. Everyone give their team that they would want to pick him up. Badger, you go first, then Pickled and Slayer. Okay, so Badger, who you got? What? What you want to see? [00:07:38] Speaker B: Pick up Dylan Falco for selfish reasons. Shopify Rebellion. [00:07:43] Speaker A: That was mine. That was my one too. [00:07:46] Speaker B: Wow. [00:07:46] Speaker C: No way. [00:07:47] Speaker B: They will throw. They have the money. They can throw a bag at Dylan. You can read the rebuild of a project like the rebuild for the organization [00:07:55] Speaker A: and no shade to Revan and Damonte. But the coaching staff has often been kind of receiving a lot of the. The finger pointing outside of also Zinni's poor performances earlier on in the split when it comes to kind of like Shopify's woes. So I think that shake up in the coach staff would be great for them in the offseason. Bickle, you go. Who you got? What team do you want him? [00:08:17] Speaker D: I'm a pivot a little bit from what you guys do. You guys all want him back in NA and think that's where he should go. [00:08:24] Speaker A: No, don't do it. [00:08:26] Speaker D: Yeah, there's. It's Fnatic. You rebuild the team, bring it back to its former glory of when you went to the World Finals with this squad. [00:08:39] Speaker A: Like true he was. [00:08:41] Speaker D: They have fallen so far. They need something until Infalco could kind of be that foundational rock to start building upon. [00:08:52] Speaker A: I don't hate that. Honestly, I don't hate it either. As, as a. Like Fnatic was always my team when I would like. It's been a while since I've really considered myself a fan of an LEC team. But Fnatic was my team. Back when I watched like every single EU LCS game. FN was the. The team that I cheered for. So I still have like some connection to them. When you said that, I was like, okay, okay. If he stays in EU and it's on Fnatic, I could see it. Slayer, who you got? Do you have a team that you want to see Dylan Falco go to? [00:09:23] Speaker C: Yeah, I do. I will say Bickle. I like that because if I had to pick an EU team it'd be Fnatic. So I like that a lot. But for N A I I this is me kind. This may allude to my opinions for the later LCS segment, but I, I think, I think the best landing spot for him would just be on Cloud nine and I betting on the idea that Cloud nine's year doesn't end well enough where they're going to move a lot of stuff around. So I think. I think Cloud 9's a pretty good option too, especially. [00:09:50] Speaker D: I can totally see that for it. [00:09:52] Speaker A: Yeah, I could see it too. Okay. Not too bad, not too bad. I think these are all good options. I think that the one most likely in my mind is still Shop Fire Belly, just because when I think of teams that have a budget in the LCS, they're one that still has it. C9, I think would be number two, though, because Jack sometimes is willing to shill out some money. But they seem kind of committed to Dom, and they already have three other coaches behind Dom, so either they drop somebody or they, like, expand the coaching staff even more, which would be intense. [00:10:27] Speaker C: So we'll. [00:10:28] Speaker A: We'll see, we'll see. But we'll keep our eyes on the Dylan Falco story in this off season. Other variety topics. Congrats to LCP champs Team Secret Wales for qualifying two Worlds. And in fact, we have quite a few teams that have qualified for Worlds. Badger, how many teams do we know are locked in and what regions have yet to lock in all of their representatives? [00:10:48] Speaker B: So so far we have Hobno Life, Gen G T1 from the LCK. Actually, I guess it's three new teams, technically speaking at this point, but just the rundown for everybody real fast. Hanwha Gen G T1 from the LCK BLG is the only LPL representative at this point. We know all three LCP teams as well as their seedings. So Secret Whales is one, Flying Oysters is two, and mvk, the team formerly known as Vikings, is third. And they will be going into the play in. Yes, lec, LCS and cb LOL are slacking. They have literally qualified no teams to Worlds. How the fuck are you supposed to win if nobody can? If nobody qualifies? Oh, God. [00:11:30] Speaker A: System. [00:11:31] Speaker B: I know. That's crazy. [00:11:32] Speaker A: Crazy. Should we bring back a point system? No, we were not. I'm. That was a facetious statement. Yeah, it's cool to see teams populate on this list. We're going to be updating this list week over week as more teams qualify. But Worlds is only one of two big international tournaments coming up because. Slayer, I'm actually going to throw this one over to you. A new international event was just announced. I guess it's not a new event, it's just a new, like, update to the format of said event. So what's going on with the Masia Cup? Do we lose Slayer? [00:12:12] Speaker B: Did we lose me? Hello? [00:12:14] Speaker A: Okay, we lost Slayer for A bit there. Okay, throw it over, Silas. But then I could tell if it was me or on their side. Well, maybe Slayer will hop on. I don't know if it's Internet issues or what's going on, but let's start over to Pickle then. Demacia cup had a big update for their format and it's really exciting because it's got a lot of the Western teams talking now. [00:12:33] Speaker D: Yeah. So Demacia cup, has I joked about this in the intro, has become the NIT Worlds. And for anyone not familiar with college basketball, what that basically is, is Worlds is the top teams of every region coming together. NIT is all the teams that just missed that coming together. So it is going to be an international event with all the regions coming together and playing in a big tournament. They have Swiss, they have knockouts. They're going to have three seeds from the lpl, three seeds from the lck, two seeds from the LCS and lec, and then one seed from the LCP and CB Law. So it'll be five, six, seven for the LPL and lck, four or five for the LCS and lec, and four for the LCP and CB Law as all the teams that just missed Worlds. So we have two teams qualified already, and that is Bro and GAM eSports. [00:13:37] Speaker A: We already have teams qualified. That's so funny. Well, it's. It's awesome because Demacia cup has been kind of historic. Weekly or not weekly, yearly tournament for LCK fans. But now opening it up to Western teams, I think is just so cool because this has been talked about for a while, like, oh, more international opportunities for the teams that don't make it to Worlds. They don't get as many shots to improve. They don't get that international experience to bring back to the region to make their own home region better. You know, all these different things. So the fact that we now have something like this, it's finally happening so many years after. I think the first time I ever heard somebody talk about this was like, 2018, 2019 was when people were like, wouldn't it be cool if we did this? [00:14:22] Speaker B: And I'd also hate is if we had an international tournament that wasn't Worlds. Remember Battle for the Atlantic or Rift Rivals? [00:14:34] Speaker A: I do. I do remember those things. Actually, I don't remember Battle for the Atlantic. I think that might have been before my time, but I do remember Rift Rivals. [00:14:40] Speaker B: That was before your time. Yes, that was 2014, I believe. [00:14:45] Speaker A: I've heard it referenced, though. So I've heard the words in that order before. [00:14:49] Speaker D: I mean there was almost like a pseudo version of this last year when the LPL and LCK did. I want to say it was like the Asia Invitational where It was like 5, 6, 7 of the LPL and LCK with 4, 5 of the LCP. I think they did something like that last season and it was one by. It was bfx because that's where we really saw the forefront of Diablo making his name and led to kind of all that hype coming into first stand. [00:15:24] Speaker A: Okay, that's cool. Well, no matter what way you slice it, historically modern day, I think it's cool that this event is happening. It's going to be the weeks before Worlds play ins, but with a little overlap I believe. I think it's. Do you have the exact dates in front of you? Anybody? I. They're not on the date. [00:15:43] Speaker B: Look it up just yet. [00:15:44] Speaker A: It overlaps like with a day or two of play ins at Worlds like the very end of it. But for the most part it's going to be like a fun little primer for World. It is like back to back internationals. [00:15:54] Speaker D: October 3rd to October 17th. [00:15:57] Speaker B: Yes. [00:15:58] Speaker D: And world's plan start October 15th. So there's like a two day, three day overlap between play ins and the finals of that tournament. [00:16:08] Speaker A: Fun. So it literally starts the day of LCS finals weekends. LCS weekend is gonna be October 3rd and 4th. [00:16:14] Speaker D: The reason actually with it starting so early, that leads to one niche situation where CB LoL is only sending two seeds to Worlds, but they're only sending their fourth seed to this tournament. The three seed kind of gets the short end of the stick because we're not going to know who the third seed is when this tournament starts. So they can't send the third seed. [00:16:35] Speaker A: Oh, that's tough. Bummer. Yeah, scheduling can be tough with tournaments like this. It's never going to be perfect, but I'm again happy it exists. I think it's a really cool opportunity. Mark your calendars, check it out if you want to. Again, I'm going to view it as kind of like a lead in for Worlds. We'll cover some of it on this episodes of the podcast. Most of the episodes will be focused on Worlds prep, but we, we'll check in and kind of like see how things are going during the tournament on episodes that we're able to. So yeah, something to look forward to. Speaking of Worlds, though, the format was announced. Pools and play ins specifically to note here, it had been long rumored. People have been speculating it's going to be essentially the same play ins format as msi, but this time no LCK or LPL teams in planes. I know they're at MSI, but the whole T1 going undefeated in planes. Yeah, they should not have been there. Awesome to see. It's going to be LCS and LEC third seed with LCP third seed and then cb LOL second seed. So all the bottom seeds of the bottom four regions going up against each other for that one final spot at Worlds proper. And then we'll talk more about the the full Worlds format and stuff when we get closer to that. But at least that's like the big update is you can rest easy knowing as NA and EU fans there's a really good shot that either one of those teams will make it out. It's obviously not guaranteed. LCP or CB LOL could also make the push as well, but at least no one's going to be fighting against the boogeyman. [00:18:09] Speaker D: Genuine question. Is either region happy that their third seed is going to be representing them in this way? [00:18:16] Speaker A: I don't know who's going to be favored, but it's so funny listening to EU and NA pundits talk about it. Everyone's like, okay, yeah, we're two team regions at the best. Hello Slayer, you are back. Slayer shot me a DM and was like I had a net outage as soon as you threw me the question. [00:18:33] Speaker C: Literally as like as he's like finishing a sentence, he just stopped talking. I'm like, well that's not like Steve. He doesn't ever stop talking so something has to be wrong. [00:18:45] Speaker D: Welcome back. [00:18:46] Speaker C: Thanks. [00:18:46] Speaker A: We're happy to have you back. Happy to have you back. Unfortunately, we did cover the Demacia Cup. [00:18:53] Speaker C: It's okay. [00:18:54] Speaker A: Yeah, it's okay. Would love to get your thoughts though, because the one question I have for you Slayer is will LPL unofficial English be co streaming this? I don't know if you can share if you do know or not, but that's something I was curious about because it seems like something that the team would want to co stream. [00:19:08] Speaker C: I don't want to steal any thunder behind certain announcements. [00:19:14] Speaker A: Okay, so you're going to keep it vague and say maybe. [00:19:18] Speaker C: I am very confident I will be casting into October. [00:19:23] Speaker A: Hey, I like hearing that. I like hearing that. Well, if, if you do end up doing that on the LPL unofficial broadcast, we'll make sure to plug it as much as we can on this stream. I was telling the the guys in the audience we plan on covering at least like somewhat the events happening during the event. It's gonna be on episodes that we're previewing Worlds primarily, but we'll also take some time to talk about the Debacia cup because it's gonna be cool. [00:19:47] Speaker C: Sure. [00:19:48] Speaker A: Yeah. All right. With that said, time to get into some of the updates real quick here for LCK and lpl. Badger, I'm going to throw you the LCK update. Give me a quick like one minute spark note. Just because we're going a little long on news so far this episode, but where are we in LCK playoffs? Who are the front runners going into Worlds knowing that we already have three reps, but like, who could be that fourth? [00:20:09] Speaker B: So at this point, all you need to know. Ferrix took T1 to three games. KT3O DK JG3OKT Gen G in upper finals. Hanwha T1 Tomorrow from when we're recording this lower bracket, Ferrix versus Dom1 Loser is out. Is the second team representing the LCK at Demacia Cup. [00:20:36] Speaker A: I was gonna say we don't have to say they're out now. We say they're the. They're one of the next. [00:20:39] Speaker B: They're playing in that world builds. So winner of that plays kt. Winner of KT versus the winner of Fearx versus Damwon is the last seed from Korea at Worlds. [00:20:57] Speaker A: Nice. [00:20:59] Speaker B: Probably gonna be KT just based on the form that they're at at this point, but Damon could heat up in the next. You know, maybe. Maybe Fear X could also have pull a miracle and Vickla could go to Worlds. [00:21:13] Speaker A: That would be awesome. Could you imagine Vicla versus Fly. [00:21:17] Speaker B: Days are the days are my beloved. The sixth man on a world's team. That'd be pretty cool. But yeah, I mean, it's Genji's tournament to lose at this point. Han was probably gonna get second. T1's probably gonna be third seed. And then I'm gonna say KT is fourth. [00:21:33] Speaker A: Okay. Big fan of KT historically. Do they still have Amy on the roster? [00:21:38] Speaker B: No, Amy's gone. He got sent to Purgatory. AKA let's go DRX jail. [00:21:47] Speaker D: The evil has been defeated. [00:21:48] Speaker B: The evil has been defeated. [00:21:52] Speaker A: All right, cool. Same thing for you. Slayer LPL update. Usually we take a little bit longer, but if you could just kind of summarize within like hopefully around a minute, just spark notes. What's going on with LPL in playoffs currently and who are your front runners to join BLG at Worlds? [00:22:06] Speaker C: Yeah, so the front one part about The LPL playoffs is. This region is chaotic as always and the playoff bracket is already reflecting it. We've had two playoff series so far and they were both upsets. Top Esports dropped of game five to lgd, who's a team that I think people need to start paying attention to, especially their mid layer tong one. And then we added again in the playoffs. Once again they upset JDG in four. [00:22:34] Speaker A: So for. [00:22:35] Speaker C: For the world's lookout, it's getting a little bit interesting because JDG obviously made first stand so they got some points off of that. They're in the losers bracket. Top esports obviously msi, they have some championship points. They're in the losers bracket. So right now for. For teams that could join BLG at worlds, it's kind of. It's kind of really up in the air. I think AL is a really good bet because I think I'm confident in them to be lgd. And if they do, they'd move on to the the upper bracket final and that would basically cement them top three. Really helps them catch up in championship points and all that. But yeah, I mean there's. There's a ton of teams that could really make a miracle run to worlds at this point. LGD is a really good one. NIP is a team that was really good in group nirvana that people feel like could run the bracket in the lower bracket to make a regional qualifier. It's wide open. [00:23:24] Speaker A: Was LGD the one that was had monkey jungle that was popping off? [00:23:27] Speaker C: That's team W. That's team W. That [00:23:29] Speaker A: was team W E. Okay. Are they still on the running at all? [00:23:31] Speaker C: They're also another team you should look out for for. Because if, you know, they do have to play BLG. That's the first playoffs return the morning of September 3rd. So they have to play BLG, but they're also the team that upset BLG instead of the lower bracket last playoffs in into run to a top three run that nobody saw coming again. So hell yeah, LGD Team W e Nip is a little bit lesser, but LGD into team W e they both are slated pretty well to make a run and steal a world spot from one of your LPL titans that are a couple of them are on the back foot it. [00:24:02] Speaker A: Cool. All right. Thank you for the update. We'll keep our eyes on which LPL teams are join joining the BLG at worlds as well as seating for them. But with that said, that's it for news actually. Sorry there's one other piece of news I totally forgot to add to the dock, and I'm just now remembering. Did anybody see the Esports Advocate news that went out about Overactive Media, the parent company of McCoy? This kind of slipped under the radar, so I won't be surprised if nobody does. Anyone know what I'm talking about? Okay, so Overactive Media, there's a lot of just financial bro jargon in here that I don't understand, but essentially they are not doing well financially. Overactive media has under 12 months of cash to spend, so they have to either raise money from somebody else from like, other, you know, investors, or take out more loans. But they're already. They like this last year took out like $12 million in loans. And essentially the entire company over Active Media is being funded by, like, the chairman and one other exec that are just really rich guys. So the parent company of MCO is in financial woes, is far from green, and is very concerning. When you think about MCO and their current standings right now in the LEC specifically, I know that I think they're in other esports. I actually don't know too much about, like, all the teams that this company owns. I want to say there's like a COD League team. [00:25:32] Speaker B: Like, I think they have a Cod League team. That's. [00:25:35] Speaker A: I think so. And that one, I would be very surprised if it was at all profitable. But McOid, when we think about, like, oh, they had the budget for JoJo. Oh, they like, tried to build his roster around him. And then now the whole conversation of, like, where's JoJo gonna go because his contract's up. I would be surprised if he stays, given the news. So if you're interested in learning more about it. I read the entire article, I swear, and I was confused because it's just a percentages and numbers and things that I did not understand what they meant. I had to Google a couple of them, like, negative cash deficit flow. And I was like, well, that's basically what the words mean in the meaning themselves, but it was still just a lot of percentages. If you're into finance and you like seeing exact numbers, check out the Esports Advocate. They had a really great breakdown of the entire situation of the parent company. But, yeah, I just want to sneak that in at the end. Yeah, JoJo's not going back to Mcorn. [00:26:27] Speaker B: There's. [00:26:27] Speaker A: There's. It's not happening. Also, also, if you had anything that you wish we talked about that we missed, let us know. We do not catch Every news story, every single week. So let us know in the Community Discord. Maybe we can get to it next week. You can find the link to the community Discord in the description wherever you are listening to the podcast. Also, shout out anybody who supports the podcast, either through the Patreon or through the merch shop. Links to both of those are also in the description. Slayer, this is your first time on the pod. Did you know that we have a merch shop? [00:26:58] Speaker C: I knew you guys had a merch shop because I. Because I think I've heard you talk about the merch before somewhere. I don't. I. For some reason it's embedded in my brain, but now I actually see it. [00:27:12] Speaker A: I like to imagine you only know we have a merch shop because at one point you listened to a podcast episode like a year ago, her talk about it, clicked on it and you just saw the. The league rundown coffee mug and was like, that's iconic, man. I gotta have one of those. And I think that there is still a mouse pad with my face plastered all over it. So shout out Sam, who designed all that stuff. He actually, I talked with him fairly recently and he was mentioning like, oh, maybe it's time to update some of that stuff and make some new designs. So we'll update you if there are more updates at any point in the coming days. But shout out anybody who's already purchased something. It helps support the pod, helps us pay for our audio editor to make sure everything sounds nice and clean. Shout out Ian. Okay, that's it for the news. Let's talk about the episode proper. We got LCS and LEC games that happened this past weekend, along with some matches ahead of us to look forward to. We're gonna start with the LCS in North America, where we are still in the regular season. We wrapped up week six at Mexico City home grounds hosted by Lion. This coming week, we'll have week seven of regular season. So we still have one more week. Essentially an email. Playoffs are already locked. The same six teams will be in playoffs regardless of what happens this coming weekend. It's just fighting seating, which will dictate things like side selection in the first round. But we got to play them, so we're going to play those games. But let's talk about this past weekend. Lcs, Homes Grounds, Badger. I'm going to throw it over to you. Talk to me about the LCS current standings as they go from first to last and who's already secured a top two spot in playoffs. [00:28:53] Speaker B: Yeah. So we have a New team at the top of the table. It's the team that hosted the home ground. It's lying at five and one and in second place right now. But locked top two is Team Liquid. [00:29:07] Speaker A: Don't ask me why that's the case, by the way. I have no idea. I could not tell you why. [00:29:12] Speaker B: It's because lion and C9 play and if lion loses to C9, that technically bumps C9 over Lion knots quite. [00:29:22] Speaker D: It's because. [00:29:24] Speaker B: Or no lion plays. Yeah. No, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's what I meant. [00:29:27] Speaker D: It's because one of the teams that can basically at assuming lion loses and ends at 5 and 2. If Sentinels finish 5 and 2, they have the head to head against lion because the. [00:29:41] Speaker B: It's the. It's the sen. C9 Gabe that determines it. Yeah. [00:29:44] Speaker D: Yes. If Sentinels beat C9 and lion by some miracle loses to Disguised, then I think Sentinels can top. Then can end up top tier 2 above Lion. [00:29:56] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:29:57] Speaker B: So following that up, Sea Dying and Sentinels are tied for third at 4 and 2. Shopify is 3 and 3. Fly Quest is 2 and 4. We can. We can talk about Fly Quest and their. [00:30:09] Speaker A: Their week. [00:30:10] Speaker B: Even though it was an off week. It was a. It was a. It was kind of a. Yikes. And then unfortunately, bringing up the rear is Disguised who's still fighting for their spot. Indignitas. Who. They're. They're. They're just trying their best at this point. [00:30:25] Speaker A: Yeah. They're fighting to not be last place. DSG and Dig are both out of playoffs for sure. You mentioned disguise fighting. There's further spot that's gonna be the promotion tournament coming up right before World. I think it's right before Worlds. [00:30:38] Speaker B: Yeah, sometime we got a lot of [00:30:40] Speaker A: stuff actually before Worlds with the monster. [00:30:42] Speaker B: I know, it's. It's wild. [00:30:43] Speaker C: It's so much. [00:30:44] Speaker A: Yeah, it's gonna be a lot. But yeah. Maybe we can also get some of Slayer's thoughts once we had time to talk Disguised about the teams competing because Slayer also CA the NaCl. So maybe he can give some of his odds on the competitors that will be stepping up to Disguised and trying to take their spot away from them. But as it were this last weekend. Yeah, Bickle, I'm actually. You know what, Slay, let's turn over to you. Were you able to catch all the games this past weekend? [00:31:09] Speaker C: Yes, I. I was a. I was a active watcher of. Of the event for sure. [00:31:16] Speaker A: Hell yeah. What were some of the big surprises from you this past weekend? Because if you look at it on paper. I. I'll kind of like give the primer here. If you just look on paper of who beat whom. It's not that surprising in my eyes. Like it's kind of like yeah, it makes sense. You know, Shopify lost Both their matches. C9 went 1 and 1. TL lost to Lion. That maybe would be the biggest surprise if you really thought that TL was just gonna be better and lion like with inspired maybe would be a little weaker. So with that primer set up, what are your thoughts on some of the big surprises this past weekend? [00:31:49] Speaker C: I do tend to lean towards that Lion TL series. But as a surprise, I guess for me I. I sort of. I found it surprising how maybe this isn't surprising. More I think about it in my head. But I. I think it was a star A Stark wake up to see how different lion played that played out their games so quickly. And yes, I obviously understand that Inspired has been playing with this scene before. Like it's not like this guy was gone for a really long time. But it is safe to say that lying were playing a lot. You know, very loose. And I think. I think a lot of people. People point out the. The kills per minute stats behind lion when they were playing with Armeo and once it's just maybe it was kind of funny to me and that's why it stood out. The fact that he just comes back and they immediately like slow down the tempo of their games a ton. They're immediately like not panicking over third Drake when it's like one. One Drake enforcing a fight. I. I couldn't hear it but I just. I could hear it in my head Inspired being like just go get the gold guys. Like, well, they're playing turkey turrets instead of playing for Drake's early on in the game. So they could accrue this huge gold lead. Even though the kills look close that it was just kind of a Stark wake up for me to see lion just immediately come back and play inspired branded League of Legends. But the more I think about it, it makes sense selling inspired. Right. So I guess it was just cool to see them immediately go back to that style and find success against a TL team that I mean we're riding the highest they've ever been. I feel like all year going into that series form wise. [00:33:17] Speaker A: Exactly. The surprise for me was yawn. Jan got blasted in those games. Oh my God. I've never seen. I think was a game one. I think he was playing Gin. [00:33:32] Speaker B: Bard versus Lucian Melio. [00:33:34] Speaker A: Yeah, there we go. That Caitlyn did 12k damage. [00:33:39] Speaker C: Yep. [00:33:39] Speaker A: That was really bad. [00:33:40] Speaker B: That's a lane you're not supposed to be down in. [00:33:43] Speaker C: No. [00:33:44] Speaker A: Yeah, no. It was atrocious. Berserker gets a kill like in laning phase in the 2V2. And then after that moment, Jan is pissing his pants the entire game. [00:33:55] Speaker D: It's a week before the end of the season, but I just want to congratulate Berserker on another MVP season. All he has to do is not int versus disguised and he'll win it, like, hands down. [00:34:09] Speaker A: Down. Yeah, pretty much. I. I think the only other person in the running in my eyes is Saint, his teammate. But I also am leaning the Berserker way. I'm like 60, 40 right now in my head of. Of who's going to get my MVP vote. [00:34:22] Speaker B: Too close of a gap. It's got to be like 70, 30 for Berserker at this point after what [00:34:27] Speaker D: Berserker did to yawn this week. Who was also in the MVP conversation gas. Yeah, those were war crimes. [00:34:35] Speaker B: Not to sway your vote or anything like that. Like, do. Do your thinking. Like, I. I'm not trying to. The last time I swayed you, I think contract we made a giant defense for Zinni on the broadcast and that look how that turned out for us. So [00:34:51] Speaker A: we did have a pretty good weekend though. [00:34:52] Speaker D: Something to help out. Apparently inspired was looking in the LEC where K Corp went and spot went undefeated with busio and he said final just make another busio and made Isles like some God among earth dude. [00:35:05] Speaker A: Isles glow up. Needs to be studied, man. Like the difference from. From game one and two at MSI to now. Holy. He's improved so much. Even like last year or sorry, not last year. Last split in spring, we were like, wow, Isles is really keeping up with the rest of the team and in like the top three picture. And then I thought at first stand he was one of like the ones that kind of held it down the most on Lion. And now I'm confident. I'm like, I think he is better than core JJ at support. I know the conversation on the broadcast, I was like, oh, core still like in current form. The better support he's probably gonna get first team all pro. I'm. I think I'm putting Isles first team all pro. I actually think what he's doing right now, it's a lot of people be like, oh, he's with Berserker and Cores with yawn. And we just saw what happened there. Berserker can just win games for you, but also Isles will just leave Berserker and just go win the game for them in mid lane or top lane. And I'm like, yeah, you also have Berserker 0 to carry. [00:36:03] Speaker D: That's great. [00:36:03] Speaker A: But I don't think that takes away from what Isles is also contributing to [00:36:07] Speaker D: the genuinely looked like he was playing without Fog of War that series. He was where he needed to be every single moment. [00:36:15] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, I, I, I would tend to agree with because I also think for like all pro talk Kangas, it's like I try and think really indiv. Like that's the most individual, individualistic I think awards should, should get like when you talk about factoring in team against it. So I, I do think Isles is like a first team all Pro. I just also think think like something that's important to remember for a guy like core JJ vs guy like Isles in their team scenarios is that, you know, Isles is definitely kind of just not that he's not smart about making moves, but it's easier for him to just kind of be led around by inspired a bit and like, you know, it's like a simple game plan for him versus, like core. I always think about how much of like a, of a, of a captain he has to be and like how much, you know, extra lifting he could do inside those comms and like team dynamics a bit more. But I do agree that like Isles has just been playing out of his mind. So. [00:37:09] Speaker A: Yeah, mechanically too. I think being at the right place is one thing for a support. It's very hard as a support to be like, whoa, that was mechanically impressive. But even on like Lulu, Isles looks mechanically impressive, which is a very, very hard feat to pull off. So I'm very impressed with him as a player and what he's doing for the team. Another big story to talk about from this past weekend at lcs. And I, I, you know, know what, let's get Badger's thoughts on this one because you were one of the big defenders of Shopify Rebellion with me. I know Bickle also was like all three of us kind of worked on the presentation together for the LCS broadcast. Shopify kind of stepped up to the plate. I know they went 02, but they took a game off of both Team Liquid and C9. [00:37:54] Speaker B: Yes. [00:37:55] Speaker A: TL are no longer undefeated in series, but the first game they dropped all summer was to Shopify goddamn Rebellion. [00:38:01] Speaker B: Gosh darn right they did. That was a very convincing win too. [00:38:06] Speaker A: SR almost took two. They could have Won that they were up in game two and then they kind of threw. But what are our thoughts on Shopify Rebellion right now? Badger and the Bickle? Let's get your thoughts afterwards. [00:38:17] Speaker B: They're gonna look great in Demacia Cup. Let me tell you, [00:38:23] Speaker A: dude, Zinnia Demasia cup would be kind of fun because that's the big thing for me is he's finally like clicking with the team. [00:38:30] Speaker B: Yeah, I think that I, I think that looks so much better is like he actually looks like how to like play with his teammates at this point. So you, you, you don't see him doing these like. I mean there's, it's the, the mistakes are still there, but like you don't see as blatantly obvious of mistakes as you saw early on in the year from him at this point. I mean like I said, there's nobody. It's not perfect, but it's not. It's not as egregious as it was back in like winter and like early [00:39:01] Speaker A: spring lock in tournament. I, I said. I'm pretty sure I said this on broadcast. I think I said it on the podcast. But my. I legitimately thought Zinni was the worst player in the league in. In lock in tournament. At the end of their run. I was like Zinni is the worst player. Like Pal Fox is a better mid lane than City. Did not think I would be saying those words. Yeah. So that I think it's. It's awesome to see him step up and just mechanically make less mistakes and also be in sync with the team. So much better. Better than at the. The earlier parts of the year. Bickel, what are your thoughts on Shopify currently? Did we lose Bickle? We might have lost Pickle as well man. For. For podcast host Slayer. You're gonna be Pickle for right now. Slayer. Were you a Shopify believer because we were big Shopify believers on this podcast earlier in the year? [00:39:48] Speaker C: Yeah, I, you know, I feel like my allegiances were a little bit swayed. Like initially I wanted to be a Shopify naysayer, but that was because my tier 2 roots wanted to like believe. Like, you know, super Copium is disguised will look better this year and then less Copium is like, you know, Sentinels. Sentinels might be a better team than Shopify, but I think what you guys have been talking about has swayed me like week over week seeing the improvement in the. The team synergistically. So I, I'm a lot more of a believer now. I. The person I always like to. To shout out when it comes to Shopify. I think he got a lot of praise earlier on in the split when they were having, you know, good games, but those results weren't looking as good. Well, I like, I like Fudge is such a rock for this team. And it's like he's the guy that, for me, his, like, high level of play has been consistent this entire split. And now that you, like, you guys are talking about, Zinny's playing more with the, with the team. Zazel settling a bit more. I think, like, you could say contracts too. But the, the. The high level that Fudge has given this split isn't meshing in with the way the team is playing as a whole. Is what has got me really excited about this team because Fudge in the top lane this entire split most of the time has just been one of the best the LCS has had. [00:41:09] Speaker A: Yeah, that game won versus Team Liquid. There's a specific team fight that stands out of my mind where Quid was so strong on a collar and all he had to do was get on the back line. Fudge is playing Cassante. They're fighting around the Dragon Pit, and Fudge just marks Quid the entire fight. And Quid still gets one kill. He still gets the kill onto Zinni, but the entire time, like during the play and then even during the replay, it's like you can just see Fudge being like, no, I am going to block you off. You are the only threat. And it's moments like that that I'm like, I like that version of Fudge where he's able to isolate the wind condition of the enemy team and just be the guy that's going to stop the win condition from doing the thing that they need to do. And also his laning phase has been improving too. Things like Gnar are easily looking much better on in lane itself, I will say. Having said that, there was one graphic that I asked for and we never got to run it during the second series versus C9 and their match against Thanatos or his match against Thanatos. Because I did a lot of like, research into this and watched a lot of the tape. Cape Fudge often times when Shopify try and do something early, he dies for the attempt. I found a stat that was interesting comparing him to Sanito is both of them were like top three in a lot of the stats you want from a top laner like gold. Difference at 14, experience difference at 14, damage percentage on the team, things like that. He, he and Thanatos were Actually, very comparable. Where Fudge was really behind in stats was weird because it didn't line up with the things he was good at. CS differential at 14, he was, like, negative 15 or something like that. [00:42:52] Speaker C: Huh. [00:42:53] Speaker A: And then there's like, another. I forget what the other one was, but there was another set that was like, these don't line up. Why is he behind on these and up in others? And it's because he will leave his lane to do some that Contracts is pulling him in to do, and then he's always backing up his psychopathic jungler, and then often he'll die and then have to, like, go back to the top lane and then, like, catch a wave under turret. And now he's behind at cs, but, like, then he, like, pushes the wave against the turret plate. It's like, okay, so he's, like, getting the gold, but he's, like, falling behind in some of these other metrics. It's just, like, a weird thing. I think it's because Shopify makes so much action happen on the top half of the map, specifically. And they always fight for Harold, man. They all. They, like. They are obsessed with contesting Harold. [00:43:37] Speaker B: So those. [00:43:38] Speaker A: Those are some of the funny things. I'm like, Fudge, his stats, like, look wacky. But I blame contracts, mostly. [00:43:44] Speaker C: Jungle diff as well, we say. [00:43:47] Speaker A: Exactly, Exactly. Jungle diff. Those were kind of the two biggest storylines, from my perspective, was like, the lion versus TL, who's the number one? And then the Shopify, despite going down, O2, still looking pretty decent. What are we missing, guys? Are there any big. Like, do we feel like there's a lot to Talk about with C9 or Team Liquid individual? How are we feeling about the. The. The Team Liquid guaranteed top two and are just going to worlds regardless? Like, do we still think that that's a solid narrative, or do they look like they're now showing cracks in the armor because they dropped three games this past week? And I want to hear from Badger first and then Slayer slots. [00:44:24] Speaker B: I. I would like to say that it's a terrible day for rain, but at the same time, like, I think they'll be all right at this point. I don't think there. There are three other teams in this region that are better than them right now, especially considering Lyon had as great of a spring season and they're just getting right back into form with Inspired. So that's. Those are two. Two losses that weren't really. Oh, my gosh, blow it all up. End the season. I mean, they're. They Weren't great games that they played. But at the same time, like, it's. It's not a bad team to lose to at this point, especially considering, you know, you gotta have some of those bumps before you go into playoffs or else you kind of get a little bit of an ego. I mean, we've seen with C9 in the past where they get a little too high on their horse going into playoffs, and it worked out not very well for them before. So I think losing the games that they lost when they were in Mexico, it's all right. I mean, not on home soil. You know, Know, it's take it as you will. And then. Yeah. I mean, are there three other teams that are. That could knock about a world. World's contention and send TL to Demacia Cup? [00:45:39] Speaker C: Like, probably not. [00:45:42] Speaker A: I. I wouldn't even say three other. I'd say two other. Because Lion, I'm just saying, is going like they're gonna be. Yeah. [00:45:47] Speaker B: No. Yeah. [00:45:49] Speaker A: So then it's like could Cloud nine Sentinels or Shopify, like any combination of two of those. It's like horses. Well, let's throw them in there. Any combination of two of those. Those do better than tl. I. I also don't see it, but Slayer, what are your thoughts on Team Liquid? [00:46:01] Speaker C: Yeah, I. I don't see it at all. And going off of Badger's point, I am also a guy that kind of subscribes to. Especially for like, you know, na subscribes to the idea of. I want to see how you respond to a. A speed bump or like that. That's like a real big test to me. So them dropping these games is. Is unfortunate. I. I would also. Maybe this is like copium for TL fans. Curious, like for the lion series how well adjusted TL were to. To like play. Play against lion in like such a different form. Like again, like we kind of talked about earlier that I felt. We felt like inspired obviously transforms this team. You look at the stats, how much different he makes them play. I'm curious how. How many scrims with the travel time to TL even were able to get playing against lion with inspired back in with the time timing. [00:46:56] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:46:57] Speaker C: So is it an excuse? Because obviously they played lion this roster a ton of times this year and know how inspired likes to play. Maybe better than any other team in the world. Yes. But they hadn't played against that inspired led team in a while. So I'm willing to give them a little bit of cope and be like, you know, they were caught off guard by the fact that Inspired runs line a bit differently. Except for yawn. You getting run over that bad by Berserker was disappointing. That was tough. [00:47:24] Speaker A: But I don't think that was a lack of scouting. I think that was. [00:47:26] Speaker C: That was. Yeah, that was just. You got diff for sure. So I. I want to see how they close out the regular season. If they are stumbling into the playoffs, then I think it's a bigger conversation. But right now, I think it's just a nice litmus test for. For this TL team. [00:47:41] Speaker A: Okay, Bickle, I'm gonna throw it to you because I see that you are now back amongst us here on the podcast. [00:47:46] Speaker D: I have returned. [00:47:49] Speaker A: How much do you put stock in the theory? I don't know how if anyone's heard this theory. It's a bit of a conspiracy theory. Put your tinfoil hats on. Lion kept Inspired away for so long intentionally so that nobody could scout them, but then they could scout everybody else and learn how they're playing. Is it true? Are the rumors to be believed? [00:48:10] Speaker D: I don't think it is because I don't think a Lion needs it. [00:48:15] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:48:16] Speaker D: Like Badger mentioned how ego can be a bit bad for you. The biggest counterpoint to that is named Inspired because he probably has the biggest ego at it. He. There is an na. It just doesn't matter because he's that good. Like, what can you. This is the first time lion was playing on stage with this roster since msi and, like, it looked like they hadn't. Well, Inspired had some moments where it looked like he skipped a couple beats, but the rest of the team picked it up and, like, it doesn't matter. What can you do with. Against this team? [00:48:54] Speaker A: Probably lose. [00:48:55] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:48:56] Speaker A: One of the options. [00:48:57] Speaker D: Every team has kind of done that so far, except for Sentinels, when they decided, let's pick on the member that didn't just show up amazingly at MSI and is, like, already retired. And it turned out that worked really well. When you remove that point from lion, it turns out they're a really good team at League of Legends. Legends. [00:49:19] Speaker A: Yeah. It does, in fact, turn out so I think we're all in agreement. Still expectation, Lion, TL top two. Which means a big question on most people's minds is who's the number three team? There's four names in the conversation. I still think FlyQuest is in the conversation. Despite being four and eight game record. Two and four series record. Struggling a lot against their kind of peers around them. At any point, they could just kick it into gear. [00:49:44] Speaker B: Like, I think that all just hinges on this weekend. Weekend. [00:49:46] Speaker A: It literally does. Well, I mean, they're in playoffs, so technically they could have one more bad weekend, but like that. [00:49:53] Speaker B: Yeah, I, I was trying to get a pun in there. Okay, that's. Yeah. [00:49:58] Speaker A: No, I mean, you had to build some. [00:50:01] Speaker B: Oh, did you not. Oh, no, he didn't know. He doesn't know. Chat. [00:50:05] Speaker D: Oh, no, he doesn't know. [00:50:07] Speaker A: Oh, he doesn't reference to, like, the show Match they did. No, no, because I did not watch that. [00:50:16] Speaker D: Oh, you poor, sweet, ignorant child. [00:50:18] Speaker B: After the show or actually, I'll vamp. I'll send you the tweet. [00:50:24] Speaker A: I'm behind on some news. All right, let me go check out Griffin. I'm gonna. [00:50:28] Speaker B: No, no, no. I'll send you the tweet. Just keep. Keep vamping. [00:50:32] Speaker D: We're gonna get a live reaction here. [00:50:34] Speaker C: Live reaction on the pod. That's pretty. [00:50:36] Speaker A: Yeah, we'll get a live reaction, whatever's going on. Because I, I, I am not caught up. [00:50:41] Speaker D: I don't think it was. Was on Griffin's Twitter. I think someone screenshotted it and mentioned him. Yeah, I'll see if I can find it, too. [00:50:52] Speaker A: I've not been on social media much this past week, so while you guys look for that, me and Slayer, we'll talk about other things. Because the big thing with me is I, I still think it's C9. I actually have two theories. One, C9 is always best when they are the third seed going to worlds. So it's above if. If they only barely squeak in. [00:51:11] Speaker D: Right? Right. [00:51:12] Speaker A: Cope, Cope, Cope. Also, number two, Slayer. Have you heard about this? I'm all about the tinfoil hat conspiracy. So throw yours back on if you take it off. I've never taken off C9. They. God, they, they have to bet against themselves on poly market. Right? Like, there's no way the C9 that just bent over and smashed Shopify in game one one then loses game two in the manner that they lost five man full sending it onto the full tank mundo using all their cooldowns, tacticals, dot like diving past the mundo during the play. Like, when I watch plays like that live in the moment, I'm like, I can't say this, but in my head I'm like, they're trying to lose the game, these bastards. Like, there's no way that a protein would do that yet. So talk me down from this layer. Like, well, what's going on at C9, Steve? [00:52:06] Speaker C: I. Maybe the worst person you could ask on this panel to talk. You down from a. This guy's trying to lose intentionally. Are you familiar with the LPL and Naya earlier this year? I'm, I'm, I'm the guy, I'm the guy that casts a region where a dude was caught throwing games in split one playoffs and everyone, everyone. [00:52:24] Speaker A: Oh, wait, no, I did hear about this. Okay, yeah, fair. So you've lived it. So what can we do? What legally can we do about C9 right now? Can we like, file like a civil lawsuit against some like it. What's that thing where, like, collectively everyone sues? [00:52:38] Speaker C: I don't know. All I know is you said the word lawsuit and I immediately thought anything, any result you want from a lawsuit is going to come two to four years after you submitted the paperwork. [00:52:46] Speaker B: Class action lawsuit. [00:52:47] Speaker A: Okay. [00:52:48] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. Class action. Yeah, that's. [00:52:49] Speaker A: I think that's class. There we go. That's what we're looking for. [00:52:51] Speaker C: No, I, I, I'm, I'm more on the board of the, of the world third seed buff. That's like, I like a history guy. I see the historical narratives, you know, so if they sneak into three, these guys, what, I mean, they're making a semifinal. They're going top four isn't. So this all goes. [00:53:08] Speaker A: Damn it. But when we talk about historical narratives, what's more powerful? The C9 third seed buff or the C9 being one spot away from making the International? Every goddamn split that they try get to an International. [00:53:22] Speaker B: So here's the thing. [00:53:24] Speaker A: They're in that conversation. [00:53:25] Speaker B: Cup exists. [00:53:27] Speaker C: Oh, true. So wait, wait, they're not actually ever. Wait, it's because. Oh, yeah. [00:53:32] Speaker A: So they have to get sixth. [00:53:34] Speaker C: Yeah. The only way they dodge International is if they fully bombed out of, of of the playoffs because. [00:53:40] Speaker A: Are we sending four or five? [00:53:42] Speaker C: Four, five from LEC. LCS are going to Demosi. [00:53:45] Speaker A: All right, sorry, C9 fans. You're getting six. [00:53:50] Speaker C: So, so, okay, so we're either, we're either, either C9 is cursed because they're got to miss international by one spot. So getting six optimist is C9 getting third. They're making top four worlds. And then if they're four, five, nowhere [00:54:04] Speaker A: in between, it's one of those. [00:54:05] Speaker C: Okay, so they can't even get fourth. Fifth. So we're just writing off fourth. Okay, cool. Word. [00:54:09] Speaker A: They have to get one of those two things. It's one or the other. [00:54:12] Speaker C: I like it. I like it. [00:54:12] Speaker A: I don't make the rules. [00:54:14] Speaker C: I subscribe to this chaos. I don't know what's going to happen, but I subscribe to this line of thinking. [00:54:18] Speaker A: All right, did we buy enough time for somebody to find whatever I'm supposed to live react to? [00:54:23] Speaker D: I can't find it. [00:54:25] Speaker B: Okay, so is this gonna be a [00:54:27] Speaker A: vague post part of the podcast? Do I have to find this myself? [00:54:30] Speaker B: Tldr Griffin does some girl on Hinge. Basically said he was gonna, like, big quote me if I'm wrong on this. Like, something about laying her out, essentially just. [00:54:40] Speaker D: Yeah, he called her exotic. [00:54:43] Speaker B: That's what it was. [00:54:44] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:54:45] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, I saw that one. The. The. The screenshot where. Stream later. [00:54:50] Speaker D: Yes, exactly. [00:54:51] Speaker A: Yeah, I. I did see that one. Did he get blowback for that? [00:54:56] Speaker B: Sweet is gone. And the Fly Quest main account made a joke about taking his phone and smashing it. So. [00:55:05] Speaker A: Okay. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, it's. It's not the best look. Not a great week for Fly Quest [00:55:11] Speaker B: on your bye week to have that happen with your jungler. But, hey, it is what it is. [00:55:17] Speaker A: Is what a lead, though, you know, What a way to start a conversation. I will also say I think there's a big difference in how most people would respond on the woman's side when it's Griffin doing it versus anybody in this call. So I. I don't know. I don't know how much that makes it better, but it's. It's a tough look for Fly Quest. They also did. Did anybody watch the thing where it was like, the LCS team versus. [00:55:42] Speaker D: Yeah, they did a mix scrims with their Fly red team. [00:55:48] Speaker C: Yep. [00:55:48] Speaker A: Yeah, I didn't catch any of that. Did anybody on the call catch it? [00:55:51] Speaker B: I didn't catch any of it. [00:55:52] Speaker C: I caught the. I caught the back end of it, I think. [00:55:55] Speaker A: Was it fun from. [00:55:56] Speaker C: I caught the last game from. I think it was Ms. Teemo was doing something with it. [00:56:00] Speaker A: Oh, hell yeah. Love Tomo. Or. Yeah, Tomo, that's her first name. [00:56:04] Speaker C: Yeah, it seemed. It seemed like all. All I saw was, like, the last five minutes of one of the games, and let's just say we were over a killer a minute. So. [00:56:13] Speaker D: Yeah, it was fun, jokey. Like Game two, it was mixed teams. Obviously. They were all in the same call. [00:56:23] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:56:24] Speaker B: Yeah, they were all. [00:56:24] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:56:26] Speaker A: Wait, seriously? [00:56:27] Speaker D: Yes. [00:56:27] Speaker A: For game two, it was, like, awesome. [00:56:29] Speaker D: Yeah, they were all in the same call playing a bunch of random champs, and it was like a kill a minute at least. [00:56:36] Speaker A: Wait, that's fantastic week. Okay. I might have to go back and watch some of that, actually, because stuff like that, I think is just really cool. So you. Okay. A little bad pr. A little good pr. That like west overall on their off week. But there we go. We covered all the teams that participated in the home grounds Slayer. I do want to give you the opportunity for DSG before we transition into predictions for this coming week. Dsg, they got one series win. It was against Dig. As Sajed tweeted out in his own words. I know if nobody got me, Dignitas got me. [00:57:08] Speaker C: Yep. [00:57:09] Speaker A: What do you think the likelihood of them defending the spot against the the contenders in NaCl? [00:57:16] Speaker C: So the interesting thing about this is there are. There are. There are two absolutes in my mind. Right. Because I. I think it's fun to compare last year to this year. The situation. [00:57:28] Speaker A: Yep. [00:57:29] Speaker C: So. So for just from the disguise side, the negative here is that I think disguised are coming in to this promotion term tournament weaker. Weaker. I think that's. [00:57:40] Speaker B: Yes. [00:57:40] Speaker C: I think that's a borderline fact. This is going to be a weaker team defending their LCS spot. However, on the other side of the coin I right now NACL playoffs are still. Still ongoing. I. I think we have teams in. We have two teams in upper bracket final right now and the lower brackets gonna get underway further. I think it's starting tomorrow. Cupid versus America Marville is our in the upper or in the upper final? [00:58:06] Speaker A: Was it Maryville? [00:58:08] Speaker C: I. I think Maryville ended up with the upset. This is gonna be really funny if I just. If I just mess this up. [00:58:13] Speaker D: By the way, I thought it was [00:58:14] Speaker A: wind that would be quite funny. [00:58:16] Speaker C: Oh no, you're right. It is Winthrop. I. I did mess this up. [00:58:19] Speaker A: Oh my God. [00:58:19] Speaker C: It is with Rob. [00:58:21] Speaker A: You take over. [00:58:23] Speaker C: It is with Rob. I've. You know what? Good. Good call out Bagel. Yeah. So it's with rope and Cupid but this leads to my point. Okay. So thank you with the assist year. The teams from the NACL that are expected to be the challengers are some names that people are going to be familiar with the past. Like Marville is still in the playoff running. But Marville had a slew of their own issues. Like UG misses this entire split. He just got back to play Cupid in round two. They lost. MU are on the lower bracket. Nrg. NRG are the team that signed a roster for the entire year including speaker at support and Zabuto Jungle who was [00:59:04] Speaker A: subbing in earlier in this year for. For dsg. [00:59:08] Speaker B: Like a lot of. [00:59:08] Speaker C: Yep. [00:59:09] Speaker D: Zamuto top who was supposed to be Lions top laner before Visa. [00:59:13] Speaker C: Yep. Stopped him twice and he is still far and away the best player in the league. It's not even close. It's disgusting that like his numbers are disgusting. Yeah. So Zamuto, that NRG team lost to Winthrop in round two of the upper bracket. They're in the lower bracket now. And then think about oh, who's the spring champions Conviction. Right. The insanity Tomio led team. That team had Tomio sub out for a bit of the split. They had to play a last chance qualifier to even qualify for the summer playoffs and they are now in the lower bracket. They actually face off against nrg. So it's NRG versus Conviction. So two of the teams that are expected to be challengers for disguise, one of them is out in the second round of lowers. So my whole point being here is that for disguise fans the cope you can go with is that the level of play from NACL is weaker. I think whoever comes out of this bracket is going to be weaker than that Luminosity team that challenged them last year. So it's kind of a weird spot to be in, right? Because it's like disguised or worse. But I'm less confident in RG to be able to upset them. Currently me, I really like Cupid as a team but they're a team that just came together this split and is, you know, filled with some players that I don't know if they're ready for a big series like that. For LCS fans, if you remember Mobility and Breezy, they subbed in for Dignitas. That bottom lane, this is them recreated on Cupid. Again they're the best bottom lane in the nacl. I voted them first team all pro bottom lane. That's one of their biggest strengths as a team. But they've got guys like Hoarder who hasn't really, you know, got to play in a promotion tournament. Music hasn't played in a big time promotion tournament and Mobility and Breezy, they haven't played in a promotion tournament. They've obviously had those limited LCS reps. So that team is a little iffy. The big point is the best thing to pay attention to I think is is somebody catches fire in this NACL playoffs, runs away and wins the split. If it's one of like NRG or Cupid that does that in my mind mind, then Disguise could get worried. But as of right now I'm pretty confident disguised are are safe to return to the LCS as of recording. [01:01:21] Speaker A: Okay. Interesting. Yeah, it's funny like they might have gotten worse because last time they kind of hit the break in case of emergency budget button bringing Rahel in like let's just get Rahel. Let's get Dark Wings to replace Abadaga. Scary. Jerry's out. Abadaka is out. And change the Ross for summer. Make sure they can defend their spot. They didn't do that this year. But if the other competition got worse as well, maybe it was unnecessary and maybe they're fine still. So yeah, it's gonna be interesting. Let's talk about next week though, because we spent a lot of time on lcs. We might have to go a little More abbreviated on LEC this week. LCS Week 7 Preview. We got four more matches before playoffs happen again. Our playoff teams are locked. All six are no own. It's just seating that's being fought for. Lion have like a 99 point some whatever chance of making it into that top two. It's only if they lose to freaking disguised and Sentinels beat C9 that there is some kind of shenanigans that could get Sentinels into the top two. But the matches, Sentinels versus C9. This one matters for seating. Winning and getting third place as opposed to being in that fourth, fifth means that you get to play against the weakest team, probably Flyquest or Shopify. But having that being said, it's mostly the side selection that actually matters because I think all four of these teams could beat anybody. You're just looking for any amount of like small little advantage you can get in the games themselves or in the series itself. But that one's gonna be pretty close. We all have seen. I taken it actually. C9 2 1. I feel like this is Sentinel slander. I actually, I almost put Sentinels, but then I was like, ah, I feel like C9, they need that top three buffs. They need to end the streak of not making intern nationals and such. [01:03:07] Speaker D: I thought about it, but agreed. I think what happens is Cloud 9 wins here and then loses to Sentinels in the playoffs. [01:03:19] Speaker A: Yeah, win when it doesn't matter, lose when it does. [01:03:21] Speaker D: Exactly. Classic C9. [01:03:24] Speaker A: Yeah. It sucks that that's their narrative right now. Like I. I hope that C9 fans out there listening, if you're getting mad at like the way we talk about it, I am with you. I don't want C9 to be bad. I can laugh because I'm not like a C9 fan, but I appreciate what they are and especially historically what they've done for our region. I think it sucks that they haven't made internationals, but man, it's so funny. [01:03:47] Speaker B: You gotta smile through the pain sometimes, right? [01:03:50] Speaker A: As a CLG fan, this is Normal for me. [01:03:52] Speaker B: I was gonna say as a KT Rolster fan, I'm used to it at this point. [01:03:55] Speaker A: So although it's been so many years, C9 is basically the CLG of our region. [01:04:00] Speaker B: If you like something so controversial yet so true. [01:04:05] Speaker A: I might have to, I, I just thought of that right now. I might have to argue that on cast this coming weekend because I'm going to be on the analyst desk for, for day one sentinel C9 and dig TL. So maybe, maybe we do a whole thing there. Anyway, we also think C9 takes it Dignitas versus Team Liquid surprise. We all have TL2O and Dignitas not winning a series their entire summer split. Which would also mean that's two splits in a row they have not won a series. The last series Dignitas won was in Lock in versus Shopify Rebellion. [01:04:41] Speaker C: Yeah, I'm just gonna let the silence [01:04:43] Speaker A: sit for a moment there. [01:04:44] Speaker B: Wow, that's a lot to take. [01:04:47] Speaker A: What has any team ever in LCS history gone two splits back to back without winning a success series. [01:04:54] Speaker C: I just, I just can't think there has been. [01:04:57] Speaker B: I mean you gotta qualify to. [01:05:00] Speaker A: I don't Slayer bring this up on digging deep with Jonathan later. [01:05:04] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, that'd be a great lead off. Hey. Hey, Jonathan. I'm deciding to work. [01:05:09] Speaker D: This is a very sad question, but in the off season, I don't know [01:05:14] Speaker A: because there's also a lot of best of ones in, in old formats too. So you don't know if you're a [01:05:19] Speaker D: tier 2 player in the off season and do you accept an offer to play for Dignitas? [01:05:25] Speaker C: Oh man, this is, this has been a tried and true question. I think this question has existed for, for a bit, but it's a great [01:05:35] Speaker A: question for a bit. [01:05:37] Speaker D: It used to be Immortals and now Dignitas is kind of filling that spot. [01:05:42] Speaker A: Exactly. We used to get excited or not. We used to. We were excited earlier this year. When was it, it was like the whole, oh, Jonathan's going to Dignitas new gm hopefully like correct some of the relationship that the Org has with players because it's no longer Bakery as the gm. He got promoted upwards and is now like VP or something. But Jonathan's the one in charge of the roster. Jonathan's in charge of the league team. It didn't work. One year later, nothing to show for it. And I, I still hope for Jonathan that he's able to steer the ship and fix it again this next offseason. But like it's sad that we're at that same point again now. It's like okay find a miracle like find the guy in solo queue or the the you know, Tier two player if they accept the Slayer's point. [01:06:29] Speaker C: Yeah I will say for the for the like tier 2 player point that I think it's always important context to to levy when talking about Signatos and trying to add those players players is something that I've I've heard Jonathan speak about which is more so for switches between splits or or like making roster changes like like Dick did towards the beginning of summer split the unfortunately and this also plays into the Zamuto points unfortunate reality right now of of the US is that visas even for like Canadian players are hard to get right now and that actually can really nigh impossible. Yeah really like limit teams being able to to look for for. For roster change arounds like dig. So like that can really inhibit their ability. Also to make ads for for some of the tier 2 guys because if you think about the biggest guys that are coming out of tier two right now like Cryra Canadian like Canadian guy like Zamuto a Canadian too. Like that's what that screwed him. There are some like NA guys that are good to look at but like I could even name names of the teams I talked about like energy has need to carry that. A lot of people are really high on sushi. He's Canadian. Like it would be hard to add that guy. [01:07:41] Speaker A: Kisno Canadian. Is Kizno also Canadian? [01:07:43] Speaker C: I think I think so. I will double check but I think you're right. I don't remember actually you might. [01:07:50] Speaker A: I also have leak PD up right here so I can take your look real quick. [01:07:53] Speaker B: Real quick. [01:07:54] Speaker C: United States, North America. Yeah. [01:07:56] Speaker A: Okay. [01:07:57] Speaker C: So. So that it just sucks. But that also kills like inhibit the ability. I I guess maybe the cope that I have is the tier two guys. I think we would have seen more tier two players get shots this year in different spots across the LCS if the Canadian visa thing wasn't such a problem. [01:08:14] Speaker A: Yeah, I think that's a fair point and good to point out as well because that's one of those ones that kind of gets lost under some of the narratives of like oh, this player was intended but we never see them. So you kind of just forget oh, he has a moon. Should have been here last year. We should have had to Buddha for a while. [01:08:31] Speaker C: Yep. [01:08:33] Speaker A: Yeah. Cool. Well, I guess not cool. That's just a default word that I say when I can't think of another transition. We have more mashes to predict. So let's just get through these. Fly Quest versus Shopify Rebellion. We have Shopify 212121 for myself, Badger and Bickle. But Slayer actually has faith in Fly Quest 21 Taking that Badger, I'm gonna give you the Shopify defense first. Why do you think they're going to take the series and then Slayer, I'll have you defend your point for why Fly Quest you think will win it. So Badger go first. [01:09:01] Speaker B: They took a game off TL and Fly Quest is an inferior opponent. Like come on. [01:09:07] Speaker D: The. [01:09:07] Speaker A: The. [01:09:08] Speaker D: The. [01:09:09] Speaker B: The logic is there. The math be mathing at this point. You know, you got to secure that. You got to secure potentially a top four spot depending on how the Sentinel C9 games go goes. Wait, does Shopify have the tie break over Sentinels shop? [01:09:25] Speaker D: I beat Sentinels. [01:09:26] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:09:27] Speaker B: So yeah. You know, if you win and Cdine wins your top four, congratulations, like you're one step closer to potentially making worlds. [01:09:36] Speaker A: There we go. One step closer and good chance of being able to go to Demacia kept because now there's like the secondary prize, the participation trophy as it were. Actually sad that one of those teams is not going to be make it to that. The more I think about it, it's like the top three going to World's awesome but then like the next three. All three of those. I'd want to go to a tournament like Demacia cup, but that'll be a future narrative. Slayer, Fly Quest. Why do you think they take it? [01:10:02] Speaker C: Yeah. So simple. Simple logic here. There's no. There's nothing that could rebuke this. Guys, I'm new here. I wanted to make an impression. This is me making an impression. You, you, you all okay. You all glaze Shopify Rebellion too much Watch. I must stand tall behind Fly Quest. Even with your silly numbers and form logic. No, screw that. Fly Quest got this. [01:10:31] Speaker A: Okay. [01:10:31] Speaker B: Don't believe I quest too much on this podcast. That's bit us in the ass before. [01:10:35] Speaker A: Too bad too. I think it is good. It is good to have somebody on the episode who will not glacial. [01:10:44] Speaker B: That is good. That is good. [01:10:46] Speaker A: Okay, next it is DSG versus Lion. And yeah, we have all two O's. Two of these series are really like emails. I. I think TL and Lion are versus Dig Disguise. It sucks that we're going from like last week where we had the top two teams against each other and now we get to see the top two teams versus the bottom two teams. But the Sentinel C9, Fly Quest, Shopify are Going to be important for seating as well as just kind of getting a preview of how how the race for third spot at Worlds is gonna look. [01:11:15] Speaker D: I'd ask if lion can bring in our Mayo again to give disguised a semblance of a chance, but even then I think it's a two zero. [01:11:23] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:11:23] Speaker A: Inspired. Announces he's going back to Poland for one more weekend. Yeah, he left something. He left his keys. He's got to go back. [01:11:30] Speaker B: He's got to go back and get his keys. [01:11:32] Speaker A: This is the only window that works. Okay, cool. That's our review of this past week as well as expectations for next week. Hop across the pond over to the great region. I almost said country, but it's not that it's a region of the lec. We have six or week six review and then now we get to talk about playoffs because LEC went very accelerated. If you remember, we had all these crazy matches, four days of games for the last four weeks, five weeks. I don't remember exactly which one it was, but all that accelerated them so they could get into playoffs a little bit faster. So we already can much pretty preview their playoffs. Week six review though. Bickle, I'm going to throw it over to you standings wise, top to bottom. How did the regular season close out for the lec? [01:12:17] Speaker D: All right, so let's speed through this. We know that the top four teams have qualified to the double elimination portion of of playoffs as well as lock themselves into this upcoming road show in Spain hosted by MCO but not attended by McOHOY. Top of the standings is KC and they were able to do it finishing the season in undefeated nine and oh, only dropping two games. One to G2 and one to Shifters. Don't question it. Second place is Vitality at seven and two. G2 comes in at third place with six and three. And rounding out our top four in doubly limb is a space Spanish org, just not the one hosting it's Giant X at 5 and 4 followed very closely in 5th place by Navi at 5 and 4 as well. And rounding out our top 6 in playoffs is the aforementioned McOil sneaking in at 4 and 5 before we hit our bottom 4 teams and say goodbye to them for the year. 8th place we have SK Gaming. 9th place team Heretics, 10th place Shifters and we didn't touch on them. But in seventh place missing playoffs and by function missing Worlds for the first time in I want to say 10 years is Fnatic. The streak comes to an end in [01:13:43] Speaker A: arms arms of the Angels fly Away. There's no way that's synced up because we're on a discord call. Yeah, I know but I'm happy we attempted. It's sad. I. I gotta start off right there, man. It's. It breaks my heart to see Fnatic not make playoffs even. Not even have a chance to go and continue the streak at Worlds. They were the longest running streak of worlds attending for an organization in the world and yeah, it's end of an era. I mean it was surprising they made it last year. Nobody would have expected it this year anyway but they don't even get the shot they, they don't even get the chance to, to push for it in play playoffs and it's just going to be weird. It was crazy. Before we started recording I mentioned this. I've been watching professional league since 2016. That's 10 years of watching League of Legends that the entire time fanatics meant Worlds. I've never seen a world without Fnatic. That's nuts. I gotta live in this world now. I gotta live with this reality makes me sad. Any other Fnatic fans in the call that want to air any of their emotions out? No, no. [01:14:53] Speaker B: This is so weird just seeing them like 1 not make playoffs and 2 not make worlds based off this. Like it's just. I'm still in disbelief. I'm like oh well no, it's fine because they have like they can make a lower bracket run and it's like wait, they didn't even qualify. [01:15:06] Speaker D: Yeah, they had the chance but they lost three series in a row. They just needed one series win and there would have been an end up win. Been in over encoy but they just couldn't pull it off. [01:15:19] Speaker A: This has hiding game score. They were 10, 10 to 12, both of them. [01:15:23] Speaker D: This has to be the end of Fnatic razor, right? [01:15:27] Speaker B: Yeah, it's got to be. [01:15:28] Speaker A: Yeah, it's what, five years with Razork now as a jungler? [01:15:32] Speaker D: I think that's the case. Yeah. Five years. [01:15:36] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:15:37] Speaker A: And it's been declining ever since. And I gotta agree, I think it's time to move on. Maybe Dylan Falco a new big this. [01:15:48] Speaker D: It throws me off every time I remember this. Fnatic has technically never won an LEC title. Yeah, the last time they won they were still the EU LCS in 2018. [01:16:02] Speaker A: Crazy to think about about it's been that long since they were really relevant as well. Well actually no, no, it was LEC when they got to finals of Worlds, right? That was. [01:16:12] Speaker D: No, they were U LCs. That was 2019 is when LCs started or LEC started. [01:16:19] Speaker B: Sorry, LEC. [01:16:20] Speaker A: Yeah. Oh, that's crazy. So that was the year G2 made finals. Was the, the first LEC year. [01:16:26] Speaker D: Correct. [01:16:28] Speaker A: Insane. Insane to think about a downfall that will be studied. Hopefully Fnatic can turn it around. But let's talk about the teams that are going to be making it into playoffs and in the world's conversation, but along that lines as well. Bickle, this past week, how are we feeling about the teams that are in playoffs? Are, are we seeing separation or are we still seeing it as just like a two team region? I don't know if that's the right way to phrase that. Is it still two team region or do you think that there's still teams like Vitality, like Giant X, that could be competitive competing with KC and G2 for the championship title? [01:17:01] Speaker D: Right now G2 may be in third place, but it's a two team region. [01:17:06] Speaker A: Okay. Yeah, that's, that's kind of the, the vibes I've gotten. I also know just a lot of throws going over on in the LEC this past weekend into this summer in general. Like I don't think the level of games, I'm not saying like LCS is much cleaner but like I feel like the, the play ins is gonna to be fun. I'm going to word it that way. Play ins at Worlds is going to be very fun games. [01:17:31] Speaker B: There's some, there's some fun games. There's some funny gaming going on over in Europe right now for sure. [01:17:38] Speaker A: If a third team has not really presented itself in eu, then whatever their third seed and whatever our third seed is going to be, that there's going to be some crazy ass games alongside the LCP and cb. Lol. [01:17:50] Speaker D: For once I can choose genuinely say going into play ins. I have no idea who's going to make it out. [01:17:56] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's true. [01:17:58] Speaker D: Everyone's equally terrible. [01:18:01] Speaker A: Well, it's got to be C9 so they can make it the semifinals. [01:18:04] Speaker D: Right. [01:18:05] Speaker C: If, if they're. Yeah, I get. Well, true. [01:18:07] Speaker B: Yeah, sure. [01:18:09] Speaker D: Theoretically. Current strength, Cloud nine Vitality. [01:18:17] Speaker A: Probably. [01:18:18] Speaker B: Maybe that would be the expectation. [01:18:19] Speaker A: Although Vitality. We said the same thing about Vitality. Like last split. Yeah. [01:18:23] Speaker D: They were in first place last split and then they went 06 in playoff. [01:18:28] Speaker B: They got the second seed from CB World. [01:18:33] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. [01:18:34] Speaker D: Is it time for the Vikings? [01:18:36] Speaker A: I don't know. [01:18:37] Speaker C: Yeah, to the Vikings Time. [01:18:39] Speaker B: The rise of the LCP [01:18:43] Speaker A: could be. All right. Well, yeah, LEC is weird right now because Their. Their playoff scenario is also a different format than our instead of everybody has two lives and there's a buy for the top two. Their brackets a little different where the top four have two lives and are in the upper bracket, but the bottom two are in the lower bracket already. So if you look at leaguepedia, the visual will be a little more obvious as to like the differences. But essentially they LEC said the bottom two get punished. LCS said the top two get a bonus. That's like the way they changed up the brat brackets. With that said, Navi and McOH backs are firmly against the wall. I don't have a lot of faith in Navi making the push. MCO is still the surprise. I also don't have a lot of faith in them, but like, I'm more surprised that they're in that position because they were the third team for so long this year in the LEC. It was like, okay, yeah, it's KCG2 McCoy. Or I guess rather, if we're being honest, G2KC, MCOI. I mean like the three. [01:19:44] Speaker B: Right. [01:19:44] Speaker D: Navi should have been that final team in the top top 4, but they just decided to throw away like an 8k gold lead when they were at 2 OGX. That knocked them out of the upper bracket legitimately. [01:19:58] Speaker C: That's wild. [01:20:00] Speaker A: Yeah, I don't really. I. I didn't catch enough of the games. Have like a strong opinion on how that one went down and like why Navi are where they are. Because like they. They did beat G GX in the. In that stage. Right. So is. Does it favor game score instead of. Instead of head to head? [01:20:22] Speaker D: Yeah, they do game score versus head to head. [01:20:25] Speaker A: Okay, that would make sense. [01:20:26] Speaker D: Yeah. [01:20:27] Speaker A: So yeah, 5 and 4, but then GX are 13 and 11 games. Navi's 11 and 10. [01:20:33] Speaker D: You missed the series. But Navi was very clean. Game one and one convincingly had a very convincing lead in game two and then threw it. And then GX had a very convincing game win lead. Game three and then threw it. [01:20:48] Speaker A: Solid, solid stuff. Yeah. I mean that follows what the other games I was watching, which was a lot of throws over in the lec. It feels like this is just happening in this region right now. And it really does just come down to how hard can G2 carry EU at Worlds along with the additional question now of can Casey Stack step up? So let's. Let's start with that one. Bickle, how do you feel about Casey? Obviously playoffs is going to be like the first thing that we look at but then even further into Worlds, do you feel like they are a team that can be a second contender for EU at the international stage? [01:21:22] Speaker D: I think for the first time in quite a while, NA and EU both have two teams they can be very confident in. I am not going to call KC the best team team in Europe until they beat G2 in the playoffs. Because regular season, G2 is not playoff. [01:21:39] Speaker A: G2, yes, we all know this. But they did the very tough thing which was going undefeated in the regular season. 9 and 0, only dropping two games. Very impressive. So already domestically they're hanging up at the top. But we also saw Vitality go undefeated or no, did they drop? [01:21:58] Speaker D: They went eight and one. [01:21:59] Speaker A: Think right, eight and one. [01:22:00] Speaker D: There we go. [01:22:00] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:22:01] Speaker A: So they do the full undefeated. But that's a great segue for next. We're going to speed through LEC a little bit. So that's why I was going more big picture here just for the sake of time. We have three matches ahead of us for the LEC playoffs. It's going to be three best of fives. And we will get to see Casey vs G2 most likely this coming weekend. If you look at our predictions, it starts with Vitality, G2 and then KCG8. We all have G2 and Casey going three zero. [01:22:28] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:22:29] Speaker A: So let's just start there. We expect sweeps. These are the top two teams in the region. Vitality, G2, maybe they're able to do some damage. Maybe GX gets the Spanish home crowd buff, but I don't think so. So let's talk about G2. KC. If this is what we're expecting, this is going to be on Sunday. The single best of five. And we are a little split on the cap asked. I have KC3 2. Badger and Slayer have KC3 1. So even more confident. Bickle has G2 3 2. I'll give my one first. And then I actually kind of want to hear from everybody, at least just like a thought on this one, because this is the big match in the LEC. I have Casey winning because then G2 will go through the lower bracket, make the run and then sweep them 30 in the finals and still be the best team in Europe. And it's not going to have mattered that they matched up in the upper bracket at finals, but this will lock in both teams to go to Worlds if they win their first match. So that's. That's the big thing is if they can be. If Casey can be GX, G2 can be Vitality. They're going to Worlds Confirmed. Badger, let's go with you next. Casey. Three 1. What makes you even more confident in them? [01:23:37] Speaker B: Perks has not coached in a best of five and you know this guy named Dylan Falco that's not part of the organization anymore. Yep, they're going to feel it Mr. Craps. They're, they're really gonna feel the fact that Dylan Falco is gone from G2 as a whole once you get later on in a series. You know, I mean Perks has, Perks has the experience as a player but he doesn't have it as a coach at this point so. [01:24:03] Speaker A: And does he even have the experience playing in a best of five Fearless? [01:24:07] Speaker B: No. [01:24:08] Speaker A: Trying to think. Yeah, I don't think he would have. He didn't play at all last year. Right. So suddenly blind to this. I'm trying to remember. [01:24:19] Speaker D: I don't know if the NLC did best of fives. I think they did best of threes. He's played in best of three fearless. Just not best of five. [01:24:30] Speaker A: Yeah, that's a really good point Badger that I had never even thought about. But I do like that that that's a entirely unique thing for a coach to go and to especially if you have not even been in those shoes as a player. [01:24:43] Speaker B: I, I, I, yeah it's just Dylan Falco is gone. We, I think we underrate this fact so much it's not even that he's [01:24:53] Speaker A: still on the roster and in the shadows. He's been let go like he is no longer with the organization. So it is just Perks flying the ship. Very interesting. Slayer, I want to get your quick thoughts here as well cuz you agree KC3 1 so, so what's your reasoning opinion for this? [01:25:09] Speaker C: Big fan of Badger so copy that. No, I'm kidding, not kidding about the phantom Badger thing but my logic actually was simply like a simpler version of Badgers. I, I saw the Dylan Falco announcement. I saw this was what I predicted and I thought Perks is definitely gonna Throw at least 1 1/2 drafts so and with that logic I also am going to back the the Na Boy. If you can't tell, I've watched a ton of Lacio so I was always going to pick KC and then I thought okay, Dylan Falco is not drafting this Perks guy is so they're going to hit an extra draft. So I went from 3:2 to 3:1. That's my love it. That's my North America logic right there for this Leck. [01:25:55] Speaker A: I love it. Bickle, you're the sole believer in G2, you still think it goes the full five games. What in your mind gives the edge to G2? [01:26:04] Speaker D: I mean we can jump back to last playoffs when G2 was the lower seed facing off against KC in the upper bracket. Everyone thought KC would win and G2 just came out and beat their ass twice in playoffs. [01:26:21] Speaker B: But God, this is going to be really awkward when vitality 3 was them 3 ones first round. [01:26:26] Speaker D: If vitality actually pulls off that upset or if GX Summers somehow does. [01:26:31] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [01:26:32] Speaker D: Then we're gonna all look like idiots. But it wouldn't be the first time and it won't be the last time. But G2 has such a storied history. I have bet against them too many times in playoffs that I just refuse to do it. Like I fully understand why Casey should be favored, but I just see G2 as a combination of players stepping up so much in playoffs as being the reason they're all able to come together. As for Dylan Falco being gone is a big reason Casey has such a strong chance. But Dylan Falco into drafts just as often. So I don't think it's that big a step down in terms of drafting. [01:27:17] Speaker C: Curse your logic. [01:27:19] Speaker B: It's the mid series adjustments though. [01:27:22] Speaker D: Yeah, yeah. It'll just. I think this will be a big check for Perkz in particular for how he performs under these big lights in a road show like this. And I think this series in particular, not even necessarily if they make it to finals, will be very indicative of how they're able to perform at Worlds. [01:27:46] Speaker B: Bickle, I also need you. Come on counterpoint real fast. I want to make this really real quick. Where are they playing the games? [01:27:54] Speaker D: Spain. [01:27:56] Speaker B: Who doesn't lose in Spain? [01:27:59] Speaker D: Oh, Casey doesn't lose in Spain when they're playing Spanish orgs. If you ignore the fact that they lost to GX that one time in Spain, [01:28:14] Speaker A: I'm just going to let that one sit there. [01:28:16] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:28:16] Speaker A: Do you any defense? Badger. [01:28:18] Speaker C: Huh? [01:28:19] Speaker B: I mean Casey always goes into hostile territory because you know the crowd's going to be favoring G2 because they. They hate the French. I'm gonna be so for real and. And they're gonna feed off that. That's gonna manifest and it's gonna. It's gonna take over and Kalista's gonna go like 20 and oh and like two games and I don't know. I'm a. I'm a firm believer. [01:28:44] Speaker D: I can see it. I would not be surprised in the slightest if Casey just feeds off the hatred of Spain. And drives the dagger into everyone. You mentioned Clist here. Mvp because it's someone on casing. [01:29:02] Speaker B: I I think it has to be him. [01:29:04] Speaker D: Yeah, I think it's Kalist. [01:29:06] Speaker B: I think it's one of the carries for sure. Although everyone on that team is fantastic. [01:29:11] Speaker D: I think it should be Nike Lucio. But I think it's going to be collist. [01:29:15] Speaker A: I don't know, man. Yahoo's also popping off, dude. Like, this is one of the first splits in a while where I'm like, yeah, caps is not the number one midline. [01:29:23] Speaker D: I I, I don't I think he had an argument. I genuinely think his series against not BDS against shifters may have cost him votes. [01:29:33] Speaker B: Okay. [01:29:35] Speaker C: All I know is Kalis is going to make G2 feel like Spain without the square S throwback. [01:29:43] Speaker A: That spells pain. [01:29:44] Speaker C: Who forgot about that joke from I don't even remember when it was a thing, but it was definitely a thing for a little bit. [01:29:50] Speaker A: That was probably 2019, 2018. [01:29:53] Speaker B: That's yeah. [01:29:54] Speaker C: Spain without the S. Hey, the last [01:29:55] Speaker A: time fanatic was relevant at the international stage. All right, that's going to do it for this week's episode of the League rundown as that wraps up our predictions for LEC. We all look st silly if either G2 or KC drop their series, but I would be very surprised if that happened. Thanks for listening, everybody. Thank you for being on for this week's episode. Slayer. Where can people find you if they want to go follow you? Because I know not only do you cast, you also make a lot of content around LPL as well. So plug all your stuff if people want to check out what you do. [01:30:26] Speaker C: Okay. Yeah. Twitter and Tick Tock is just at Slayer casts because I'm a caster and I'm unoriginal original. That's, that's my title. Yeah, I cast. I'll be casting LPL English playoffs. I don't know when this airs, but Blgwe will be the series that I'll be doing. If you want to sacrifice your sleep schedule for the lpl, I'm over there. And yeah, I do content about the lpl. I'll do I'll be I'll be doing stuff about Demasi Club Global Invitation in many forms. I'll say it that way. And if for some reason you want to see me actually play the game of League of Legends Legends Kangas here is on some random rec LB LCS low budget LCS Rec League team that's trying to be the next then a Los Ratons and we Record all the stuff we do. So if you want to see me play league with a bunch of casters, check out my live streams too. Same name. [01:31:18] Speaker A: I believe we even talked about that on the pod, because Badger is in the same league, not in the same division as us. [01:31:24] Speaker B: Wait, I, I, I'm a substitute for a team in the tier below you guys. [01:31:28] Speaker C: Okay. Okay. So you're not gonna play us? [01:31:30] Speaker B: Although I, I did kind of post LFD today for. [01:31:35] Speaker C: Ooh. [01:31:36] Speaker A: Well, Slayer, do we need a 18th player? [01:31:38] Speaker C: Well, yeah, here's, here's the unfortunate reality, Badger. We've already filled out the entire starting. [01:31:43] Speaker B: Yeah, I know we talked about it last. I joked with Kangas about it last week, so. [01:31:47] Speaker A: Yep. But yeah, awesome. Slayer. Everyone go follow him. Slayer makes great content and again, great play by play on all the shows that he's on. I might be rude to his face when we hang out, but that's just the Midwestern in me. Um, I would never say this to him ever in my life, but I actually respect him and think he does good work. [01:32:07] Speaker C: So. You didn't tell me to unplug my headset before you said that. [01:32:11] Speaker A: Ah, you okay, there we go. Slayer, we do a bit here to close out every episode of the podcast. So I'm gonna need you to give me a reason why somebody should leave a five star review. Okay. But I'm gonna instead ask it in a way to say, like, how many stars should they leave if they wanted to leave us a review? And then you have to come up with some analogy or some, some like, thing to connect it to five. Okay. Does that make any amount of sense? [01:32:43] Speaker C: Yes. Yes. [01:32:45] Speaker A: Okay. Okay. You know what? You're gonna sink or swim, but I'm throw it to you. Slayer, if somebody had the free time, if they enjoyed the episode and they wanted to help support the podcast in any way, how many stars would you recommend they leave if they could take the time to leave a review for the podcast? [01:33:00] Speaker C: Well, it's really important, guys, to remember, even if you're not a fan of sports, that right now, in the sports world, we are all paying respect to Mr. Jaden Daniels, who does wear the number five. And if you want to really respect him, you have to leave a five star review. [01:33:15] Speaker A: That was good. That was smooth. You should be like, you should talk for a living. You should, like, find a job where you get a talk. [01:33:22] Speaker C: That's really scary. [01:33:23] Speaker D: Cease or desist. [01:33:29] Speaker A: Cool. I love that. Yeah. Five stars. If you have the time to leave the review really helps us out. Grow the podcast and get noticed more. Also, again, shout out to anybody who supports a podcast financially through the Patreon or the Merch Shop. You're the goats. Shout out Ian for editing the podcast. And shout out everybody here for being on this episode. If you've made it this far into said episode, just know this, we are. Love you and we'll see you next time. [01:33:52] Speaker C: Bye bye, everybody. [01:33:53] Speaker B: Goodbye, everyone. [01:33:55] Speaker D: Peace. [01:33:56] Speaker A: Oh, yes, Daddy. Sam.