导出博客文章Video games are supposed to be fun.Sometimes you forget that in the world of
esports, especially when youre inside the industry. To the untrained eye,
esports, or competitive video gaming in its purest definition, is a haven for
unbridled laughter and joy. How could it not be? Teenagers and early
20-somethings get to play their favorite games for ludicrous prize money in
front of arenas full of screaming fans.I hate to break it to you, but esports
isnt fun much of the time. Its a job that for some players means upwards of 12
to 14 hours a day of work, and if theyre lucky, one or two days off a week to
rest. The professionals have almost no job security unless theyre at the very
top of their preferred game. Even then, a top players peak on average lasts only
a year or two before that player is surpassed by the next generation.At last
weeks Scouting Grounds, Riots League of Legends combine for the NA LCS that
wasnt really a combine at all, fun was the name of the game -- as well as
learning and competition. Thats why it was one of my favorite events of the
year.As I sat in the Immortals house early last week, I watched BmxSpecks, a
20-year-old aspiring jungler from Toronto, marvel at the fact that he was
practicing in the same seat as former NA LCS MVP Reignover, whom Specks idolized
the past two years. Specks laughed as he locked in Reksai for one of his first
scrimmages as part of Team Mountain, the amateur team of five that was drafted
by the Immortals organization to face off with the junior teams created by Team
Liquid (Ocean), Counter Logic Gaming (Cloud) and Echo Fox (Infernal). Specks
hoped his forthcoming Reksai play wouldnt sully Reignovers monitor. (Spoiler: He
played well.)[Immortals] taught us a lot, the jungler said following the
conclusion of the weeklong exhibition/experiment. If I were to take anything
from Scouting Grounds, it would be that the players, on all four teams, were
taught a lot. From media training to practicing in a real pro environment to
playing onstage, the players were given a crash course in how the pros live. The
short week was packed with practicing, learning from Riot, playing official
games and practicing some more until the players had to leave the team houses
and return to their hotels.Its a tournament youre supposed to showcase your
skills, but I learned more in this tournament than I did in my two years of
playing solo queue, said Tuesday, 18, from Quebec, Canada, and the top pick of
Team Mountain. Of all the players on the team, Tuesday was the one expected to
have the best chance of making a pro roster one day.A talented individual
player, Tuesday impressed in spurts but learned the difference between playing
online and at an offline setting. He came in confident, expecting to be the top
player at his position in the field, and he left a more developed player,
learning from his mistakes and becoming a player he would have never realized
without Scouting Grounds.Team Mountain went 0-6 and lost all their matches. The
team did well in scrims; however, in official matches, the team failed to
scratch, continually doing well in the early-game before failing in the latter
parts of the match. If the tournament were conducted online, the team probably
would have swept the field and won the championship. That isnt what it takes to
become a pro, though, and they learned it the hard way. The losses kept piling
up, and with little time to breathe or practice, the five amateurs were
overwhelmed, succumbing to the pressure.After the final loss, the team sat
silently in its designated green room, with a Team Mountain logo situated on the
door, the players mumbling to themselves or going outside to get some air.The
one request all the players on the team made to Riot Games, if there is a
Scouting Grounds 2, is more games. More opportunities to play. More chances to
learn. And, if possible, a longer event. The players from Team Mountain, and
assuredly for the rest of the groups, werent ready to go home. They were
learning, having the time of their lives, and the clock was striking midnight,
ready to send them on their way home back to the North American solo queue,
where bad habits die hard and the development they received might wash away with
no coaches to keep them focused.I learned I can play more champions, said
Bobjenkins, 17, the top laner from New Jersey who entered this tournament seen
as a one-trick Kennen with not much else in the arsenal. To the surprise of no
one, including himself, Kennen was banned in every game Bobjenkins played, which
forced him onto the likes of Gnar and Yasuo.Im not a one-trick anymore. I think
I improved on reading the map better, being more vocal and calling out teleport
flanks more, Bobjenkins said.Even when the team was two matches down with four
straight losses, the players attempted to calculate ways they could somehow make
it into the final match with one game remaining. Just one more match. Just two
more matches. Just more games was their thought process. When the dream of
playing on the LCS stage was ultimately destroyed for good, there was no yelling
between the players or pointing the finger. It was sadness, like the last day of
summer, realizing that soon the world would return to monotone colors and daily
life would begin once more.I want to be a pro even more so after getting a taste
of what its like, said Shynon, 21, the teams marksmen and shot-caller throughout
the event. Knowing that those world-class players practiced there [at the
Immortals house] makes an even bigger fire [within me] to go pro.The other four
members mirrored in response. The losses, while stinging, were not the takeaway
for the players or coaches involved. It was a training ground more so than a
scouting ground, with the players focusing on self-improvement over standing out
amongst their teammates. Riot awarded the players in NA solo queue who did well
enough in the Ladder to get the wall, and only the players who passed the
personality test were invited.Whether or not we see Tuesday suit up for an NA
LCS team in the future is not the barometer of success for Scouting Grounds.
Making it as a pro is difficult, paved with countless people with the same
amount of skill and devotion who fail to make the cut for one reason or another.
If the players who leave Scouting Grounds return to solo queue with a positive
mindset, and even are a little better than before, more informed, and able to
create a healthy, optimistic environment for the future of North Americas online
and minor league scene, then Scouting Grounds is a success, and a sequel should
be a when and not an if.I like everyone on their team. Theyre pretty cool, said
Winter, the teams support, in giving his final thoughts on the entire journey. I
thought players on the other teams might be toxic, but actually not. Theyre all
super cool.Its the truth of the event. At the end of the final between Team
Ocean and Team Cloud, where Ocean swept Cloud to win, Riot had an after-finals
meet-and-greet with all the players, media and any staff from professional or
minor league teams that came to watch the action. Although a few players were
hurried along to talk to representatives from teams, the rest stayed on the LCS
stage, looking around at the monitors and setup, talking with pros about their
love of the game -- for some of them, it was their first time to do so.Joshua
Dardoch Hartnett, one of the coaches for Team Ocean and the former jungler for
Team Liquid, stood at the peak of the stage, talking casually about the game as
the group of amateurs, some of them older than him, hung on his every word and
stared at the real-life example of somebody who went from nowhere a year ago to
one of the brightest talents in the western region.When asked if I saw any
players I thought could be future NA LCS players, I honestly couldnt answer. Too
little time and too little data to see how the players grew over days of
practice.When asked if I had a good time, if I had fun? The answer without
hesitation is yes.It was one of the most fun events of the year, and it wasnt
even streamed.
Swell Kopen
Nederland . The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of
anonymity because the Lions have not announced the hiring, which was first
reported by ESPN. Lombardi, the grandson of former Green Bay Hall of Fame coach
Vince Lombardi, has been an offensive assistant on Sean Paytons New Orleans
staff since 2007.
Swell Waterfles
.Y. - Detroit goaltender Jonas Gustavsson has earned NHL first star of
the week honours after winning in his first three appearances of the season.
http://www.swellnederlandkopen.com/swell-waterfles.html
. -- Mike Smith never saw his first NHL goal go in.
Swell Bottle Bestellen . Rinne
played two periods in his first game since left hip surgery in early May.
Gabriel Bourque scored 3:07 into the second period and Austin Watson tallied
5:15 later for Nashville.
Swell
Fles . -- Teemu Selanne scored the first goal of his 22nd NHL season, and
the Anaheim Ducks extended the best start in franchise history with their fifth
straight victory, 3-2 over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. The Western
Bulldogs vowed to bring the fight to the Swans in the AFL season decider after
pipping Greater Western Sydney by six points in Saturdays epic preliminary
final.Jack Macrae converted his set shot with a tick under three minutes
remaining at Spotless Stadium, giving the Bulldogs a six-point lead.Devon Smith
then missed a chance to level the scores before Troy Dickson hit the post after
the siren in an appropriately dramatic finish to a pulsating clash, which the
visitors claimed 13.11 (89) to 12.11 (83).The Bulldogs had won plaudits for an
entertaining style of football this year but won ugly to snap a run of seven
consecutive losses in preliminary finals.Both sides were a man down for the
entire second half, with GWS co-captain Callan Ward and Bulldogs ruckman Jordan
Roughead both suffering heavy hits to the head during the second quarter.The
Giants were more refreshed after a week off but it was Luke Beveridges side who
handled the dogfight better.I said to them before that when Ali was in his
prime, when he started, he danced and had all the skills in the world, Beveridge
said.Late in his career, he won The Rumble In The Jungle with the rope-a-dope.
We saw a bit of everything tonight from both sides but we just kept getting off
the mat, kept getting off the canvas.We feel like were going to be thereabouts
next week in the biggest game of our lives.Well respect them (Sydney) but well
go in trying to do what we know best. Thats a little bit of Ali dance, a little
bit of rope-a-dope ... but I dont think theyll let us dance too much.Beveridge
callled the minor premiers one of the best teams that have ever gone
around.ddddddddddddThe Bulldogs will return to the grand final for the first
time since 1961, while they will be shooting for their first premiership since
1954.The second-year coach noted he was ecstatic but drained after the scrappy
game - sentiments shared by many Bulldogs fans among the crowd of 21,790.Itll be
a big night all around Australia for our supporters and we feel pretty good
about that, Beveridge said.Having overcome a series of setbacks in an
injury-riddled campaign, the Bulldogs again rallied against the odds.The Giants
boasted a game-high lead of 14 points after booting the first two goals of the
final term.The visitors somehow took control of the see-sawing contest thanks to
clutch goals from Dickson, Marcus Bontempelli and Zaine Cordy.It was almost like
a game of chess and a war of attrition, Beveridge said.There wasnt any great
margin in the game the whole time ... who knows if it goes for another five
minutes?Clay Smith booted four goals in the first half to help the Bulldogs back
up knock-out final wins over West Coast and Hawthorn, last years two grand
finalists.Luke Dahlhaus, Josh Dunkley, Caleb Daniel and Liam Picken were also
influential for the Dogs, while Tom Scully was inspirational for the home
side.Its disappointing but the Dogs deserved to win. We scrapped pretty well but
... their pressure was great, Giants coach Leon Cameron said. ' ' '
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