#LCS Summer 2017

[yuragawa]

NRGの勝利にNAファンがなぜこれほど沸き立つのか

NRGがノックアウトステージ進出

Riot公式Flickrより

　Worlds 2023 スイスステージDay8、3勝すれば勝ち抜けの新フォーマットで激突した2勝1敗の2チーム、NRGとG2。国際大会観戦勢にとっては定番ともいえるのEU vs NAという対決が行われた。LECにおいて常に一つ抜けた強さのチームとして知られるG2と、CLGの組織を引き継いでLCSを勝ち抜けたNRG。ともに地域の第1シードチームとはいえ、下馬評ではG2が圧倒的に有利とみられていた。しかしそんな予想をNRGはあっさりと覆してG2を2-0で圧倒。3勝1敗でノックアウトステージ進出を決め、その勝利にLCSファンは熱狂した。単なる勝利、ベスト8入りに留まらないその意味について、過去を振り返りながら紹介していく。

NAの国際大会戦績

　Worldsで『NA=Near Airport』、あるいは『Last Hope C9』といった表現を見たり聞いたりしたことはあるだろうか。前者は北米からWorldsに参加するチームは空港が近い＝すぐに敗退してしまうという事を自虐的に評したミームであり、後者はそんな中で最後に残って戦うチームが毎回C9であるという事を表した言い回しだ。実際、LCSチームは過去のWorldsでは苦戦続きとなっており、C9を除いたチームがベスト8入りを確定させたのは2014年のTSM以来となっている。

　C9に限れば2018年のベスト4入りといった結果も残っているが、それ以外のチームはグループステージ敗退が常となっていたのだ。特に2020年に至っては第1シードチームが0-6で敗退という記録を残し、ファンを大いに失望させている。伝統の一戦として扱われているEU vs NAも、実績面で言えばNAは後塵を拝していた。そんな流れの中でEUの象徴ともいえるトップチームのG2をBo3で破ったという結果はNAにとって大きな勝利となった。

NAという地域の現状と熱狂

　NRGのベスト8入りについて、LCSを追ってきた人たちは大きな喜びをあらわにしたのだが、一方でいくつか特徴のある反応が見られた。

NA org owners are you watching? If this isn't proof of the possibilities with NA talent then I don't know what is. TAKE A BOW @NRGLeague

— Kobe (@esports_kobe) October 28, 2023

I remember back at Training Grounds like five years ago I was embedded with the team @palafoxlol was on Even then, he was the kid that everyone else ignored And he smashed everyone Then he went to Academy and got doubted, and crushed everyone Then he went to LCS and got…

— The Esports Writer (@FionnOnFire) October 28, 2023

　これらのポストは、NA在野の才能とその育成について言及した内容となっている。これはLCSという地域の歴史や性質に関わる問題なので、順を追って説明していきたい。 　LCSという地域は、LoLのトップリーグの中でも歴史が長く、本家であるという自負があり、また多額の資金が投じられているリーグの一つである。特に地域外選手の採用という点では最初に他地域の選手をチームに加え、地域外選手は2名までというルールを作った原因となった地域でもある。今までLCSに参加した各地のスター選手や若き才能を上げていけば、BjergsenやLustboy、Looper、Froggen、Piglet、Crown、CoreJJ、Zven……と枚挙に暇がない。

　一方で多額の獲得資金を投じてスターを揃えたはずのチームがWorldsで結果を出せないという状態も続いていた。RiotやLCSのファンは各地域の選手を育成し、地域ごとの特色を残すことを意識して下部リーグの充実を図ってきたものの、チームの側ではNAの苦境は地域選手の弱さが問題なのであり、投じた費用に見合った選手を世界中から5人集めて国際大会に勝てるチームが競うリーグにするべきだという声が表に出るようになっていた。極端に単純化すると、「我々はJDGやT1を丸ごと買う資産があるのだから、買い取ってLCSチームとしてWorlds優勝させろ」といっているのに近い。

　実際には2022シーズンにはEGからJojopyunとDannyが新星として活躍するといった反証があったものの、LCS参加チームは2023シーズンの夏スプリット開始前にアカデミー部門という「投資価値が低く負担にしかならない組織」を切り捨てる決定を行い、結果としてリーグ開催自体が危ぶまれる事態にすら発展していた。

　そんな状況の中で、2016年以降パッとした結果も無くシーズン途中に他組織へと看板を掛け変えたNRG（元CLG）がLEC最強格であるG2を破ってベスト8入りを果たした意味は大きかったと言える。

地域の可能性

　今回NAを熱狂させたNRGのメンバーを見てみよう。 　Dhoklaは2017頃からキャリアをスタート。以来アカデミーとLCSを行ったり来たりしていた。アカデミーでは悪くない結果を出すものの、LCSではそれなりで、国際大会には手が届かない中堅所だった。

　ContractsはC9での活躍で2017シーズンを華々しく終えたが、その後移籍したGoldenGuardiansでは苦戦、その後もアカデミーとLCSチームで低迷する時期が続いていた。

　Palafoxは2017のスカウティンググラウンズで見出されたプレイヤーだったが、やはりLCSでは良くて中堅所だった。

　FBIは元はオセアニアのプレイヤーで、かつては地域を代表するADCだったが、2020以降はLCSプレイヤーとして活動して2021から3年連続でWorlds出場を果たしている。とはいえ地域単位の評価で言えば、いわゆる強豪地域の出身ではなく、オセアニアは国際大会出場枠を失ってしまっている。

　IgNarはEU・NAを渡り歩いている韓国人プレイヤーで、2020シーズンからLCSチームで活動しているので4年目になる。FLYやEGといった比較的育成を重く見るチームで踏ん張ってきたベテランだが、国際大会はWorlds2020以来の出場だ。

　こうしてみると、地域外選手5人で固めるチームが想定しているであろうスターや、既にLCSで活躍しているWorlds優勝クラスのベテランたちとは毛色の違うメンバーが揃っている。彼らはLCSやその2部リーグであるアカデミーリーグで戦い、何ならSummer splitも5位でプレイオフに入ったメンバーだ。それでもLCS 2023 Championshipに勝利し、スイスステージではTL,MAD,G2を下してベスト8を勝ち取った。おそらくこの組織の強みは総勢9名のコーチ、ストラテジックコーチ、ポジションコーチ、アナリスト陣なのだろう。これは同じくWorldsに出場していたTLやC9と比べても倍に近い人数だ。

　次戦はスイスステージ初戦で敗北を喫したWBG。TheShyやXiaohu、Crispと国際大会優勝経験者を含めた強力なメンバーが揃っている。はっきり言えば苦しいゲームだろうが、LCSチームはMSI2019において前年の世界王者iGをBo5で破ったこともある。分析と対策を積み上げて勝利を掴み取ることができれば、彼らの強さが再び世界に証明されることになるだろう。

[lecpenni]

gonna post about LEC both changing to League of legends EMEA Championship and the rumoured rosters right now since they're all solid except coaches

firstly the changes to the system are going to make the top teams way better i think, bo3 is better and the system is gonna be interesting, but the bottom 2 are going to be really really shafted and i think there's a higher chance of a rookie team blowing up nearly instantly, see BDS

i like 3 splits with winter and spring feeding into MSI, but i think one more cool thing could be the champion of winter (if they keep at least a 3 man core etc) facing the spring champion to actually qualify, since right now it feels like some teams will use winter split as a testing grounds and might create a "winter split doesn't matter" narrative which i desperately do not want.

summer is ending with something similar in the the big season finals, which I like a lot, and especially because the new format means that you can't coast in off of championship points like G2 and MAD did, which ended up sending what i think was one of the surprisingly weakest european teams ever to worlds, so i do hope winter and spring feed more directly into MSI with that suggested Winter Champ vs Spring Champ to qualify into MSI

but i like the format changes overall, it feels like a good first step and i'm way more into this than LCS's 8 team playoffs that looks like a fucking fiesta until top 2/3/4 and means that a team can coast and play like absolute fucking hogshit until they reach playoffs

anyways roster changes:

wooloo on twitter posted this

which was the final line up for each team as we know right now

quickly ordered:

VIT, HRTS, KOI, FNC

G2, XL, MAD

SK, AST

BDS

and then bigger explanations top to bottom:

BDS:

god it's so good they got rid of xmatty, he looked lost and alone in LEC and played really really badly for almost every game. even during jinx/zeri, but i genuinely don't know if crownie will be an upgrade. objectively? he's better, but his vitality run was really really underwhelming and he often demanded resources despite not using them effectively, depriving his topsides and usually just

not doing well

replacing cinkrof is a clown move, the man was dragging BDS to relevance while nuclearint had the occasional popoff, and the fact that he's teamless is utterly stupid, but whatever i guess people don't trust him after the OG run back in 2017 and then the cursed bds lineup.

if labrov and adam don't show the form they had in 2021 summer and ERLs respectively, bin the whole thing honestly

nuclearint seems like he'll be the "franchise" for BDS, which you know what, you could do worse

AST:

it's such a nothing roster, Finn was good as heck but usually got outclassed if he couldn't cheese a matchup on kled or irelia, 113 was the worst part of kcorp, dajor is Fine and probably a cheap pickup, and kobbe/jeonghoon are the only real chance they have to secure a top 8 finish, which they're gonna fistfight SK for i think

SK:

speaking of SK, after they made a big song and dance privately about hard investing into reaching higher in LEC, coming back in with sertuss is odd. he was fine? but he was just fine, nothing explosive or insane until he got akali, so we'll see if he keeps growing at the pace he has been

irrelevant had a very fucking good rookie split IMO, even if toplane was such a useless island and he crumbled a bit in playoffs, but tbf all of misfits did (rip bunny boys, you will be remembered fondly)

markoon was the shining new star of jungle, glad he has a team, can't wait to see him grow

exakick and doss were really bloody good in ERLs, doss' attitude has already started souring his reputation again, can't wait to see him booted for someone else (this is a joke)

XL:

well XL has my 2 favourite LEC players, Vetheo and Odo, so i know who i'm supporting

patrik/targamas will be interesting to watch after targa's middling worlds, and xerxe's return to EU was undramatic and perfectly fine, can't wait for him to play for 2ish years because he's one of the only veteran jungles left

VTO and odo had great years, and i still think VTO was the best mid player in both spring and summer, so i can't wait to see him be focused by every jungler in the league, and odo to rely so hard on tanks and outperform everyone until people realise a ban button is there

MAD:

i have no clue what to think, nisqy went from a new eu golden boy to winner of the dade award at worlds for a truly horrendous performance, chasy was decent? in NLC but nothing insane or impressive i think, elyoya spent the start of the offseason as the hottest property on the market, only to not be afforded by anyone, and hyli leaving fnatic was an unfortunate inevitability after the absolutely horrible performance he had in groups

but i think the most questionable pickup in the whole goddamn league was carzzy. i personally do not understand why carzzy was ever rated, i don't think the guy had a SINGLE good performance on VIT, and was usually the weakest member of MAD if armut got gnar, so why he's back on mad, with hyli no less is such a huge question mark. i don't really *want* them to succeed unfortunately, but they'll probably get somewhere with nisqy's shotcalling and elyoya's raw mechanical prowess

G2:

letting jankos go was the worst possible decision, but yike is a promising prospect after a good ass year on LDLC, caps hopefully can look more claps again after his insane playoffs run in spring, and BB is right now the second best eu toplaner by virtue of toplane in eu being such a bad role. the botlane is where all the hype is, and if hans/miky show up the way that that 2018 msf botlane did then G2 might have a chance

FNC:

fnatic's roster only swapping the botlane is probably the best course of action for it?

a lot of bad rumours around upset, and the really good temporary performance by rhuckz, and return of the king :)

honestly i think i'm just happy to see rekkles in black and orange again, and rhuckz looked very promising after his performance at worlds, so we'll see how fnatic does after super long of their insane aggression with bwipo and hyli

HRTS:

no clue about how this team will do, but i think they'll be the most fun to watch. jackspectra was probably the best ERL ADC, mersa was insanely confident and looked promising if nothing else?

the big one about HRTS though, is Evi and Jankos

frankly this is the coolest pair of signings this offseason, after it looked like jankos would miss out on spring/winter, and evi being the first ever japanese export. evi's a monster on urgot, a beast on kennen, and honestly was one of the stronger tops in playins and would've been in groups had DFM gotten there. really looking forward to seeing him there!

KOI:

previously rogue, their only change is szygenda in the top lane, which might be an upgrade? in erls and previously in LEC he was both a solid carry player and able to play tank duty, with his gwen especially being feared in the ERLs. besides that, the 4 man core who looked very solid at worlds are staying, so i think KOI are a shoein for winners, especially if jarvan stays in meta

VIT:

when i say i have no expectation of vitality it's because they have a terrible track record. after buying their way into EULCS, fielding middling rosters, having the worst import of all time in Hachani, then scraping into worlds 2018, they have yet to really pop off and show europe anything. but they're a big money team, and after going from last place nji and skeanz with milica and benching comp, to a suprisingly fun and interesting core of szygenda/selfmade/lider, they threw it out the window and spent huge money on alphari/selfmade/perkz/carzzy/labrov, only to bench the only functioning part of that and then sign haru who was

Perfectly Fine

and again, they're doing this again, signing kaiser in support possibly the most overhyped part of MAD, never forget the "i wasted flash on leona, time to run under tower because i need to wait 5 seconds for hexflash", neon in botlane who I'm so happy is keeping an LEC spot, blacklisted LPL jungle prodigy Bo and upper tier LCK CL top player photon, i have no clue what to think

bo's a monster, photon seems to be brutally consistent and likely scrimmed vs zeus and played vs thanatos in LCKCL, so i'm expecting more than i would if they signed a different ERL top

some people are probably already saying "ew random korean player" like they did for malrang and jeonghoon, but here's the thing, random korean player can throw hands with the best, and korean players are usually the best, and the signing makes sense since no LCK teams probably needed a new toplaner except for the lowest tier ones, and spending longer on challenger teams isn't exactly the best path into LCK. point is, photon is going to be good, and probably get signings in korea if he dislikes vitality if he shows up, which vs the caliber of tops in europe, he will

final thoughts:

i like the new format, and the teams have made very interesting changes. as for coaches, the only coach rumour i heard is vitality signing misfit's coaching staff, who were world class and took a team who should've been fighting for 6th and put them within 1 bo5 of worlds 2 years in a row. i can't wait for lec this year and i absolutely am going to support XL and HRTS, but i can't say i'm gonna dislike anyone, except BDS, who are physically unsupportable

TL;DR: LEC has a better format and the teams are exploding and reforming in a beautiful way

[yoanasf8sh1on]

Tips for the girlies that are going to Turkey this summer 🇹🇷

1. Shopping in normal stores

As a girl that has been going to Turkey every summer since 2017 I can assure you that shopping is a big thing in Turkey. If you're in need of clothes definitely visit turkish malls and go for turkish brands like Cotton or LC Waikiki. This type of brands offer amazing quality for a really low price and I don't mean influencer cheap but rather just normal people cheap. Especially if you're in a need for basics in your wardrobe. And if you're going like me at the start of September you can get even cheaper clothes because almost every store has big piles of clothes on sale at this time. For underwear and swimwear there are amazing stores which offer amazing quality for cheap.

2. Shopping for fakes🫢

Trust me girls shops for fakes are every 10 meters and I am not joking. But there is a catch-always look out for the quality. Shopping for fakes in Turkey is a hit or miss thing, you can find amazing fakes and really bad quality ones. Not only that but you would be also mesmerized by how much fakes are there so here are some tips on how to prevent bad quality fakes and overbuying. Tip number 1 is to make a list of clothes that you actually want but don't want to spend that much money. I highly recommend doing one with pics so it can be easier. Tip 2 is to check videos for "fake vs real" and have reference pics so that you can compare the fakes and originals because sometimes those fakes look way too fake(coming from experience). Tip 3-don't buy fakes of too expensive items because trust me it's noticeable that it's fake just because of your background.

3. Food in all inclusive hotels

Food in all inclusive hotels is trust me everywhere at all times and you will definitely eat a lot and because of that you would be most likely bloated at half the vacation(dw everyone else is too) so bring your anti-bloat meds and oversize shirts. Last year I brought only crop tops and by the third day I was washing my oversized shirt in the bathroom sink. Be mindful and get only what you can eat because food waste is not cool.

4. Places to visit🧳

(Asian part of Turkey)

1. Bodrum🛳️🫧

2. Didim🫧⛱️

3. Apollon's temple in Didim🏛️

4. Miletus and Miletus's museum🏛️

5. Pammukkale🏛️🫧(bring a pair of swim suit, a bottle of suncream and comfortable shoes)

6. Ephesus🏛️

7. Cappadocia

If you have any questions leave them below so I can answer and I hope you can have an amazing time in Turkey🫶🏼🇹🇷.

8. Troya suit in Çanakkale

9. Mausoleum at halicarnassus🏛️

10. Bodrum castle

I go to the bar in the hotel I am staying at because there is usually alcohol and cocktails at all times and a disco at night so I can't really give good bars and nightclubs but heard that Medusa is not a bad one in Didim. 🪩🍸

If you have questions leave them below so I can answer and I am wishing you the best time in Turkey🇹🇷🫶🏼

[thetoxicgamer]

What is the LCS walkout and what does it mean?

In defiance of Riot Games' decision to scrap the requirement that teams field a roster in the second division of the North American League, a collective representing the vast majority of League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) players will withdraw from their commitments to the Summer Split launch on June 1. Their decision to essentially unionize against the developer has left the wider League community stunned, and while the LCS Players Association (LCSPA) remains firm on its stance against participating in the LCS Summer Split, Riot is yet to budge either—throwing the upcoming season into turmoil. But just what is the LCS walkout, and what ramifications could this have for NA League? What is the LCS walkout? The LCS walkout is an orchestrated movement led by the LCS Players Association. The walkout was staged by the LCSPA following Riot’s May 7 decision to scrap mandatory participation for LCS organizations in the North American Challenger League (NACL)—the ‘second tier’ of NA League. The LCSPA is an official body established shortly before LCS franchising in 2017 by Riot Games, whose key purpose is to represent the interests of professional, semi-pro, and amateur NA League players, providing resources, counsel, support, and more. The LCSPA was not contacted by Riot ahead of the decision, and following seven of the franchised organizations dropping their academy teams immediately following the lifting of the rule, decided to call a vote to step away from appearing in this week’s split launch. As part of the walkout, which was voted upon and passed by a majority of the LCS playing group, the LCSPA outlined five key measures to be met before players would consider a return to competition, including a promotion-relegation system similar to that of sister esport VALORANT, a revenue pool allocated for each NACL team, guaranteed LCS minimum contracts, and more. While the LCSPA and Riot were previously at odds over the contentious decision to play out the 2020 Spring Split despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first time such drastic action has been taken by the LCSPA, or any player-led association, in the esports’ history. The five demands from LCSPA LCSPA made its demands clear from the beginning. The organization wants the LCS to improve the North American competitive ecosystem in a way that would benefit up-and-coming players and individuals already competing in the league. These demands were released on May 23 before the walkout vote had been passed. They are as follows: - Institute “VALORANT Style” promotion and relegation between the LCS and NACL - Riot commit to a revenue pool for player salaries of $300,000 per NACL team per year - Allow LCS orgs to partner with affiliates for cost-sharing - Riot guarantees LCS minimum contracts for the following year for the five players who win the LCS summer finals each year - Institute a 3/5 roster continuity rule to provide players on released NACL rosters first priority in maintaining their slots in the upcoming NACL season if a majority continue to compete together If these demands were met, they would guarantee a new window of access for NACL teams to actually prove their worth and qualify for the LCS. In VCT Challengers 2023—VALORANT’s global esports competition—the best teams fight for a spot in Ascension, a tournament that will have spots in VCT Americas 2024 and 2025 on the line. Additionally, other demands would secure financial stability for a few players already participating in the LCS. NACL players would also have a much better chance of maintaining their NACL slots if the 3/5 rule would be implemented, which is common in other esports. Since the demands were released, the LCSPA announced on May 30 it’s planning to “begin discussions that result in meaningful collaborative action.” More updates regarding the demands and whether they have been met or not are expected to follow in the coming days. What does the walkout mean for NA League? In a nutshell, the walkout represents the biggest ever divide between the three core pieces of the League ecosystem: The playing group, their franchised organizations, and developer and publisher Riot itself. “The LCSPA sincerely hopes Riot will avert this walkout by joining us in the coming days to have open and transparent discussions so that we can forge collaborative solutions to ensure the best futures for the LCS and the NACL,” the LCSPA’s official statement read following its landmark vote to walk out. The LCSPA was no doubt expecting Riot to come to the table to discuss the terms and conditions as outlined by the association. However, with news the publisher has approached organizations to reaffirm the contractual agreement to field a roster, as well as the lifting of restrictions over who can play in the LCS, it seems Riot has no intention of budging either. Ultimately, the LCSPA wants Riot to ensure those who aspire to join the LCS—or professional League, for that matter—have their voices heard ahead of time when it comes to decisions affecting the future of the region, and that NA academy players receive proper support and compensation for their time invested in building a League career. So, who blinks first? Timeline: How the LCS players’ strike has unfolded Here’s how it’s all unfolded over the last three weeks: - May 7 ⁠— All ten LCS owners unanimously agree to make participation in the NACL optional. - May 7 ⁠— Riot agrees to this request on the basis of greater financial flexibility. - May 12 ⁠— Riot makes sweeping changes to the region’s path-to-pro, new cross-region competitions, and provides a firm stance on the current LCS import rule. Among these changes is confirmation LCS teams will no longer have to field NACL rosters from the 2023 Summer Split onward. - May 12 to 18 ⁠— 100 Thieves, Cloud9, Dignitas, Golden Guardians, Immortals, NRG, and TSM, drop their NACL rosters throughout the next week. - May 19 ⁠— FlyQuest, Evil Geniuses, and Team Liquid retain NACL rosters. - May 19 ⁠— LCS Player Association highlights more than 70 jobs may be lost as a result of this decision by Riot and the LCS teams. - May 23 ⁠— LCSPA begins preparations for massive vote involving all 50 of the league’s players on a walkout to protest against the changes. - May 23 ⁠— LCSPA outlines request list ahead of walkout vote. - May 28 ⁠— Vote is “overwhelmingly” passed. - May 29 ⁠— Reports emerge that LCS teams still obliged to field rosters so begin preparing to find replacements. Riot temporarily changes League signing rules to allow unranked emergency signings for orgs. - May 29 ⁠— LCSPA moves to mitigate any “scab” signings. - May 30 — Collegiate teams stand in solidarity with the LCSPA and players and knock back calls to fill LCS player slots. - May 30 — Riot issued a statement regarding the walkout, responding to the LCSPA’s demands and pushing the LCS start date back two weeks. - May 30 — New 2023 LCS Summer Split start date tentatively set for June 15. - May 30 — Publicly, Riot says any further LCS delays may see NA league canceled and any qualification spots for the 2023 League World Championship in Korea in October stripped and given to other leagues. - May 30 — Behind the scenes, Riot threatens any LCS orgs that cannot bring League stars back to play with heavy fines and potential loss of NA franchise slots. - May 30 — LCPSA confirms it will sit down with Riot for daily meetings from today to discuss the future of the NACL and the LCS. Will the 2023 LCS Summer Split be canceled? As of 6:45pm CT May 30, the LCS Summer Split has been delayed by two weeks, with the new expected start date set for Thursday, June 15. “While last week we immediately put in place contingency plans to begin the LCS season on Thursday, we ultimately decided that it would not hold true to our values that Riot’s esports offers our players and fans a showcase for the best competitive League of Legends,” said Global Head of League Esports Naz Aletaha. However, with question marks over the current crop of LCS players and their participation, as well as the contractual requirement for LCS orgs to field a roster for the split’s launch, it is unclear at this time who will suit up for each team ahead of the season opener. “Joining hands to put competition aside is a testament to the significance and urgency of the issues,” reiterated the LCSPA. “We stand at this impasse because actions were taken by Riot without prior communication or discussion.” All 10 LCS orgs will be expected to field a roster for the Summer Split opener. Read the full article

[katneedname]

It was a hectic match and Immortals put up one hell of a fight, but my boys pulled through and brought the trophy right back where it belongs. GG!

[cmtcahrule]

Statistics from LC IG account: Year 2017

Post #2. I am going to share some data and observations and ask questions.

Liz has 501 posts in 365 days in 2017. She posts almost daily and is an open book.

Travel: There was less family travel in 2017 because of the birth of Ford.

Jan: Liz not at Sundance with AH and TC** Feb: Liz not at Berlin film festival with AH and TC** Mar 12-25 – Austin/Dallas Apr 9-12 – Moscow for Free Fire press May 1-2 – NYC for MetGala; May 13 – Dallas; May 27 – Dallas June 5-8 – NYC; June 21-23 – San Antonio July 1-3 – Armie in NYC and Liz in Denver/Vail (TC white cap selfie)**; July 13 – London; July 15 – Tulsa; July 24-25 – Liz in NYC and AH and TC in LA** Aug 3-13 – Crema/Rome/Sicily with family and friends; August 22-24 – San Antonio/Dallas Sept 2-3 – Dallas/NOLA; September 12-14 – NYC; September 27-30 – Dallas Oct 1 – Dallas; October 11 – Dallas; October 29 – Dallas Nov 17 – NYC; November 23-29 – Dallas/Denver Dec 10-11 – San Antonio; December 22-29 – Denver; December 29-31 – Cayman Islands

1.       Ford was born on Jan 18 and the first quarter of the year was spent with a new baby. AH had shoulder surgery and then went off to Sundance and then Berlin. I noted in Feb 2017, TC went to a pre-Oscars party with LC and AH. In March 2017, Liz mentioned she and Armie own a home in San Antonio. In Jan and Feb, TC liked 2 LC posts but in March he liked 8. TC often “likes” pics of Harper/Ford. Took note AH and LC are good friends with Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello. AH and LC are also good friends with Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent. Luca visited Armie in June at his home.

11/30/20 Update: I don’t want to just breeze by the first few months of 2017 as I believe the chemistry was building. First you have Sundance and Berlin. We all saw the way the boys interacted at these promo events. LC was at neither of them. Then in March, AH is doing press for Free Fire at SXSW 2017 on March 13 while TC is doing press for Hot Summer Nights at SXSW 2017 in Austin on March 13. So they crossed paths there. TC starts filming Beautiful Boy in Los Angeles and San Francisco between end of March and thru May. Part of this time is actually living with AH and LC at their home but I have not details on the timeline of that. So AH keeps TC very close by. We hear from TC that filming was so intense at one point he had to receive medical care and I have no doubt AH was there to comfort him. 

2.       July is where things got interesting. Armie was in NYC by himself from July 1-3. This coincides with the picture of Tim in his apartment hallway on Armie’s IG account and also with Timmy posting the white cap selfie. Liz was in Denver/Vail at the time. It is only my humble opinion, because of my review of Liz’s IG posts from 2015-2016, something of substance went down with the boys on that trip. Further, LC went to NYC on July 24-25 by herself and AH and TC were left alone in LA. I think TC posted a pic of Armie’s backyard and wrote “Dreamy LA” on the 24th. What’s really interesting is that LC posted this random picture on July 27 referencing The Man from UNCLE and it says “smooches with a spy”. Flagged this as out of place and maybe sending a message. TC liked a lot of Liz’s posts during July.

3.       I sensed distance between AH and LC from August through the end of the year. They went on a trip to Crema/Rome/Sicily from Aug 3-13 with the kids and a few friends. It did not feel romantic or have the same vibe of her other past vacation posts. My humble opinion is they were working on hitting the reset button on this trip. AH did not post about her birthday in Aug that I can see. I got a gut feeling he was in the doghouse.

4.       In Sept 2017, you have promotion of CMBYN at TIFF and LC made no mention of it unlike all the other times in the past two years that she went overboard talking about the HUSBAND and his outfits and the premiers. Their body language again was different, noticeable at the Ralph Lauren event.

5.       In Oct 2017, you have promotion of CMBYN at the NYFF55 and also at the London Film Festival. Again, no mention of AH or the premieres.

6.       CMBYN press junket and general awards shows kicked into high gear in Nov in the US. AH + LC + TC spent a lot of time together. I posted a few pics. We know TC was at Ashton’s b-day party by the ocean on the 22nd and everyone noticed how AH looked at TC. TC liked a lot of LCs posts during Nov and only one in Dec.

 7.       LCs birthday post to TC in Dec freaked me out but even more TC’s reply back to her. See photo. I think because I feel in my gut that AH and TC passed a few bases in July his reply was odd or strategic/calculated (a sham). Everyone will have their own opinion on this.

 8.       We all saw the interviews and press with AH and TC during Q4 of 2017. Think Andrew Freund, Ellen DeGeneres, GQ Men of the Year party at Chateau Marmont, Neil Patrick Harris, etc. not to mention London, NYC and Toronto. Plus, TC has never taken down the white cap selfie on IG. My gut says LC picked up on this relationship after July 2017 and I am not sure how it was addressed. Were there deals made? 

Now on to 2018 where things get more intense esp in Rome. Again, I appreciate other viewpoints and feedback. Sorry for typos or grammatical errors. 

[c9sneaksen-blog]

c9 photos : nalcs summer split 2017 (week 1 vs TSM).

sorry they’re late!!

[ravenkult]

2017 NA LCS Summer Finals Poster by Hicham Habchi https://www.artstation.com/artwork/JVaDa

[onlymissotome]

2017 NA LCS Summer Split doodles! Morgana wasn’t picked but I still like her.

[cynicism-sarcasm]

NA LCS Summer Split starting soon!

[ele-fant]

Remembering the nights we spent roaming the city, holding hands, basking in the last rays of light before the sun would set and me, studying the perfectly curated curve of your lips, your jaw, the bridge of your nose, tickling the stubble growing on your face, the way your eyes would shine like stars even under all those city lights and a smile that drowned out all the noise, I think it was even drowning me sometimes. I think back every time summer begins again and you're not around, to the best summer way back in 2017 when life definitely wasn't easy for both of us but somehow I remember it being the simplest time of my entire life; the scent of your cologne, head on your chest, arm draped over me, sunlight creeping through that ugly blue velvet curtain, I didn't need anything anymore,  not a college to go to or a plan for the future I was settled and permanent with you wrapped around me. In hindsight, it felt like the more I pushed for what I had always wanted in life... an amazing education, a plethora of internships with an abundance of networking opportunities, lavish parties that would skyrocket my career, going out every Saturday with the girls just to reconvene and get drunk again for Sunday brunch; the more I pulled away from you. I'm sorry for that and for not being there when you needed me most. I always asked of you what I couldn't give back. I know that somewhere deep, deep down or maybe even in the back of your mind you too felt that we weren't made to last but I couldn't have asked for a better person to experience true love with. I hope San Fran treats you well and know that this is definitely not a goodbye but a chapter where I know you will find everything that you couldn't in New York.

- Love LC

[bykryschi]

Notes to Myself of 2017

Edit: Oops, this is krys of May 2020.  I found this entry of my personal life sitting in drafts and thought I would... very lately post it since why not? 

The year didn’t end on a happy note for me, and the trending theme of 2017 being a shite year has somewhat rang true, albeit, there has been a lot of good to come of it.

I continued to work at my sales position with Anthropologie, which I really enjoyed: the team, my managers, and customers were great.  I started working for Anthropologie in September 2016 when my health and energy seemed to allow me the opportunity.  The business really kept me on my toes.  There were hectic days, and there were stressful moments but all in all, I enjoyed the work, the varied style and art driven aesthetics, and the admirable teamwork and care that went into pleasing our customers.  Can’t forget the fashion as well--Anthropologie continues to be one of my favourite places to indulge in unique, high-quality pieces.

I left in August to take on a position at the Canadian company Simons that benefitted me in being much closer to home, saving me from the 2 hour commute that it took to work at Anthro, on top of other benefits such as a higher income and a chance to be a part of a grand opening of a department store location.

Opening a store was really interesting.  Behind-the-scenes training included presentations on fashion, going over the history of the company(established in 1840), meeting the Simons family, learning about the fashion industry and the process of how fashions and trend ‘trickle down’ to retailers, and of course, the less interesting but necessary: sales.  There were also presentations from brand ambassadors a few times each month that gave employees a more rounded scope of their products (and freebies-yay!).

Anyway, my personal life was a bit of a mess and arguably is still a bit of a mess.  After attending my first LCS event in Vancouver, I made the decision to give up a friendship that was causing me a lot of grief and unnecessary stress early on in the year.  I struggled with loneliness following.  I hadn’t realized just how dependent I was on this one particular individual and how alienated and cut-off I found myself from the rest of the world.

I think I am in a much better place right now, and the void that manifested itself following this event dissipated over the course of the year.  Family, my neighbours, and my friends, new and old, are all to thank as they’ve continually given me so much to cherish.  I’ve reconnected with various friends from my high school life--enjoying fire pit and BBQ sessions, dancing, catching up over drinks, and texts.  I also made a handful of friends through League and work who I’ve enjoyed the company of daily and who I sincerely appreciate and adore (if any of you Simons peeps are reading, I mean you!).  And in the summer, I went back-country camping (another first!) with my wonderful neighbour, who’s a sister to me, and who’s family is family.   

I did however resort to dating apps (and another first...) for a short period, which, although I didn’t go on very many dates, I think I could safely say I’ve been on possibly the worst date of my life, and the most ideally romantic.  I don’t think I’ll experience anything like that again but in short, the worst involved an angry, super-obnoxious boy in a man’s shell, and the best being a highly enjoyable evening involving wine, a classy home-cooked meal, and an uber ride home at the end of the night.  

I’ll be amazed if anyone actually reads this through, hah.  Not much more to say now though.

Anyway, art has been an on and off activity this year due to various reasons: work, health, distractions, etc.  In any case, the always and forever goal of the next year and the years following will be to do more, do better, develop further... 

Most recently, I ended a relationship that I hastily (and without much thought) engaged in.  It was over sooner than it started and I’m not sure it is even worth mentioning, although it was a factor that made the end of this last year a bit hellish, and infuriating and filled with regret; all the humbug.  In addition, I decided to resign from work due to health reasons.  I very much wanted to continue with work but recovery is slow, and I needed over a month or several.  Thankfully, I’m on the mend and things are improving more speedily than previous.  So much love in my heart for my family and their unyielding support.

With that, there’s a lot to look forward to in this new year.  We welcomed a new family member in 2017.  I was amazed just how much in love with them I fell and just how excited I am to see growth, and the bringing together of family.  I also expect to reunite with far-a-way friends, and loved ones soon.  I will be making the move to Japan late February and living there for a year.  I don’t have too much to say on that right now except that I’m full of nervous excitement.

-krys

[thetoxicgamer]

What is the LCS walkout and what does it mean?

This week, a collective representing the vast majority of League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) players will withdraw from their commitments to the Summer Split, defying Riot Games' decision to abandon the requirement that teams field a roster in the North American League's second division. Their decision to essentially unionize against the developer has left the wider League community stunned, and while the LCS Players Association (LSCPA) remains firm on its stance against participating in this week’s LCS Summer Split, Riot is yet to budge either—throwing the upcoming split into turmoil. But just what is the LCS walkout, and what ramifications could this have for NA League? What is the LCS walkout? The LCS walkout is an orchestrated movement led by the LCS Players Association. The walkout was staged by the LCSPA following Riot’s May 7 decision to scrap mandatory participation for LCS organizations in the North American Challenger League (NACL)—the ‘second tier’ of NA League. The LCSPA is an official body established shortly before LCS franchising in 2017 by Riot Games, whose key purpose is to represent the interests of professional, semi-pro, and amateur NA League players, providing resources, counsel, support, and more. The LCSPA was not contacted by Riot ahead of the decision, and following seven of the franchised organizations dropping their academy teams immediately following the lifting of the rule, decided to call a vote to step away from appearing in this week’s split launch. As part of the walkout, which was voted upon and passed by a majority of the LCS playing group, the LCSPA outlined five key measures to be met before players would consider a return to competition, including a promotion-relegation system similar to that of sister esport VALORANT, a revenue pool allocated for each NACL team, guaranteed LCS minimum contracts, and more. While the LCSPA and Riot were previously at odds over the contentious decision to play out the 2020 Spring Split despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first time such drastic action has been taken by the LCSPA, or any player-led association, in the esports’ history. What does the walkout mean for NA League? In a nutshell, the walkout represents the biggest ever divide between the three core pieces of the League ecosystem: The playing group, their franchised organizations, and developer and publisher Riot itself. “The LCSPA sincerely hopes Riot will avert this walkout by joining us in the coming days to have open and transparent discussions so that we can forge collaborative solutions to ensure the best futures for the LCS and the NACL,” the LCSPA’s official statement read following their landmark vote to walk out. The LCSPA was no doubt expecting Riot to come to the table to discuss the terms and conditions as outlined by the association. However, with news the publisher has approached organizations to reaffirm the contractual agreement to field a roster, as well as the lifting of restrictions over who can play in the LCS, it seems Riot has no intention of budging either. Ultimately, the LCSPA wants Riot to ensure those who aspire to join the LCS—or professional League, for that matter—have their voices heard ahead of time when it comes to decisions affecting the future of the region, and that NA academy players receive proper support and compensation for their time invested in building a League career. So, who blinks first? Timeline: How the LCS players’ strike has unfolded Here’s how it’s all unfolded over the last three weeks: - May 7 ⁠— All 10 LCS owners unanimously agree to make participation in the NACL optional. - May 7 ⁠— Riot agrees to this request on the basis of greater financial flexibility. - May 12 ⁠— Riot makes sweeping changes to the region’s path-to-pro, new cross-region competitions, and provides a firm stance on the current LCS import rule. Among these changes is confirmation LCS teams will no longer have to field NACL rosters from the 2023 Summer Split onward. - May 12 to 18 ⁠— 100 Thieves, Cloud9, Dignitas, Golden Guardians, Immortals, NRG, and TSM, drop their NACL rosters throughout the next week. - May 19 ⁠— FlyQuest, Evil Geniuses, and Team Liquid retain NACL rosters. - May 19 ⁠— LCS Player Association highlights more than 70 jobs may be lost as a result of this decision by Riot and the LCS teams. - May 23 ⁠— LCSPA begins preparations for massive vote involving all 50 of the league’s players on a walkout to protest against the changes. - May 23 ⁠— LCSPA outlines request list ahead of walkout vote. - May 28 ⁠— Vote is “overwhelmingly” passed. - May 29 ⁠— Reports emerge that LCS teams still obliged to field rosters so begin preparing to find replacements. Riot temporarily changes League signing rules to allow unranked emergency signings for orgs. - May 29 ⁠— LCSPA moves to mitigate any “scab” signings. League fans have said they’re “proud” of the LCSPA’s decision. Photo by Robert Paul via Riot Games Will the 2023 LCS Summer Split be canceled? As of 11:59pm May 29, the LCS Summer Split is expected to proceed as planned on Thursday, June 1. However, with question marks over the current crop of LCS players and their participation, as well as the contractual requirement for LCS orgs to field a roster for the split’s launch, it is unclear at this time who will suit up for each team ahead of the season opener. “Joining hands to put competition aside is a testament to the significance and urgency of the issues,” reiterated the LCSPA. “We stand at this impasse because actions were taken by Riot without prior communication or discussion.” Riot has not yet issued a public comment on the LCSPA decision to walk out, and all 10 LCS orgs are expected to field a roster for Thursday’s Summer Split opener. Read the full article

[chibipika]

Okay, I finally sat down to figure out exactly when certain aspects of the LC ending came together when:

Spring 2010 - This was the infamous “ham sandwich moment” I love to speak of, where I had a random epiphany about the Pokémon world that kickstarted my desire to pick LC up from hiatus.  It’s actually a reworking of a concept that first entered the fic in the summer of 2003, just modified to be a lot better/more interesting.  It also opened the door to several different ending possibilities, but I had a difficult time narrowing down which one.

Spring 2012 - While walking home from class, I randomly managed to figure out which ending to go with.  Of course, in the time since then, that ending is only about 5% of the larger whole.  But hey!  It’s still there. (On 5/8/12, in the Serebii thread, I made a reference to figuring out the ending “a few months ago” and it was most likely referring to this.)

November 12, 2015 - On this day, I had a major revelation about the finale while driving to work.  This laid the groundwork for Doorway to Infinity, the major, ultra-long backstory plot-reveal chapter.

October 29, 2016 - I decided not to do NaNoWriMo in 2016, however I wound up getting the urge to overhaul the outline to chapters 71-77, which improved things tremendously.  Of note, I moved Doorway to Infinity from after the climax to before it, which improved the flow tremendously.  The only major issue was the fact that Jade played very little role in the finale.

May 1, 2017 - Aaand, this was when I figured out how to make Jade relevant, lol.  (Special note: 5/2/17 was when I wrote the ending line to the fic.)

September 20, 2017 - This was another change that gave Jade a role in Doorway to Infinity that she previously didn’t have.  I’m really, really happy with how this turned out, and it made that chapter even better than it already was.

February 3, 2018 - This was when I got a sudden burst of motivation and sat down to actually write the ending.  A lot of the juicer details came up during this week, but they’re all natural extensions of the realizations I’d made previously.  Now I get to suffer until it’s finally time to publish it.

[xbowposts]

Top 10 Teamfights: EU&NA LCS Week 1 – Spring Split 2017

[laurenconraddaily]

Lauren Conrad Celebrates the 10-Year Anniversary of Her Kohl's Clothing Line: 'It's a Very Big Deal'

The star is ringing in the milestone with a special anniversary/holiday collection that hits stores in November.

Lauren Conrad has a lot to celebrate this holiday season!

First, the former Hills star welcomed her second son, Charlie, with husband William Tell a week and a half ago. And now, she’s ringing in another monumental milestone in life — the 10th anniversary of her LC Lauren Conrad for Kohl’s line and its celebratory holiday collection.

The line that gave her fans a chance to get her colorful and cool California aesthetic, has expanded from apparel to include accessories, home goods and even a maternity line when she was expecting her first son in 2017. “We really started as a clothing line and have become a lifestyle brand,” Conrad says in a special 10-year-anniversary video which looks back through her past campaigns.

“It’s been really nice to grow along with this brand. They really mirrored my life milestones. We did a maternity line when I was pregnant. Whenever there’s something happening in my life, they’re like, ‘Let’s talk about it, it should be reflected in the line,’ which is really cool. I think as I continue to grow and have changes in my life that will continue to be shown throughout the line.”

To kick off the 10-year celebration, Conrad created a special anniversary/holiday collection that perfectly encapsulates the aesthetic of her brand.

“The 10th anniversary collection is inspired by everything that this line stands for,” she explains in the video. “You’ll see that through the color story and the embellishment and the fabrics and silhouettes. It’s really a concentrated collection of our aesthetic and I’m very excited about. It really feels like a celebration of this brand.”

While Conrad was in New York City for final design meetings of the collection this summer, PEOPLE got to catch up with the design powerhouse to get a sneak peek of the new pieces.

“We wanted it to feel like a celebration of the line because 10 years is a very big deal, and the brand has grown so much in those years,” Conrad tells PEOPLE exclusively. “It was really fun to kind of look back at what we stood for, what were all of the moments we had and things we did and then make sure that those were all represented within those lines.”

The first drop will be delivered to stores in November, the second in December, which each feature the brand’s signature hues.

“The color palette really comes through. One month is heavily focused on pink, which is very true to the line, and then the other is blue because we have just a lot of pinks and blues throughout the line,” explains Conrad. “I also wanted to make a statement, and I feel like when you stand strong behind one color, it feels like a strong statement. I’m also a huge fan of tonal dressing, so I love being able to dress in one color head to toe.”

The collection contains a slew of party pieces that will make perfect holiday season attire as well.

To learn more about the collection and look back at the last 10 years of her line, we sat down with Conrad to pick her brain about her design process.

PEOPLE: What was the biggest challenge you’ve come across working on your line throughout the last 10 years? LC: The biggest challenge? When we decided to do a runway collection and show at New York Fashion Week [in September 2015], that was a lot of pressure. And we have a really accessible price point, so we wanted to make sure that we were still providing the shopper with that, but we also wanted to deliver as much value as possible, which we always do, but we wanted to have really elevated pieces, and that means looking at different embellishment and fabrics that are a little outside of what we usually do. That was challenging to deliver a collection worthy of being on a runway at a Kohl’s price point. It was a very validating moment. And we were able to do it, but that really just speaks to the team I have. They’re amazing.

P: Do you think you’ll ever do another fashion show? LC: I don’t know because I think the industry is changing. I think that people don’t show the same way as they used to. Runway shows will probably always exist, but I think that people are also looking at more intimate ways to share their collection. People want to show collections that are available for purchase right away. The industry is changing. I used to spend a lot of time attending fashion shows and now I’m much more likely to be in invited to a preview at a lunch or a dinner. So I think that people are just approaching it really differently, which is cool.

P: What have you learned from your customer over the years? LC: I think the biggest thing that I’ve taken away is that is the importance of listening to your customer. I mean at the end of the day you are designing a line for her. It only makes sense to give her exactly what she’s looking for and Kohl’s is very good about that. Social media has made that so much easier. So feedback is important. Listen to it.

P: Do you read every comment? LC: Yes, on the website I read every comment. I think it’s important to take criticism of any product as an opportunity to improve it. I mean you’re constantly developing new ideas as trends, new trends emerge and you’re not going to get it right every single time. And that’s okay. I think that you just have to always be open to improvement and listen to what the customer really likes and make sure you’re giving her more of that. So it’s just always listening and keeping lines of communication open.

P: What differentiates your brand from others? LC: It’s feminine details. We have little touches of rose gold or a little tiny trims, it’s the little things that we add in there that kind of separate us. We want every piece to feel special. Even if it’s something as simple as a denim jacket or a blazer or a pair of jeans. That last little touch of detail is what separates it.

P: What inspires you in terms of design aesthetic? LC: You always want to have newness, but you also want to be there for your loyal customer and continue to deliver the pieces she’s looking for. It’s a balance. We have classic pieces that we’re going to reinvent through new fabrics and prints and update slightly. But then you also want to make sure that you have exciting pieces in there and maybe even something that she’s not looking for but then finds.

P: Personally, how do you get inspired on a day to day basis? LC: I love Pinterest. If I get an idea or if I have an interest, I definitely explore it through Pinterest. I’m the type of person who really has an interest and I stick with it for like six months or so and then it’s on the next thing. Right now I’m very into gardening so that’s been something. It’s something that I can also do with my son, which is really nice because every weekend we go to our local nursery and he picks some flowers and we spend some time there.

P: What do you want your legacy as a designer to be as a designer? LC: I’ve never really thought about that. I know it sounds really simple, but I’d like to be thought of as someone who just made pretty things.