NA is not competitive internationally, period: In 2015, Cloud 9 (everyone do a shot!) swept Team DK and Team Dignitas (Korea and EU, respectively) to win the World Championship. Since then, NA has been unable to do anything of note on the international stage. Today was no different. FNATIC swept Tempo Storm, and Dignitas swept GFE. The record for NA against EU is utterly humiliating:
GFE 0-5 vs. EU
Tempo Storm 0-3 vs. EU
Team 8 1-2 vs. EU
For those who cannot add, that's a 1-10 record for NA vs. EU. The Western Clash is less of a tournament and more of a showcase of EU as clearly the second strongest region behind Korea.
Barring a miracle by Team 8 tomorrow, this NA/EU rivalry will end in a completely one-sided stomp that should make Blizzard consider rotating the clash next year so that EU and Korea can square off (they should probably do that anyway). "LOL NA" has never been more appropriate, and you know how much I hate giving power to Twitch Chat Trolls.
Misfits is Back to Being Immortal; Pay No Attention to the Nomia Series: Yesterday, I said that Misfits was mortal almost getting knocked to the losers bracket by ANZ's Nomia. Forget that. Yes, Snitch was unwell, but Misfits swept Dignitas with relative ease to move on to the next round. Not five hours later, a still sick Snitch and Dignitas took out GFE in a sweep. Now, either Snitch recovered really fast or Dignitas is just that good. I would bet on the latter. Meaning, Misfits is even better.
Can Team 8 Get a Fucking Sponsor Already? Two of the three gutter teams in NA (Team Freedom and Naventic) have sponsors. Why hasn't an eSports organization stepped up to sponsor Team 8? For that matter, why are there any teams in pro HotS without a sponsor? In beating Tempo Storm, Team 8 holds best-of-five victories over all of the other teams in NA. Right now, they are the top team, and no one will sponsor them.
It's not like this is an NA-only problem. L5, after winning Blizzcon, lost their sponsor, and they are currently running the table in Korea without a sponsor. Still, that means that the top team in two of the four major regions has no sponsorship, no backing.
JHow and Solid Jake Need a Regular HGC Gig: All of the casters we have are fantastic, but in the last series, Jake and JHow were just awesome. No one needs to be replaced, but we could just expand coverage for Latin America or something just so that these two can cast together.
So, What Happens Tomorrow? First, because it wasn't obvious which teams went where in the losers bracket (thanks for no bracket challenge, Blizzard), my bracket was messed up, though I'm technically correct on my top 3. That isn't an accomplishment since everyone had 1. Misfits, 2. FNATIC, 3. Dignitas, 4. The Least Bad NA Team. Anyway, here's what you need to know:
Team Dignitas 3-2 over Team 8: Team 8 has already shown that they can take a map off of EU, and they did it against Dig. Expect Team 8 to get game one and game four. I would like to see Team 8 force Dignitas onto Warhead Junction or Braxis in an attempt to make them uncomfortable, but I am almost positive Dig will ban out WJ. Team 8 can win this if they learn the lesson about Dig I have been preaching: do not fight on their terms. That means, don't fight them when they engage, and don't fight them when they are ready to defend. Team 8 has to catch Dig off balance, and do so in the mid and late games to win.
Misfits 3-2 over FNATIC: The league match was a classic, and this will likely be the first of two matches that we see. Misfits getting a scare from Nomia woke them up, and now, everyone beware. FNATIC is good, and this will be close. Game five will come down to a minor error that Misfits will exploit and turn.
FNATIC 3-1 over Team Dignitas: Right now, Team Dignitas has work to do in figuring out how to play against Misfits and FNATIC, and that work will not happen between now and tomorrow. FNATIC is too good right now, and they own Dig.
Misfits 3-2 over FNATIC (again): First, Misfits will start with a +1 advantage for not having lost, meaning they only need to win two. Second, FNATIC will have just come off of playing two series in a row to play series three, so they are going to be tired. The schedule locks it in for Misfits as they will enjoy the winner's advantage and win the first clash.
And with that, I'll leave you all with this clip of Dread getting broken by Jake at the desk:
In depth coverage of #HGC league play for EU and NA from one fan, stuck in Bronze, who watches too much esports, and thinks she knows a lot... but probably doesn't.
Saturday, March 4, 2017
Friday, March 3, 2017
Lessons from Day 1, #HGC Western Clash
Misfits are Mortals: The undisputed gods of HGC 2017 dropped the first map of the day to ANZ champs Nomia. It was marked by some uncharacteristic Misfits greed:
EU > NA: While we probably already knew this going in, Team 8 did hang pretty well with Team Dignitas, taking a map, and while Bakery having to eat a little crow was fun, it execution of Gale Force eSports at the hands of FNATIC was anything but fun.
GFE looked completely out of sorts against FNATIC. To be fair, they made short work of Latin America's Infamous, but Infamous was playing with a sub (see below). The bottom line is that EU looked mostly in control of NA, and that the best NA teams do not look ready for the best that EU has to offer.
Heroes eSports (and eSports in general) has to do a better job with international events and Visas: At two Blizzcons, we have had teams either pull out or be cobbled together (or both) because of visa issues. Infamous, who did not look horrible, suffered from having to get a sub warrior player, who had retired from HotS and was playing Overwatch. This cannot and should not happen. These clashes are really important, especially for the smaller regions who are not getting enough time to shine or compete. This needs to be addressed better than it has been.
ANZ Has Game: Nomia may be exiting the Clash, but they took maps off of Misfits and Team 8. If we are being honest, they almost beat Misfits in what would have been the biggest upset since PBA beat GFE last summer (minor region beating a major region does not happen often). Blizzard needs to consider investing more time and effort into developing the ANZ scene as well as the SEA and Taiwan scenes.
New Meta? What New Meta?: Other than GFE busting out Lucio to a meh record of 1-1, and the considerably fewer instances of Varian, the Lucio patch has not changed things much. Tassadar is still first pick first ban material. Ragnaros is still the most important assassin (the value of Molten Core cannot be overstated. Fight me), followed closely by Zeratul, and the supports are still dominated by Malf and Rehgar, with some Monk sprinkled in. This might be because we only saw best-of-three series today, and perhaps we will see some more Lucio and any Murky tomorrow, but for as fun as Lucio and Murky are, and as impactful as they are in solo queue, it doesn't seem like they will make their way to the competitive meta any time soon.
But Muradin is back. The loss of Varian's ability to have complete lockdown has made Muradin viable as a tank again, not that he wasn't, but he did see some fall off over the play we saw in phase one. So, the new meta is the old meta? It's good for consistency, but it doesn't help the excitement.
Anne Can Still Pick Em: 6-0 today, not that I'm counting this with my overall record. But here's what's happening tomorrow:
Misfits will top Team Dignitas 3-1. The scare against Nomia and the fact that they swept Dig once will have Misfits winning easily.
FNATIC will beat Tempo Storm, 3-1. Tempo will put up a fight, but they are going to be out-drafted and out-played.
Team Dignitas will beat Team 8, 3-2. Don't be surprised if I get this one wrong. Team 8 always fucks up my picks. Team 8 is probably the only NA team capable of beating one of the EU teams.
Tempo Storm will beat GFE, 3-2. I am changing this from my bracket, so it doesn't count if I get this one right. If Tempo wins, it's a loss for me because I picked GFE originally, but I no longer believe in GFE after that second game against FNATIC.
I will be missing the FNATIC vs. Tempo Storm match tomorrow (I have to work every Saturday morning), but the Heroes Esports Twitter account has me covered... or so they say:
Most viewers of Heroes eSports cannot name a single member of Nomia, but they have a lot of international experience under other names. After the game one scare, and a nearly petrifying failed game two core rush by Nomia, Misfits settled down and finished them off, but if they do this tomorrow against Team Dignitas, they are heading for the losers' bracket.What world is this? #Nomia takes game 1 off of @MisfitsGG???? I don't even know! #HGChttps://t.co/32CfA2kzU5— Anne Elise Morrigan (@anne_elise) March 3, 2017
EU > NA: While we probably already knew this going in, Team 8 did hang pretty well with Team Dignitas, taking a map, and while Bakery having to eat a little crow was fun, it execution of Gale Force eSports at the hands of FNATIC was anything but fun.
GFE looked completely out of sorts against FNATIC. To be fair, they made short work of Latin America's Infamous, but Infamous was playing with a sub (see below). The bottom line is that EU looked mostly in control of NA, and that the best NA teams do not look ready for the best that EU has to offer.
Heroes eSports (and eSports in general) has to do a better job with international events and Visas: At two Blizzcons, we have had teams either pull out or be cobbled together (or both) because of visa issues. Infamous, who did not look horrible, suffered from having to get a sub warrior player, who had retired from HotS and was playing Overwatch. This cannot and should not happen. These clashes are really important, especially for the smaller regions who are not getting enough time to shine or compete. This needs to be addressed better than it has been.
ANZ Has Game: Nomia may be exiting the Clash, but they took maps off of Misfits and Team 8. If we are being honest, they almost beat Misfits in what would have been the biggest upset since PBA beat GFE last summer (minor region beating a major region does not happen often). Blizzard needs to consider investing more time and effort into developing the ANZ scene as well as the SEA and Taiwan scenes.
New Meta? What New Meta?: Other than GFE busting out Lucio to a meh record of 1-1, and the considerably fewer instances of Varian, the Lucio patch has not changed things much. Tassadar is still first pick first ban material. Ragnaros is still the most important assassin (the value of Molten Core cannot be overstated. Fight me), followed closely by Zeratul, and the supports are still dominated by Malf and Rehgar, with some Monk sprinkled in. This might be because we only saw best-of-three series today, and perhaps we will see some more Lucio and any Murky tomorrow, but for as fun as Lucio and Murky are, and as impactful as they are in solo queue, it doesn't seem like they will make their way to the competitive meta any time soon.
But Muradin is back. The loss of Varian's ability to have complete lockdown has made Muradin viable as a tank again, not that he wasn't, but he did see some fall off over the play we saw in phase one. So, the new meta is the old meta? It's good for consistency, but it doesn't help the excitement.
Anne Can Still Pick Em: 6-0 today, not that I'm counting this with my overall record. But here's what's happening tomorrow:
Misfits will top Team Dignitas 3-1. The scare against Nomia and the fact that they swept Dig once will have Misfits winning easily.
FNATIC will beat Tempo Storm, 3-1. Tempo will put up a fight, but they are going to be out-drafted and out-played.
Team Dignitas will beat Team 8, 3-2. Don't be surprised if I get this one wrong. Team 8 always fucks up my picks. Team 8 is probably the only NA team capable of beating one of the EU teams.
Tempo Storm will beat GFE, 3-2. I am changing this from my bracket, so it doesn't count if I get this one right. If Tempo wins, it's a loss for me because I picked GFE originally, but I no longer believe in GFE after that second game against FNATIC.
I will be missing the FNATIC vs. Tempo Storm match tomorrow (I have to work every Saturday morning), but the Heroes Esports Twitter account has me covered... or so they say:
— Heroes Esports (@HeroesEsports) March 3, 2017
@anne_elise @FNATIC @Tempo_Storm We are watching the games and clipping awesome moments. Think it's just a great minds think alike thing 😍— Heroes Esports (@HeroesEsports) March 3, 2017
— Heroes Esports (@HeroesEsports) March 3, 2017
— Anne Elise Morrigan (@anne_elise) March 3, 2017
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Predictions and Four Reasons for the #HGC Western Clash
I really wish that Blizzard had provided us with a bracket challenge of some kind. I feel like this is a missed opportunity to get more people to watch what should be some decent matches. Because they didn't, I had to resort to a screen shot and a copy pasta to give you my bracket of how I think the Western Clash will go:
The winner of the Western Clash, barring a major upset, will be Misfits.
So, here are some predictions for the matches:
Prediction 1: ANZ and LA will both go 0-2 in both of their matches. I would like to be surprised by Nomia or by Infamous, but it's not going to happen. No matter what, there just isn't enough competition in the Western minor regions for them to be prepared. Poor Nomia has the worst draw and might turn in nothing but sub 15 minute games.
Prediction 2: EU teams will take all three top spots. Not only are Misfits, FNATIC, and Dignitas better than all of the NA teams, but Playing Ducks could win this if they were the only EU team, and they are currently fifth in the region. NA has very little hope.
Prediction 3: We will see two matches of Misfits vs. FNATIC. Misfits will have to beat FNATIC twice to win this in straight sets. This will be the continuation of their epic series from earlier in the season and you would be crazy to miss a minute.
Now, I have been down on NA a lot recently. I called the bottom three teams in NA the "Oh Somebody Kill Me Please" division, and I'm not taking any of that back. Where as EU matches have all been solid contests with small mistakes, the pile of major NA misplays keeps growing. Check my clip collection on my Twitter feed when NA is playing, and you'll see what I mean. That said, I am cheering for NA. Yes, Misfits is my favorite team, other than Superstars (who are obviously not here), but we need NA to be strong and to have a good showing. So, here's four reasons why NA can win, but probably won't:
Cauthonluck: If Tempo Storm is going to prevail in any match, they are going to need Cauthon to play out of his mind. In past LANs, as part of Cognative, Brain Power, and Murloc Geniuses, Cauthon has carried his team with sound positioning and lethal accuracy. Tempo needs an A+ game, each and every map from Cauthon, or they are dead.
Michael Udall: If adrd is the mad genius of EU, then Udall is NA's Captain Ahab: a charismatic, single-minded, focused leader chasing the White Whale. Spoiler, that chase doesn't end well for Ahab, and Udall will have to make better decisions in all phases of Gale Force eSport's games. He needs mistake free drafts and perfect, near psychic shot-calling, of which he is capable, but it's almost impossible to do it 100% of the time.
Glaurung: Hands down, in all phases of the game, Glau has become the best player in all of NA (*mic drop* Fight me!). His reputation for being cocky and brash is not that well deserved, and there is no one harder working and more self-critical than Glau. This kid has punched above his weight class, leading a rag-tag team that wasn't supposed to be here into the Western Clash and contention for the NA crown. Expect to be surprised.
This is the first time we will have competitive HotS on the Lucio patch: New support, major reworks, and Murky means we have no idea what the competitive meta looks like and what has developed. Based on what we saw in the first five weeks of league play, EU had a better grasp of the meta and played much cleaner games. The scrim metas that have developed and the tournament meta that will develop is unknown, and there is no way to know who really has the advantage until the first two rounds are in. Yes, you should expect EU to win, but this patch might favor NA in ways we cannot predict.
Can an NA team win the Western Clash? Yes.
Which NA team has the best chance? Team 8.
Will an NA team win the Western Clash? No. Misfits will win.
Will an NA team finish in the top three? It would take a miracle.
NA, prove me wrong. I am so desperately wanting you to prove me wrong and show that this region has strength. We need a good showing, not just for the region, but for the health of the game. Make no mistake, EU is coming for you. I have one word for all of NA:
Win.
The winner of the Western Clash, barring a major upset, will be Misfits.
So, here are some predictions for the matches:
Prediction 1: ANZ and LA will both go 0-2 in both of their matches. I would like to be surprised by Nomia or by Infamous, but it's not going to happen. No matter what, there just isn't enough competition in the Western minor regions for them to be prepared. Poor Nomia has the worst draw and might turn in nothing but sub 15 minute games.
Prediction 2: EU teams will take all three top spots. Not only are Misfits, FNATIC, and Dignitas better than all of the NA teams, but Playing Ducks could win this if they were the only EU team, and they are currently fifth in the region. NA has very little hope.
Prediction 3: We will see two matches of Misfits vs. FNATIC. Misfits will have to beat FNATIC twice to win this in straight sets. This will be the continuation of their epic series from earlier in the season and you would be crazy to miss a minute.
Now, I have been down on NA a lot recently. I called the bottom three teams in NA the "Oh Somebody Kill Me Please" division, and I'm not taking any of that back. Where as EU matches have all been solid contests with small mistakes, the pile of major NA misplays keeps growing. Check my clip collection on my Twitter feed when NA is playing, and you'll see what I mean. That said, I am cheering for NA. Yes, Misfits is my favorite team, other than Superstars (who are obviously not here), but we need NA to be strong and to have a good showing. So, here's four reasons why NA can win, but probably won't:
Cauthonluck: If Tempo Storm is going to prevail in any match, they are going to need Cauthon to play out of his mind. In past LANs, as part of Cognative, Brain Power, and Murloc Geniuses, Cauthon has carried his team with sound positioning and lethal accuracy. Tempo needs an A+ game, each and every map from Cauthon, or they are dead.
Michael Udall: If adrd is the mad genius of EU, then Udall is NA's Captain Ahab: a charismatic, single-minded, focused leader chasing the White Whale. Spoiler, that chase doesn't end well for Ahab, and Udall will have to make better decisions in all phases of Gale Force eSport's games. He needs mistake free drafts and perfect, near psychic shot-calling, of which he is capable, but it's almost impossible to do it 100% of the time.
Glaurung: Hands down, in all phases of the game, Glau has become the best player in all of NA (*mic drop* Fight me!). His reputation for being cocky and brash is not that well deserved, and there is no one harder working and more self-critical than Glau. This kid has punched above his weight class, leading a rag-tag team that wasn't supposed to be here into the Western Clash and contention for the NA crown. Expect to be surprised.
This is the first time we will have competitive HotS on the Lucio patch: New support, major reworks, and Murky means we have no idea what the competitive meta looks like and what has developed. Based on what we saw in the first five weeks of league play, EU had a better grasp of the meta and played much cleaner games. The scrim metas that have developed and the tournament meta that will develop is unknown, and there is no way to know who really has the advantage until the first two rounds are in. Yes, you should expect EU to win, but this patch might favor NA in ways we cannot predict.
Can an NA team win the Western Clash? Yes.
Which NA team has the best chance? Team 8.
Will an NA team win the Western Clash? No. Misfits will win.
Will an NA team finish in the top three? It would take a miracle.
NA, prove me wrong. I am so desperately wanting you to prove me wrong and show that this region has strength. We need a good showing, not just for the region, but for the health of the game. Make no mistake, EU is coming for you. I have one word for all of NA:
Win.
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Grading the teams after #HGC Phase 1 for North America LATE
Yes, I know it's late. It's been a busy week, and I'm not getting paid for this (nor am I looking to be paid to do this; this blog and following NA and EU HGC is a labor of love for the sheer joy that watching pro Heroes of the Storm Matches has brought me). Sorry if you were expecting this last Monday, but if you have paid attention to the blog this long, you know I'm going to be harsh on NA teams.
Now, it's not that NA is bad, it's largely that NA has been inconsistent from top to bottom, and it appears that NA does not have the best grasp on the current meta in the game. With the Western Clash starting on Friday, Team 8, Gale Force eSports, and Tempo Storm all have a lot of work ahead of them if they even want to be competitive against EU.
Quick refresher, here's the grading scale. Remember, a C is actually a GOOD grade:
A: Outstanding, far exceeding average expectations
B: Good, or above average of what was expected
C: Average, performed exactly as expected
D: Below Average, did not to live up to expectations
F: Failure, performed far below average, extreme disappointment of expectations
I'll put them in standing order, not my power ranking order:
Tempo Storm 6-1 (18-9) - Grade B-: The loss to GFE hurts them, but not nearly as much as their close calls to basement teams like Team Freedom and Naventic. Tempo Storm (as Murloc Geniuses) dominated Fall 2016. Something is really missing here, and they have to find it quick. Team 8 and GFE are hot on their tail, and B-Step is hitting their groove.
Team 8 6-1 (20-6) - Grade A+: Who saw this coming? They lose their captain, Chu, before the seasons started. They pick up Prismaticism, who was kicked from Superstars. And, they have Glaurung playing Medivh! Team 8 is scary, and right now is the only team that can threaten any of the EU's Big Three.
Gale Force eSports 5-2 (19-8) - Grade C: What do you say about the team that beat Tempo Storm, but lost to Team Freedom? The C is largely because I expected them to be in 3rd place, and they have not yet had a defining match. This is the team with the most talent, to be sure, but their "four flex and a support" was exploited by Team Freedom. As time goes on, however, expect Michael Udall to have this figured out, and this team may well end on top of NA, for whatever that is worth.
B-Step 4-3 (15-14) - Grade B: To be honest, I expected B-Step to be at the bottom. They had and lost Glaurung, who I consider to be the best player in NA. Their sponsor dropped them. Much of the meta seems to have passed them by. That they are not only in contention, but looking incredibly strong, should worry the top three in NA.
Superstars 3-4 (11-14) - Grade C-: Right now, Superstars is right below where I expected them to be, which was fourth place. The core of this team of Srey, Faye, and Iakona is strong, and Goku and Hosty have really helped this team rise from the 7th/8th spot they found themselves in during fall, but they have not been able to put together any consistency. They will look strong and unbeatable in one game, and get crushed the next. The talent is here for Superstars to be a top three team, and other teams have to fear them. It may be only a matter of time before the meta clicks with this team.
Team Freedom 2-5 (11-18) - Grade D: If I were grading on their match against GFE, B+. If I were grading on their match against previously winless No Tomorrow, F-. This team has shown flashes of brilliance, but the common thread among the bottom three teams is how easily an inconsistent Superstars team dominated them. Team Freedom is safe from the basement, for now, but this team lacks identity and no one (save GFE) feels that they have to prepare for them.
Team Naventic 1-6 (8-20) - Grade F: What happened? Really. I want to know. Naventic was a universal pick for top three. Bkid left GFE to join this team. Aside from a win against No Tomorrow, and a 2-3 loss to Tempo Storm, Naventic has been humiliated by every other team here! In an interview for HGC, Fan (former Naventic player) mentioned that this team has a specific weak link. They had better identify it fast, because the Crucible is warming up, and their name is being called.
No Tomorrow 1-6 (6-19) - Grade F: Is this a pro team or a thrown together team playing Master Level/GM Level Team League? Aside from taking a series against Team Freedom, No Tomorrow looks like a shadow of what they showed in the qualifiers. If they are not careful, they will have to work on qualifying again, because UTA HOTS, current Open Division leaders have stated that No Tomorrow is in their sights for the Crucible. And, to be honest, No Tomorrow has not looked like they belong.
I have previously called the bottom three in NA the "Oh Somebody Kill Me Please" group. The problem with NA isn't at the top; it's at the bottom. Because there are three NA teams that the top doesn't have to take seriously, NA is woefully unprepared for what is coming in EU. Yes, in EU, Synergy and beGenius have struggled, but they haven't played poorly. Team Freedom, Naventic, and No Tomorrow haven't just played poorly, they have had moments of Bronze level play, which I am very familiar with since I play in Bronze.
Unless all 8 teams in NA are teams that have to be prepared for and taken seriously, the NA professional Heroes of the Storm Scene will suffer. Blizzard should send all three of the bottom teams to the Crucible, if for no other reason, than to light a fire under their collective asses and wake them up.
I sincerely hope these teams see this review and get mad. I want them to be good. I want the HGC to succeed. And right now, NA is faltering and looks to be humiliated at the Clash. I only hope I'm wrong.
Now, it's not that NA is bad, it's largely that NA has been inconsistent from top to bottom, and it appears that NA does not have the best grasp on the current meta in the game. With the Western Clash starting on Friday, Team 8, Gale Force eSports, and Tempo Storm all have a lot of work ahead of them if they even want to be competitive against EU.
Quick refresher, here's the grading scale. Remember, a C is actually a GOOD grade:
A: Outstanding, far exceeding average expectations
B: Good, or above average of what was expected
C: Average, performed exactly as expected
D: Below Average, did not to live up to expectations
F: Failure, performed far below average, extreme disappointment of expectations
I'll put them in standing order, not my power ranking order:
Tempo Storm 6-1 (18-9) - Grade B-: The loss to GFE hurts them, but not nearly as much as their close calls to basement teams like Team Freedom and Naventic. Tempo Storm (as Murloc Geniuses) dominated Fall 2016. Something is really missing here, and they have to find it quick. Team 8 and GFE are hot on their tail, and B-Step is hitting their groove.
Team 8 6-1 (20-6) - Grade A+: Who saw this coming? They lose their captain, Chu, before the seasons started. They pick up Prismaticism, who was kicked from Superstars. And, they have Glaurung playing Medivh! Team 8 is scary, and right now is the only team that can threaten any of the EU's Big Three.
Gale Force eSports 5-2 (19-8) - Grade C: What do you say about the team that beat Tempo Storm, but lost to Team Freedom? The C is largely because I expected them to be in 3rd place, and they have not yet had a defining match. This is the team with the most talent, to be sure, but their "four flex and a support" was exploited by Team Freedom. As time goes on, however, expect Michael Udall to have this figured out, and this team may well end on top of NA, for whatever that is worth.
B-Step 4-3 (15-14) - Grade B: To be honest, I expected B-Step to be at the bottom. They had and lost Glaurung, who I consider to be the best player in NA. Their sponsor dropped them. Much of the meta seems to have passed them by. That they are not only in contention, but looking incredibly strong, should worry the top three in NA.
Superstars 3-4 (11-14) - Grade C-: Right now, Superstars is right below where I expected them to be, which was fourth place. The core of this team of Srey, Faye, and Iakona is strong, and Goku and Hosty have really helped this team rise from the 7th/8th spot they found themselves in during fall, but they have not been able to put together any consistency. They will look strong and unbeatable in one game, and get crushed the next. The talent is here for Superstars to be a top three team, and other teams have to fear them. It may be only a matter of time before the meta clicks with this team.
Team Freedom 2-5 (11-18) - Grade D: If I were grading on their match against GFE, B+. If I were grading on their match against previously winless No Tomorrow, F-. This team has shown flashes of brilliance, but the common thread among the bottom three teams is how easily an inconsistent Superstars team dominated them. Team Freedom is safe from the basement, for now, but this team lacks identity and no one (save GFE) feels that they have to prepare for them.
Team Naventic 1-6 (8-20) - Grade F: What happened? Really. I want to know. Naventic was a universal pick for top three. Bkid left GFE to join this team. Aside from a win against No Tomorrow, and a 2-3 loss to Tempo Storm, Naventic has been humiliated by every other team here! In an interview for HGC, Fan (former Naventic player) mentioned that this team has a specific weak link. They had better identify it fast, because the Crucible is warming up, and their name is being called.
No Tomorrow 1-6 (6-19) - Grade F: Is this a pro team or a thrown together team playing Master Level/GM Level Team League? Aside from taking a series against Team Freedom, No Tomorrow looks like a shadow of what they showed in the qualifiers. If they are not careful, they will have to work on qualifying again, because UTA HOTS, current Open Division leaders have stated that No Tomorrow is in their sights for the Crucible. And, to be honest, No Tomorrow has not looked like they belong.
I have previously called the bottom three in NA the "Oh Somebody Kill Me Please" group. The problem with NA isn't at the top; it's at the bottom. Because there are three NA teams that the top doesn't have to take seriously, NA is woefully unprepared for what is coming in EU. Yes, in EU, Synergy and beGenius have struggled, but they haven't played poorly. Team Freedom, Naventic, and No Tomorrow haven't just played poorly, they have had moments of Bronze level play, which I am very familiar with since I play in Bronze.
Unless all 8 teams in NA are teams that have to be prepared for and taken seriously, the NA professional Heroes of the Storm Scene will suffer. Blizzard should send all three of the bottom teams to the Crucible, if for no other reason, than to light a fire under their collective asses and wake them up.
I sincerely hope these teams see this review and get mad. I want them to be good. I want the HGC to succeed. And right now, NA is faltering and looks to be humiliated at the Clash. I only hope I'm wrong.
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Grading the teams after #HGC Phase 1 for Europe
So, after the completion of the first round robin of the Heroes Global Championship, let's take stock of the teams. Most of the time, when people use a grade system, they forget what the grades actually mean, so, before I give out my grades to the teams in EU, here's a reminder of what the A through F grade scale actually means and how I will apply it:
A: Outstanding, far exceeding average expectations
B: Good, or above average of what was expected
C: Average, performed exactly as expected
D: Below Average, did not to live up to expectations
F: Failure, performed far below average, extreme disappointment of expectations
Got it? C is a good grade. It means that a team did exactly as we expected them to do. OK, let's go!
Misfits 7-0 (21-5) - Grade A+: Everyone expected Misfits to be good, but to record 3-0 sweeps over both Team Dignitas and Team Expert, I don't think anyone expected that. Misfits head into the clash the clear favorites to win, and have established themselves as real contenders for the Mid-Season Brawl.
FNATIC 6-1 (20-9) - Grade B: Now, before you all get upset, this is slightly below where they expected to finish. That said, aside from their 3-2 loss to Misfits, FNATIC dominated every match, and I think people are still in awe over their win vs. MVP Black at Blizzcon.
Team Dignitas 5-2 (17-8) - Grade C-: No one is more upset with Dignitas' performance than Dignitas themselves. They spent all of 2016 at the top of EU, and to finish third is a disappointment. They are going to the Clash, but they have work to do if they want to live up to their own high standards. Right now, Dignitas is in danger of missing out of global competitions for the first time since we have had globals.
Team Expert 4-3 (15-9) - Grade B-: Good things were expected of the former Two Bees Determined, which is why Expert signed them. They didn't drop a map in their first three matches, but they have to be slightly disappointed with their performance vs. the top 3. Good start, now they have to figure out what they do next.
Playing Ducks 3-4 (12-16) - Grade A-: How can I give Playing Ducks an A-? Because this was a team that was supposed to roll over, and they were in every match. They are not in the top of EU, yet, but they are on their way. Their performance against the top 3, not getting swept by any of them, and their upset of Tricked eSport shows that it's only a matter of time before the Ducks are serious contenders in EU.
Tricked eSport 2-5 (11-16) - Grade B-: In their last match against Misfits, Tricked demonstrated that they are just coming into their own and, like the Ducks above them, they are a serious threat each time you face them. This relatively new team is scary and is only getting better with each match.
Synergy 1-6 (5-19) - Grade D: Not only was Synergy not competitive, but nothing they ever did was compelling or scary. Synergy played uninspired all through out phase 1, and they continue to lack a solid team identity. They are mechanically solid, and they do not make a lot of mistakes, but they need to figure out who they are, and fast.
beGenius 0-7 (2-21) - Grade F: I want to give beGenius a higher grade, because when you watch them play, one match at a time, they do not make big mistakes. They draft competitively, they play smart, they just get outplayed by the more experienced teams. In interviews, some of the other players in EU said that beGenius was a bit of a surprise to make the league. When I watch their games, I see all the potential in the world in this team, and they do need time to come together, but they are running out of time, fast. Between now and April, beGenius need to figure out what they are doing and who they are.
Remember, we have all of Phase 2 to go through before Playoffs, the Crucible, and the Mid-Season Brawl. A lot can happen. Every team in EU is a threat because they are all really good, and even Synergy and beGenius cannot be taken lightly as the skill gap narrows with each match.
NA grades tomorrow. Spoiler alert: they won't be as kind.
A: Outstanding, far exceeding average expectations
B: Good, or above average of what was expected
C: Average, performed exactly as expected
D: Below Average, did not to live up to expectations
F: Failure, performed far below average, extreme disappointment of expectations
Got it? C is a good grade. It means that a team did exactly as we expected them to do. OK, let's go!
Misfits 7-0 (21-5) - Grade A+: Everyone expected Misfits to be good, but to record 3-0 sweeps over both Team Dignitas and Team Expert, I don't think anyone expected that. Misfits head into the clash the clear favorites to win, and have established themselves as real contenders for the Mid-Season Brawl.
FNATIC 6-1 (20-9) - Grade B: Now, before you all get upset, this is slightly below where they expected to finish. That said, aside from their 3-2 loss to Misfits, FNATIC dominated every match, and I think people are still in awe over their win vs. MVP Black at Blizzcon.
Team Dignitas 5-2 (17-8) - Grade C-: No one is more upset with Dignitas' performance than Dignitas themselves. They spent all of 2016 at the top of EU, and to finish third is a disappointment. They are going to the Clash, but they have work to do if they want to live up to their own high standards. Right now, Dignitas is in danger of missing out of global competitions for the first time since we have had globals.
Team Expert 4-3 (15-9) - Grade B-: Good things were expected of the former Two Bees Determined, which is why Expert signed them. They didn't drop a map in their first three matches, but they have to be slightly disappointed with their performance vs. the top 3. Good start, now they have to figure out what they do next.
Playing Ducks 3-4 (12-16) - Grade A-: How can I give Playing Ducks an A-? Because this was a team that was supposed to roll over, and they were in every match. They are not in the top of EU, yet, but they are on their way. Their performance against the top 3, not getting swept by any of them, and their upset of Tricked eSport shows that it's only a matter of time before the Ducks are serious contenders in EU.
Tricked eSport 2-5 (11-16) - Grade B-: In their last match against Misfits, Tricked demonstrated that they are just coming into their own and, like the Ducks above them, they are a serious threat each time you face them. This relatively new team is scary and is only getting better with each match.
Synergy 1-6 (5-19) - Grade D: Not only was Synergy not competitive, but nothing they ever did was compelling or scary. Synergy played uninspired all through out phase 1, and they continue to lack a solid team identity. They are mechanically solid, and they do not make a lot of mistakes, but they need to figure out who they are, and fast.
beGenius 0-7 (2-21) - Grade F: I want to give beGenius a higher grade, because when you watch them play, one match at a time, they do not make big mistakes. They draft competitively, they play smart, they just get outplayed by the more experienced teams. In interviews, some of the other players in EU said that beGenius was a bit of a surprise to make the league. When I watch their games, I see all the potential in the world in this team, and they do need time to come together, but they are running out of time, fast. Between now and April, beGenius need to figure out what they are doing and who they are.
Remember, we have all of Phase 2 to go through before Playoffs, the Crucible, and the Mid-Season Brawl. A lot can happen. Every team in EU is a threat because they are all really good, and even Synergy and beGenius cannot be taken lightly as the skill gap narrows with each match.
NA grades tomorrow. Spoiler alert: they won't be as kind.
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Predictions for Week 5 #HGC EU Feb. 17 and 18, 2017
So, after five weeks, we are at the last week of play before the Western Clash, and it's kind of a bad week to be an EU fan. None of the top four are playing each other, which means each of the top four are playing one of the bottom four, and there is a strong chance that this will be a weekend of sweeps.
With only eight games this week (no Sunday games), it's going to feel a little truncated... because it is. Sorry if this isn't hyping it up for you, but I'm not really excited for a series of stomps, and that's pretty much how I see EU going.
Friday, February 17th
Match 1: Playing Ducks vs. FNATIC
This has the most potential to be a match, or at least it would, if FNATIC didn't look so amazingly strong. FNATIC turned in a classic match against Dignitas last week, while the Ducks were destroyed by Dignitas, and then destroyed Synergy. Ducks put up a fight, but FNATIC is just too much and they get the sweep, 3-0.
Match 2: Tricked eSport vs. Misfits
Wow do I feel bad for Tricked eSport! Misfits looks completely unstoppable and this is the match Tricked gets before they have almost two months off to stew and figure out how to climb. Tricked is going to be the most interesting team (along with Expert) to watch in EU as the season progresses, but right now, they are out of their league against EU's number one team. Misfits in a sweep, 3-0.
Saturday, February 18th
Match 1: Team Dignitas vs. beGenius
To be fair to beGenius, they were not ready for this, and they have handled themselves well. Their record does not reflect their play, which has been solid, but solid loses to stellar. No team in the world plays the team fight as well as Dignitas, and they are looking for momentum going into the clash. Dignitas sweeps, 3-0.
Match 2: Synergy vs. Team Expert
Synergy had a moment last week, and it was pretty special to watch. They showed up for the first game against Playing Ducks, they drafted well, played even better, and stole a game off of the Ducks. Then, Synergy reverted to their unimaginative drafting and play; predictable, boring, and bound to be punished. If you bring predictable against adrd and Expert, the punishment will be extreme. Not only a sweep, but at least one match will clock in at a sub-14 minute time as Expert takes their frustration out from missing the clash on Synergy, 3-0.
With only eight games this week (no Sunday games), it's going to feel a little truncated... because it is. Sorry if this isn't hyping it up for you, but I'm not really excited for a series of stomps, and that's pretty much how I see EU going.
Friday, February 17th
Match 1: Playing Ducks vs. FNATIC
This has the most potential to be a match, or at least it would, if FNATIC didn't look so amazingly strong. FNATIC turned in a classic match against Dignitas last week, while the Ducks were destroyed by Dignitas, and then destroyed Synergy. Ducks put up a fight, but FNATIC is just too much and they get the sweep, 3-0.
Match 2: Tricked eSport vs. Misfits
Wow do I feel bad for Tricked eSport! Misfits looks completely unstoppable and this is the match Tricked gets before they have almost two months off to stew and figure out how to climb. Tricked is going to be the most interesting team (along with Expert) to watch in EU as the season progresses, but right now, they are out of their league against EU's number one team. Misfits in a sweep, 3-0.
Saturday, February 18th
Match 1: Team Dignitas vs. beGenius
To be fair to beGenius, they were not ready for this, and they have handled themselves well. Their record does not reflect their play, which has been solid, but solid loses to stellar. No team in the world plays the team fight as well as Dignitas, and they are looking for momentum going into the clash. Dignitas sweeps, 3-0.
Match 2: Synergy vs. Team Expert
Synergy had a moment last week, and it was pretty special to watch. They showed up for the first game against Playing Ducks, they drafted well, played even better, and stole a game off of the Ducks. Then, Synergy reverted to their unimaginative drafting and play; predictable, boring, and bound to be punished. If you bring predictable against adrd and Expert, the punishment will be extreme. Not only a sweep, but at least one match will clock in at a sub-14 minute time as Expert takes their frustration out from missing the clash on Synergy, 3-0.
Predictions for Week 5 #HGC NA Feb. 17 and 18, 2017
While EU is in a slump this week with no classic matches, and what looks like two days of sweeps, NA sports three very interesting contests out of four. Yes, the participants in the clash are set, just like in EU, but, because of the mess that is the NA #HGC, there are a lot of unanswered questions, and we do not know just how strong each team is, nor where exactly they fit. NA has had some weeks where they offered matches as good as EU, but this is the first week where the NA matches are better.
So, NA fans, rejoice! After the first match, that is...
Friday, February 17th
Match 1: No Tomorrow vs. Gale Force Esports
Gale Force wins 3-0.
What? You wanted analysis? Fine. No Tomorrow beat Team Freedom last week, and Team Freedom has a 3-2 victory over GFE, so in theory, this could be an interesting match. No Tomorrow shook themselves out of a winless stupor and actually looked like they belonged against a team that took matches off of two NA "powerhouses" (TF beat Naventic, too, and their powerhouse status is in serious doubt). But, GFE's dominance of Tempo Storm show them to be a team on a mission, once again, and they look pretty unstoppable. I expect the old No Tomorrow to show up, and the new GFE to keep rolling.
Match 2: B-Step vs. Naventic
The remaining members of the 2016 Cloud 9 core (everyone do a shot) looked strong against Superstars last week (who also looked strong), and Naventic needs something, anything, to build on. As HGC has gone on, Naventic has looked, well, un-Naventic, with sloppy play that just makes watching them miserable. Expect the threat of relegation to light a fire under the Buechter boys, and Naventic will make a series of it. B-Step wins 3-1, but it's closer.
Saturday, February 18th
Match 1: Tempo Storm vs. Superstars
On paper, this should be a really good match, but we have a few issues that need to be addressed. Tempo Storm was swept by GFE, and how they respond to that is really unknown. Not a team that dwells on setbacks, I hope Tempo comes out swinging looking to prove they are still the top. Superstars looked dominant in their first five games last week, sweeping Naventic and getting a 2-0 lead on B-Step. The casters were even saying that they looked capable of taking Tempo Storm with how they were playing. It fell apart because Faye was out sick and was replaced with a sub, and while Nightmare played out of his mind good at times, mistakes were made. Here's the issue, if you are a fan of Faye's stream (and you should be!), you know she's still sick. I am sure she will be playing on Saturday, but how being sick continues to affect her is a concern for this match. I want to pick Superstars, because they are my favorite team, but I'm going Tempo Storm, and I believe both teams rise to the occasion in a classic 3-2 match.
Match 2: Team Freedom vs. Team 8
Team Freedom, why do you hurt me so? You have played so well, and looked poised to be something interesting, and then you turn in an uninspired performance against No Tomorrow. If a team is ready to compete against EU in two weeks, it's Team 8. Aside from their match against Tempo Storm, Team 8 has been the most consistent, in control team in NA. Glaurung continues to be worthy of praise as his maturity is showing; he is leading and drafting so well, and unlike 2016, you cannot block Glau in the draft as his role and hero pool is such that there is something he can carry on no matter what gets picked and banned. Expect Team Freedom to show up, but Team 8 is ready and hungry, and while a sweep, it will be better than it should be, 3-0 Team 8.
So, NA fans, rejoice! After the first match, that is...
Friday, February 17th
Match 1: No Tomorrow vs. Gale Force Esports
Gale Force wins 3-0.
What? You wanted analysis? Fine. No Tomorrow beat Team Freedom last week, and Team Freedom has a 3-2 victory over GFE, so in theory, this could be an interesting match. No Tomorrow shook themselves out of a winless stupor and actually looked like they belonged against a team that took matches off of two NA "powerhouses" (TF beat Naventic, too, and their powerhouse status is in serious doubt). But, GFE's dominance of Tempo Storm show them to be a team on a mission, once again, and they look pretty unstoppable. I expect the old No Tomorrow to show up, and the new GFE to keep rolling.
Match 2: B-Step vs. Naventic
The remaining members of the 2016 Cloud 9 core (everyone do a shot) looked strong against Superstars last week (who also looked strong), and Naventic needs something, anything, to build on. As HGC has gone on, Naventic has looked, well, un-Naventic, with sloppy play that just makes watching them miserable. Expect the threat of relegation to light a fire under the Buechter boys, and Naventic will make a series of it. B-Step wins 3-1, but it's closer.
Saturday, February 18th
Match 1: Tempo Storm vs. Superstars
On paper, this should be a really good match, but we have a few issues that need to be addressed. Tempo Storm was swept by GFE, and how they respond to that is really unknown. Not a team that dwells on setbacks, I hope Tempo comes out swinging looking to prove they are still the top. Superstars looked dominant in their first five games last week, sweeping Naventic and getting a 2-0 lead on B-Step. The casters were even saying that they looked capable of taking Tempo Storm with how they were playing. It fell apart because Faye was out sick and was replaced with a sub, and while Nightmare played out of his mind good at times, mistakes were made. Here's the issue, if you are a fan of Faye's stream (and you should be!), you know she's still sick. I am sure she will be playing on Saturday, but how being sick continues to affect her is a concern for this match. I want to pick Superstars, because they are my favorite team, but I'm going Tempo Storm, and I believe both teams rise to the occasion in a classic 3-2 match.
Match 2: Team Freedom vs. Team 8
Team Freedom, why do you hurt me so? You have played so well, and looked poised to be something interesting, and then you turn in an uninspired performance against No Tomorrow. If a team is ready to compete against EU in two weeks, it's Team 8. Aside from their match against Tempo Storm, Team 8 has been the most consistent, in control team in NA. Glaurung continues to be worthy of praise as his maturity is showing; he is leading and drafting so well, and unlike 2016, you cannot block Glau in the draft as his role and hero pool is such that there is something he can carry on no matter what gets picked and banned. Expect Team Freedom to show up, but Team 8 is ready and hungry, and while a sweep, it will be better than it should be, 3-0 Team 8.
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