Loved when they picked him up last year and I still really like him as a player now. He's always locked in during matches and I don't think that his demeanor on stage being different than the rest means he doesn't fit in. They've been performing well with him on the team, so he has to fit in somehow.

This is a weird take. The point of Academy teams are to give 5 players the opportunity to showcase their ability in a professional setting. Those players are fighting for their careers. If not in Tier 2, where are they going to get the opportunity to be scouted? If another team can't beat an Academy team, or any other team, for a Top 8 spot, they did not earn that chance to fight for Ascension.

If a team can't perform better than an Academy team, did they earn a chance at Ascension anyway?
Or should Cubert players be rewarded (prize money) for performing within the top 8 of Tier 2?

in the regard that they are not playing on LAN servers and are playing online, with ping, despite being there in-person

Oxy is no doubt a talented player, but I want to see him & his team make a run in Americas and at an international tournament before calling him top 5

I wouldn't be surprised if all the Madrid playoff teams lost their opening matches tbh

job's not finished

I have been looking for info about this but haven't been able to find anything.
Does SEN get a map ban advantage in this Bo5 since they came from upper finals or no?

Do SEN get a map veto advantage since they came from upper bracket finals?

If they do, 3-1 Sen, if not, 2-3 LOUD
SEN 3-1 PRX lol

No bro lol I was saying that G2 are benching neT and bringing in Icy to replace him on the roster. I never said anything about their roles.

G2 are signing Icy to replace neT

LOUD is a very good team and really good teams force their opponents into making mistakes. That being said, Sentinels did the same to LOUD

Coincidence

https://www.vlr.gg/34951/gambit-esports-vs-crazy-raccoon-valorant-champions-tour-stage-3-masters-berlin-opening-c/
At least at an international event, this is the only other matchup I can think of that might have been faster.

KC was 3-1 on Split throughout EMEA Kickoffs, and for comparison SEN was 5-2 (5-1 if you don't consider their loss to G2 on it). KC probably felt pretty confident in their protocols and strategy on the map considering they were also really solid on Split in their Kickoff event. Not to mention Sentinels having played the map 7 times giving them a lot of footage to review.

The Swiss-system for a tournament is pretty common in esports, just not in Valorant. Many pros praised it when the format was revealed.

Yeah it was a random draw. 1-0 teams face each other, 0-1 face each other

I think viewers just kinda underestimated Gen.G, even though all the players at the event have been saying this is a really stacked tournament. I don't think there's a true favorite at Madrid. Although, it's not like LOUD got owned 2-0. They stomped on their usual permaban, almost took Icebox to OT, and only really got railed on Ascent. Think you're prob overreacting to one game.

Must be why they won Kickoff

lol

It is pretty clear that the addition of johnQT and Zellsis has made a huge impact on the team. In addition to kaplan being the full-time coach starting in the offseason.

Both play-in winners from EMEA (KCorp) and Pacific (GEN.G) won the Kickoff tournament in their respective regions. Both showed much more than their opponents going into playoffs (like Sentinels), so it's not out of the question for SEN to end up winning against NRG.

2-1 SEN

This post feels like a reach lol NRG is a veteran team with 5 world champions and are the favorites to win.
SEN are underdogs, they’re expected to lose, so how would it be embarrasing for them to do what’s expected by most of the community?

It's a formality. They have to finish out the series regardless of the fact that SEN already are qualified.

who's gonna tell him

It helps to watch Tarik, s0m, or FNS. They're hella funny

It is his mod

done

zellsis

Me when I don't know what I'm talking about

MIBR?

https://imgur.com/a/Vu3Bv1h

Most viewed matches for each region (Peak Viewership)

SEN vs LOUD - 589,773
T1 vs ZETA - 462,603
M8 vs VIT - 279,088

Reminder these are peak viewership numbers for each region's highest viewed match SO FAR

Keep in mind as well, that Pacific is already at play-in stage, Americas has had two Elimination Matches, and EMEA is still finishing up opening matches.
I am sure by the time FNC plays or during Elimination Matches, there will be a rise in viewership. Maybe not to the degree of Americas, but closer to Pacific.

I primarily only watch Americas league, but I want to watch more EMEA matches, however, the games are very early for me.
With that being said, which game is more hype on paper? Is it worth it for me to wake up for FUT and Heretics or just wake up a couple hours later for GIANTX and KCorp?

Thanks in advance!

PAX Arena 2020

I was curious so I went to check lol
TenZ has a 8-1 record against 100T ever since he joined Sentinels

If I did my math correctly.
SEN had 395 Rounds to 100 Thieves' 325 Rounds over 36 Maps.

Sentinels have a 10-3 Record All-Time against 100T

Yea going up against that LOUD Ascent comp would have tripped up any team

Their retake protocols on Split were really well drilled and looked great. Both maps they had solid to great defense sides, but when it came to their attack halves, it looked much more difficult for them to get something going. Sentinels definitely has something here, and there is a lot of potential. They have some really cool ideas, and they look so much better already out the gate than they did last season. They just got really unlucky with the draw of having to play LOUD of all teams first.

TenZ doesn't talk shit or say anything, but somehow he'll always have haters.

Bro just be honest with your friends

NA
Ascendant 1

Big Dik-dik fan right here

Envy played one hell of a series today. Sentinels looked totally outmatched on Split, and if it weren't for TenZ going off on Haven, it would've never gone to OT. If Sen wants to win Champions, they have to come up with new strategies or ideas, because at this point, they're readable. Just like FNS and Nukkye said.

Hope they can come back from this, but for now I'm looking forward to 100T vs Envy tomorrow.

Ik this is a bait comment, but I just wanted to clear up that ShahZaM was diagnosed with essential tremor in his hands so they slightly shake. It's constant but isn't related to anything and doesn't affect his play.