Week 8 NA LCS Preview: The Penultimate Week

Welcome to week 8 of the NA LCS! It’s here and it’s lit! It’s a little bit closer after last week’s matches. There’s some drama for the second seed with Clutch Gaming breathing down Cloud 9’s neck! TSM is the scariest non-bye team in the field! But unless TSM completely collapses, it seems like the top six in the LCS are the top six. CLG has the best shot after a 2-0 last week, but I have no confidence in them stringing four in a row and TSM falling (or anyone else, for that matter).

So, now I’m looking for the maximum amount of drama without C9 losing the bye. What’s sad, and what I think someone needs to build (maybe even me!) is a playoff machine, where I can flip games for people and somehow sneak Golden Guardians into the playoffs. That would be fun. Watching games that you already predicted happen and watching those games go oh so wrong from your predictions can bring no more joy than anything else in this world. I’m hyped for the Golden Guardians being the scary six seed we all need. (And TSM somehow missing the playoffs!)

I know this won’t happen, but people can dream, damnit!

HOw we did

  1. mandersxii 24-0-7
  2. FlyameseCat 22-1-7
  3. TheStormSurge 20-0-9

Dang, Stormy had to pick FOX – GGS. Did you know that last Saturday’s matches were all won by blue side? I really need to compile the blue vs. red side win rates. I know blue is supposed to be better, but I wonder if it’s higher than the normal rate.

Saturday’s matches

CG (+115) vs. FOX (-165)
Yes we were very boring last week. Yes it’ll probably be boring this week. I don’t think this game will be boring. This match will be a real test for Clutch Gaming, they have statistically the best mid laner if you measure KDA, but he has the least assists. Febiven can make clutch (heh) plays but Echo Fox is number one for a reason. Mid lane will be camped and this will be a slow methodical 45 minute game since Echo Fox will not look to let Febiven get out of control or take the game over with reckless and sloppy plays. I talk about Febiven so much because this is his team now, he made himself the franchise player and now he has to grow a beard and a nappy mowhawk to carry this one. I’m giving this one 55-45 Echo Fox. Febiven actually makes me want to be wrong here, but you can’t solo carry at this level.
– FlyameseCat

CLG (-165) vs. FLY (+115)
Well here is an interesting game, (forewarning until CLG loses one they will all be interesting for them) backs against the wall CLG show me what you’re made of. The Huhi shot calling experiment lasted a tad long and crippled CLG from the start of this season. With the torch being passed to Biofrost and him smurfing in LCS last week is this team finally what the preseason predicted? My answer, not yet, but they are on the cusp. This team has seemingly come out of nowhere and I couldn’t be happier for the boys. Flyquest is seemingly in free fall and just look unmotivated. CLG wins this one which turns out to be a slop fest and keeps the dream alive.
– TheStormSurge

C9 (-310) vs. OPT (+200)
This should be an easy match for Cloud 9, but they’ve been trading 1-1’s for awhile now it seems. That being said, only one player on Optic is scary, and Power of Evil needs a lot of help beyond that to do well. It was a stomp last time, and I expect another one this time. Go C9!”
– mandersxii

TSM (-115) vs. TL (-125)
Perennial fourth Vs. the most dangerous sixth seed ever. After a disappointing week for both teams last week, this could be the game to watch this week. Pobelter Vs. Bjergsen is always a treat, really every lane in this matchup is going to be fun because you know the shit talking never backing it up Doublelift is going to be ready to go. Liquid wins this in a absolute grudge matchup because Xmithie > MikeYeung which makes the CLG race all the more interesting.
– TheStormSurge

100 (-210) vs. GGS (+140)
This should be a pretty easy win for Aphro and the Thieves but Hai has been doing his best underdog inspiration story recently. Even so, I think the buck stops here. 100 Thieves easily dismantled the thirsty Team Solo Mid last week to end their winning streak and solidify themselves toward the top of the standings. This will be another stepping stone for this powerhouse. I’m giving this one to 100T, 70-30.
– FlyameseCat

Haiku of the week

There are two weeks left
Then we get some best of fives
Finally judgement

Sunday’s matches

FOX (-225) vs. CLG (+150)
Man is this going to be a good game. I feel like it was months ago that Fox was undefeated and then laid a monster goose egg against CLG and everyone said well there CLG is! Well then, the season dragged on, CLG fell back to earth and Fox kept preying on the majority of everyone. However, Fox hasn’t had an undefeated week since 8.4 went through…. Hmmmm yesss….. They’d be 1-0 going into this. My head says that Fox is going to win this one and potentially in dominating style. But… Their bot lane has looked shaky of late and my heart is yelling pick CLG you fool! So I will, CLG keeping the dream alive at least for another week.
– TheStormSurge

FLY (-135) vs. GGS (-105)
This would be an intriguing match if relegation still existed in the LCS. This match would help determine who gets to start catching up to CLG and who has to battle it out to stay in the LCS. It would have been exciting. Oh well, it’s still kinda exciting. I like the Guardians more than FlyQuest in this one, but I will only be keeping half an eye on this match. I’ll be playing Chrono Trigger.
– mandersxii

TL (-145) vs. CG (EVEN)
Now this is an intriguing match! Except, Liquid can’t move up. If Liquid were not Liquid, I’d take them. But they’re Liquid and Clutch is acting like they’re at least third best, so gimme that Clutch Gaming over Team Liquid. Welcome to 4th, Liquid!!!
– mandersxii

TSM (-110) vs. C9 (-130)
TSM and Cloud 9 games shall go down in history as true works of art. Sometimes they’re methodical and drawn out, sometimes they’re action packed from beginning to end. Cloud 9 has been on all season long and Jensen is looking the best he has in the history of his career. Now that all of the boring mid laners aren’t meta, there should be some action. Hauntzer is the man to watch here though. He’s been trying his best to carry almost every single loss that TSM has suffered this split. Zven and Mithy were imported from Europe to be left alone and bring in big numbers but they have been having a very tough split and Sneaky and Smoothie are no slouches with the numbers they’ve been posting. The man to watch on Cloud 9 in my opinion is Svenskeren. He knows the intricacies of Bjerg and Hauntzer and definitely want to slow down the power players on TSM. It’ll be up to MikeYeung to keep him in check, maybe Mike should play an assassin. I’m giving this one to TSM, 55-45. TSM is hungry, every loss has fueled this raging fire that’s looking to explode. I’m not biased.
– FlyameseCat

100 (-165) vs. OPT (+115)
Is this even a question who wins this? 100Thieves is surging, Optic is doing the exact opposite of that. Outside of POE this just isn’t a good team. Akaadian proved that last week with what was possibly the worst INTing at Baron that I have ever witnessed. Aphromoo and his Thieves continue to roll and make Nadeshot a happy boy.
– TheStormSurge

Invention That I Think Would be Great, but probably only useful to me

Okay, so this one is actually kinda useful for everyone. Hell, someone’s probably working on it now, as we speak. But what if there was some service that had access to all of the video apps and all the shows and movies within, and you could just search them, and you wouldn’t have to log in to another service to watch them. Like, it’s a headache right now to remember which shows are where, what the password is for each service (Unless you’re irresponsible and use the same password for everything.) and then switch between them all. I just want a hub. Maybe call it like: Hubby. Hubby: Your Best Friend at Night! Yes, perfect. I’ll take my $30 mil, please. Oh, and it’ll use the Block chain, so you know it’s fuckin’ perfect.

Shakespearean insult of the week

“There’s small choice in rotten apples.” – Taming of the Shrew

This is in reference to all the trash teams not making the playoffs this split. Rest in Piece: Counter Logic Gaming, Optic Gaming, Golden Guardians, and FlyQuest. Y’all weren’t fun to watch, and maybe one day y’all will win a championship.

Enjoy the matches! Four matches to playoffs!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEE