I Feel Like We've Been Here Before...

Toa of Death·Oct 9, 2016·24 votes·1,918 views

Once again, C9 is NA's last hope. Even when TSM has their best split going 17-1...they still fall flat on their faces internationally. So everyone give C9 your energy!

28 Comments

The DeckownerOct 9, 20167 votes

tbh if tsm is in group A they probably can beat ANX and get out. RNG somehow goes full super saiyan when they have their back against the wall.

AbandonOct 9, 20162 votes

No, it feels like fate for TSM to have the death groups. If they want to win worlds and prove they are the best, they have to show it... unfortunately they didn't show it against RNG in this last game. So many errors that could have been punished, were punished. If given the choice to root for TSM again, I mean I still would. There's no point rooting for a team that can only beat 'weak' (i think most of the teams are pretty good, besides g2) teams.

The DeckownerOct 9, 20161 votes

G2 disappointes everyone, they didn't even win 1 extra game to make the G2-4 meme alive, tbh they shamed EU.

RickettsOct 9, 20161 votes

[{quoted}](name=Justicar Aatrox,realm=OCE,application-id=9hBQwnEU,discussion-id=kHiWTE1V,comment-id=00000000,timestamp=2016-10-09T01:52:13.414+0000)

No, it feels like fate for TSM to have the death groups. If they want to win worlds and prove they are the best, they have to show it... unfortunately they didn't show it against RNG in this last game. So many errors that could have been punished, were punished. If given the choice to root for TSM again, I mean I still would. There's no point rooting for a team that can only beat 'weak' (i think most of the teams are pretty good, besides g2) teams.

This wasn't even a death group. Splyce only managed one win. RNG only beat Splyce and TSM(twice) while looking bad against SSG (twice). They had a chance and blew it, like every year. Even with a pair of star imports and the best domestic Carry, they failed. Personally I'm glad. Sick of the fanboys and TSM hype, sick of Egolift with his traitor trash talk and total meltdowns. I want to see a real hope in NA rise, not see a continuous legacy of failed chances.

AbandonOct 9, 20161 votes

I mean, I get what you're saying but I think group D's still probably the hardest groups out of all the other ones. I just called it 'death group' seeing as how accepted the term was used by some of the casters and members of TSM. Yeah... Doublelift really shot himself in the foot this time with the trashtalk. I think there's a time to be confident and goading but there's a time when you should just try to fly under the radar, practice, be humble and respectful to your opponent and then take them out by storm on game day. Sadly this didn't happen this time. And on your last point... that's the issue with NA, either a new team smashes it's way and gives NA fans new hope or we gotta stick with tried and true (legacy of NeverWinWorldsTSM).

MasziiOct 9, 20162 votes

Not the hardest group imo. If you look at C9's group thats imo tougher.

AbandonOct 9, 20161 votes

Hmmm, it's pretty tough but I don't see iMay being stronger than RNG or SSG? SKT1 you can make a point for and possible be c9 but tbh, i've lost hope for c9 after that clown fiesta of a game against fw. You just can't take them seriously after witnessing that bull fuckery.

DraqoneOct 9, 20161 votes

OK, lets compare:

Splyce sucks just as hard as IMay. It's a draw there. Flash Wolves is similar to RNG in that they are a team that shows up in demanding matches but can totally mess up if you put pressure on them. FW have more trouble closing out games but they also have the skill to beat SKT. Again, a draw, perhaps with a slight advantage to RNG.

Now, SSG vs SKT. SKT made LCK finals this way. They smashed at the begining of the season. SSG played the season poorly and got into worlds using their very last chance, with a surprising win in the qualifiers. SKT on the other hand are 2 times world champions that have struggled a bit in LCK but have shown up at MSI. Huge advantage SKT.

So unfortuantely yes, C9s group is harder.

LandreinOct 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

OK, lets compare:

Splyce sucks just as hard as IMay. It's a draw there. Flash Wolves is similar to RNG in that they are a team that shows up in demanding matches but can totally mess up if you put pressure on them. FW have more trouble closing out games but they also have the skill to beat SKT. Again, a draw, perhaps with a slight advantage to RNG.

Now, SSG vs SKT. SKT made LCK finals this way. They smashed at the begining of the season. SSG played the season poorly and got into worlds using their very last chance, with a surprising win in the qualifiers. SKT on the other hand are 2 times world champions that have struggled a bit in LCK but have shown up at MSI. Huge advantage SKT.

So unfortuantely yes, C9s group is harder.

TSMs group was slighty harder to get out of. SKT is better than SSG, you are right. But no NA team was going to compete with SKT or SSG for first place. So that difference is irrelevant. If an NA team was going to make it out of groups, it would be in second place. RNG is better than FW and offered more competition for second. Imay and Splyce are both a joke, so they are irrelevant. Of course, this is all academic and the RNG was totally beatable if TSM bothered to play right. So I wouldn't say TSMs group was significantly harder, probably only slightly better.

MasziiOct 9, 20161 votes

How i see it, iMay > Splyce, SKT > SSG, RNG > FW.

tplegs0708Oct 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

This wasn't even a death group. Splyce only managed one win. RNG only beat Splyce and TSM(twice) while looking bad against SSG (twice). They had a chance and blew it, like every year. Even with a pair of star imports and the best domestic Carry, they failed. Personally I'm glad. Sick of the fanboys and TSM hype, sick of Egolift with his traitor trash talk and total meltdowns. I want to see a real hope in NA rise, not see a continuous legacy of failed chances.

"not a death group"?? pass it around bruh

splyce could easily beat INTZ and they cant get paired with c9 and ANX is clearly not to be overestimated... so was it the HARDEST possible? no.. was it the easiest group either? not a chance! im pretty sure put them in group C and watch TSM skate out clear and easy!

now onto other points, TSM blew it when they gave uzi 3 kills off the bat on ezreal one of the hardest snowballers when u give him enough for tear or sheen in 1 buy. Also seen some questionable positioning and mapmovement all thruout the game as well...

my point is this ultimately, when they gave uzi some tools that madman of a god performed and carried RNG to a win just like Mata's alistar in g1 of tsm vs RNG they performed really well against TSM but sucked against SSG and Splyce... which is just bad luck for TSM BUT i truly believe that if TSM is any other group they make it out pretty hands down... but then prob get knocked out at quarters... but thats another story for another time ....maybe next year time :)

LandreinOct 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

"not a death group"?? pass it around bruh

splyce could easily beat INTZ and they cant get paired with c9 and ANX is clearly not to be overestimated... so was it the HARDEST possible? no.. was it the easiest group either? not a chance! im pretty sure put them in group C and watch TSM skate out clear and easy!

now onto other points, TSM blew it when they gave uzi 3 kills off the bat on ezreal one of the hardest snowballers when u give him enough for tear or sheen in 1 buy. Also seen some questionable positioning and mapmovement all thruout the game as well...

my point is this ultimately, when they gave uzi some tools that madman of a god performed and carried RNG to a win just like Mata's alistar in g1 of tsm vs RNG they performed really well against TSM but sucked against SSG and Splyce... which is just bad luck for TSM BUT i truly believe that if TSM is any other group they make it out pretty hands down... but then prob get knocked out at quarters... but thats another story for another time ....maybe next year time :)

That is an excuse TSM has and will always throw whatever group they play in.

RickettsOct 10, 20161 votes

{quoted}

"not a death group"?? pass it around bruh

splyce could easily beat INTZ and they cant get paired with c9 and ANX is clearly not to be overestimated... so was it the HARDEST possible? no.. was it the easiest group either? not a chance! im pretty sure put them in group C and watch TSM skate out clear and easy!

now onto other points, TSM blew it when they gave uzi 3 kills off the bat on ezreal one of the hardest snowballers when u give him enough for tear or sheen in 1 buy. Also seen some questionable positioning and mapmovement all thruout the game as well...

my point is this ultimately, when they gave uzi some tools that madman of a god performed and carried RNG to a win just like Mata's alistar in g1 of tsm vs RNG they performed really well against TSM but sucked against SSG and Splyce... which is just bad luck for TSM BUT i truly believe that if TSM is any other group they make it out pretty hands down... but then prob get knocked out at quarters... but thats another story for another time ....maybe next year time :)

You assume TSM could make it through any other group, but only mention two other teams that did poorly.....so you expect TSM to be in a group with Splyce, G2 and INTZ? Because you basically admit all the mistakes they made that RNG punished which any number of teams in the whole tournament could exploit. The groups were all pretty even on overall talent. Was TSM's maybe a little harder? Possibly, but they still did worse than a Wildcard team. #1 overhyped NA team and you try to call that a death group because they couldn't get out.

archerno1Oct 9, 20161 votes

[{quoted}](name=Justicar Aatrox,realm=OCE,application-id=9hBQwnEU,discussion-id=kHiWTE1V,comment-id=00000000,timestamp=2016-10-09T01:52:13.414+0000)

No, it feels like fate for TSM to have the death groups. If they want to win worlds and prove they are the best, they have to show it... unfortunately they didn't show it against RNG in this last game. So many errors that could have been punished, were punished. If given the choice to root for TSM again, I mean I still would. There's no point rooting for a team that can only beat 'weak' (i think most of the teams are pretty good, besides g2) teams.

Wasnt it considered Death group because TSM was in it?

LandreinOct 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

Wasnt it considered Death group because TSM was in it?

kind of. It was a group of death because TSM SSG and RNG were all highly ranked. So it was really only the group of death for splice.

Snow TeaOct 9, 20165 votes

TSM had a harder group than the other NA Teams overall. But I'm happy tsm lost tbh. They didn't deserve quaterfinals if they didn't ban aurelion

MasziiOct 9, 20161 votes

Nah C9's group is harder.

Just ChrissyOct 9, 20162 votes

My face when Clown 9 is NAs last hope http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/52a22d6e6da8112419a704c4-480/leonardo-dicaprio-wolf-of-wall-street.png

LandreinOct 9, 20162 votes

Not much of a hope. get ready for another na shut out.

KazaLyn ShaoOct 9, 20161 votes

We **have **been here before, and when we were, C9 let us down. We've been **there **before too.

Miror BOct 9, 20161 votes

At least this year it'll be nigh-impossible for them to go 0-4 in week two (as due to there being no 3-0 or 0-3 teams in their group there's at best going to be one tiebreaker).