Rough Drafts Podcast

As much fun as it was to return for the Mid-Season Invitational, Chase "RedShirtKing" Wassenar and Walter "Ceades" Fedczuk have been so mortified by the recent actions around the scene that they had to bring in former Paravine writer/Into the Rift Host Thomas Watts to help make sense of it all. They start by looking into G2's questionable choice to go on vacation, the ensuing PR fallout, and what this might indicate for the team moving forward. They then discuss Riot's negligence concerning the Team Impulse case, especially when considering the lack of contracts for players in their own league. They close with a harsh look at the unilateral power Riot has given themselves in competitive rulings and the broken system it has created by doing so, regardless of whether their actual ruling with Renegades and TDK proves to be correct (and there are a lot of reasons to believe it isn't).

Time Stamps:

0:00 Introduction

2:55 Initial Reaction to G2 Vacation News

5:30 Breaking Down Fan Outrage

8:20 G2's Tone-deaf PR Plan

11:10 How G2's Roster Rumours Affect the Outrage

13:20 Why Scheduling is Not an Excuse

16:20 Does This Point to Long Term Problems for G2

18:40 How G2's Narrative Has Changed

21:00 Understanding Player's Needs

23:10 G2's Next Steps

25:30 Team Impulse's Inevitable Downfall

28:20 Was Riot Wrong to Give Impulse a Second Chance

30:35 Riot's Failure to Hold Impulse Accountable and Protect Their Players

34:15 Tackling the System Even When It Makes Money

36:15 Renegades/TDK Ruling and the Mystery Surrounding It

41:20 Riot's Strategy Concerning Evidence and the Distrust It Brings

44:00 Riot's Flawed Investigative Process

46:55 How the Lack of a Collective Bargaining Agreement Shifts the Balance of Power

49:25 How Riot's Inconsistent Rulings Could Affect Long-Term Investments

52:20 TDK's Punishment Compared to the Accusations Against Them

54:45 Why the Legal System is Not a Simple or Easy Answer

58:05 How Teams Are Incentivized to Just Move to Other Games

59:25 A Potential Lawsuit's Ripple Effect on IP Rights in eSports

1:02:35 Riot's Power to Remove Owners They Dislike

1:04:50 The Long Term Costs of Riot's Decisions and the Systemic Changes Needed

1:08:30 Riot's Shady PR Tactics and the Effect on Perception

1:11:45 How These Decisions Affect Other LCS Owners

1:14:50 Closing

Team Impulse's Competitive Ruling can be found here: http://www.lolesports.com/en_US/articles/competitive-ruling-team-impulse

Renegades/TDK's Competitive Ruling can be found here: http://www.lolesports.com/en_US/articles/competitive-ruling-renegades-and-tdk

Be sure to subscribe to the Esports Rough Drafts Podcast on iTunes to keep up with every episode here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rough-drafts-podcast/id1050361444?mt=2. And if you happened to leave a nice review along the way, that’d be cool too.

Be sure to check out http://www.vibby.com for an easy, user friendly way to make highlight videos today.

For all your League of Legends stats needs, check out our friends at http://www.esportsfanz.com.

On today's episode of the Rough Drafts Podcast, Chase "RedShirtKing" Wassenar and Walter "Ceades" Fedczuk finally escape from the pits of illness and lost recordings to discuss the Group Stage of the Mid-Season International. They begin with the surprisingly decent play of SuperMassive eSports and G2's disappointing performance. They then preview the bracket stage as they predict whether SKT will bounce back after an uncharacteristically flawed performance so far and if Counter Logic Gaming has what it takes to get to the MSI Finals.

Be sure to subscribe to the Esports Rough Drafts Podcast on iTunes to keep up with every episode here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rough-drafts-podcast/id1050361444?mt=2. And if you happened to leave a nice review along the way, that’d be cool too.

Go to http://www.unikrn.com and play along with the podcast to see if you can beat our best bets of the week.

Be sure to check out http://www.vibby.com for an easy, user friendly way to make highlight videos today.

For all your League of Legends stats needs, check out our friends at http://www.esportsfanz.com.

As much fun as it was to return for the Mid-Season Invitational, Chase "RedShirtKing" Wassenar and Walter "Ceades" Fedczuk have been so mortified by the recent actions around the scene that they had to bring in former Paravine writer/Into the Rift Host Thomas Watts to help make sense of it all. They start by looking into G2's questionable choice to go on vacation, the ensuing PR fallout, and what this might indicate for the team moving forward. They then discuss Riot's negligence concerning the Team Impulse case, especially when considering the lack of contracts for players in their own league. They close with a harsh look at the unilateral power Riot has given themselves in competitive rulings and the broken system it has created by doing so, regardless of whether their actual ruling with Renegades and TDK proves to be correct (and there are a lot of reasons to believe it isn't).

Time Stamps:

0:00 Introduction

2:55 Initial Reaction to G2 Vacation News

5:30 Breaking Down Fan Outrage

8:20 G2's Tone-deaf PR Plan

11:10 How G2's Roster Rumours Affect the Outrage

13:20 Why Scheduling is Not an Excuse

16:20 Does This Point to Long Term Problems for G2

18:40 How G2's Narrative Has Changed

21:00 Understanding Player's Needs

23:10 G2's Next Steps

25:30 Team Impulse's Inevitable Downfall

28:20 Was Riot Wrong to Give Impulse a Second Chance

30:35 Riot's Failure to Hold Impulse Accountable and Protect Their Players

34:15 Tackling the System Even When It Makes Money

36:15 Renegades/TDK Ruling and the Mystery Surrounding It

41:20 Riot's Strategy Concerning Evidence and the Distrust It Brings

44:00 Riot's Flawed Investigative Process

46:55 How the Lack of a Collective Bargaining Agreement Shifts the Balance of Power

49:25 How Riot's Inconsistent Rulings Could Affect Long-Term Investments

52:20 TDK's Punishment Compared to the Accusations Against Them

54:45 Why the Legal System is Not a Simple or Easy Answer

58:05 How Teams Are Incentivized to Just Move to Other Games

59:25 A Potential Lawsuit's Ripple Effect on IP Rights in eSports

1:02:35 Riot's Power to Remove Owners They Dislike

1:04:50 The Long Term Costs of Riot's Decisions and the Systemic Changes Needed

1:08:30 Riot's Shady PR Tactics and the Effect on Perception

1:11:45 How These Decisions Affect Other LCS Owners

1:14:50 Closing

Team Impulse's Competitive Ruling can be found here: http://www.lolesports.com/en_US/articles/competitive-ruling-team-impulse

Renegades/TDK's Competitive Ruling can be found here: http://www.lolesports.com/en_US/articles/competitive-ruling-renegades-and-tdk

Be sure to subscribe to the Esports Rough Drafts Podcast on iTunes to keep up with every episode here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rough-drafts-podcast/id1050361444?mt=2. And if you happened to leave a nice review along the way, that’d be cool too.

Be sure to check out http://www.vibby.com for an easy, user friendly way to make highlight videos today.

For all your League of Legends stats needs, check out our friends at http://www.esportsfanz.com.

On today's episode of the Rough Drafts Podcast, Chase "RedShirtKing" Wassenar and Walter "Ceades" Fedczuk finally escape from the pits of illness and lost recordings to discuss the Group Stage of the Mid-Season International. They begin with the surprisingly decent play of SuperMassive eSports and G2's disappointing performance. They then preview the bracket stage as they predict whether SKT will bounce back after an uncharacteristically flawed performance so far and if Counter Logic Gaming has what it takes to get to the MSI Finals.

Be sure to subscribe to the Esports Rough Drafts Podcast on iTunes to keep up with every episode here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rough-drafts-podcast/id1050361444?mt=2. And if you happened to leave a nice review along the way, that’d be cool too.

Go to http://www.unikrn.com and play along with the podcast to see if you can beat our best bets of the week.

Be sure to check out http://www.vibby.com for an easy, user friendly way to make highlight videos today.

For all your League of Legends stats needs, check out our friends at http://www.esportsfanz.com.

On today's episode of the Rough Drafts Podcast, Chase "RedShirtKing" Wassenar and Walter "Ceades" Fedczuk get excited for this week's NA LCS Finals and what it means for the region on an international scale. They begin by wrapping up the Semifinals series, including the couple mistakes that cost Liquid their chance and how Immortals managed to mangle the meta. They then turn to the Third Place game and how Liquid can avert their fourth place curse. They close with their Finals Preview, including a passionate TSM fanboy rant from Walter, the flaws CLG will have to search to exploit, and how Huhi and Stixxay will handle the bright lights of Mandalay Bay before giving out their smart money bets for the week.

Be sure to subscribe to the Esports Rough Drafts Podcast on iTunes to keep up with every episode here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rough-drafts-podcast/id1050361444?mt=2. And if you happened to leave a nice review along the way, that’d be cool too.

Go to http://www.unikrn.com and play along with the podcast to see if you can beat our best bets of the week.

Be sure to check out http://www.vibby.com for an easy, user friendly way to make highlight videos today.

For all your League of Legends stats needs, check out our friends at http://www.esportsfanz.com.

On today's episode of the Rough Drafts Podcast, Chase "RedShirtKing" Wassenar and Walter "Ceades" Fedczuk get excited for this week's NA LCS Finals and what it means for the region on an international scale. They begin by wrapping up the Semifinals series, including the couple mistakes that cost Liquid their chance and how Immortals managed to mangle the meta. They then turn to the Third Place game and how Liquid can avert their fourth place curse. They close with their Finals Preview, including a passionate TSM fanboy rant from Walter, the flaws CLG will have to search to exploit, and how Huhi and Stixxay will handle the bright lights of Mandalay Bay before giving out their smart money bets for the week.

Be sure to subscribe to the Esports Rough Drafts Podcast on iTunes to keep up with every episode here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rough-drafts-podcast/id1050361444?mt=2. And if you happened to leave a nice review along the way, that’d be cool too.

Go to http://www.unikrn.com and play along with the podcast to see if you can beat our best bets of the week.

Be sure to check out http://www.vibby.com for an easy, user friendly way to make highlight videos today.

For all your League of Legends stats needs, check out our friends at http://www.esportsfanz.com.

On today's episode of the Rough Drafts Podcast, Chase "RedShirtKing" Wassenar and Walter "Ceades" Fedczuk look back at last week's European LCS Semifinals action and the lessons we've learned surrounding how to attack a Sivir composition and use your opponent's tendencies against them. They then turn to the third place game and argue over whether H2k-Gaming or Fnatic will be able to plug the holes in their strategy on the path to victory. Finally, they close with a full breakdown of the Finals between the resilient, veteran Origen squad and the aggressive, dominant G2 Esports roster.

Be sure to subscribe to the Esports Rough Drafts Podcast on iTunes to keep up with every episode here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rough-drafts-podcast/id1050361444?mt=2. And if you happened to leave a nice review along the way, that’d be cool too.

Go to http://www.unikrn.com and play along with the podcast to see if you can beat our best bets of the week.

Be sure to check out http://www.vibby.com for an easy, user friendly way to make highlight videos today.

For all your League of Legends stats needs, check out our friends at http://www.esportsfanz.com.

On today's episode of the Rough Drafts Podcast, Chase "RedShirtKing" Wassenar and Walter "Ceades" Fedczuk look back at last week's European LCS Semifinals action and the lessons we've learned surrounding how to attack a Sivir composition and use your opponent's tendencies against them. They then turn to the third place game and argue over whether H2k-Gaming or Fnatic will be able to plug the holes in their strategy on the path to victory. Finally, they close with a full breakdown of the Finals between the resilient, veteran Origen squad and the aggressive, dominant G2 Esports roster.

Be sure to subscribe to the Esports Rough Drafts Podcast on iTunes to keep up with every episode here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rough-drafts-podcast/id1050361444?mt=2. And if you happened to leave a nice review along the way, that’d be cool too.

Go to http://www.unikrn.com and play along with the podcast to see if you can beat our best bets of the week.

Be sure to check out http://www.vibby.com for an easy, user friendly way to make highlight videos today.

For all your League of Legends stats needs, check out our friends at http://www.esportsfanz.com.

On today's episode of the Rough Drafts Podcast, Chase "RedShirtKing" Wassenar and Walter "Ceades" Fedczuk look back at the North American LCS Quarterfinals and look forward to this week's Semifinals action. They start by looking at a disappointing showing from NRG, questioning whether they'll be able to recover in their current form and what this dominant Team Liquid victory says about their upcoming match-up against Counter Logic Gaming. Then, they move on to the dreaded Weldon effect, where the blame falls for Cloud9, and whether any of this will be enough to upset the Immortals powerhouse.

Be sure to subscribe to the Esports Rough Drafts Podcast on iTunes to keep up with every episode here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rough-drafts-podcast/id1050361444?mt=2. And if you happened to leave a nice review along the way, that’d be cool too.

Go to http://www.unikrn.com and play along with the podcast to see if you can beat our best bets of the week.

Be sure to check out http://www.vibby.com for an easy, user friendly way to make highlight videos today.

For all your League of Legends stats needs, check out our friends at http://www.esportsfanz.com.

On today's episode of the Rough Drafts Podcast, Chase "RedShirtKing" Wassenar and Walter "Ceades" Fedczuk look back at the North American LCS Quarterfinals and look forward to this week's Semifinals action. They start by looking at a disappointing showing from NRG, questioning whether they'll be able to recover in their current form and what this dominant Team Liquid victory says about their upcoming match-up against Counter Logic Gaming. Then, they move on to the dreaded Weldon effect, where the blame falls for Cloud9, and whether any of this will be enough to upset the Immortals powerhouse.

Be sure to subscribe to the Esports Rough Drafts Podcast on iTunes to keep up with every episode here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rough-drafts-podcast/id1050361444?mt=2. And if you happened to leave a nice review along the way, that’d be cool too.

Go to http://www.unikrn.com and play along with the podcast to see if you can beat our best bets of the week.

Be sure to check out http://www.vibby.com for an easy, user friendly way to make highlight videos today.

For all your League of Legends stats needs, check out our friends at http://www.esportsfanz.com.