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On June 07 2018 19:43 the bear jew wrote: Just one more series win and they go to TI, just need to beat VP.
"just beat VP". Optic are for sure a Top8 team right now, so I hope they will, but unless the stars allign, I don't see that happening. VP, LGD and Liquid are a tier above everyone else at the moment.
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Once again, VP are the gatekeepers Optic have to get through to make it to TI. I really wish it was any other team. I was rooting for VP to beat LGD. But maybe they learned something in that embarrassing Finals last week, and PPD has a new plan of attack to be giant slayers this time.
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On June 08 2018 02:13 Sassback wrote: Once again, VP are the gatekeepers Optic have to get through to make it to TI. I really wish it was any other team. I was rooting for VP to beat LGD. But maybe they learned something in that embarrassing Finals last week, and PPD has a new plan of attack to be giant slayers this time.
Let's hope he has another huskaresque start lined up
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We need an OpTic team flair
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I can already hear VGJ.T cheering for VP.
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Played better against VP today, but still 0-2. VP still the gatekeeper for Optic, so hopefully TI8 qualifiers go well. Should see Optic back in action around June 18th. Hopefully there is at least 2 NA qualifier spots.
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On June 09 2018 17:15 Taf the Ghost wrote: Played better against VP today, but still 0-2. VP still the gatekeeper for Optic, so hopefully TI8 qualifiers go well. Should see Optic back in action around June 18th. Hopefully there is at least 2 NA qualifier spots.
My guess will be that all the region winners go through, while runners up play at the start of TI for the last two slots.
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The Frog has given the top NA teams a really good shot to all be at TI.
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Praise Gaben for 3 NA spots! I'm still a little worried for our boys depending on what the format of the qualifiers is.
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Our boys did it! A little scary, and not a flawless performance by any means. But it was good enough to get the job done and take that last spot to TI! Where is that flair?!
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Was away to watch the games live, but even knowing Optic had qualified, game 1 with Complexity was really tense. The teams have clearly been scrimmaging a lot together, as they had surprisingly good reads on each other. This explains why all 4 of their matches were long, close & messy. Even the "one-sided" win by Optic during the normal group stage was all of a 5k lead at 35 minutes.
What I found pretty funny was game 2 against Immortals. Clearly, after Saturday's disastrous series, ppd took a slightly different approach against the team. Tide + Enigma was funny way to deal with Void, because they built 4 Aeon Disks. That ended up being a lot of dead gold as the game went on. Sunday? They built 4 blinks + glimmer. Far more effective, it seems.
Other funny detail from that game 2 against Immortals was that ppd finally worked around some of the late-game damage problems his drafts can get into. (ppd's one sort of regular drafting issue is running out of damage if a game drags late.) Mirana + Drow + Enigma is a stupid amount of damage in the late game, along with amazing high-ground defense. ppd drafted in such a way that Immortals could never break high ground without at least 3 dead without buyback.
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On June 27 2018 02:54 Sassback wrote:Where is that flair?! On that note, whoever is in charge of creating that stuff here hasn’t made a Pangolier or Dark Willow avatar option either. No pressure or anything, but it is rather curious.
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Welp boys, the nightmare has become a reality. Both VGJ.Storm and Virtus Pro in the same group as Optic. Guess you don't need to get moving on that flair after all.
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On August 14 2018 02:19 Sassback wrote: Welp boys, the nightmare has become a reality. Both VGJ.Storm and Virtus Pro in the same group as Optic. Guess you don't need to get moving on that flair after all.
I Don't really see problem with Storm more Secret. Then TNC that is up and down and two Chinese teams that i think will be in good form. Of cause Storm can course problems but if they have high hopes more other teams is problem. VP is in different class so would be surprised if they don't win Group and feel Secret has most potential to do so, then Newbee, TNC and Optic.
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Optic with the great run-back in Day 4. They were actually in Elimination position going into the day, and come out heading to the Upper Bracket. I was out for days 3 & 4 (just caught up), and I think I have the answer for what seemed such a problem.
https://www.dotabuff.com/esports/events/262-ti8-group-stage/matches?date=all&hero=dark-willow&original_slug=262-ti8-group-stage&team_id=5026801
Optic never drafted Willow in the groups, and they went 2-5 in matches that Willow was on the other team. Willow was banned in all 5 matches they played on Day 4, and they went 5-0. While not wholly determinant, those aspects are definitely related.
Also, great job by ppd to hold the Broodmother until the tie-breaker match. (Odds are they would have tried to set it up in the Bo1 if they ended up there, so they pulled out that strat for the tie-breaker because it's so important.)
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God, why does it have to be VP! They have lost the last 9 in a row against them. I think this is the end. Having flashbacks from the Supermajor.
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On August 22 2018 12:52 Sassback wrote: God, why does it have to be VP! They have lost the last 9 in a row against them. I think this is the end. Having flashbacks from the Supermajor.
Well, I see two ways to look at it.
Firstly, if they lose, they go out 7/8th at TI, which is a good showing, sign of a great year and, barring bracket issues, about where they were expected coming in. They've been in that 5-8 range since they switched Zai & 33, and have generally gotten screwed by brackets for most of the year. The time they didn't, they finished 2nd at a Major.
Secondly, if they do get the upset ( though not an insane one), Optic would finally break through the VP Wall, as VP is 12-1 on the season against Optic while securing top 6 with a very real shot at top 3. Whether they won any more after that, that'd still be a massive victory for Optic and a big upset for VP.
Regardless, I least hope we get 3 games. Maybe VP will decide Kunnka is a good pick again.
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They reached their Peak TOP8 is a really great result But vs VP they just couldn't handle the tempo and started making mistakes under pressure ggwp
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On August 24 2018 05:29 LemOn wrote: They reached their Peak TOP8 is a really great result But vs VP they just couldn't handle the tempo and started making mistakes under pressure ggwp
2-1 against VP is nothing to be down cast about. Without them really keying into the meta, top 4 was their upper limit. They just never quite got to the same speed that the top-level teams got to. And by top, I mean VP, TL and LGD.
And, in the "well, that's about expected", they lost to TL and VP again. TL knocked them out of 1 major and VP knocked them out of 3. VP also dropped the Willow + WK combo that Optic could never solve this tournament.
Still, a great year and it was fun to watch. Making 1.2 million on the year ain't a bad year, and we'll see what team ppd goes with for next year. I imagine 33 is going to be a hot commodity.
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it was always VP
top 8 is good for a team that more or less started as a distant t2, despite how much I would have liked for them to take out a big name.
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