What we can take away from All Stars

All Stars has come and gone this weekend and while a "slumping" Korean team has once again swept an international event there are still some lessons we can take away from the event.

Korea has it figured out.

A lesson we mostly already knew but is good to have a reminder as more and more people are discussing what western teams have to do to catch up. It's clear by by how utterly slumping Korean teams have dominated the last few international events that Korea's support staff and deep rosters have made their teams a cut above.

SEA's underdog story is not repeating anytime soon.

There were some rumblings that SEA's representatives at Season 3 Worlds were not the best of the region. There were occasional suggestions that TPA, or TPS would have put on a better show even with their changes. Now TPA has been destroyed out of two international events in a row and it's finally put those ideas to rest. The SEA scene seems to have imploded since TPA won season 2 and they've clearly got a long way to go before they're competitive again.

NA is closing the international gap.

We already knew that Cloud 9 at their Hai point has been competitive with the best of Europe. Fnatic and Cloud 9 had a 4-4 head to head record before the event and it was one of the initial story lines people were quick to latch onto for all stars. Then Hai's lung collapsed and everyone expected that a weakened Cloud 9 would be knocked out of All Stars in the group stage. Instead Cloud 9 with Link subbed in the mid lane took second in the groups taking games off everyone but SKT. If a weakened Cloud 9 can take games off the best of EU and China it's not hard to imagine CLG and TSM, who were only just behind C9 during the spring split, could have similar results. This means potentially great things for NA fans at worlds as the summer split looks to be an even stronger split than spring was.

EU might be in trouble.

Certainly the most unpopular opinion to take away from All Stars, but one that needs to be considered anyways. Fnatic is 3 time EU LCS winner, making them clearly the best of Europe. If the best of Europe only manages a pathetic 1-5 record, barely escaping groups by beating TPA, at All Stars it should set off warning bells for EU fans and players alike. Those warning signs are made worse when you remember that the entire top half of the EU LCS has opted to make no roster changes. EU currently seems to sit content because they were all just a game or two back from Fnatic, but if Fnatic  is not competitive on the world stage then being slightly better than them should definitely not be the goal.

Worlds promises to be incredible. 

Riot already promised that Worlds would not have byes this year and now we've been given a little taste of what the Worlds format might look like. A full group stage with more than a dozen of the best from around the world is exactly what League fans have been clamoring for. And with NA promising to be even stronger leading into worlds we could be in for some amazing games this fall.

The new All-Stars format is utterly underwhelming.

The announcement for this year's "All Star" tournament finally came from Riot revealing the event is to take place at the start of May in Paris, France. Unfortunately a new venue was not the only change, a long with it came a new format. Gone is the fun tournament of fan voted best players in the region competing together for glory of last year, in its place is a $50k winner take all tournament between the 1st place teams of OGN, GPL, LPL, and both LCS regions all done under the banner of more international competition.

A lot of people had fun with last years All Stars tournament format. We expected it to make a return after being so successful. Naturally myself and many others on Reddit and Twitter were making predictions about the All Star rosters for different regions. Debating on who was the best in the region or who would fit together better to bring about an All Stars victory. Hype had been building for weeks, when I made my lists for All Stars in mid February plenty of others were also talking All Stars. That hype should have turned to frenzy after the announcement, instead talk about All Stars has completely disappeared over night.

The source of the lack of enthusiasm is easy to see, the fans have simply been left out of this event. The teams picked are whoever's #1, instead of debating and voting we just have to sit back and watch what happens. Riot attempted to make up for it with a show match, 2 players voted on per region (10 total) will be split into 2 teams and play against each other. It's hardly compensation though, the top team is exempt from the show match so many fan favorites like Faker will be excluded from voting. All this is without touching on the fact that the 1v1/2v2 show matches from last year's All Stars event were highly criticized.

Problems with the new All Stars don't stop at the elimination of fan involvement though, they run right to the core of the event. Unfortunately the fact that only the 1st place team from each region means that many of us with an objective eye turned to the League scene already know how things play out. In fact thanks to the way team selection works and the fact that OGN won't finish in time we know for sure SKT T1 K, the Season 3 world champions and current unstoppable force in OGN, is already confirmed to be the Korean team attending. The SKT teams stand head and shoulders above the Korean region at the moment and thanks to IEM Katowice we've had a firm reminder that Korea stands far above the rest of the world. While the best of NA, EU, and SEA were relatively competitive with each other they struggled against some of the worst performing Chinese teams at Katowice. Worse no one was able to put a dent in KT Rollster Bullets, the only Korean team at Katowice, and KTB's only wins with their current roster come from the Katowice event.

With IEM fresh in our minds it's hard to imagine a world where the top of China and Korea don't take the top 2 slots at this new All Star event. Almost as difficult as imagining a scenario where SKT fails to walk away with the winner take all $50k prize. Riot made the change to answer the call of more international tournaments, but they have utterly failed to account for the realities of the international scene. The LCS and GPL simply haven't caught up to OGN or LPL in terms of talent yet. Without more teams, more variables, we simply have too much knowledge to be surprised by this event, and that makes for a lack luster tournament.

LCS All Star Picks, Part Two - NA

Just like my EU post I'm going to break down my top 3 choices for each role for the NA All Star team. I'm going to reiterate that I'm working on the assumption that the teams have the same 3 players per LCS team restriction as last year's All Stars, which is why you might not see some strong players make the top 3 list. Riot has yet to release concrete details on the All Stars game beyond that they're eliminating byes from Worlds, so that wont be a reward for All Stars, but an announcement should come soon. Regardless of the reward for All Stars we all want wins for the LCS regions so I've done my best to pick the absolute best for the #1 spot in each role.

TOP LANE

1. Dyrus - TSM. Dyrus being the top of this list should not be a surprise. He's strong enough on the meta champions to be a lane bully, he was the NA All Star top laner last year, he's helped TSM to maintain a top 3 NA position for a long time, I could go on. Dyrus has been a top tier player and a fan favorite for a very long time and his consistent performance has definitely earned him the top spot on this list. 
2. Nien - CLG. Reddit might have a hate boner for Nien, but that does not in any way translate to the strength of his play. Nien's performance on the current top lane meta champions has been second only to Dyrus in consistently creating a snowball. Nien has demonstrated an impressive versatility as a player switching not just roles but also teams between spring and summer split, and is constantly working to improve himself. That earns Nien his spot on this list. 
3. Zionspartan - Coast. Though Coast has under performed so far this split, Zion's recent Jax play has shown that he's still a very dangerous top laner. One of the most innovative top laners in NA Zion is credited with bringing to light the Tryndamere Jayce counter last spring, and the reminding NA that Jax is still a thing this season. All of that combined with the fact that Zionspartan is always a major component in Coast victories should make it clear why he has a spot on this list. 
4. Honorable Mentions: Balls who was primarily left off the list due to the 3 member rule, as well as Quas and Innox two strong players on their own champions that aren't quite in the Meta right now.  

JUNGLE

1. Meteos - Cloud 9. After Cloud 9 burst onto the NA scene last split it quickly became clear that Meteos was a jungler on a whole other level. Things haven't changed in that regard. Cloud 9 and Meteos are both shifting their play styles to fit more in line with what they encountered at Worlds, but are still holding strong in the top of the NA LCS despite their growing pains. Meteos being the top pick for Jungler is hardly a controversial pick. 
2. Dexter - CLG. Now that the Visa troubles have finally been settled the Dexter hype train has arrived and things are looking good for CLG. While he may not be blowing the world away with flawless play just yet, Dexter has performed above and beyond expectation for someone who's just finally escaped the US border red tape after nearly a month of the team having to delve into their bag of subs. The quality play he's brought to CLG should earn Dexter a spot on any list of top NA junglers. 
3. Crumbzz - Dignitas. There's been a resurgence for Dignitas in the early part of this split and a large part of it is thanks to the smart play of Crumbzz. Crumbzz is probably the most underrated jungler in North America despite numerous flashy plays from Lee Sin kicks to Mobi boots rush Rammus. The quality play Crumbzz has routinely demonstrated for over a season makes him one of the best Junglers in NA and earns him the final spot on this list. 
4. Honorable Mentions: Snoopeh, TheOddOne, and IWillDominate, all of which are great players that on any given day could vie for a spot on this list. 

MID LANE

1. Bjergsen - TSM. The BjergerKing cometh, and TSM did say unto NA "let there be wins!" The hype around Bjergsen was immense when people first learned he was coming to NA and for good reason. He has dominated the mid lane helping to lead TSM to first place and 11 straight wins so far with no end to the streak in sight. It's impossible to think of anyone that deserves the NA All Star mid spot more than Bjergsen. 
2. Hai - Cloud 9. No slouch himself, Hai has performed spectacularly as the leader of Cloud 9, the only team to take a win off TSM so far this split. Cloud 9 has continued to look strong since they first exploded into the LCS last summer so it should come as no surprise that Hai has a firm spot in the top 3 mid laners for NA. 
3. Pobelter - EG. Pobelter was nother mid laner at the center of a hype storm leading into the season. Unlike Bjergsen, Pobelter failed to deliver in the first weeks. Since then he's clearly gotten over his issues, whether it was LAN jitters or synergy with the rest of EG, and become a strong force in the mid lane. Pobelter enjoys rare company as one of only a few in NA to have out played Bjergsen thanks to his tricky moves on Fizz. The sheer amount of improvement shown by Pobelter already this split earned him the number 3 on this list. 
4. Honorable Mentions: Link, Shiphtur, and Scarra. All are strong players and have shown a few flashes of brilliance this season, but they haven't quite replicated the heights of play coming from the top 3.

AD CARRY

1. Doublelift - CLG. It should surprise no one that Doublelift tops the list for ADC. He's consistently making highlight reels, ADC All Star last season, routinely winning bad lane matchups against the best competition NA has to offer. NA has gotten much better over the course of the last year, but Doublelift remains top of the pile. 
2. Sneaky - Cloud 9. Last split the utility AD did little to showcase Sneaky's skill at ADC and I even criticized him when the few times he played mechanically demanding champions like Vayne he wasn't up to par with the likes of Doublelift or Wildturtle. This season Sneaky has clearly taken to the current bot lane meta and demonstrated that he clearly deserves his place on one of the best teams in NA, as well as on this list. 
3. Cop - Curse. If I had to pick one player from either LCS region as the most improved, it would be Cop. At the beginning of Season 3 he was a very passive player relying mostly on the long range aoe of Miss Fortune. Since then he's picked up the highly demanding Draven, and become as blood thirsty as the best ADCs. His incredible Draven play helped Curse keep their spot in the LCS and made Cop a strong pick for this list. 
4. Honorable Mentions: WildTurtle who was left off this list because of the 3 per team rule, and Imaqtpie who's inconsistency as a player over shadows the incredible heights of play he can reach. 

SUPPORT

1. Xpecial - TSM. The idea that Xpecial is the best support for the job of All Stars is not a controversial one. He proved he works well with Doublelift last year at All Stars, and has showcased incredible mechanics and decision making in the support role for years. Xpecial remains arguable the most mechanically gifted support in NA, which means he remains the best choice for top of this list.
2. Krepo - EG. It should be no surprise Krepo makes this list, he was one of the most gifted supports in EU last year and he's risen right to the top of the pile in NA. From his strong game sense to call Leona a counter to Annie before anyone picked it up, to his impressive play that forced Soraka bans in a bloodthirsty support meta it's clear Krepo earned his place as a top NA support. 
3. Saintvicious - Curse. With less than a month in the support role Saintvicious is probably the most controversial member of this entire post. None the less Saint has always been a player praised for his shot calling. His decisions in the jungle helped lead Curse to qualify for the LCS, a strong finish in the spring split, and lead the NA All Star team to victory over EU last year. The role may be different but Saint is still calling the shots on Curse, leading them to victory in his first support outing with his incredible Alistar play. Saint has made an impressive show so far, and I have no doubt that he will help Curse to improve as the split goes on, that makes him a suitable pick for All Stars. 
4. Honorable Mentions: LemonNation who's infamous notebook was only left off this list to fit the 3 member rule, as well as Aphromoo who could easily vie for a spot on this list. 

It was incredibly tough to make these picks, as much as I'd like to just send all of TSM or C9 that's not how All Stars works. I'm sure the biggest gripe that anyone reading this will have is with the lack of WildTurtle on the ADC top 3. While I would agree with most that Turtle is very close to Doublelift in skill I simply can't justify dropping Xpecial, Bjergsen, or Dyrus from the list just to give Turtle a place over someone who's arguable just as good or slightly better than him. I am confident that my assembly for the number 1 picks of each role is the best possible under the 3 player constraint. 

An additional note, Bloodwater's recent AMA suggested the All Stars team might be limited to 2 members of any team rather than the 3, whether that's his inside track to Riot talking or just him making a mistake is unclear. If Bloodwater is correct the 2nd and 3rd choices of the list would need a heavy revamp but the top spots could mostly stay the same with only elevating Krepo to the top. Krepo is a strong support and would satisfy some fan desires that emerged after he joined Doublelift on the analyst desk at worlds. 

LCS All Star Picks, Part One - EU

With 5 weeks and just under half the spring split completed it's time to start really giving thought to All Star picks as the vote should be coming in just a few short weeks. Riot has said that the reward for All Stars will be different this year, as they're eliminating byes from Worlds. Beyond that we don't know what changes may come for the second incarnation of the All Star event, but it doesn't stop us wanting a win for LCS regions. So I'm going to give my top 3 picks for each role along with why I think they're the best choice for the All Star team.

TOP LANE

1. Xaxus - ROCCAT. Since qualifying for the LCS Roccat has proven to be a juggernaut of a team and currently sits alone in the number 1 slot taking games off Fnatic and Gambit. Xaxus has been a major contributor in a number of Roccat's victories including creating the early advantage against Fnatic in their most recent clash. Xaxus has also demonstrated strength across the current meta champions like Mundo or Shyvana, as well as an ability to dominate the lane on bullies like Renekton or his heavily favored Trundle. 
2. Darien - Gambit. It simply wouldn't be an All Stars list without the man who is solely responsible for making Warwick a thing. Darien and Gambit have long been hovering around the top of the pile in Europe and this season is no different. His ability to play from behind, and draw heavy focus both in games and in champion select make Darien a worthy addition to any All Star team. 
3. sOAZ - Fnatic. Despite his current slump sOAZ still clearly deserves a spot on this list when we look at his achievements. Part of the Fnatic team that won both splits of the EU LCS last season, last year's All Star top laner, a major player in Fnatic's 7-0 start to this season, and the list goes on. There's no doubt that sOAZ will sort his problems before the split is over and help Fnatic to more victories and that makes him a good choice for All Stars. 
4. Honorable Mentions: Honestly top lane is super hard to chose from in the EU LCS, all the players could easily perform as All Stars. With such an incredibly hard choice I had to go with the ones who've helped their teams to the best results.

JUNGLE

1. Jankos - ROCCAT. Picking the top jungler was a hard choice, I finally settled on Jankos for two reasons. The first is his team, Roccat, currently sits the undisputed top of the EU LCS. The other reason being his incredible synergy with my pick for mid lane All Star, Overpow. Jankos and Overpow have made an impressive team, from their ability to play hide the pantheon, to the way they pair their movements across the map. That synergy earns Jankos the number 1 choice for All Stars. 
2. Diamondprox - Gambit. It was tough to not put Diamond first on this list, he's always been a successful innovator of new champions and builds in the jungle. Gambit's strong performance even while Diamond pulls out new junglers and builds that the rest of the world struggles to wrap their heads around makes him an obvious choice for this list. 
3. Araneae - Millenium. While Millenium has struggled to close out games, resulting in them being tied for the bottom of the EU LCS, the only reason we can tell that is their intense early game built on the back of Araneae's fierce jungle style along with mid laner Kerp's strong roaming presence. The fact that Araneae is often able to build his team an early lead earns him the third spot on this list.
4. Honorable Mentions: Cyanide, Svenskeren, Amazing - all have had strong showings in the jungle this split and could easily contend with Araneae for the third spot on this list. 

MID LANE

1. Overpow - ROCCAT. If there's one Roccat member I'll get nearly unanimous agreement on it's got to be Overpow, which should make it no surprise he tops this list. The list of Overpow's strengths are immense, carried his team through promotion against NiP, top mid lane KDA, man handled star mid laners like xPeke and Alex Ich, enormous champion pool, this list could go on all day. Overpow has been such a major component of the Roccat team that it's hard to believe many would argue with him as the best choice for a winning EU All Star team. 
2. Alex Ich - Gambit. It's no surprise Alex is on this list, Gambit is the current number 2 in EU and a constant top team, multiple visits to Worlds, All Star mid laner last season. Alex Ich continues to show an ability to carry games with his impressive mid lane play, it simply would not be an All Stars list without him. 
3. Kerp - Millenium. The man with the trackball has made quite the splash mid lane this season. While Millenium has yet to sort out their late game problems, Kerp's early lane prowess and mid game roaming is something to behold and that earns him a spot on this list. 
4. Honorable Mentions: All the mid laners in EU from farm master Froggen to superstar xPeke are world class players and could easily be All Stars.

AD CARRY

1. MrRallez - Supa Hot Crew. Even when SHC was under performing in the opening weeks of the LCS MrRallez has been a shining beacon for the team. The continually impressive play whether his team is winning or losing enamored me to this fresh face in the LCS and it's what earned MrRallez the spot on this list.
2. Rekkles - Fnatic. After going 3 games without a death it would be impossible to have an All Stars list without Rekkles. Fnatic has not had the best results of late, but that does not take away from Rekkles setting the record for most kills without a death in LCS history. The Rekkles hype is real, and it earned him a well deserved spot on this list. 
3. Candy Panda - SK. After a not great start to the split Candy Panda has stepped up in a big way and helped to Carry SK into a tie for 4th place. Candy Panda is definitely the most improved player on this list and his performance makes him a strong choice for All Stars. 
4. Honorable Mentions: Celaver who was primarily left off this list because I'm working on the assumption that the 3 players per team rule remains in effect, as well as Forg1ven, Creaton, and Tabzz who are all strong players in their own rights.

SUPPORT

1. YellOwStaR - Fnatic. The last half a year has shown Yellowstar's impressive range as a player. He transitioned from ADC to Support, had a single game role swap with top laner Soaz, and adapted to a new lane partner when the team had Rekkles take over for Puszu after season 3 Worlds. Yellowstar's incredible adaptability makes him the single best All Star support option, no matter which AD Carry makes it through he's sure to make the EU All Star a force to be reckoned with. 
2. Migxa - Supa Hot Crew. This fresh face to the LCS has done a "Naiiice" job of making his ADC MrRallez look good in all of SHC's games which makes it no surprise that he's earned a spot on this list. 
3. Jree - Millenium. The strength of Jree's play is no secret, the casters love to mention Jree's play and especially his epic hooks while covering Millenium games. It should be no surprise that such a consistently talked about player has a spot on the All Star list. 
4. Honorable Mentions: Vander who only failed to make this list because of the 3 player rule, as well as EdWard who has always been a strong support player, and Unlimited. 

It's always hard to chose the best players in such a competitive region but I really do believe that assembling the number 1 picks in each role would produce a team well suited to bringing the EU All Stars a win. This post is a bit long so I'm going to separate out the NA picks and post them later in the week.

Edited to add: Bloodwater's recent AMA suggested the All Stars team might be limited to 2 members of any team rather than the 3, whether that's his inside track to Riot talking or just him making a mistake is unclear. If Bloodwater is correct the 2nd and 3rd choices of the list would need a revamp but the top spots could mostly stay the same with only elevating Diamond to the #1 spot. I only barely left Diamond off the top spot on this list because of Jankos' synergy with Overpow and it's no doubt that Diamond would perform.