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In the three major titles currently at the forefront of competitive gaming -- League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Dota 2 -- the words North America can sometimes be seen in a joking context.Words uttered with futility.Large clubs, little talent.During the qualifiers running up to Dota 2s world championship in Seattle, The International, the head coach of two-time Majors champion OG, Sébastien 7ckingMad Debs, posted out on social media:Watching [European qualification] all day and then watching this s***show [NA qualifiers], I cant believe the ratio to qualify is actually highest in this one, its bulls***.To be fair, from an outsiders perspective, he was correct. North America did look like a mashup of recently shuffled teams, amateur clubs and high-level amateur players banding together for maybe their one shot at making Seattle. In Europe, which had produced every finalist team at a Major this year going into The International with OG, Team Secret, and Team Liquid, the competition seemed fierce to make it through the daunting qualifiers onwards to Seattle. Staples to The International such as Team Empire and Virtus.pro failed to qualify, while intriguing upstarts like Ad Finem from Greece were ousted.Feel free to put together another one of your s*** teams and come lose in the NA qualifier next year, responded defending world champion captain Peter ppd Dager of Evil Geniuses, never shy about sharing his opinion on matters.For all the laughter at the expense of North America, ppd and Evil Geniuses were the one bastion of credibility for the North American fans. EG, following the 2014 tournament where it ended up third, ran through the gauntlet of clubs at The International 2015 to hoist the Aegis as a primarily American team in front of the home crowd fans. After watching South Koreans dominate in StarCraft II and League of Legends while the Europeans (and now Brazilians) devoured all the Counter-Strike hardware, the American fans had a team they could fully get behind with the ability to win it all.This year, especially after those comments for the world to see, ppd could have ended up looking like a fool. Evil Geniuses had won the year prior, but nothing is a sure thing in the world of esports. Its especially the case in the topsy-turvy scene of Dota 2. The squad, which had recently reacquired former players Saahil Universe Arora and Ludwig Zai W?hlberg, was forced to work its way through the open qualifiers due to changing the roster after the Manila Major.The team climbed its way up the rungs of the ladder to eventually qualify for the tournament, but there were still some worries if it could perform. Universe was considered the MVP of the team from last years run to the Aegis, yet he left the team in the middle of the year to follow fellow team member Arteezy Babaev to the Shanghai Major-winning Team Secret, which was putting together an all-star roster. Zai, also a former EG member who left the team to join Team Secret, had been out of professional play for almost a year, having decided to put pro-gaming on hold until he graduated from high school.Rumors even swirled after Arteezy and Universes departure that 17-year-old prodigy Syed Sumail Hassan and veteran Clinton Fear Loomis would also leave the world champion organization; however, those reports never came to fruition and the two stayed on the team. There was upheaval and drama abound for Evil Geniuses, just like a majority of the North American teams across the three major competitive gaming titles.Yet despite the lukewarm debut of the new starting five at SL i-League StarSeries Season 2 (the team came in a disappointing fifth out of eight teams), Evil Geniuses thus far at The International has looked the part of a defending champion. It did well in the group stages to get second place for an automatic bid into the upper bracket, and the campaign at the main event up to this point has been awe-inspiring.Newbee was EGs first victim at the KeyArena in Seattle with a convincing sweep, and then the upper bracket semifinal versus EHOME could, and probably will, go down as one of the best series in The Internationals six-year history. In the first game where it appeared as if Evil Geniuses were done and ready to roll over into game two with as Mega Creeps converged on the squad from all corners of the map, the pride of North America didnt break. The Chinese powerhouse continually attempted to knock down the heart of the EG base, but, again and again, the five Evil Geniuses held strong, playing like a team that had been together the entire year.One. Two. Three times. On and on EHOME went to knockout the kings, and it broke open the door. EHOMEs Wang Old Chicken Zhiyong went for a desperate individual backdoor play after all four his teammates were wiped away from the map by EG, but, like all the other attempts, it didnt succeed. As cool, calm, and collected as you like, the winners of last years International fended off everything thrown at them and stampeded down to the Chinese teams base to take home the victory in one of the most memorable games in Dota 2 history. Seventy-five minutes in game one led to a relatively quick win for EG in game two, with EHOME never finding its bearings again.It feels a lot like last year, answered ppd in an interview immediately following the sweep over EHOME. Two of my teammates left last year, and that sucks, but then we come to TI and I see all these European teams losing, and I find myself against China in the winner bracket. So Im hoping well have something similar to last year, but well have to wait in see.Evil Geniuses has made it to the top three of the last three Internationals.At those events, EG has played 10 matches -- one against Complexity, a fellow North American organization, and nine against Chinese teams. Each of those tournaments, EG started in the upper bracket and never ran into a European team. Today, its 10th match against a Chinese team will commence, as the team will play the unpredictable and zany Wings Gaming.You can say ppds salty or arrogant, but his words have been backed up on the largest stage in competitive gaming. All of the teams based in Europe or from the European qualifiers have been eliminated, meaning 7ckingMads comments lack merit. Here PPD and Evil Geniuses sit in the upper bracket finals, facing another Chinese team as the crowd chants USA! USA! USA! endlessly behind them with Europe mysteriously nowhere to be seen.Not too bad for a team playing from a joke of a region, right? Acheter Tn Pas Cher . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Vente Air Max Tn Pas Cher . There was no hesitation from the 40th-ranked Pospisil, from Vernon, B.C., who admitted that he cut back on his training sessions over the last few days to conserve energy as the long ATP season finishes next week at the Paris Masters. http://www.airmaxpaschervente.fr/destockage-balenciaga-france.html . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. Vans Old Skool France . Nine days before the opening ceremony, organizing committee chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said Wednesday that Sochi is "fully ready" and will deliver safe, friendly and well-run games that defy the grim reports that have overshadowed preparations. Air Force 1 Pas Cher Chine . -- The Missouri Tigers might not have a roster full of superstars. CHICAGO -- John Lackey was ornery and fired up, just what the Cubs needed from their veteran right-hander to keep rolling.Lackey outpitched friend and former teammate Jered Weaver, Kris Bryant hit his 28th home run and Chicago beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-1 Tuesday night for its eighth straight victory.Willson Contreras also homered and Ben Zobrist added an RBI double for the major league-leading Cubs, who won their 70th game and moved a season-high 29 over .500.Kole Calhoun homered on Lackeys third pitch, but the former Angels right-hander later retired 12 straight. Lackey (9-7) allowed three hits over eight innings, and all six of his strikeouts were looking.Hes not going to be out there smiling all the time and hes going to be upset with umpires and hes going to be upset with his manager, said Cubs skipper Joe Maddon, who was with the Angels when Lackey started his career in 2002. Hes going to be upset with teammates on occasion. But thats just who he is, and when you know that, its OK. Because you love having him on your team.Weaver (8-9) gave up four earned runs and another one that was unearned when he dropped a throw to first base for an error during the Angels fifth straight loss.Bryant homered over the left-field bleachers in the fifth, giving Lackey more than enough cushion. Pedro Strop pitched a perfect ninth to finish the three-hitter.I thought he had an exceptional slider tonight and a really good changeup, Maddon said about Lackey.The matchup of veteran right-handers was as one-sided as their teams seasons in the opener of Chicagos 10-game homestand.The 37-year-old Lackey and 33-year-old Weaver were teammates a decade ago with the Angels. They had split their previous two meetings when Lackey pitched for Boston.This was the first time they batted against each other.Its a little strange when he gets in the box, for sure, because were good buddies, Lackey said.Calhoun struck first, sending Lackeys 1-0 pitch into the left-field bleachers for his first homer since June 25. Contreras tied it with a shot to left-center in the third.Weaver had the Cubs off balance early with his 83 mph fastball and 70 mph curve. But Chicago started to pounnce the second time through the order, with Anthony Rizzo doubling in a two-run fourth and again in a two-run fifth.ddddddddddddThe second hit came after Bryant sent Weavers slider onto Waveland Avenue.Its one of those lineups where you cant really breathe while youre out there. Theres no leeway, Weaver said. I grinded and tried to get some outs and some things didnt go my way towards the end.Weaver allowed eight hits in five innings.Its still a little weird because I root for him when hes not facing us, Lackey said. Hes a good friend. I really respect the way hes still competing and still getting after it with stuff thats a little less than he used to have. But hes still grinding, still trying to help his club win.TRAINERS ROOMAngels: C Geovany Soto (knee) was activated off the 15-day disabled list after the game and is expected to start Wednesday. C Carlos Perez was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake. . New closer Cam Bedrosian was placed on the 15-day DL with tendinitis in his right middle finger. RHP A.J. Achter was called up from Triple-A. . 1B C.J. Cron (hand) plans to take live batting practice in Arizona this week. . RHP Nick Tropeano will undergo Tommy John surgery next Tuesday in Los Angeles.Cubs: Relief pitcher Hector Rondon (triceps) was unavailable. Its not an issue. I feel a little tired, Rondon said. . Jorge Soler started in left field for the first time since June 6 following a hamstring injury and three games as the DH last weekend. He went 2 for 4.CALL REVERSEDThe Cubs Dexter Fowler was ruled out after 3B Yunel Escobar had a foul pop knocked out of his glove by a fan in the fifth. Umpires initially ruled it no play before huddling and changing the call without a replay review.HEYWARDS CATCHCubs OF Jason Heyward made a headfirst, snow-cone grab of pinch-hitter Johnny Giavotellas fly to shallow right in the eighth.UP NEXTThe series concludes Wednesday night with Cubs RHP Jason Hammel (11-5, 3.07 ERA) returning from the bereavement list to face right-hander and former Cubs draft pick Ricky Nolasco (4-8, 5.23). ' ' '