After another 2 weeks of scrims, I firmly believe more then before it's wide open. Totally map dependent, and who's hot that night. Just looking at scrim results I'd tentativly say WET would be the favorite, certainly a top 3ish team at the least. I don't agree that any other team can be said to be top 3 at this point. Should be the most upset filled season in IM,very excited to get the season started.

That's the thing, in the OPs tourney it's single elimination seeded, for the most part everyone is eliminated quickly, only playing 1 match or 2, with no shot at any prize. Sure the semis and finals are good matches, so you see maybe 3 or 4 good games all night.

In this format, if your captain is faster then platinum or b4nny when you sign up, you get a shot to play a few matches, some close ones, some nights those great teams don't show up or are in another server, so your squad can make a mini run. It also gives a lower end team a chance against great players they never normally have. And yah, the best players win, that's how it goes, you will still see plenty of good shows. Organisers can also tweek the rules and put some limits on teams, "x" amount of invite players, or invite teams can't sign up until 10pm, or w/e. Lots of choices, and it's just a thought to run a simpler tourney is all, I've seen it work well in the past, that's why I brought it up.

There is another style tourney you can play, I'm just tossing out this as a suggestion. It takes a lot less to organize (you don't need a set amount of team, bracket seed, servers, tourney dosen't have to last hours and hours till completion, etc), old school King of the Hill Ladder.

Essentially anyone who wants to put together a team comes to the Friday night IRC channel, at a set time (say 9est) your team captain msgs the tourney organizer (lists your 6 players and says your ready to go). It's first come first serve. The first 2 teams to msg the organizer go into the server, the third team joins and specs. 20 minute KOTH map. The Losing team leaves, the winning team stays, the specs join the losing teams spot, next team joins spec (you have like 3 minutes to ready up or the game just starts), so it's constant action, with the on deck team joining spec. So if you keep winning you stay, if you lose you are out (go back to IRC and resignup and get in line).

The amount of wins at the end of then night determines the prizes you receive. Your team won 4 games out of the 16 played, you get 1/4 of the prizes. So yah, not everyone who signs up gets to play each night, but that's the way the system works. If it gets popular you can have more then 1 server running parallel tournys, but you do not split it by skill level (it leads to sandbagging for prizes).

More then 5 teams can beat each other in my experience the past few weeks. Granted everyone is tinkering with new lineups, ringers, etc, but you are dismissing too many teams at this point who have a chance to finish in the top 3 in my opinion, if they work had and improve. There are no Madman or Chill2good teams this season in IM.

I've scrimmed most the teams in IM this season. At this point it is wide open. Teams that work hard and improve will have a shot at the end, there is no overwhelming favorite. Alot of it will just come down to who is better or more prepared for certain maps, and matchups, who's playing hot. Should be a very competitive season.

So who won the invite poll?

Looks like about 16 IM teams.

Great job, was a good episode, thanks guys.

With ESEA registration closing in a mere 5 days, can we get our rosters unlocked like now so we can add players and or pay for them so we don't have to scramble this weekend when people are out of town, thanks!!!!

excellent roamer and person, highly recommend.

who's on your new team mustard?

Amazing job Robyn.

Maiks got alot of talent and plenty of exp. Give him a shot.

http://i.imgur.com/5NBO0bY.jpg?1