< Ks Sy Shis ibsue: ( Backing up Y Alifetime sentence (Y Transecting differences And more! Virtual athletics » Is it a sport if you don’t have to leave your computer chair? Brittney MacDonald Senior Columnist : League of Legends and Halo : age, yet continue to update and : remain relevant, retired players : and popular live-streamers ompetitive video gaming has been around since the advent of games like Donkey Kong and Centipede, but recently games like League of Legends and Dota 2 have garnered more attention as potential sports—more so than something that should be played in your basement between finals. The competitive scene for team- and solo- based video games has been growing both internationally and right here at home; with championship prize pools upwards of $2 million, as wellas ; competitive scene is something sponsorship deals ranging in the that hasn’t gone unnoticed in : the land of academia either: : the Robert Morris University of : Illinois has recently announced : their new e-sports scholarship : program. The university also : plans to create a competitive : team and fund “those with : a competitive spirit who do : not necessarily want to play : traditional sports such as : basketball or football.” Even : locally, Simon Fraser University : recently hosted a dual Dota : 2and League of Legends ; tournament offering two purses : of $500 each to the two winning ; amateur teams. tens of thousands of dollars per professional player, it’s easy to see why. Gone is the image of the overweight, mid-3os loser who never left his parent’s house. It’s been replaced by physically fit men and women who are carefully regimented in their daily routine, like any professional athlete. Perhaps even more so, given that the majority of professional gamers live under the same roof as the rest of their team and coaches. Yes, you read that right: coaches. As certain games like : (people who broadcast and : commentate their gameplay : over the Internet for fans) : turn to coaching after they’ve : passed their prime—which : seems to happen in the early- to : mid-2os. In fact, thanks to the : close coverage of the League : Championship Series, the annual : competitive tournament hosted : by League of Legends publisher : Riot, we are now seeing the : support crew of the professional : teams grow to include analysts : and sports psychologists. The serious nature of this Out of Left Blueline » University of Southern disComfort Eric Wilkins Assistant Editor M assistant _ @theotherpress.ca The world of sports often introduces a level of ridiculousness simply with its comically massive salaries. For those instances which are unheard of for other reasons, the Other Press brings you Out senior at USC. He’s made 21 : starts at cornerback over the : past two seasons and is highly ees : regarded by many. He was California (USC) has been : also named one of the squad’s . : six captains for the upcoming over the last decade, especially : campaign. His plan to : frustrate receivers this year hit : a roadblock when he picked of Left Blueline. he University of Southern a highly prominent college in football. Highly-regarded players have come and : gone. Scandals have reigned : supreme. And jokes about : the Trojans’ O-line providing : protection have continued to: : trend ina sexual direction. The : : latest bit of news is an instant : classic: a tale of a star player : who went from a battered and : bruised, venerated hero to an : unscrupulous glory-seeker ina : : matter of days. Josh Shaw is a fifth-year Earlier this year, after : a lengthy back-and-forth : between Riot and the : American Government and : Immigration board, the United : States announced that it : now recognizes professional : League of Legends players as : professional athletes. This : may seem small, but it will : allow international players— : including Venezuela-native : Vancouver-resident Alberto : “Crumbzz” Rengifo—to be : awarded visas in order to : compete in the North American : League Championship Series, : which is based in California. : The series is also home to both : a European and Oceanic league. : The top teams from each will : all converge and compete for : the League of Legends World : Championship this fall. Closer to home, Vancouver- based game developer Relic has : recently announced that it will : be getting its own competitive : electronic sports league for : its game Company of Heroes : 2. This is after the completion : of a spectator/observer mode : that will allow the league to : broadcast gameplay. It’s obvious that this growing interest in the realm of : e-sports is not just a flash in the : pan, and will probably continue : to grow as time goes on. : up two high-ankle sprains. The : : story of howhewasinjured — : : was more than worth the slight : : hiccup in his career though: Shaw’s seven-year-old nephew : was reportedly drowning in : a pool when the USC captain : sprang to action. With no one : else around, it was up to the defensive back to make the : play, jumping from a second- : floor balcony to save his : nephew. The resultant landing : on the concrete hindered him : but Shaw still managed to save : the child. “That was a heroic act : by Josh, putting his personal : safety aside. But that’s the kind : : of person he is,’ commented : head coach Steve Sarkisian : the school. : out. statement, following some : contradictory reports about : his moment of bravery, Shaw : said, “On Saturday August : 23, 2014, I injured myself ina : fall. 1 made up a story about : this fall that was untrue. I was : | apologize to USC for this ? action on my part.” Know the score? Contact: Eric Wilkins, Sports Editor M sports@theotherpress. ca www theotherpress.ca afterwards ina release from He was a role model. An And then the truth came Through a prepared wrong to not tell the truth. The school has since : suspended him indefinitely : and it’s possible his college : upstanding young man worthy : : of all the recognition that was : being showered upon him. : A perfect poster boy for the : college. career may be over. In an even : more bizarre turn of events, : rumours have swirled around : Shaw’s possible involvement : ina burglary which included : asuspect jumping froma : balcony as well. The story wraps up an : eventful past 12 months for : USC which saw three head : coaches last season, as well : as their athletic director : being hospitalized twice this : summer. In other news, senior : running back Anthony Brown : has quit the team and accused : Sarkisian of being a racist. : Fight on!