Wednesday saw the culmination of ELeague Season 2 kick off with the start of the ELeague Season 2 Playoffs. Four of the eight teams who managed to qualify for the event -- SK Gaming, Ninjas in Pyjamas, Astralis and Dignitas -- took part in the opening day of competition. Just a single best-of-three series would decide who would advance in the tournament, with SK Gaming and Astralis earning the first spots in the pivotal semifinals.SK Gaming PrevailsThe first best-of-three series of the day was no easy task for SK, who had a long road in their series against Dignitas. The two teams started the best-of-three series on Dust2 where SK dominated their map pick to a 10-5 lead at half. That dominance continued into the second half as the Brazilians allowed just one round against them while taking six of their own to claim a 16-6 Map 1 win. However, Dignitas showed off their dominance with their map pick in Game 2, featuring Mirage. The Danes took a convincing 11-4 lead at the half and then shut out SK in the second half for a 16-4 win. Dignitas Emil Magiskb0Y Reif led his team with an impressive 19/9 kills/deaths ratio (KD) and 109.6 average damage per round (ADR).Approaching the third and final map of the series, SK looked to seal the deal on the deciding map, Overpass. SK took the first half with a huge 11-4 start, however, Dignitas werent going out that easy. The Danes came back in the second half thanks to Kristian k0nfig Wienecke and Magiskb0Y who put together a great defensive performance to get Dignitas within two rounds of taking Map 3. Although SK struggled late in the second half, Dignitas gave up the last three rounds to SK due to a few errors made holding the bomb sites. The Brazilians overcame a frantic final few rounds in the deciding map to claim a 16-14 win, earning themselves a spot in the semifinals.Astralis makes their markThe second best-of-three series of the day was much like the first series. Coming off as IEM Oakland 2016 Champions, Ninjas in Pyjamas looked to continue their streak in the ELeague Season 2 Playoffs. All that stood in their way was a red-hot Astralis squad. With the first map pick, NiP selected Cobblestone and immediately took a hold of the series. The battle was a real thriller in the first half of Map 1 as the Danes and Swedes battled to a near draw in the first half, with Astralis just barely gaining an 8-7 advantage before halftime. NiP had a slow start to the second half but quickly turned around after giving up three rounds to secure a 16-13 win.Down 1-0 in the series, Astralis looked to rebound with their map pick, Train. The Danes had a brilliant performance on Map 2 thanks to Nicolai device Reedtz, who dominated with a 23/6 KD and 110.2 ADR, aiding Astralis in a 16-2 blowout. The series tie went onto the third map, Overpass, where both teams have had equal success. However, it was all Astralis in the first half, as they jumped out to a huge lead before NiP came back to level the record to 9-6. NiP started the second half strong taking the initial three rounds but quickly fell to Astralis, thanks to Markus Kjaerbye Kj?rbyes stellar performance on the offensive side for a 16-10 win. The Danes will move onto the semifinal to face SK.The second day of the ELeague Season 2 Playoffs will continue Thursday showcasing two best-of-three matches featuring Virtus.Pro, OpTic Gaming, mousesports and FaZe Clan. Day 2 will begin with mousesports and OpTic facing off and immediately after Virtus.Pro will take on FaZe Clan. The winners of those matches will then head to the semifinals to join SK and Astralis. The action will kick off at 2:00 PM EST on Twitch.Want to know how the other quarterfinals could pan out? Heres our handy preview. Vans Shoes Clearance . It might not have mattered. While the Dodgers are preparing for the playoffs, the Padres showed their future has promise behind two rookies. Cheap Vans Shoes Wholesale . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan. http://www.cheapvanssale.com/ . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. Vans Shoes Cheap Online . -- Matt Kuchar and Harris English ran away with the Franklin Templeton Shootout, shooting a 14-under 58 on Sunday in the final-round scramble to break the tournament course record. Wholesale Vans Shoes From China .In my heart and mind Im competing for India, luge competitor Shiva Keshavan told The Associated Press in an email interview. Every day Im flooded with messages from Indians all over the world telling me they are supporting me. One of the most enduring draws of any competitive sporting event is its unpredictability. Whether its No. 14 seed Mercer upsetting No. 3 Duke in the round of 64 at the 2014 NCAA tournament, or 5,000-to-1 underdogs Leicester City winning the English Premier League title, sports fans live for the unexpected.At the same time, theres also the allure of an established, shared narrative -- jokes and stories that are communal, based on a history weve all witnessed together. The Patriots are cheaters, the Lions will never make a Super Bowl, the Sixers are a mess, the Yankees are the evil empire and Andy Reid cant manage the clock. Even if you dont always agree with the jokes, you always get the punchlines.Sports fans understand that the way things have been will often inform the way things will be -- at least for a while.So what to make of the Cavaliers winning the NBA title? Cleveland, the most bedeviled of all sports cities, finally got a trophy and a parade, putting an end to its 52-year drought. And not only did the citys basketball team defeat the winningest team in the history of the game to claim the championship, the citys baseball team is white hot, as well. The Indians just went unbeaten at home?in June, ran off a 14-game win streak and look to be a favorite for the Fall Classic.Are we really ready to live in a world where Cleveland sports are ... good?No one could begrudge Cleveland fans their right to a little good fortune. After years of disappointment (see: The Catch, The Drive, The Fumble, The Decision), loyal Ohioans finally get to be on top. And yet, theres a feeling of mourning for the rest of the sports world in saying goodbye to our favorite sad story. The annual ribbing (and occasional torment) of the fine folks of Clevelandd was a given.dddddddddddd Add another year to the drought, another heartbreak to the list, and try again next year.Now we all have to accept that Cleveland is no longer the doormat of sports cities and no longer tops on the Sports Misery Index.What on earth will happen when the Chicago Cubs finally win a title? What is their identity? Who are they, if not the longest-running lovable losers in sport? You can forget about those monologue jokes, late-night talk-show hosts. Youll have to find another globally recognized symbol of futility.In the end, I know that change is good -- particularly for those stuck rooting for perennial duds. So with Cleveland finally enjoying a victory, I guess well move on to mocking long-time losers Buffalo or San Diego, though it wont feel the same.Thank God well always have the Browns.***This weeks Thats What She Said podcast features a man whos more than happy to say goodbye to losing traditions. Longtime Cleveland sports fan Jay Crawford, who anchors the 11 a.m. ET edition of SportsCenter, was in his home state to witness the Cavaliers win the NBA title in June. We talk about his nerves heading into an all-or-nothing Game 7, the thrill of watching the victory with his son and the atmosphere in Cleveland when the drought finally ended.Crawford also shares his thoughts on balancing fandom with professionalism, connecting with viewers in the age of social media and new technology, crafting and understanding your personal brand and learning to work with a variety of on-air teammates.Thanks, as always, for listening, and check back every week for a new edition of Thats What She Said. Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '