Salty Runback - NA LoL Esports

We're back! After a month-long hiatus. we're back for another episode of Salty Runback! With a lot to talk about in this lengthy episode, Hawk and Grapes recap the world championships, discuss the wild changes made to the LCS next year, and build some theoretical ideal rosters for the NACL 2024 season right before rostermania gets underway. We're planning on being back recording episod...

It’s a good time to be a League of Legends fan. Hawk and Grapes recap the Salty Runback Trick or Treat Invitational, discuss the import regulations in the NA developmental system, predict how hard APA will smash Faker (sadge), and talk to Icelandic Hero and UrUncleSam of Ole Miss in preparation for the Sixty Six CLOL Invitational Tournament this weekend. Follow Icelandic Hero! twitter.com/HeroIcel...

Offseason might be in full swing, but there's still a ton to talk about in the developmental scene! Hawk and Grapes discuss the different events that have happened in the past month, answer some questions from social media, and preview the upcoming Salty Runback Trick or Treat Invitational Tournament! Make sure to tune into the Salty Runback Trick or Treat Invitational this Friday-Sunday, Octo...

The season is officially over! With the 2024 LCS Challengers League Promotion Tournament ending with two teams from the qualifiers making their way into the league, Hawk and Grapes discuss some of the surprising performances in the event, discuss the futures of LCS orgs in Tier 2, and sit down with LiT Esports Messages to discuss his emotional journey from a new prospect to qualifying into the NAC...

With LCS Finals finishing last week and Worlds on the horizon, there's only one event left in the North American League Circuit for 2023: The NACL Promotion Tournament. Hosts Hawk and Grapes discuss their favorites for the event, discuss the upcoming DSG Streamer event happening this September, and have a lengthy conversation with LiT Esport's Dragoon about his journey as a top laner in th...

This past week, Hawk and Grapes attending the 2023 LCS Summer Finals in Newark, NJ as NRG shocked the world with raising their first ever LCS trophy. While enjoying the festivities, the two got the chance to talk about the upcoming NACL promotion tournament, recap their Salt Street Bets predictions from earlier in the year, and got to talk to Wildcard's jungler Keel about his fantastic 2023 se...

The Summer Split is (almost) over! With the NACL and NACLQ finals wrapping up this week, Hawk and Grapes discuss how great of an event the NACL finals were, debate the promotion qualifying format (again) and unveil their 2023 Summer Awards for the NACLQ. We'll be at the LCS Finals this week! Make sure to say hello! Time Stamps: Intro: ⁠0:00:00⁠ How many DSG players are LCS-ready? ⁠0:03:17⁠ Doe...

It's finally time for the NACL Summer Finals! Hawk and Grapes discuss the exciting matchup between Disguised and Evil Geniuses Challengers, break down which Qualifiers teams we will see in the Promotion Tournament, and why more LAN events in Tier 2 is not necessarily the answer. Then, Hawk sits down with EGC's top laner Srtty to discuss his growth as a player, taking a risk to prove himsel...

Hawk and Grapes are back with a special mega-headlines episode of Salty Runback! Your favorite duo discusses the NACL playoffs, the wild week of competitive bans and upsets in the NACLQ, and which NACL players would do the best in the new Arena. We're going to LCS finals! Let us know if you are coming or want to see any content for this weekend. Time Stamps: Intro: ⁠0:00:00⁠ Bigger story: DSG...

Blood has been spilled! Grapes and Hawk discuss the first half of the NACL playoffs, the shocking upsets in the NACL Qualifier tournament, and the seemingly short length of the season. Then, they discuss the TRUE meaning of MVP and pick their candidates. Time Stamps: Time Stamps: Intro: 0:00:00 What was the most entertaining series of NACL Playoffs Week 1? 0:02:02 Are you worried about TLC or FLYC...

We're in the home stretch! With the last NACLQ group stage of the year kicking off this weekend and the NACL playoffs about to begin, Hawk and Grapes discuss their thoughts on the overall strength of the league, conduct a way-too-early promotion tournament preview, and unveil their NACL playoff brackets. Time Stamps: Intro: 0:00:00 How many teams are in the "top pack" of the NACL? 0:...

A busy week here on Salty Runback! Grapes is joined by NACLQ and LPL caster AlkBattery to discuss week 4 of the NACL regular season and the upcoming NACLQ semifinals. Then Grapes and Hawk sit down with DSG's very own mid laner Young to discuss what it's like playing for one of the biggest streamers in the world, how confident he is against other mid laners, and his love for skateboarding....

Hawk makes his return to Salty Runback as him and Grapes discuss NA mids in LCS, Evil Geniuses Challengers and Maryville's performance, Team Ambitions seeding, and the possibility of a "win and in" promotion team. Then, in part two they break down the perceived success of each NACL team so far this split. Follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/saltyrunbackpod Youtube: / @saltyrunbac...

The NACL regular season is 1/3 complete, the NACLQ Group stage is about to heat up, and Mirage Alliance dropped a game? We're here to talk all about it. This week on Salty Runback, Hawk and Grapes discuss the increased parity in the NACL, the lack of parity in the qualifiers, and just how good Wildcard looked this week. Then, Hawk sits down with veteran jungler of Mirage Alliance @ChadJungle,...

Week 1 is in the books, it's the Wild West in the NACL, and there's a new top dog in town in the NACLQ. Hosts Grapes and Hawk give their takes on some teams they think are underperforming so far in NACLQ, preview the NACLQ group stage, and try to build the prototypical amateur roster in a theoretical expansion draft. Time Stamps: Intro: 0:00:00 Can anyone stop Mirage Alliance? 0:01:41 Pick...

We're back from CLOL and off to the races once again, with the NACL and NACLQ Summer Splits starting up this Saturday! Hosts Grapes and Hawk discuss the agreement reached by Riot and the LCSPA, preview the 32 teams in the NACLQ Open Qualifier, and give a Rose, Bud, and Thorn for each new NACL roster. Time Stamps: Intro: 0:00:00 Short discussion about the LCSPA Agreement? 0:04:05 Where would yo...

With Riot's decision to remove the requirement for LCS organizations to field NACL rosters for Summer 2023 has come a week full of uncertainty and negativity about the future of North American League of Legends. In a special offseason episode of Salty Runback, Hawk and Grapes break down the recent news, air out some frustrations, and also discuss the CLOL Top 4 which takes place June 3-6th in...

The split is finally over! ... kinda. The LCS Challengers League Promotion tournament saw 3 teams from the NACL Qualifiers earn their way into the league for the Summer Split. Hawk and Grapes discuss their reactions to the tournament, the CLOL Round of 32, and answer some viewer questions submitted via our Twitter! Time Stamps: Intro: 0:00:00 What was more surprising: Supernova promoting or FLYFAM...

It's a busy week in the world of NA Developmental League of Legends! The NACL Qualifier teams came to play in the first 2 days of the Spring Promotion Tournament, guaranteeing at least 1 NACL team will be relegated for the Summer Split. Hosts Hawk and Grapes break those matches down, preview the upcoming promotion games, and then preview the LoL Collegiate Championships which start this weeken...

It's time for promotion/relegation! 4 NACL and 4 NACLQ teams are set to do battle for only 4 slots in the NACL summer split. Join Hawk and Grapes as they break down some of the unsettling offseason news as well the upcoming promotion tournament. Then in the second half, Grapes is joined by Airren, ADC of The Last Dance for a conversation about NACL and promotion! Make sure to tune into the pro...

It's the end of the split! Well, kinda. Last weekend Cloud9 Challengers were crowned the champions of the NACL, and Maryville University clinched their 2nd straight NACLQ title. With the promotion relegation tournament looming, Hawk and Grapes discuss Mir winning the Most Valuable Prospect award, what each team did to win, and unveil their first ever NACLQ awards for all competing players. We...

It's finals weekend! 3 NACL and 4 NACLQ teams remain with just 2 days of games left in the Spring Split. Hawk and Grapes are reunited to recap all the crazy games that happened last week, look ahead to the start of the offseason, and explain why every remaining team in play still has a chance of winning. Make sure to tune into the NACL and NACLQ finals on twitch.tv/challengersleague and twitch...

It's the final countdown!! Hawk and special guest Cubby discuss the NACL playoff bracket that has now dwindled to four teams and the ever-tightening race to promotion/relegation. Afterwards, Hawk talks to Native Gaming's Messages and Fanatiik about their experiences this split as well as a... rizz check? NACLQ Week 3 games Saturday followed by quarterfinals Sunday 1 PM EST/10 AM PST on twi...

The end of Spring is in sight after an AMAZING first weekend of NACL Playoffs and the NACLQ starting to shape up. While Hawk is on vacation, host Grapes is joined by special guest and fellow NACLQ caster AlkBattery to discuss all the headlines surrounding the current landscape of the developmental pipeline. After that, Grapes sits down with one of the hottest new bot lanes in the NACLQ, TikTok Ton...

IT'S PLAYOFF TIME BABY! With the NACL regular season coming to a close and playoffs starting up next week, Grapes and Hawk each created their full playoff bracket predictions, give their must-watch matches this weekend, and also discuss the results of the second NACLQ.  NACLQ Week 1 Group Stage games Saturday and Sunday 1 PM EST/10 AM PST on twitch.tv/saltyrunbackpod, twitch.tv/alkbattery, an...