Who were the NHL Original Six teams. How did these legendary franchises shape hockey history. What impact did the Original Six era have on the sport’s development. Why are these teams still revered today.
The Birth of the NHL and the Path to the Original Six
The National Hockey League (NHL) came into existence in November 1917, emerging from the ashes of the National Hockey Association (NHA). Four club owners, frustrated with ongoing disputes involving Toronto Blueshirts owner Eddie Livingstone, decided to form a new league. This strategic move effectively isolated Livingstone and led to the NHA’s eventual demise.
The fledgling NHL faced immediate challenges. With only three teams – the Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, and Ottawa Senators – the league lacked a presence in Toronto, one of Canada’s largest cities. To address this issue, a temporary franchise was awarded to the owners of Toronto’s Arena Gardens.
Early Expansion and Contraction
Over the next two decades, the NHL experienced periods of growth and decline. By 1924, the league had expanded to six teams with the addition of the Boston Bruins and Montreal Maroons. At its peak during this era, the NHL boasted ten franchises. However, the Great Depression and World War II took their toll on the league’s stability.
Do you know how many teams remained in the NHL by 1942? The answer is six. With the disbanding of the Brooklyn Americans, the league had contracted to the iconic group that would later become known as the Original Six.
The Original Six: Who Were They?
The term “Original Six” refers to the six teams that comprised the NHL from 1942 to 1967. These franchises were:
- Montreal Canadiens (established 1909)
- Toronto Maple Leafs (established 1917)
- Boston Bruins (established 1924)
- Detroit Red Wings (established 1926)
- New York Rangers (established 1926)
- Chicago Blackhawks (established 1926)
It’s important to note that despite the name, these teams were not actually the first six franchises in NHL history. The term “Original Six” was coined after the 1967 expansion, which saw the league double in size to twelve teams.
The Montreal Canadiens: Hockey’s Most Storied Franchise
The Montreal Canadiens, affectionately known as “Les Habitants” or “Habs,” hold the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating professional ice hockey team in the world. Founded in 1909, the Canadiens predate the NHL itself and were one of the league’s founding members in 1917.
What makes the Canadiens such an iconic franchise? Their unparalleled success is a significant factor. With 24 Stanley Cup championships, the Canadiens have won more titles than any other team in NHL history. This legacy of excellence has cemented their place as one of the most revered sports franchises in North America.
The Canadiens’ Cultural Impact
Beyond their on-ice success, the Canadiens have played a crucial role in shaping Quebec’s cultural identity. The team has long been seen as a symbol of French-Canadian pride and resilience. Many of the franchise’s greatest players, such as Maurice “Rocket” Richard and Jean Béliveau, became not just sports heroes but cultural icons.
How did the Canadiens maintain their dominance during the Original Six era? One key factor was their ability to secure top French-Canadian talent through territorial rights, giving them first pick of players from Quebec. This advantage allowed them to build powerhouse teams that dominated much of the Original Six period.
The Toronto Maple Leafs: A Storied Rivalry
The Toronto Maple Leafs, established in 1917, have a complex early history. Initially operating as a temporary franchise known simply as the Toronto Arenas, the team won the NHL’s first league championship and the Stanley Cup in the league’s inaugural season.
The franchise underwent several name changes in its early years. From the Arenas, they became the St. Patricks in 1919, before finally adopting the Maple Leafs moniker in 1927 under the ownership of Conn Smythe.
The Maple Leafs-Canadiens Rivalry
One of the most enduring aspects of the Original Six era was the intense rivalry between the Maple Leafs and the Canadiens. This rivalry, which continues to this day, is often considered one of the greatest in sports history.
Why is the Maple Leafs-Canadiens rivalry so significant? It goes beyond mere sports competition, embodying the cultural and linguistic divide between English and French Canada. The matchups between these teams often felt like battles for national pride, adding an extra layer of intensity to their games.
The Boston Bruins: American Pioneer
The Boston Bruins, founded in 1924, hold the distinction of being the first American team to join the NHL. This expansion marked a significant step in the league’s growth beyond its Canadian roots.
Under the ownership of Charles Adams, the Bruins quickly established themselves as a force to be reckoned with. They won their first Stanley Cup in 1929, just five years after joining the league, and added four more championships during the Original Six era.
The Bruins’ Impact on American Hockey
The Bruins’ success played a crucial role in popularizing hockey in the United States. As the sole American-based NHL team until 1924, they were instrumental in growing the sport’s fanbase south of the Canadian border.
How did the Bruins contribute to the development of American hockey talent? The team’s presence in Boston helped establish youth hockey programs in the area, creating a pipeline of local talent. Players like Milt Schmidt and Woody Dumart, both Massachusetts natives, became stars for the Bruins during the Original Six era.
The Detroit Red Wings: From Cougars to a Dynasty
The Detroit Red Wings, established in 1926, were originally known as the Detroit Cougars. The team underwent several name changes, becoming the Falcons in 1930 before finally adopting the Red Wings moniker in 1932 under the ownership of James Norris Sr.
The Red Wings’ early years were marked by struggle, but the 1930s saw the beginning of a turnaround. Under the leadership of Jack Adams, who served as coach and general manager, the team began to build a reputation for excellence.
The Production Line Era
The Red Wings’ golden age came in the 1950s with the formation of the “Production Line.” This legendary forward line consisted of Gordie Howe, Sid Abel, and Ted Lindsay. Their nickname was a nod to Detroit’s automotive industry, reflecting the deep connection between the team and the city’s identity.
What made the Production Line so effective? The combination of Howe’s power and scoring touch, Abel’s playmaking ability, and Lindsay’s grit and skill created a nearly unstoppable offensive force. This line led the Red Wings to four Stanley Cup championships in the 1950s, establishing the team as a dynasty.
The New York Rangers: Broadway’s Team
The New York Rangers, founded in 1926, were the second American team to join the NHL. The team was established by Tex Rickard, the boxing promoter and founder of Madison Square Garden, as part of his effort to bring professional hockey to New York City.
The Rangers found quick success, winning the Stanley Cup in just their second season of existence in 1928. This early triumph helped establish hockey as a major sport in the biggest media market in North America.
The Rangers’ Unique Challenges
Despite their early success, the Rangers faced unique challenges during the Original Six era. The team often struggled to secure ice time for practices and even some home games due to the busy schedule at Madison Square Garden.
How did these challenges impact the Rangers’ performance? The lack of consistent practice time made it difficult for the team to develop chemistry and maintain peak performance. Despite these obstacles, the Rangers managed to win three Stanley Cups during the Original Six era, a testament to the talent and resilience of their players and coaches.
The Chicago Blackhawks: From Struggles to Success
The Chicago Blackhawks, established in 1926, initially struggled to find their footing in the NHL. The team’s early years were marked by financial difficulties and on-ice struggles, with only occasional glimpses of success.
The Blackhawks’ fortunes began to change in the 1930s. Under the ownership of Frederic McLaughlin, the team adopted a policy of developing American-born players, a novel approach at the time. This strategy paid off when the Blackhawks won their first Stanley Cup in 1934, with a roster that included eight American players.
The Blackhawks’ Renaissance
The 1960s saw a resurgence for the Blackhawks, led by a core of star players including Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, and Glenn Hall. This talented group brought the Stanley Cup back to Chicago in 1961, ending a 23-year championship drought.
What factors contributed to the Blackhawks’ success in the latter part of the Original Six era? The team’s ability to draft and develop top-tier talent was crucial. Additionally, innovative coaching strategies, such as Rudy Pilous’s emphasis on puck possession and offensive creativity, helped the Blackhawks maximize their players’ skills.
The Legacy of the Original Six Era
The Original Six era, spanning from 1942 to 1967, holds a special place in hockey history. During this period, the NHL consisted solely of these six teams, creating intense rivalries and a concentrated pool of talent that produced some of the greatest players and moments in the sport’s history.
Why does the Original Six era continue to captivate hockey fans today? Several factors contribute to its enduring appeal:
- Tradition and History: Each of the Original Six franchises boasts a rich history and deep-rooted traditions that continue to resonate with fans.
- Intense Rivalries: The limited number of teams fostered fierce rivalries that have endured long past the end of the Original Six era.
- Legendary Players: This period saw the emergence of many of hockey’s greatest icons, from Gordie Howe to Maurice Richard to Bobby Hull.
- Cultural Impact: The Original Six teams became integral parts of their cities’ identities, forging deep connections with fans that span generations.
The End of an Era and the NHL’s Expansion
The Original Six era came to an end in 1967 when the NHL underwent a major expansion, doubling in size to twelve teams. This expansion marked the beginning of a new chapter in NHL history, but the legacy of the Original Six continues to influence the league to this day.
How did the 1967 expansion change the NHL? The addition of six new teams dramatically altered the league’s competitive landscape. It opened up new markets, particularly in the western United States, and paved the way for further expansions that would eventually make the NHL a truly national league in both the U.S. and Canada.
Despite the changes brought by expansion, the Original Six teams have maintained their special status within the hockey world. Their long histories, storied rivalries, and connections to the sport’s roots continue to make them central figures in the NHL’s narrative.
As we reflect on the Original Six era, it’s clear that these teams played a pivotal role in shaping hockey as we know it today. Their legacies extend far beyond the ice, touching on aspects of cultural identity, urban history, and the evolution of professional sports in North America. The Original Six may no longer define the entirety of the NHL, but their influence remains an indelible part of hockey’s rich tapestry.
The NHL Original 6 – All about the teams of 1942
Any hockey fan worth their salt knows the term “Original Six.” Those words immediately bring to mind images from the NHL’s rich history–from a time when goalies had no masks, and giants like Eddie Shore and Toe Blake patrolled the ice. Most fans can also correctly identify the teams that make up the Original Six: The Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. Where things start to get fuzzy is when you start asking people why these teams are called the Original Six in the first place (SPOILER ALERT: It’s not because they were the first six teams in the NHL).
The NHL Original 6 Comprised:
- Montreal Canadiens (est. 1909)
- Toronto Maple Leafs (est. 1917)
- Detroit Red Wings (est. 1926)
- Chicago Blackhawks (est. 1926)
- Boston Bruins (est. 1924)
- New York Rangers (est. 1926)
Jacques Plante – an Original Six icon.
(THW Archives)
But in order to understand how these teams became known as the Original Six, we need to jump in the Wayback Machine and look at how the NHL came to be.
The Birth of a League
The NHL was “born” in November of 1917 when four club owners from the National Hockey Association (NHA) formed a new league due to ongoing disputes with the fifth NHA owner (Eddie Livingstone, owner of the Toronto Blueshirts). Because the NHA constitution prohibited them from removing Livingstone from the league, they instead voted to remove themselves from the NHA. At the same time, they formed a new league and called it the National Hockey League. Livingstone was now the only remaining owner in the NHA, and in spite of Livingstone’s numerous lawsuits, the league soon suspended operations permanently.
The fledgeling NHL had some problems right out of the gate as well. Without a team in Toronto, the NHL had no presence in one of Canada’s largest cities. At the same time, the Quebec Bulldogs decided that they could not participate in the league’s first two seasons due to financial difficulties.
This left the new league with only three teams (the Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, and Ottawa Senators). To address both issues, the league awarded a temporary franchise to the owners of Toronto’s Arena Gardens, which was the only professional-level arena in the area. The Toronto team had no official nickname, but still won the NHL’s first league championship (using many players from Livingstone’s Toronto Blueshirts). They also won the Stanley Cup by defeating the Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA).
The NHL’s First Season
The NHL’s first season started with four teams, but was quickly reduced to three when the Montreal Arena burned down only four games into the season, leaving the Montreal Wanderers without a place to play. The team had been having problems from the beginning, and without an arena they disbanded permanently. The next season Toronto’s “team to be named later” was granted a permanent franchise, becoming the Toronto Arenas.
The Arenas are now listed as the 1918 Stanley Cup champs (their name was added to the Cup in 1947), but at the time they won, they still had no official nickname.
The four franchises (Montreal, Toronto, Quebec and Ottawa–with Quebec eventually moving to Hamilton) remained the only teams in the NHL until 1924, when two expansion teams joined (the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Maroons). The NHL was now at six teams, just not “the” Original Six. Over the next 18 years, teams would join and leave the league periodically–the NHL had as many as ten franchises during this era. But the Great Depression and World War II took their toll in more ways than one, and with the disbanding of the Brooklyn Americans in 1942, the NHL had shrunk back to six teams.
The Original Six Era
For the next 25 years, the six teams left standing at the beginning of the 1942 season were all the NHL had. It was these six teams that went on to become known as The Original Six. But that name only took hold after the NHL expanded in 1967, when they added six new teams and doubled in size.
The term “Original Six” started appearing in newspaper articles in 1967, and was used to differentiate the six existing franchises from the six new expansion teams. The phrase gained popularity, and soon became a household name throughout the hockey world.
So there you have it–the birth of The Original Six, and how they got their name. But what about the six teams themselves? The stories behind their names are every bit as interesting. The next stops in our tour will look at each team’s name and how it evolved over the years:
The Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens are the oldest franchise in the NHL. In fact, they are older than the NHL itself. One of the NHA teams that originally formed the NHL, the Habs have continuously operated since 1909. In their first season, they were known as “le Club de Hockey Canadien.” The next year they were sold to George Kennedy, the owner of “Club Athlétique Canadien,” and had the letters “CAC” on the front of their jerseys.
The CAC fell on hard times, so the hockey team was incorporated in 1916 as its own separate entity, “le Club de Hockey Canadien.”
Billy Reay, Montreal Canadiens (THW Archives)
At this time the first version of their iconic “CH” logo was introduced–the “H” inside the logo stands for “Hockey,” not “Habitants,” as is often claimed. The club’s official name is in French, as the original purpose of the team was to showcase the best francophone hockey players in Canada. Being a French-speaker is no longer a prerequisite to play for the Canadiens, but it still remains a very large part of the team’s culture.
The Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto is the only other current team that has been around since the founding of the NHL. They began their existence as the temporary “team to be named later” noted above. Even though they drew many players from the NHA Toronto Blueshirts, they do not claim any Blueshirts history as their own. After their first season (1917-18), they were formally named the Toronto Arenas.
The Arenas withdrew from the NHL late next season (1918-19), were renamed the Tecumsehs on December 7, 1919 and were sold to a new ownership group, who renamed them the Toronto St. Patricks a week later. Late in the 1926-27 season, the team was sold again–this time to Conn Smythe, who changed the name of the team to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“The Maple Leaf to us, was the badge of courage, the badge that meant home. It was the badge that reminded us all of our exploits and the different difficulties we got into and the different accomplishments we made. It was a badge that meant more to us than any other badge that we could think of… so we chose it… hoping that the possession of this badge would mean something to the team that wore it and when they skated out on the ice with this badge on their chest… they would wear it with honour and pride and courage, the way it had been worn by the soldiers of the first Great War in the Canadian Army.” — Conn Smythe
The Boston Bruins
Since their first NHL season in 1924, making them the oldest American NHL team, the Boston Bruins have had the same nickname.
Original owner Charles Adams hired Art Ross as GM, and together, they came up with a name for the team. They decided on the Bruins, from an Old English term for brown bear. The term fit very well with the initial vision of Adams, portraying the image of an animal with strength, speed, power and cunning. Adams also wanted the team’s colors to match those of his grocery store chain (Finast), which were brown and yellow. The name fit in quite nicely with the proposed color scheme as well. More on the actual logo here…
The Detroit Red Wings
The fall of 1926 saw three new expansion teams join the NHL. One of these teams was the Detroit Cougars who, despite their name, played their home games across the border in Windsor, Ontario. The team’s roster was actually purchased from the Victoria Cougars of the Western Hockey League, and they retained the nickname for the move east. In 1927, they moved into Detroit proper and their new home in Olympia Stadium. However, the team was struggling, and head coach/GM Jack Adams renamed the team to the Detroit Falcons in 1930.
In 1932, the team was bought by millionaire James Norris Sr., who worked with Adams to rename the team the Red Wings.
“Norris had been a member of the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association, a sporting club with cycling roots. The MAAA’s teams were known by their club emblem and these Winged Wheelers were the first winners of the Stanley Cup in 1893. Norris decided that a version of their logo was perfect for a team playing in the Motor City and on October 5, 1932 the club was renamed the Red Wings.” — Bob Duff.
The Chicago Blackhawks
Another member of the NHL’s class of 1926 was the Chicago Black Hawks. Owner Major Frederic McLaughlin purchased the roster of the Portland Rosebuds to secure players for his new team. Instead of keeping the name Rosebuds, as Detroit did with the Cougars, he decided to rename the team. His inspiration came from his own past.
“During World War I, McLaughlin had served as a commander in the 333rd Machine Gun Battalion of the 86th Division of the U.
S. Army. Members of his division called themselves Black Hawks in honor of the Sauk Indian chief who sided with the British in the War of 1812. Surely, the Major felt, it would be a fitting name for the newest entry into the National Hockey League.” — blackhawks.nhl.com
S. Army. Members of his division called themselves Black Hawks in honor of the Sauk Indian chief who sided with the British in the War of 1812. Surely, the Major felt, it would be a fitting name for the newest entry into the National Hockey League.” — blackhawks.nhl.comIn an interesting footnote, the team’s nickname was officially spelled as two words (Black Hawks) for 60 years–from their inception until 1986. Before the 1986-87 season, team officials looking at the original NHL contract from 1926 discovered that the team name was on the document as a single compound word (Blackhawks). Beginning in 1986, they officially changed their name to the Blackhawks to reflect this discovery.
The New York Rangers
Our last stop on this tour of the Original Six teams is Broadway. The New York Rangers also joined the NHL in 1926, one year after the New York Americans were granted an expansion team. This second New York team was started by Madison Square Garden President G.
I. “Tex” Rickard, who then hired Conn Smythe to build a team that could be competitive in the NHL from the beginning. While Smythe was out recruiting, New York sportswriters began referring to the upcoming team (which had yet to be named) as “Tex’s Rangers.” The nickname gained traction and when the time came to officially name the team, Rickard adopted it.
Tex Rickard – New York Americans (THW Archives)
We hope you enjoyed this skate down memory lane as much as we did. At the very least, it should help you during the next hockey trivia night.
The archives of THW contain over 40,000 posts on all things hockey. We aim to share with you some of the gems we’ve published over the years.
European Super League Will Include Real Madrid and Six Premier League Teams
LONDON — A dozen of the world’s richest and most storied soccer clubs on Sunday announced that they had formed a breakaway European club competition that would, if it comes to fruition, upend the structures, economics and relationships that have bound global soccer for nearly a century.
After months of secret talks, the breakaway teams — which include Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spain; Manchester United and Liverpool in England; and Juventus and A.C. Milan in Italy — confirmed their plans late Sunday. They said they planned to add at least three more founding members, hold midweek matches that would put the league in direct competition with the existing Champions League, and begin play “as soon as practicable.”
“We will help football at every level and take it to its rightful place in the world,” said Real Madrid’s president, Florentino Pérez, who was named the first chairman of what the clubs were calling the Super League.
The league they have agreed to form — an alliance of top clubs closer in concept to closed leagues like the N.F.L. and the N.B.A. than soccer’s current model — would bring about the most significant restructuring of elite European soccer since the 1950s, and could herald the largest transfer of wealth to a small set of teams in modern sports history.
In its current form, European soccer supplements domestic league play — an English league for English teams, a Spanish one for Spanish clubs — with Continental competitions between the best clubs. The most prestigious of those, the Champions League, brings together the best teams from each domestic league each year to play for the title of Europe’s, and arguably the world’s, best club.
The current system funnels hundreds of millions of dollars of annual television and sponsorship revenue to the world’s richest clubs, which supplement their domestic revenue with multimillion-dollar payouts from the Champions League. But the format also sustains smaller teams in each country, which benefit from the gloss of their encounters with the giants and share in the money those teams bring in from broadcasters.
The new superleague model would change that, by stripping the Champions League of its most attractive and most successful teams and effectively walling off the richest clubs in their own closed competition — and allowing them to split the billions of dollars in annual revenue among themselves.
According to the Super League’s announcement, the founding clubs will split 3.5 billion euros (almost $4.2 billion) for signing on to establish “a sustainable financial foundation.” The per-team figure means each founding club will receive about $400 million — more than four times what the Champions League winner took home in 2020.
The 12 teams that signed up as founders are, for the moment, limited to a dozen clubs from Spain, Italy and England. A cohort of six teams from the Premier League — United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham — represents the biggest grouping from a single country. Atlético Madrid is the other team from Spain that is said to have endorsed the project, while the Milan rivals Internazionale and A.C. Milan would join Juventus as Italy’s representatives.
Three more clubs will join as founding — and thus permanent — members, organizers said, and a qualifying mechanism will be created to fill the five other places in the 20-team Super League each season.
A women’s league will be started as well, the announcement said, presumably including the women’s sides of many of the same clubs.
European soccer officials moved quickly to try to block the project. The Premier League condemned the concept in a statement on Sunday and also sent a letter to its 20 member clubs warning them not to take part. Officials at European soccer’s governing body, UEFA, which runs the Champions League, labeled the proposal for a closed superleague a “cynical project” in a statement.
The missive was co-signed by the Premier League, La Liga in Spain and Italy’s Serie A, as well as the soccer federations of each country. Within hours, France’s federation and the French league had added their voices to the growing opposition inside key European soccer circles. Politicians, including Britain’s prime minister, Boris Johnson, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, also weighed in to denounce the plans.
But UEFA was taking the threat seriously.
Its leaders spent the weekend in discussions about how to block the plan, including banning the breakaway teams from their domestic leagues and blocking their players from competing for their national teams in events like the World Cup. European officials also pointedly reminded the prospective superleague clubs (and, effectively, their players) that soccer’s global governing body, FIFA, has backed their threats of expulsion.
FIFA on Sunday expressed its “disapproval” of the concept of a closed league, but refrained from the type of threats being lobbed by top officials in Europe.
“We will consider all measures available to us, at all levels, both judicial and sporting in order to prevent this happening,” the UEFA statement said. “Football is based on open competitions and sporting merit; it cannot be any other way.”
At the same time, soccer officials also began contacting lawmakers at the European Union, hoping the bloc would be able to strengthen its hand in preserving the status quo.
The leaders of the breakaway group have been trying to get other top teams, like Germany’s Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund and the French champion Paris St.-Germain, to commit. But to date those clubs — and others — have declined to walk away from the domestic structures and continental competitions that have underpinned European soccer for generations.
Their concerns can be political and financial. P.S.G.’s president, Nasser al-Khelaifi, sits on the UEFA board, for example, and also heads beIN Media Group, the Qatar-based television network that has paid millions of dollars for the broadcast rights to games in the Champions League and various domestic competitions.
The Premier League wrote to its 20 clubs after its board meeting on Sunday, though, warning the teams that the league’s rules bar clubs from joining outside competitions without approval.
“This venture cannot be launched without English clubs and we call upon any club contemplating associating themselves or joining this venture to walk away immediately before irreparable damage is done,” it said in a letter to the teams.
The timing of Sunday’s news appeared designed to overshadow UEFA’s plan to ratify a newly designed Champions League on Monday. That competition would be ravaged by the departure of its biggest teams.
The repercussions of a split between European soccer and its best-known, best-followed and most deep-pocketed clubs would be seismic. Without the top teams, UEFA and the domestic leagues would face demands for millions of dollars in refunds from the broadcasters who pay billions for television rights to air their tournaments. The clubs left out would face a serious blow to their budgets while many are still wrestling with the financial wreckage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. And any ban on national team play would affect players individually, even if they had no role in the decision-making.
Among the most notable teams involved in the breakaway group is Juventus, the serial Italian champion. Its chairman, Andrea Agnelli, had been until Sunday — when he resigned from both posts — a member of UEFA’s executive board and also the head of the European Club Association, an umbrella body for more than 200 top division clubs, the majority of which will be left out of the proposed Super League.
When asked by The New York Times this year to discuss his role in the talks of a breakaway league, Agnelli brushed off the idea as a “rumor.”
Still, according to documents reviewed by The Times in January, plans for the breakaway league had gathered pace since last summer. Top clubs sought to take advantage of uncertainty in the soccer industry caused by the pandemic to forge a new path that would ensure a degree of financial stability for them but would also almost certainly lead to a significant — and potentially devastating — loss in value and revenue for the teams excluded from the project.
Each of the would-be permanent members of the proposed superleague was promised 350 million euros, or $425 million, to sign up, the documents said. The group leading the effort had entered into discussions with JPMorgan Chase to raise financing for the project, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The firm has so far declined to comment.
Earlier this year, UEFA found a powerful ally in opposition to the plans in FIFA, which warned that any player who took part in such an unsanctioned league would be barred from appearing in any of its tournaments, including the World Cup. The statement came after UEFA’s president, Aleksander Ceferin, demanded support from his FIFA counterpart, Gianni Infantino, amid mounting speculation that the breakaway group had FIFA’s support.
By Sunday night, even the alliance of clubs led by Juventus’s Agnelli, the E.C.A., appeared to reject his idea.
Significant hurdles to the plan’s implementation remain. Governing bodies and leagues could follow through on their threats to expel the clubs and their players. As member-owned clubs, Barcelona and Real Madrid would most likely require the support of the thousands of their supporters before formally joining, and any German clubs that agree to take part would face similar obstacles. All can expect heavy internal opposition, too; fan groups across Europe have consistently opposed even the idea of a closed superleague.
On Sunday, one umbrella fan group, Football Supporters Europe, called the superleague idea “illegitimate, irresponsible, and anti-competitive by design.”
“More to the point, it is driven exclusively by greed,” the group said. “The only ones who stand to gain are hedge funds, oligarchs and a handful of already wealthy clubs, many of which perform poorly in their own domestic leagues despite their inbuilt advantage.”
UPA Tournament Formats: Six Teams
UPA Tournament Formats: Six Teams
Copyright (c) The Ultimate Players Association, 1994
Please direct comments on this document to Eric Simon
([email protected]).
A six team tournament is still small enough to handle a round-robin. The
problems with setting a six-team tourney up as two pools of three are (1)
not enough games; and, (2) too much can depend on seeding. Actually, the
worst problem is the possibility of a three-way tie. There are no
tie-breakers that work for a three-way tie in a three-team pool (but see
“The three-team tie-breakers problem”).
A round-robin of six teams must be spread out over two days. Play four
rounds the first day, and the fifth game as the first round on the second
day. Because no team has a bye during the round-robin, no team has an
unfair advantage for the games that follow the round-robin. For some of the
formats, where there are lots of games, you might consider making the
round-robin games to 13.
Commonly, tournament schedulers like to pit the top two seeds against each
other during the last round of a round-robin. This is not a good idea,
however, when the round-robin is spread over two days because then the top
two seeds might be playing each other twice on the second day. Make sure
that these two teams play each other on the first day.
- For Regional Championships:
- Even though there are only five teams, two days of play are expected
for teams that will be competing for spots at nationals. You must use
one of the two-day options. - For Sectional Championships:
- As mentioned above, a one-day tournament is only permitted under
extreme circumstances and only at Sectionals. (See the discussion on
“A One-Day or Two-Day Format”.)
Use the two-day options.
6.1. One Team Advances
- 6.1.1. Seven round option
- Use Table 6.1 (round-robin) split over the two
days. The top four teams qualify and use 4.3, a
single elimination when the round-robin is finished. The teams
that make it to the finals will be playing seven games over the
weekend.Be sensitive to the fact that some teams might be sticking around
overnight only to play in a single round-robin game when they have
already been eliminated on the first day. Such a team may not show up,
and this creates all sorts of problems. One way to avoid this is to
have a leisurly start on the first day and only play three round.
Then, the second day involves two games of round-robin, and two rounds
to finish the four-team single elimination. Another possibility, is to
use the option below. - 6.1.2. Eight round option
- Use Table 6.1.1 (round-robin) over the first
two days, playing four of the rounds on the first day. After the
round-robin is completed, use Table 6.2 (6-team
single elimination) for the last three rounds. Although this
format takes eight rounds, most teams will play only six or seven
games.There are two advantages to this format. First, a team can only get
eliminated by losing a game (i.e., there is no possiblity of a team
going home an account of a point-differential). Second, a team can
lose all four games on the first day and still have an incentive to
show up the second day, because, theoretically, they can still win the
tournament.
6.2. Two Teams Advance
Use Table 6.1.1 (round-robin) over the first two
days, playing four of the rounds on the first day. After the
round-robin is completed, use Table 6.2 (6-team
single elimination) for the last three rounds. Although this format
takes eight rounds, most teams will play only six or seven games.
6.3. Three Teams Advance
Use Table 6.1.1 (round-robin) over the first two
days, playing four of the rounds on the first day. After the
round-robin is completed, use Table 6.3 (6-team
modified elimination) for the last three rounds.
6.4. Four Teams Advance
Use Table 6.1.1 (round-robin) over the first two
days, playing four of the rounds on the first day. After the
round-robin is completed, you have a bunch of options:
- 6.4.1. Option one
- The top two teams play each other for first and second place. The
bottom four teams play a modified double elimination, Table 4.4. This can be pretty exciting, because
the last game of the entire tournament is for the last and final
spot. (Of course, when you look at Table 4.4,
the teams that come in first and second are actually coming in
third and fourth here, since the top two teams have already been
separated out and are playing each other for first and second
place). - 6.4.2. Option two
- Use Table 6.3 (6 team modified elimination).
6.5. Five Or Six Teams Advance
Use Table 6.1.1 (round-robin) over the first two
days, playing four of the rounds on the first day. After the
round-robin is completed, use Table 6.3 (6 team
modified elimination).
Table 6.1. Six-Team Round-Robin
The following is a straight six-team round-robin, which takes five rounds.
Should circumstances require, you can split the round-robin over two days.
As mentioned in the introduction to this section, when the round-robin is
split over two days, and it is to be followed by some sort of elimination,
do not schedule the top two seeds to play against each other. If you do,
it is likely that they will be playing against each other twice in one day.
For some of the formats, where there are lots of games, you might consider
making the round-robin games to 13.
1 2 3 4 5
- - - - -
1 - 5 4 3 2 6 1 v 5 2 v 4 3 v 6
2 - 4 3 6 1 5 1 v 2 3 v 5 4 v 6
3 - 6 2 1 5 4 1 v 6 2 v 5 3 v 4
4 - 2 1 5 6 3 1 v 3 2 v 6 4 v 5
5 - 1 6 4 3 2 1 v 4 2 v 3 5 v 6
6 - 3 5 2 4 1
Table 6.2. Six Team Single Elimination
1 -----
C -
4 ----- -----_
A -------- _
5 ----- E _ ___________
2 ----- _ first place
D - _
3 ----- -----
B --------
6 -----
Table 6.3. Six Team Modified Elimination
1 -----
C -
4 ----- -----_
A -------- _
5 ----- E _ _____
2 ----- _
D - _ winner E: first place
3 ----- ----- loser E: second place
B -------- winner F: third place
6 ----- loser F: fourth place
LC ----- winner G: fifth place
F -----
LD -----
LA -----
G -----
LB -----
Table 6.4. Six Team Modified Elimination, Seeding From Two Pools
A1 -----
C -
A3 ----- -----_
A -------- _
B2 ----- E _ _____
B1 ----- _
D - _ winner E: first place
B3 ----- ----- loser E: second place
B -------- winner F: third place
A2 ----- loser F: fourth place
LC ----- winner G: fifth place
F -----
LD -----
LA -----
G -----
LB -----
Table 6.5. Six Team Modified Bracket – Only Two Qualify.
Note that this format is not to be used in situations where more than two
teams qualify for the next level.
A1 -----
C -----------
B1 ----- first place
A2 -----
A -----_
B3 ----- _
D _-----_
A3 ----- _ _
B ----- _
B2 ----- _ ------------
_ second place
_
LC -----
Teams, Schedule, and Who to Watch — SiegeGG
Three months after its initially planned date in February, the Six Invitational will finally take place, starting tomorrow, in Paris, France.
This closed event will see 18 of the 20 qualified rosters play on LAN in the first international competition since the 2020 Invitational.
Below we have summarised everything you could want to know about the event, including who’s playing, when, and who to look out for.
The Teams
Of the 18 teams, 14 had qualified via the SI point standings, based on their performances across 2020:
- BDS Esport: Shaiiko, Renshiro, RaFaLe, Elemzje, BriD, and eaglemees (analyst)
“I don’t see us as favourites … but I think we have got the capacity to be the best” - TSM: Achieved, Merc, Beaulo, Geometrics, Chala, Pojoman (coach), and Daeda (analyst)
“Playing the regular season on LAN is awesome … you don’t have to deal with online Siege bullshit” - Giants Gaming: Lunarmetal, Ysaera, HysteRiX, SpeakEasy, jrdn, and GiG (coach)
“It really wasn’t about the level of competition … we almost lost our jobs without warning” - Cloud9: EnvyTaylor, Static, Nova, Harp3r, SyAIL, OniChan, and RechoTZ (two coaches)
“The current C9 is stronger than the Six Invitational 2019 MantisFPS” - Team Liquid: nesk, xS3xyCake, psk1, Paluh, HSnamuringa, and Silence (coach)
“The previous Invitational cannot be forgotten, it must serve as a lesson for everyone” - DarkZero Esports: Mint, Hyper, Skys, Ecl9pse, njr, BC (coach), and Grant (analyst)
“We still haven’t added in our identity to our play style … but with this boot camp we have time” - Ninjas in Pyjamas: Kamikaze, Psycho, julio, Muzi, pino, and Mity (coach)
“The biggest lesson learnt from that loss was how to deal with that much pressure” - Spacestation Gaming: Thinkingnade, Rampy, Bosco, Fultz, Canadian, Lycan, Sov (two coaches), and DrewSpark (analyst)
“[Canadian] is a competitor, he gives his heart and soul to what he believes in” - Team oNe eSports: Lagonis, KDS, Alem4o, Levy, Neskin, TchubZ (coach), and RafadeLL (analyst)
“We studied every single player, even my analyst, before we signed them, so that the team could be perfect” - Team Empire: ShepparD, JoyStiCK, Scyther, Dan, Always, RayzerGM (coach), and Zheka (analyst)
“Confidence is the most important part … In a Bo1, even one mistake can cost you three points” - FaZe Clan: Astro, cameram4n, Bullet1, Cyb3r, Soulz1, and Ramalho (coach)
“They said that we would play in another European country if things went wrong” - Oxygen Esports: FoxA, LaXInG, VertcL, Yoggah, Kyno, HOP3Z, and Redeemer (two coaches)
“Kyno knew he was not our first choice and I think that lit a fire in his eyes” - MIBR: reduct, Faallz, LuKid, Rappz, FelipoX, and Budega (coach)
“For them, it will be the first [such tournament] … Pressure will be the biggest enemy” - G2 Esports: Kantoraketti, UUNO, CTZN, Virtue, Kayak, and Shas (coach)
Four other teams, meanwhile, qualified via the regional open qualifiers:
- CYCLOPS athlete gaming: Anitun, SuzuC, gatorada, BlackRay, Ayagator, Fuji3 (coach), and Hybrid (analyst)
“If we go into the matches with a ‘losing’ mentality, we should not even play” - Mkers: Lollo, Gemini, Scatto, Aqui, and Sasha
“Playing without precise strategies or bans (in the PGN) is just a precaution that we felt we had to take” - Parabellum Esports: Spiritz, Eskaa, P3NGU1N, Sonar, Euphoria, and KoolAid
“People will probably underestimate us, but that’s on them and we’ll make sure to prove them wrong” - FURIA Esports: h2ghs, LENDA, Miracle, Fntzy, R4re, Twister, and Kizi (two coaches)
“Empire proved to every team that [reaching the Grand Final] is possible, there’s no reason to think otherwise”
Finally, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, two teams were unable to attend after qualifying for the tournament:
In total, across the 18 teams that will actually be attending the event, there are six teams from Latin America, five from North America, four from Europe, and three from Asia-Pacific.
Most eyes will be on the returning champions of Spacestation Gaming who, after a rough NA League stage, see the two-time SI champion of Canadian come out of retirement in the hopes of winning a record third title and defending his title from last year.
While out of necessity due to Luke’s lack of a valid passport, this news was met with a huge wave of excitement as North America’s most successful player ever comes back for one last event.
However, the status quo has changed since the last Invitational. North America saw perhaps the greatest shakeup, with only one of the top four teams in Stage 1 in attendance at the Six Invitational, making Oxygen Esports one of the leading favourites to claim the title.
Add on the recent LAN experience during the NA League, which no other region enjoyed, on top of the unparalleled quality seen in the NAL, and it really seems like North America has the edge at this event, as the 2020 Invitational’s third and fifth placed teams of TSM and DZ are also representing the region.
Moving down south to Latin America, while the same organisations remain at the top and both NiP and Liquid are relatively unchanged from last year, there have been some key changes in the lineups of the other Brazilian teams.
After qualifying for the Six Invitational, FaZe Clan replaced its roster with the MIBR one, with MIBR in turn picking up Team oNe’s roster, prompting oNe to acquire a fresh roster of upcoming players.
All these changes have resulted in Team oNe and a revitalized FURIA thriving, possibly to the point of being able to cause international upsets. However, after all this, Team Liquid ended on top in the Copa Elite Six, followed by MIBR, while NiP struggled in the mid-table.
After consistently falling short of what everyone knows they are capable of at Majors, this could just be the event where Team Liquid hits its stride.
Next up, Asia-Pacific had four teams initially qualify, but has since lost Wildcard after the Australians were unable to attend due to local travel restrictions. Furthermore, APAC’s top team of Elevate isn’t even in attendance.
The region’s three representatives of Cloud9, CYCLOPS and Giants finished second, fourth, and 13th in Stage 1, as Giants failed to even qualify for the APAC Playoffs.
It’s not all bad news, however, as these three teams spent 2020 as the unrivalled top three teams in the region. As such, with no roster changes coming amongst any of them, they clearly have the potential to compete with the best. It’s now just a question which of them will be able to step up.
Last, but not least, is the home region of Europe. Like APAC, it suffered from the particularly unfortunate circumstance of not having its top team in attendance, after Na’Vi took the Stage 1 title thanks to an 8-6 head-to-head over BDS Esport.
Nevertheless, after being the top European team at SI20 and finishing in the top two of every tournament since, it’s hard to count out BDS Esport as Shaiiko aims to finally win a world title.
Elsewhere, the remaining EUL teams attending SI21 are in a similar situation as the NAL lineups, as they finished Stage 1 in fifth (G2) and ninth (Empire). Both of these teams have a very strong history at the Six Invitational, as they met each other two years ago in the SI19 Grand Final.
Now, they both sit at turning points, with Empire reaching the lowest point in the team’s history, while the G2 roster attends its first event ever without Pengu.
G2 won their last international event at the Six Invitational 2019. Only two members above remain; Shas and Kanto.
Finally, we have the two wildcards of Parabellum and Mkers. Not only are they the very first teams representing the nations of Canada and Italy at a Major event, they are also Tier 2 rosters at the moment, as Parabellum competes in the NA Challenger League and Mkers leads the EU Challenger League qualifiers.
With Mkers having already beaten EUL teams such as Rogue, Chaos, Na’Vi, and Tempra and are currently the top non-EUL team in Europe, there’s a very good argument in the Italians’ favour.
On the other hand, Parabellum’s story over the last few months has unfortunately revolved around the many controversies the roster suffered thus far.
The Event
The Six Invitational this year will see 18 teams split across two groups playing in a round-robin format for the first week from May 11-16th.
Following this, the bottom-placed team in each group will be eliminated, while the top four progress to the playoffs Upper Bracket. The remaining teams will fill out the Lower Bracket to form the 16-team playoffs from the 19-23rd.
This creates the following schedule for the group stage:
- Tues, May 11th — 15 games starting at 11 AM CEST
- Wed, May 12th — 9 games starting at 3 PM CEST
- Thurs, May 13th — 15 games starting at 11 AM CEST
- Friday, May 14th — 9 games starting at 3 PM CEST
- Sat, May 15th — 15 games starting at 11 AM CEST
- Sun, May 16th — 10 games starting at 12 PM CEST
And for the playoffs:
- Wed, May 19th — Upper Bracket QF and Lower Bracket R1
- Thurs, May 20th — Upper Bracket SF and Lower Bracket R2
- Fri, May 21st — Lower Bracket R3 and R4
- Sat, May 22nd — Upper Bracket Final and Lower Bracket R5
- Sun, May 23rd — Lower Bracket Final and Grand-Final.
This means that the Six Invitational will kick off at 11 AM CEST (UTC+2) tomorrow on the Rainbow6 and Rainbow6Bravo channels, with the full group stage schedule also available here on the SiegeGG Matches page.
As well as the grand final, the final day of the Six Invitational will also see the unveiling of the new free update coming to Rainbow Six Siege at the beginning of June.
This will include a casual-orientated rework of the Favela map and a new defender from the North American Indigenous group of the Nakoda.
Due to added COVID-19 restrictions, the talent lineup for this event will be very different, with not everyone attending the event in person.
In Paris with the players will be the EUL casters of Milosh, Dezachu, AceOfPyrite, CaptainFluke, and Hap, as well as the two BR6 and UKIN casters of XRTROIKA and Demo.
Tuning in from home, meanwhile, will be JessGOAT, the NAL casters of BLU, Stoax, Interro, and KiXSTAr, as well as the APAC South names of Devmarta, Guzz, and Zenox.
Almost all of these casters have prior Six Invitational experience, however, Guzz and Zenox previously have only done APAC events, Demo’s top appearance was at the Paris Major and, while XRTROIKA has done pro-tier events before, he has never done cross-regional tournaments.
The teams will be competing for a total of $3,000,000 — the same total as last year — split across 20 teams, rather than 16 as seen previously. The prize pool is therefore split as follows:
- 1st — $1,000,000
- 2nd — $450,000
- 3rd — $240,000
- 4th — $170,000
- 5-6th — $135,000
- 7-8th — $105,000
- 9-12th — $75,000
- 13-16th — $55,000
- 17-18th — $40,000
- V.p and WC — $30,000
Not all the prize pool will go to the current players, however, as any players who qualified for the Six Invitational but were dropped before this event are also entitled to a cut.
For example, Hotancold had qualified for the Six Invitational on DarkZero, but was dropped in March after the original February date for the Invitational. He will thus get a share of DZ’s prize pool winnings, despite currently playing for Mirage.
COVID Precautions
While many people have criticised the event for going ahead, and the coronavirus has already led two teams to be unable to compete, Ubisoft has assured fans that the event itself will be safe and have set up the following safety precautions among others to combat the virus:
- Only six people per team can attend the event (five players and a staff member)
- Each player has a separate bedroom and teams can’t mix during the event
- Regular COVID tests will be carried out and masks must be worn at all times except when on stage
- All players are recommended to self-isolate for seven days and must pass a COVID test before leaving for Paris
- When eliminated, teams must return home within 48 hours
- Competition areas and high-touch surfaces will be sanitised regularly
- A COVID Manager, a Doctor, and first-aid workers will all be present at the event throughout
Twitch Drops
As always, viewers can earn in-game items by simply watching the games. To get them, you must link your Twitch and Uplay accounts here and redeem them here after completing the following actions:
- SI Esports Charm — watch for four hours between May 11-16th
- SI VIP Charm — watch for four hours between May 19-23rd
- Esports Packs — one pack drops every four hours to a max of three between the 11-16th and five between 19-23rd
The contents of the packs can be seen below, with four items each from the Ash, Nomad, and Castle Pro League Set, as well as the Tachanka VIP Bundle, totalling 16 items altogether.
And so, that’s what to expect for the upcoming Six Invitational starting tonight, as 18 teams playoff for their share of the $3,000,000 prize pool. Keep an eye out here at SiegeGG for full results, highlights, roundups, and statistics for every game of the major!
Cosmic Teams!
Scare Tactics
» SEE: Stand-Alone
Profile
Sea Devils
Adapted from Who’s Who #20 (October 1986)
While most of America had its face turned to the skies and exploration
of the stars in the 1960s, the band of adventurers known as the Sea Devils
turned their sights to the depths of the world’s seas.
Dane Dorrance was the unofficial leader of the group. The son of
a highly decorated World War II Navy
frogman, young Dane wanted only to prove himself worthy of his father’s
respect, and to win the senior Dorrance’s prize swimming flippers. To win
them, he had to recover a legendary sunken treasure. In this endeavor,
he rescued fellow diver and actress, Judy Walton. She and her brother Nicky were
also on the trial of the treasure. One other joined the quest: Biff
Bailey sought to impress a girl by finding gold.
The four of them joined forces to find and raise the treasure, surviving
a bizarre trial by fire full of sea monsters and creatures thought long
extinct. After it was all over, they decided to remain together to explore
the waters of the world. Judy suggested they utilize the name of the film
she would now never appear in, and se forth as the Sea Devils. The team
stayed together for many years, traveling the Earth’s seas and waterways.
Their exploits became global news.
They went into semi-retirement and pursued separate careers. Dorrance
worked for a time with the Forgotten Heroes and
has since returned to adventuring. During the alien Invasion!, the Sea
Devils aided the Doom Patrol. (Doom Patrol v.2 #17) Should
the necessity arise, each has agreed to leave whatever he or she is doing
and heed the call of the seas. After the great crisis wrought by Alexander
Luthor, Dane and the others aided Capt. Jimmy Lockhart (the former Red
Torpedo) in helping to locate Aquaman after his old friend, Vulko,
was discovered in spirit form. (Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis
#42)
» FIRST APPEARANCE: Showcase #25
» FEATURED APPEARANCES: Aquaman v.5
#28, 31 Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #42 • Doom Patrol v.2
#17 Limited Collectors Edition #39, 45 Showcase #27-29
» SERIES: Sea
Devils, 35 issues (1961-67)
Secret Six
Some parts adapted from Who’s Who #20 & Who’s Who Update
’88 #3
In 1968, Dr. August Durant was infected with a virus which was
cured by “The Agency.” His dependence on their cure forced him to
serve their agenda. To this end, they ordered the assembly of the Secret
Six. As the mysterious “Mockingbird,” Durant recruited a
team of people he had supposedly helped in the past; each was an expert
in some field. Durant joined the team as well (the team was aware that
Mockingbird was one of their number, but unsure who it was). Their job
was to battle various forms of evil that defied ordinary legal procedures.
Often the enemies were Communism or organized crime. If any of the them
refused, Mockingbird seemingly had a hold that could enforce obedience.
Other members included: stage magician Carlo di Rienzi; heavyweight
contender Mike Tempest; model/actress Kim “Crimson” Dawn;
ace fighter pilot King Savage; and French film star Lili de Neuve.
Two decades after their retirement, Durant told Carlo di Rienzi the truth
and they became partners in a new endeavor. Even at their advanced age,
they were ordered by the Agency to begin recruiting a new Secret Six as
Mockingbird. (Action #601) Like their predecessors,
the new recruits were all indebted to Mockingbird. Each was somehow physically
handicapped and aided by Mockingbird to become fully-abled. They included
former track star-turned-cyborg Luke McKendrick; scarred actress La
Donna Jameal; blinded Marine Vic Sommers; arthritic special-effects
artist Mitch Hoberman; mathematician and epileptic Maria Verdugo;
and deaf journalist Anthony Mantegna. Mockingbird, having restored
their abilities, coerced them into running missions. Like the original
team, if any member stepped out of line, Mockingbird could deactivate his
or her cybernetic device.
Sickened by the Agency’s tyranny, Durant and di Rienzi secretly began
developing plans to extricate themselves from the its control, and called
a reunion of the original team. They originals were meant to train the
new recruits. But when their Agency contact, Fenady, got wind of
the betrayal, their reunion flight was bombed. Di Rienzi was the only one
to escape the plane’s explosion by parachuting to safety. Before long,
the new team met di Rienzi (and his son, Rafael), and the truth was revealed.
Soon thereafter, di Rienzi was also soon killed by Fenady. The new team
arrived on the scene of this murder and thereafter decided to disband.
Rafael di Rienzi (who was privy to all his father’s knowledge) disappeared.
Once the team had gone, a new Mockingbird appeared on the monitor screen… (Action
#629-630)
NOTE: Tony revealed that he was gay in Action
Comics Weekly #624.
Villains United, Apart
This group lay dormant for many years until the formation of a new super-villain Society spurred
Lex Luthor to build a team of rivals. Hiding behind the guise of a new
Mockingbird (III), Lex assembled a group of
rogues to challenge the Society’s massive new alliance. (Those who refused
to join the Society were branded as enemies.) Mockingbird contacted six
rebel villains to stand against them: Scandal, Deadshot, Cheshire,
Rag Doll III, Parademon and the
Fiddler. At the end of this group’s first mission (against the
H.I.V.E., which is now overseen by Talia), individuals on the team were “judged” by
Mockingbird; the Fiddler was judged incompetent and was immediately executed
by Deadshot. The team then recruited Catman as their new
sixth member. This group was clever, but Luthor was even more so. When
Cheshire attempted to leave the Secret Six, Mockingbird threatened the
life of her daughter, Lian. (Villains United #1)
Deadshot • Catman • Rag Doll III
• Scandal • Cheshire • Parademon
Similarly, Mockingbird threatened harm to Deadshot’s daughter Zoe. Indeed
this band were tied together by their dependency on Mockingbird. Rag Doll
(the son of the original) had had surgeries to allow his joints to move
like his father’s. He needed a special drug to maintain his skin, which
Mockingbird provided. Parademon feared that Mockingbird would alert Granny
Goodness to his location.
At their headquarters, the House of Secrets, Catman soon
began to wonder about Mockingbird’s identity. He noticed that their leader
never responded directly to questions. They carried on despite their doubts,
and their next mission was to seize Thanagarian weapons from a Russian
ship in Gotham City. But the Society had bugs on their communication, and
intercepted the Six. The Six were dismantled and Catman was taken captive
and tortured for the identity of Mockingbird. (#2)
The Society brutally tortured the entire Six but only discovered that
Mockingbird had planted deadly toxic bombs around the globe, including
in Kahndaq. Somehow, Catman shorted out his collar and freed himself, then
the others. They trounced the Society’s guards and killed the Hyena as
an example. (#3)
Next they headed to a Society base in Brazil, which they learned was
Scandal’s home country. For the battle, she donned family armor with long “lamentation
blades.” At the base, they found Zazzala, the Queen Bee, commanding
H.I.V.E. agents, who were guarding a captive power source: Firestorm. They
also learned that the Society’s grand plan was to mind-wipe all the heroes,
like the JLA had done to Dr. Light and others. They released Firestorm
and escaped before the Society arrived. Back at the House of Secrets, Cheshire
tempted Catman into bed. To his horror, she admits that she’d used him
merely as a sperm donor. (#4)
The Six continued their success by exposing the safe house of Monsieur
Mallah. Emboldened, they decided that it was finally time for a final confrontation.The
Society welcomed the challenge. The Six made a deal with Mockingbird: if
they won this battle, he must release them. Just before the battle, Scandal
revealed an ace in her sleeve: she is Vandal Savage’s daughter. This ensured
that Savage would not join the Society in attacking the Six. Despite this
good news, infighting threatened to defeat them sooner than the Society.
Catman finally deduced that Deadshot was the one who killed his lions (which
originally prompted him to join the Six). Then Cheshire revealed
that she was actually working for the other side and had summoned the Society
to their location! (#5)
As the Society stood at their gates, the Six quarreled amongst themselves
and found that Mockingbird could not be reached for help. Ironically, when
Cheshire left the House to join the Society, she was shot by Deathstroke.
Rag Doll managed to turn Solomon Grundy against the Society but was attacked
by his father. Parademon ultimately sacrficed himself by setting all his
Mother Boxes on self-destruct, and destroying the House of Secrets (Rag
Doll kept his mummified body). Scandal then revealed another covert connection:
her lover, Knockout, who’d been a mole in the Society! Her lineage paid
off as well, as Vandal Savage forced the Society to back down. Afterwards,
Mockingbird revealed to them that there never was any implants or threats
to the Six; it had been a bluff.
Luthor eventually revealed his intentions in forming the Six, to fracture
the Society: Parademon for his knowledge of Darkseid; Catman for Batman’s
foes, Deadshot for the Suicide Squad baddies; Rag Doll for familiarity
with JSA villains; Scandal, whose father was the “second most dangerous
man on Earth”; and Cheshire who was feared by the Titans. Catman and
Deadshot paid a visit to Green Arrow, whom they warned of the Society’s
intentions to mindwipe all heroes. (#6)
After the crisis, the group remained together for profit, adding Knockout to
their number. A year later, they had carved out a niche as guns-for-hire
and
One Year Later: Lex Luthor has assumed leadership of the Society with
no one the wiser that Alex Luthor had misled them. They do, however,
notice a change in demeanor. They think Lex is the one who built the tower
and betrayed Black Adam. He no longer treats them as equals. He engineers
a massive global prison breakout designed to stretch Earth’s heroes to
their max. They use blackmail and intimidation to get wardens and security
guards to release prisoners. Elsewhere, the remains of the Secret Six regroup
to decide whose side they’re on. The Calculator reveals that he’s secretly
run every imaginable test on Luthor and concluded that he has no metahuman
abilities whatsoever. Oracle notices the outbreks first. She has special
equipment monitoring Arkham. She rallies her closest operatives (Black
Canary, Robin, Black Lightning, Argus, Vixen) but soon realizes she needs
the Martian Manhunter’s help to assemble more heroes. Warp takes Dr.
Psycho . The Six (five) try to recruit the Scarecrow and
Amos Fortune; Knockout throws Fortune out of their helicopter after he
insults Scandal. Scarecrow reveals that the Society are headed for Metropolis.
Catman tells Green Arrow. Captain Nazi is resurrected and battles Black
Adam in Kanhdaq; he says Luthor plans to engineer more of him. Lady Blackhawk
calls in her influence with the Blackhawks. Dr. Psycho unveils their
greatest weapon: Doomsday. The Six decide not to enter the fray. (Villains
United: Infinite Crisis Special)
They were hired by the widow of a Korean dissident to bring
down a North Korean torture camp. From their new House of Secrets, Scandal
ran the operation and kept the team abreast of the Society’s plans against
them. In truth, it was mostly Dr. Psycho who wanted revenge. He was hired
along with Cheshire by Vandal Savage to take them out. Cheshire led a squad
of assassins who apparently killed Knockout. (Secret Six
#1) She later awakened, fully healed, thanks to Apokoliptian engineering. (#3) Deadshot
took revenge by killing Knockout’s killer, Pistolera.
Knockout • Harley Quinn • Bane
Despite the failure of these assassinations, Savage’s plan was farther-reaching:
he wanted Scandal to use Catman to bear him an heir. Savage
claimed that this child would kill him then rule the world. After a tussle
with the new Doom Patrol, Scandal left the team,
but they followed her to Savage’s home. (#2-4) Scandal
refused to bed Catman and Savage chose Dr. Psycho as his preferred semen
donor. Before that could be consummated, the Six arrived and Scandal stabbed
her father in the neck. The Mad Hatter managed to overtake Dr.
Psycho but was subsequently stabbed and poisoned by Cheshire. (#5)
He nearly died, but was pulled back from his hallucinations by Scandal
and Catman procured the antidote from Cheshire. The Hatter then finished
off Psycho and the team brought down Vandal Savage’s house. Afterwards,
the Hatter was touched by the loyalty the Six had shown him, but before
they could depart, Rag Doll cast the Hatter away, claiming there could
only be one “weirdo” on the team. (#6)
Countdown: Six to Zero
The dysfunctional family that was the Secret Six took up several other
missions before outside forces plucked them apart one-by-one. They added
Harley Quinn and were hired by a Russian, Feodor Kerimov,
to protect his treasure — the revived heroine Ice!
This brought them into conflict with the Birds
of Prey. Catman and the
Huntress discovered a mutual attraction,
and Knockout matched her Fury’s prowess with Big
Barda. (Birds
of Prey #104-108)
Shortly after this, Harley made a hasty exit from the team after
she botched a mission to protect an ambassador’s
daughter in Brazil. (Detective
Comics #837) Deadshot fell back in line with Amanda Waller’s secret
new Suicide Squad. (Countdown #43, 39, Checkmate v.2
#18)
Knockout was one of the first to fall to the Fourth World’s “god killer”
on Earth. She blasted through the middle by the killer (whom she recognized),
who was actually after Barda. Scandal arrived on the scene too late to
help her lover, but saw Barda there and assumed that she was Knockout’s
killer. (Birds
of Prey #109)
| THE VILLAINOUS SECRET SIX | |||
| Member (Name) | 1st app. | Status & Info | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Deadshot (Floyd Lawton) | Batman #59 | Active in adventuring |
| 1. | Cheshire (Jade Nguyen) | New Teen Titans Annual v.1 #2 | Active in villainy |
| 1. | Fiddler (Isaac Bowin) | All-Flash #32 | Killed by Deadshot, Villains United #1 (June 1905) |
| 1. | Parademon (none) | Villains United #1 | Sacrificed himself, Villains United #6 |
| 1. | Rag Doll III (Peter Merkel III) | Villains United #1 | Active in villainy |
| 1. | Scandal Savage (none) | Villains United #1 | Active in villainy |
| 7. | Catman (Thomas Blake) | Detective Comics #311 | Active in villainy |
| 8. | Knockout (none) | Superboy v.3 #1 | Deceased Birds of Prey #109 (10.07) |
| 9. | The Mad Hatter (Jervis Tetch) | Current: Detective #230 (1956) Historical: Batman #49 (1948) | Active in villainy |
| 10. | Harley Quinn (Harleen Quinzel) | Batman: Harley Quinn #1 | Active in adventuring |
| 11. | Bane (unrevealed) | Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 | Active in adventuring |
| 12. | Jeannette | Secret Six v.3 #3 | Active in adventuring |
» FIRST APPEARANCE:
- Original
Team: Secret Six #1 (May 1968) - Second team: Action Comics Weekly #601 (1988)
- Villain team: Villains United #1 (July 2005)
» SERIES:
- Secret Six, 7 issues (1968-69)
- Action Comics Weekly, #601-630 (1988)
- Villains United, 6-issue limited series (2005)
- Secret Six v.2, 6-issue limited series (2006)
- Secret Six v.3, ongoing (2008-present)
» SEE ALSO:
The Secret Society of Super-Villains
» SEE: Stand-alone
Profile
Section Eight
Created by Garth Ennis and John McCrea
Losers, misfits and psychotics made up this team which was led by a drunk
called Captain Six Pack. He put the team together to help Tommy
Monoghan, the Hitman, fight demons from Hell. All except Six Pack
died valiantly, fighting to stop an invasion of demons. Tommy actually
thought that Six Pack had died and paid for a statue of Six Pack in a nearby
park in Gotham City. Section Eight (they’re actually heroes). Six Pack
survived and was last seen attending an AA meeting.
Members included: Captain Six Pack, Defenestrator, Jean de Baton-Baton,
Flemgem, Friendly Fire, Shakes, Dog Welder and Bueno Excellente.
» FIRST APPEARANCE: Six
Pack: Hitman #9. Team: Hitman #18
» FEATURED APPEARANCES: Hitman
#19, ??
The Sentinels of Magic
» SEE: Stand-alone
Profile
The Seven Shadows
Additional info posted by John Censullo to the DC Message Boards
The Seven Shadows were a World War II-era
hero group that operated out of Chicago. Their most well-known member was
the Scarab (Louis Sendak). This team only ever appeared in one panel:
their death!
Their only recorded aventure took place in Opal City, 1944. There the
Justice Society attempted to stop Johnny Sorrow, a small-time
costumed crook who had stolen and donned a “subspace vest” prototype.
The heroes were unsuccessful in trapping Sorrow, who used the vest to
phase in and out of space. Sandy noticed
an anomaly in the vest’s functionality and targetted it with his special
arrow-gun. It punctured the
vest and caused a short-circuit. Johnny Sorrow was torn asunder by the
hyper-dimensional forces and transported to the “Subtle Realms.” Sandy was horrified by Sorrow’s screams, and the team believed that all
that remained was Sorrow’s mask.
Six months later, a mysterious figure appeared in Sandy’s bedroom, kidnapping
the boy and teleporting him away. Sandy awoke on the stage
of an abandoned Chicago theater, where he learned how Johnny
Sorrow has been transformed by an encounter with the King of Tears,
the “god”
of the Subtle Realms. Sorrow then motioned
to their audience: six members of the group called the Seven Shadows lay
dead before them. Dr. Nowhere, Jake Justice, the Shard (a.k.a. the Luminary),
Man-At-Arms, Lodestar, and the Veil (all except for the Scarab)
had all died when Sorrow revealed the “face” under his mask.
Only the Scarab escaped, traumatized at what he had gazed upon. As
Sorrow prepared to take his revenge on Sandy, Scarab and the Justice
Society came to the rescue. Johnny Sorrow summoned the horrible King of
Tears and hastily disappeared. Following an intense battle, only the Spectre’s power
succeeded in consuming the alien creature. (JSA #18,
1.01)
Johnny Sorrow and the King of Tears would not resurface for another half
century. Then Sorrow recalled the King of Tears using the Scarab
as a conduit. The effort killed the hero. (JSA 16-18)
NOTE: After the Seven Shadows’ appearance, fans
began postulating their true origin/inspiration. Per Geoff Johns, however: “The
Seven Shadows are completely NEW or RETCON or whatever.” (posted 24
November 2000)
» FIRST APPEARANCE: JSA #18
(Jan. 2001)
» FEATURED APPEARANCES: The
Scarab: Scarab #1-8 JSA #3, 16-18
Seven Soldiers of Victory
» SEE: Stand-alone
Profile
S.H.A.D.E. (The Super Human Advanced Defense Executive)
Freedom’s Ring + First
Strike
The Super-Human Advanced Defense Executive was created as a one-time
elite espionage operation by President Lyndon Johnson. Over the decades,
it survived in a minimalist form, as a low budget cleanup operation headquartered
at the secret Essex Airbase. There, the government now also develops and
tests experimental weapons.
S.H.A.D.E. came to light again recently when the town of Salvation Valley
was turned savage by tainted water. The Frankenstein monster entered
this fray and encountered one of S.H.A.D.E.’s key operatives — his
former Bride, who had been their longtime operative. The agency
had rescued her at some point from the Red Swami in India. (He had grafted
two extra arms onto her and brainwashed her to think she was a goddess.)
The Bride escorted Frankenstein to S.H.A.D.E. headquarters where he was
offered a position and briefed on Salvation Valley’s situation. The town
had been infected by run-off created by Chemo, a creature powered by toxic
fuel. Chemo had escaped and bled into the water supply. They intended to “cleanse” the
entire town, but not before rescuing one of their own, Pilot Zbigniew “Ziggy” X,
leader of the X-Hawks. They located Ziggy, but he was already affected
by the poison. The Bride severed his head for revival in cyber-surgery
later. As they left, S.H.A.D.E. incinerated the town, and Frankenstein
walked away, not having accepted S.H.A.D.E.’s offer to join them. (Seven
Soldiers: Frankenstein #3)
Regardless, he remained their ally. During the great galactic “crisis,” S.H.A.D.E.
agents were among the few able to respond to the threat of the Sheeda.
In response to the Sheeda’s attacks, the US Congress reopened the S.H.A.D.E.
nerve center under the United Nations Plaza. The agency directed Frankenstein
to head for Miracle Mesa, Arizona, for a mission through time. The monster
rode one of the Sheeda’s ships to the end of time, where he sabotaged their
fleet and confronted their queen, Gloriana Tenebrae. (#4)
Infinite Crisis
Over the next year, S.H.A.D.E. became one of the government’s
most important metahuman task forces. After the Society bombed
the city of Blüdhaven (again, with Chemo), (Infinite
Crisis #4) the government’s covert operations set up a secret
base in the city and began experimenting on the victims of the bomb.
This included the mysterious reappearance of their former operative,
the comatose Captain
Atom. At first, the government employed Freedom’s Ring (successors
to the Force of July including Major Victory II,
Lady Liberty II and Silent Majority II)
to defend the compound. These operatives were decimated by the Society’s Nuclear
Legion. U.S. espionage commanders responded by sending in S.H.A.D.E.’s
senior operative Father Time to take control.
Father Time • Lady Liberty II • Major Force • Major Victory II
• Replicant
• Silent Majority II
Father Time’s mission was to investigate the radioactive anomalies in
the city and to deter metahumans from entering it. One of these anomalies
was an alien from space, called the “Astronaut Fetus” (later
called Replicant). (Crisis
Aftermath: The Battle for Blüdhaven #1) After Freedom’s Ring
failed (Lady Liberty and Silent Majority died), Father Time called in new
agents to protect their installation against the increasingly bothersome Atomic
Knights. (#2) These new operatives included:
- Their field commander, the newly resurrected Major Force (Clifford
Zmeck) - Major Victory II, Freedom Ring’s
sole survivor, along with … - A new Lady Liberty (III) and Silent
Majority (III) - Bigfoot, who was transformed into a lumbering beast by the
blast - The new Doll Man (IV), Lester Colt
- Andy Franklin, a former Blüdhaven scientist, transformed by the
bomb and recruited to become the new Human Bomb (II) - An all-new Phantom Lady III (Stormy
Knight). This Phantom Lady was the daughter of Senator Knight and an
assassin.
Meanwhile, their alien Astronaut Fetus developed further. It recorded
the Knights’ break-in for Father Time. It soon underwent sufficient cell
growth to form a body and freely offered its help to Father Time. It took
the name Replicant and located the Atomic Knights with its telepathy.
The team killed several Knights and brought one back to base. (#3)
But the Knights had zeroed in on S.H.A.D.E.’s headquarters as well. Father
Time was left alone to stand against them, and the Knights succeeded in
making off with Captain Atom. Afterwards, Father Time called in The
Face (whom he’d met in an underground concentration Camp in 1950)
to interrogate a captured Knight. The S.H.A.D.E. team eventually crossed
paths with the Teen Titans, whom they quickly disabled, but not before
the Ravager ran her sword through Lady Liberty. (#4)
Major Force soon reverted to typical form and defied S.H.A.D.E.’s orders.
When Major Victory ordered Major Force to stand down, Force murdered Victory
and the team fractured. Their remains were mopped up by the Titans. (#5) Doll
Man assumed control of the team and Father Time ordered them to retreat.
In the end, all parties were denied Blüdhaven’s secrets, as Captain
Atom destroyed what remained of the city. Afterwards, the President blamed
the tragedy on metahumans and urged the nation to pass legislation to control
them. This set the stage for a very dark chapter in S.H.A.D.E.’s existence… (#6)
Into the Light
With this crisis over, Father Time turned his attention to the Astronaut
Fetus that appeared in Blüdhaven. Through means unknown, Time discovered
that this entity was a creation of the “Mathmagicians of the anti-life
equation, chaos architects, shadow demons.” It was a probe dispatched
to gather data for its creators, who were fearful of a so-called “Fifty-Two.” Father
Time surmised that it would not be sufficient to simply eliminate the probe.
Instead, he constructed an elaborate plan that would both threaten the
Fetus’ creators and mobilize America against their attack.
Regrettably, his plan required the sacrifice of Senator Henry Knight,
who was destined to become President of the United States. Time used the
Fetus — now nicknamed Gonzo — to kill Knight and
assume his form. Knight also happened to be Phantom Lady’s father; Stormy
was completely unaware of her father’s death and continued to serve under
Father Time’s orders. When her team successfully defended the White House
against terrorists called the Black Legion, Father Time secured even more
power for S.H.A.D.E. from Congress. (DCU: Brave New World)
According to plan, Gonzo was elected President and the spirit of America
known as Uncle Sam was roused to defend his nation against the totalitarian
threat. Father Time sent his strike force in against Sam knowing that the
avatar would enlist his people. Uncle Sam convinced Phantom Lady, the Ray
(III), Doll Man and the Human Bomb to switch
sides and join him against Gonzo and form the new Freedom
Fighters. (Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters #1-2)
While Uncle Sam mobilized his new team, Gonzo and Father Time built an
army of custom-engineered metahumans including the Destroyer, and First
Strike: Chief Justice, Spin Doctor, Propaganda and Embargo.
These operatives were little more than collateral damage for S.H.A.D.E.
The Human Bomb killed Bigfoot and Propaganda, and after their failure,
the new Americommando (III) killed Spin
Doctor. They then added several more including Barracuda, Railgun and
new a Lady Liberty and Spin Doctor. (#3-4)
Father Time used a few more secret weapons in the final push to provoke
the Freedom Fighters into exposing Gonzo to the public. He unleashed a
powerful android called Miss America, which brought the original
Miss America out of retirement. (#5) He also activated
his spy within the F.F., the Ray, who killed one of Sam’s new recruits. (#6) Lastly,
Time unleashed an army of giant celestial warriors on them. These were
created from ancient alien technology discovered by the first U.S. mission
to the moon. Phantom Lady dispatched these warriors into a black hole and
the team was emboldened to finish their mission. The time was right for
Father Time to hand over all his intelligence to Uncle Sam, who promptly
used it to expose Gonzo to the nation. (#7)
Father Time used a device engineered from Atomic Knight armor — an
Orphan Box— to convert Gonzo into raw information. He planned to
use it against Gonzo’s creators if the time ever came. During most of this
time, Father Time had appeared as a white haired old man, which was a disguise.
Just before Gonzo’s defeat, he “molted” away this form to reveal
his true African-American appearance. Father Time then slipped out the
back door along with Replicant, the Bride and their soldiers.
S.H.A.D.E. was left ungoverned. The new President proposed to the Freedom
Fighters that they assume control of the organization. Everyone agreed
to join in this new venture except Doll Man, who opted for some time off.
Miss America then became the liaison between S.H.A.D.E. and the White House. (#8)
Ray III • Chief Justice • Embargo • Spin Doctor • Spin Doctor II
» FIRST APPEARANCE: Seven
Soldiers: Frankenstein #3 (2006)
» SERIES:
- Crisis Aftermath: The Battle for Blüdhaven, 6-issue limited series
(2006) - Uncle Sam & the Freedom Fighters, 8-issue limited series (2006)
| Member | Activated | Status & Info |
|---|---|---|
| Father Time | Crisis Aftermath: The Battle for Blüdhaven #1 | Active |
| The Bride | Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein #3 | Active |
| FREEDOM’S RING | ||
| Major Victory II | Crisis Aftermath: The Battle for Blüdhaven #1 | Killed by Major Force, Battle for Blüdhaven #5 |
| Lady Liberty II | Died Battle for Blüdhaven #2 | |
| Silent Majority II | Died Battle for Blüdhaven #2 | |
| Bigfoot | Crisis Aftermath: The Battle for Blüdhaven #2 | Killed by Human Bomb, Uncle Sam #2 |
| Doll Man IV (Lester Colt) | Active | |
| Gonzo (aka The Astronaut Fetus) | Active | |
| Human Bomb II (Andy Franklin) | Active | |
| Lady Liberty III | Killed by Ravager, Battle for Blüdhaven #4 | |
| Major Force (Clifford Zmeck) | Killed by Captain Atom, Battle for Blüdhaven #6 | |
| Phantom Lady III (Stormy Knight) | Active | |
| Silent Majority III | Active | |
| The Face | The Battle for Blüdhaven #4 | Active |
| The Ray III (Stan Silver) | DCU: Brave New World | Active |
| Destroyer | Uncle Sam & the FF #2 | Active |
| FIRST STRIKE | ||
| Chief Justice | Uncle Sam & the FF #3 | Active |
| Embargo | A telekinetic. Active | |
| Propaganda | A telepath. Killed by Human Bomb, Uncle Sam #4 | |
| Spin Doctor | Speedster. Killed by Americommando, Uncle Sam #4 | |
| Americommando III (David) | Uncle Sam #4 | Active |
| Barracuda | Active | |
| Lady Liberty IV | Active | |
| Railgun | Active | |
| Spin Doctor II | Active | |
| Miss America II | Uncle Sam #5 | Destroyed by Miss America, Uncle Sam # |
The Shadowpact
» SEE: Stand-alone Profile
Continue to ‘S’ Part 2…
Who are the big six in the Premier League?
The Premier League is facing up to the biggest challenge it has faced since its inception in 1992 as six of the top teams in the country appear ready to break away and form The Super League with other teams from across Europe.
The 29-year history of the Premier League has been a tale of rising costs, rising money and rising transfer fees. Power has shifted back and forth between a number of sides over the years, but some enduring names continue to rise to the top.
Historically, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool are seen as the super powers of the English game, while several other contenders have emerged since the turn of the century to challenge their might at the top.
Make sure to also read our comment on what the Super League means for English football.
Blackburn and Leicester have both gate-crashed the established order to win titles during the Premier League era, but one glorious season apiece isn’t enough to full overhaul the reigning order.
The so-called Premier League big six could be about to change the shape of football in a way we have never witnessed before, but who are they? And what do they want?
RadioTimes.com brings you up to speed with the so-called Premier League big six and why they are pushing for a monumental shift in how football operates today.
Who are the big six in the Premier League?
Manchester United Getty Images
Manchester United: The most successful club in Premier League era history has lost its sheen in recent years, but its influence is unparalleled.
United won the title in 13 of the first 21 Premier League seasons under Sir Alex Ferguson but have failed to top the table since his retirement in 2013.
This season they sit second in the table, short of their rivals Manchester City but high enough to be showing signs of progress.
Liverpool Getty Images
Liverpool: Pre-Premier League, Liverpool were the top dogs in English football with a mass of top division titles and domestic trophies to boot.
They were back on top last season after finally lifting the title for the first time during the Premier League era. With a blossoming young squad, bold manager and money to burn, the Reds appeared to be rooted in the top spot for years to come.
However, a number of key injuries have seen the Reds tumble this season. They remain a huge super power, but on current form, they’re wobbling.
Arsenal
Arsenal: See ‘Manchester United’. Arsenal were a huge force under Arsene Wenger before his retirement and remain the only side to go a whole season undefeated.
Unlike United, they are yet to emerge from the wilderness under a fresh manager. Mikel Arteta has failed to inspire a major turnaround in the club’s fortunes.
However, their global brand continues to draw in millions of fans around the world across a number of continents and countries.
Chelsea Getty Images
Chelsea: The Blues had only won one top division title before Roman Abramovich’s takeover in 2004. That’s fewer than 19 other teams can boast.
However, Russian money has revolutionised the club in west London to become the next most successful team after United during the Premier League era. They now boast six titles in their history, the same number as Manchester City and Sunderland.
Frank Lampard was sacked this season and German coach Thomas Tuchel has enjoyed a successful start to life in west London. He has reached the FA Cup final and Champions League semi-finals.
Man City Getty Images
Manchester City: See ‘Chelsea’. City had won two league titles prior to their Abu Dhabi-backed takeover, and have won four since.
They were always relegation whipping boys in years gone by, but they have firmly established themselves at the top of the English football ladder. The City Football Group also owns an expanding portfolio of franchises around the world including New York City FC and Melbourne City.
Barring a staggering collapse, City will be crowned Premier League champions in May.
Tottenham
Tottenham: Infrastructure-wise, Tottenham are almost unmatched. Their brand new stadium is fit for the finest in world football, their state-of-the-art training facilities are second to none, their trophy cabinet, well, it’s not quite brimming.
Spurs have been the nearly-men for a long while now, having finished runners up in the Premier League and Champions League in recent years. Their only trophy of the last 21 years is a solitary League Cup win in 2008.
Jose Mourinho has been sacked as manager following a mostly dismal campaign and Harry Kane’s future could be in doubt as his career continues on its trophy-less path.
Check out our relaunched Football Times podcast featuring special guests, FPL tips and match previews.
For the full breakdown of what games are coming up check out our Premier League fixtures guide.
If you’re looking for something else to watch check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news.
Six Sigma Teams | What you need to know for Six Sigma certification.
Successful Six Sigma teams need people with a range of skills. You need a leader, people who understand and can apply Six Sigma principles, and people who will carry out the ‘grunt work’.
Typically speaking, a Six Sigma team will include at least the following members:
- Black Belt: This is the expert who has a deep understanding of Six Sigma principles. They can organize and plan out a project.
- Green Belt: These people understand Six Sigma principles. They can support a Black Belt in applying them to a project.
- Supporting staff: Might be a Yellow Belt, or be willing to learn on the job about Six Sigma principles and practices.
Six Sigma Team Member Roles
There are a lot of potential roles in a Six Sigma team. Some of these are essential, full-time roles. Others will come and go at various stages in a project, as needed.
- Team Leader: Responsible for getting the team to go. Sometimes a facilitator. Sometimes the project manager.
- Facilitator: Usually a Black Belt or Master Black Belt. Coaches the team in Six Sigma practices.
- Scribe: Records the team activities.
- Sponsor: Business leader who sponsors the Six Sigma project. Will tend to set project objectives and obtain resources for the team. Often a liaison between the team and senior management.
- Champion: Executive who sponsors a specific Six Sigma project. Ensures that resources are available. Resolves any cross-functional team issues. (Sometimes this is the same as the sponsor. Different companies use different titles.)
- Six Sigma Leader: Executive who’s responsible for Six Sigma culture in the company.
- Process Owner: Person responsible for the business process targeted by a Six Sigma project.
- Team member: Person who will work on a project. Usually has specific skills that are relevant.
- Gatekeeper: Audits the deliverables. Checks them against requirements.
- Management: Provides resources and motivation.
Also see Six Sigma Roles and Responsibilities.
Types of Six Sigma Team
There are many different types of Six Sigma teams. The type of team you need will depend on the sort of project you need to complete. Some teams will straddle more than one of the definitions below. For example, a lot of Six Sigma teams are both cellular and self-directed.
- Ad hoc: Pulled together for a single, short-term project. Team member skills align closely with project needs.
- Cellular: A permanent core of team members with broad skill sets.
- Self-directed: Operates with minimal input from management. Typically decides practices and activities for itself. Often seen in Agile methodologies like Lean.
- Cross-functional: Members from a number of different departments. Usually with very different skills and knowledge sets.
- Parallel teams: Two teams working with the same objective. Alternatively, one team backing up another.
See Types of Six Sigma Teams for more information on team types.
Six Sigma Team Dynamics and Mechanics
Team dynamics and mechanics are an important consideration. Some questions that every team will have to answer are:
- Communication: How will we communicate between ourselves? How about to people outside the team?
- Meetings: What sort of meetings will we have? How often? Who will be invited to each type of meeting?
- Decisions: Who will be making decisions about the project? How will they be made?
- Facilitation: How will we work out issues between team members? How will we handle inter team issues? Who will be responsible for identifying process problems?
- Task distribution: Who decides who does what?
- Training: Who’ll be handling team training needs? Who will identify which member needs what training?
- Motivation: How will the team stay motivated? What will keep the team inspired? Where will we find a boost when needed?
Some teams will need to sort out these answers for themselves. Others will have most of them answered by company policies or existing frameworks.
For more information, see Team Dynamics and Mechanics. Also see Stages of Team Growth and Team Conflict Prevention & Resolution.
High and Low Performing Six Sigma Teams
There are some key indicators of team performance. We see them over and over again in Six Sigma teams that are performing well – and those that aren’t. Let’s look at a few:
- Interdependency: There are two parts to this. Working together on tasks; and making use of each others’ specialty skills to finish tasks more quickly.
- Mechanics: Team mechanics need to be clearly defined. Then, they need to be followed.
- Communication: Passing data is hugely important in any project. The team needs to know who to inform about each development. And, for that matter, who is responsible for it.
- Conflict: Resolving disagreements between members in a healthy way.
- Support: Having the support of managers is key. They can provide needed resources and encouragement.
So to summarize, poorly performing teams tend to:
- Have members acting independently of each other.
- Lack defined team mechanics. Or, fail to follow those that are laid out.
- Struggle to communicate with each other. Conversely, don’t talk well to other teams.
- Fail to resolve conflict by following procedures.
- Not have support from management for their practices and decisions.
Whereas highly performing teams tend to:
- Work together, using each others’ skills.
- Have well defined team mechanics. Also follow them.
- Communicate well between members and teams.
- Follow conflict resolution procedures to solve issues.
- Have all the resources they need.
Choosing Six Sigma Team Members
The type of people that you choose will largely depend on the type of team and project. However, there are a few key attributes that are common to all:
- Listening: Will take time to understand what other team members are saying.
- Critical thinking: Can distinguish between fact and opinion. Will consider information objectively.
- Team player: It might seem obvious, but the best team members work well with others. However, they can also act independently. They’re willing to join in meetings and perform rote tasks.
Six Sigma Team Video
Six Sigma Black Belt Certification Six Sigma Teams Questions:
Question: The process of having a six sigma team develop a problem statement helps the team: (Taken from ASQ sample Black Belt exam.)
(A) agree on key dates associated with completing major project phases
(B) achieve consensus and ownership of the process
(C) determine solutions
(D) determine how often it should meet
This section requires you to be logged in.
Question: Typically, which of the following activities is done earliest in the formation of a project team? (Taken from ASQ sample Black Belt exam.)
(A) Select the team
(B) Identify the objective
(C) Identify the sponsor
(D) Allocate the resources
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90,000 6. Teams – Let’s Go!
Let’s Go Team! Is a named, separate group of Site Users.
The list of Teams registered on the site can be found here.
6.1.
Team Structure and Creation
Team Card Structure (Team Profile):
- button for Submitting a Request for Participation;
- list of Applications (Participants) – the main page of the Team: statistics, archive of events, search, filtering and sorting of the list of Team Members;
- Team Accessory card (Team Accessory Profile) – Personal statistics of the Accessory within the Team.
6.1.1. A team can be created by any user of the site in his personal Profile, in the Teams section or from under Events.
6.2.
Command Settings
6.2.1. Name – arbitrary name of the Team. Must be unique within the Event.
6.2.2. Logo – Team logo.
6.2.3. The motto is the motto of the Team, the slogan, the slogan, the call, the battle cry, the advertising formula and everything in this spirit.
6.2.4. Description – if you wish, you can tell a little about the team.
6.3.
Additional settings Commands
6.3.1. Command Page (see section 4. Pages) – a list of Pages available to you that can be assigned to this Command. Based on this setting, the Page events are scheduled for the Team.
6.3.2. Verification of the Application (see Roles of Team Participants, p.) – allows you to activate a barrier through which the Site User, after clicking on the Application Submission Button, becomes either a Candidate (Applicant) or immediately a Participant.If the check is disabled, the User immediately becomes a Member. When checking is enabled, the User acquires the status of a Candidate (Applicant). By default, checking is disabled.
6.3.3. Number of Participants – a number that sets the limit of the possible number of Participants. The petition becomes impossible when this limit is exceeded. Please note that the total number of participants is not equal to the total number of Applications in the list (see Roles of Participants in paragraphs. 1.) .
6.3.4. Personal data (see Privacy Policy in Teams) – the organizer has the right to request the necessary personal data from the Applicant. In this case, the Applicant is obliged to indicate the required data in the settings of the personal Profile on the Site. Otherwise, the system will not pass the Application.
6.3.5. Passport data (see Privacy Policy in Teams) – the organizer has the right to request the necessary passport data from the Applicant. In this case, the Applicant is obliged to indicate the required data in the settings of the personal Profile on the Site.Otherwise, the system will not pass the Application.
6.3.6. Deactivation of Applications – deactivation of the possibility of filing Applications for Participation. In this case, the Team profile continues to work.
6.4.
Enrollment in the Team
Submission of the Application is the procedure of the Application. This procedure can be customized based on the tasks of a particular Team.
6.4.1. The button for submitting an Application (Application) is a mechanism by which the site user informs the Administrator of his intention to become an accomplice of Team (in.ask to join the Team) . Actions that will take place after clicking on this button are controlled by the Administrator using Additional Settings (in. Settings of the Application submission procedure) . All submitted Applications are reflected in the List of Applicants – on the main page of the Team.
6.5.
Application (Request) Management
After the User has successfully passed the procedure for filing an Application for Participation (Petition), his Application will be displayed in the general list indicating the current Role.Further, the Administrator can manage such an Application.
6.5.1. Role – the position of an accomplice within the Team. An accomplice can have several Roles at the same time.
6.5.1.1. Applicant – Unverified or Unapproved Application. The applicant did not fulfill some of the requirements of the Organizer, for example, did not pay the participation fee. The Organizer independently determines the rules for the Candidate’s transition to the Participant status. The organizer reflects such rules in the team regulations.
6.5.1.2. Participant – Application approved by the Organizer. Accepted into the team Partner.
6.5.1.3. Captain – A Team Member representing the rest of the team and standing at their head.
6.5.1.4. Editor – Assistant to the Administrator. Has the same rights as the Administrator, but can delete the Team.
6.5.1.5. Administrator – Assistant to the Team Author. Has all the rights as the Team Author.
6.5.1.6. Author – the user who created the Team on the site.Has all the rights to manage, configure and delete the Team. The Author of the Team is not reflected in the general List of Applications, since it may not be directly related to the Team, but is an Informant about the Team.
6.5.1.7. Administrator is the abstract role of the person responsible for the Team. The Administrator includes the Roles: Captain, Editor, Administrator and Author. These Participants can conduct a dialogue from the position of the Team Administrator.
6.5.2. Blocking an Accessory – a blocked Accessory gets some restrictions on interaction with the Team.When the Participant’s Application is deleted, the status of its Blocking is not saved. A blocked Participant cannot delete his Application.
6.5.3. Deletion of the Application (refusal of the Application / Participation)
6.5.3.1. The Applicant (Participant) has the right to independently refuse his Application at any time. To do this, you need to click on the same button as when submitting the Application and confirm your intention. At the same time, the Administrators (and the Team Captain) are notified of the rejection.
6.5.3.2. The administrator has the right to delete the Application. In this case, the Applicant receives a notification about the Withdrawal of the Application.
6.5.3.3. All information and links about the deleted Application are deleted irrevocably, including the Archive Data of the Applicant accumulated for this Team.
6.5.3.4. The deleted Participant will be able to re-submit the Application.
6.6.
Delete Command
6.6.1. Deletion of a team is made by the Team Author or the Site Administrator.
6.6.2. The site administrator can delete the Team in case of violation of these Rules.
6.6.3. After deleting the Team, information about participation in it and its Event Archive will be permanently deleted.
6.7.
Copyright
6.7.1. By creating the Team, the Author assumes full responsibility for the Intellectual Property materials used: Logo, Name, Slogan and other content of the Team.
6.7.2. In case of illegal use of someone else’s intellectual property, the site Administration Let’s go! reserves the right to dispose of such Teams, to remove the Author and Administrators from managing the Team, to transfer control of such Team to the rightful owners.In special cases, access to the Site of individual Users may be limited.
6.8.
Command Conduct Policy
6.8.1. The maintenance policy is based on current rules and can be extended by the Team Statement.
6.8.2. The team regulations are posted by the Team Administration on their own. A link to such a Statement must be indicated in the Team Profile.
6.8.3. In the event of a conflict of the Team Regulations with these Rules, these Rules take precedence.
6.9.
Teams privacy policy
6.9.2. The Applicant (Participant) understands that his Personal Data will be available to all Team Members, and to the Administrators, including Passport Data, if they are required in accordance with the Team Regulations.
6.9.1. The Administration of the Team and its Members undertake not to disseminate Personal data and Passport data obtained in the process of using the site Let’s go! Such data can be used only and exclusively within the framework of the Legislation of the Republic of Belarus.
6.9.2. Team Members have access to the Personal Data of all Team Members and Administrators.
6.9.3. Team Administrators have access to the Personal Data and Passport Data of all Members and Team Administrators.
6.10.
Liability
6.10.1. The Administration of the Team bears personal (personal) and / or collective responsibility in the event of a violation of the storage and distribution of Personal data and / or Passport data of the Users of the site Let’s Go !, which became available to them in the process of using the Site in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Belarus on the day of fixing such an offense.
6.10.2. Team members bear personal (personal) responsibility in case of violation of storage and distribution of Personal data of the Users of the site Let’s Go !, which became available to them in the process of using the Site in accordance with the Legislation of the Republic of Belarus on the day of fixing such an offense.
PENTA eSports Penta | Total Prize | – | Team Tournaments | 32 | Peak Spectators | 3169 096 9000 | 3169 096 9000 | Evil Geniuses EG | Total Prize Money | $ 370 892 | Team Tournaments | 26 | Peak Spectators | 316 096 | 9000 | Total prize money | $ 1 467 475 | Team tournaments | 22 | Peak spectators | 315 240 | Matches | |||||||||||||
| Total Prizes | – | Team Tournaments | 23 | Spectators Peak | 315 240 | Matches | 199 | $ 991 349 | Team tournaments | 32 | Peak spectators | 306 494 | Matches | 170 | |||||||||||||||||||||
P $ 1,636 762 | Team Tournaments | 25 | Spectators Peak | 306 494 | Matches | 154 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tournaments Teams | 31 | Peak Spectators | 303 155 | Matches | 128 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TSM | TSM | Teams | Prizes | 14 | Spectators’ peak | 278 574 | Matches | 86 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FaZe Clan FaZe | 244 396 | Matches | 158 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
PET Nora-Rengo Jun PETNRJ | 9015 total 9015 spectators | 9 0002 237 799 | Matches | 26 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Black Dragons BD | Total prize money | $ 136 670 | Matches | 116 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oxygen Esports Oxygen | Total prize money | $ 161000 | Team tournaments | 8 | 35 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Parabellum Esports pB | Total prize money | – | Team tournaments | 5 | Peak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
BDS Esport BDS | Total Prize | – | Team Tournaments | 18 | Spectators Peak | 259 | Cloud9 C9 | Total Prize Money | $ 246 667 | Team Tournaments | 27 | Peak Spectators | 215 788 | Matches | Total Prize | $ 75000 | Team Tournaments | 7 | Spectators Peak | 215 788 | Matches | 48 | 48 | ||||||||||||
prize money | $ 357 093 | Team tournaments | 26 | Spectators peak | 210 799 | Matches | 101 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Millenium | Millenium 9000 | Tournaments Teams | 10 | Peak Spectators | 210 624 | Matches | 39 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
MIBR | Peak spectators | 207 366 | Matches | 87 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mindfreak Mindfreak | total prizes | 9 | Peak viewers | 184 772 | Matches | 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rogue Rogue | Total prize | teams | – Tournaments 184 156 | Matches | 156 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team Reciprocity REC | Total prize money | – | Team tournaments 9000 | Team tournaments 9000 | Team tournaments 9000 | Matches | 54 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ENCE eSports ENCE | Total prize money | $ 128 466 | Team tournaments | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mock-It Esports Mock-It | Total Prize Money | $ 58 109 | Team Tournaments | 10 | Matches | Peak Spectators 9000 | 36 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team Secret Secret | Total prize money | $ 141 943 | Team tournaments | 19 | Peak | Matches 9159 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team oNe oNe | Total prize money | $ 161 700 | Team tournaments | 25 | Peak viewers | 166 085 9015 9015 9015 9015 166 085 9015 | 90 162 Immortals IMT | Total Prize Money | $ 72,000 | Team Tournaments | 10 | Viewers Peak | 164 189 | Matches | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Games | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Prize | $ 129 700 | Team Tournaments | 24 | Spectators Peak | 162 645 | Matches | 95 | FURIA | $ 75,000 | Team tournaments | 8 | Peak spectators | 162 645 | Matches | 51 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| for ZZ 9000 $ 68 748 | Team Tournaments | 11 | Spectators Peak | 149 924 | Matches | 78 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Teams Supremacy | Teams Supremacy | Teams Supremacy | 10 | Peak Spectators | 148 691 | Matches | 46 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Giants 225 Gaming Giants | teams | Spectators’ peak | 148 207 | Matches | 132 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
PET Nora-Rengo NR | Total prize teams | 9015 9015 9015 9015 | 145 424 | Matches | 53 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DarkZero Esports DarkZero | General teams prize | Tournaments | Matches | 89 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team Vitality Vitality | Total prize money | $ 203 993 | 9015 Team tournaments | 9015 Team tournaments | 127 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Obey Alliance Obey | Total prize money | $ 31 250 | Team tournaments | 12 | Peak spectators 9000 0159 | 26 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Natus Vincere NAVI | Total prize money | $ 343 055 | Team tournaments | 15 | spectators | Picks 9000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ovation eSports Ovation | Total Prize | – | Team Tournaments | 11 | Spectators Peak | 124 159 9158 | 124159 269 9159 | Cowana Gaming Cowana | Total Prize Money | $ 52 112 | Team Tournaments | 4 | Spectators Peak | 115 370 | Matches 9000 | 0002 Beastcoast bc | Total prize money | – | Team tournaments | 3 | Spectators peak | 114 995 | Matches | 90PS 90PS 90PS 90PS | Total prize money | – | Team tournaments | 6 | Spectators peak | 111 675 | Matches | 10 | |||
| Total prize money | $ 113 415 | Team tournaments | 10 | Peak spectators | 111 026 | Matches | 76 | Train 76 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Train9 | Total prize money | $ 2,419 | Team tournaments | 3 | Spectators’ peak | 108 694 | Matches | 15 | $ 3,000 | Team Tournaments | 1 | Spectators’ Peak | 102 323 | Matches | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Team FontT9 | Team FontT9 | 4 | Peak Spectators | 99 871 | Matches | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Disrupt Gaming General | Disrupt | Teams | Spectators’ peak | 97 111 | Matches | 23 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Susquehanna Soniqs SS | 97 111 | Matches | 39 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
GUTS Gaming GUTS | Total prize money | 9015 $ 21000 Tournaments | Matches | 73 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Talon Esports Talon | Total prize money | $ 16 662 | Team tournaments 96000 | Team tournaments | Matches | 76 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mirage Sport Électronique Mirage | Total Prize Winners | – | Team Tournaments | Team Tournaments | 5 | 19 |
6 ways to make your team more involved in product development
In companies conducting product and digital transformations, there is a departure from classical approaches and project management to a product approach, where the format of team work is completely changing.If earlier team members developed a product according to a clear technical assignment, now they must become active participants in the process and communicate more closely with the business, rather than receive ready-made descriptions of the technical assignment.
At the same time, product managers and team leaders are faced with the challenge of involving teams in the product and business context. We worked with such changes in the companies MTS, Alfa Bank and X5 Retail group.
Why a clear specification may not be the optimal solution for product teams
- First, the product manager had knowledge of the product and user needs.Often, groups of analysts became bottlenecks – all communications were closed on them, and the speed and quality of information transfer suffered at the same time;
- Secondly, it took up to several weeks to write a clear technical assignment. But what was written quickly became obsolete – it was necessary to constantly update the content, instead of already writing a piece of code and getting feedback from the market;
- Third, the developers might not understand the terms of reference in the same way that users and stakeholders did.And it often turned out that the results of the sprints did not coincide with the expectations;
- Fourthly, during the transfer of the technical task, there was a transfer of responsibility to each other – instead of general responsibility for the result of the product.
What visible results happened after the team was involved in the product
Decisions from teams have become more customer-centric. Participants began to think not only about how to complete the task, but also about how to do it in the best way for the user.And this was reflected in the quality of the entire product;
Acceleration of time to market up to several weeks. Teams began to spend less time writing technical specifications and began to communicate more, release the product in small portions;
Teamwork has improved as team responsibility is focused on results and product metrics rather than narrowly focused areas.
What tools can be used
First of all – tools that help to ensure the team’s full focus on the product.They have their roots in agile approaches. Some of them are:
Make sure you have an articulated “product vision” that you regularly broadcast and discuss with the
team
Why is this important? If the vector is synchronized between the team members, then you are moving in the same direction. The meaning of what they are doing is important to the team. Remember: when you do those things, the meaning of which you do not understand, how much your eyes are burning to do it?
“Product Vision” can be summarized in one sentence, describing what the product should be on the horizon.The product vision formula looks like this:
“For (key user) who (identifies a problem or opportunity) (product name) is (product category) who is (key advantage, compelling reason to buy), as opposed to (key direct competitor) our product (identifies a key difference ) »
For example:
“For frequent travelers and telecommuters who spend a lot of time planning travel itineraries before the trip, the Mesto mobile app allows you to see ready-made itineraries from other travelers and quickly compose your own.”
Having a measurable product target
Important:
Make sure you have metrics by which to measure product success.Goals should be tied to these metrics so that the team has the opportunity to influence them;
For example:
Bad goal – to do a product search;
A good goal is to increase the add to cart conversion by X%.
In the second case, the team does not have a ready-made solution and needs to figure out how to do it in order to increase the conversion. This will be a challenge for the team.
It is important not only to set goals, but to discuss them with the team so that the team can also formulate and believe in achievement.
Share product results
Tell the team after each release about the product impact their work has brought. How did the team influence product metrics and how much money did the product start making? They will be proud of their work.
Be the command guide to users
The team that has never seen users is incomparable to the team that regularly communicates with them. Here you will object: “And when then should they write the code?”.But in reality, writing code is only a small part of creating a product, and the main part is researching and testing hypotheses. The team’s involvement in the product motivates the team dramatically and increases the quality of what they do.
How can a team be involved in this process?
If you are working on Scrum, in a sprint review (demo), let the team independently demonstrate what they did in the sprint, chat and collect feedback from users and stakeholders you invited to the review.
In this case:
The team will feel responsible for what it does;
The team will have a better understanding of users’ needs, how they live, and how to make the product even better.
Conduct Product backlog refinement (PBR, grooming) with users and stakeholders instead of detailed TOR
PBR is a process (meeting) during which the elements of the backlog are refined (a list of product requirements. This is necessary to better understand the tasks in subsequent sprints.
Often PBR is carried out only by the team and the product owner, where ready-made requirements from users are brought. Instead, host a collaborative workshop with your team, users, and stakeholders and directly check with users for details on backlog items.
To make the meeting more effective, invite a facilitator who will build the format of the meeting and conduct it most effectively.
Formulate a single sprint goal for all participants during the planning phase
Creating a common sprint goal on sprint planning allows the team to feel joint responsibility not for a local piece of the task, but for the product result in the sprint and contribution to the overall product goal.Avoid setting goals like “Get All Tasks”. Instead, focus on value for the user: “Make your product search more convenient, which will increase the add-to-cart conversion by X”
How to get the most out of it?
To become a team, it is worth changing the paradigm of behavior from “I – They”, “leader – performers” to “We”. We are a team, we are moving towards the goal of the product together.
The team should feel like an active participant in the process of creating a product for users.Let employees’ ideas feed into your backlog as hypotheses that you can jointly test.
At first, you may encounter resistance: many are not used to this kind of work. Start small. Discuss “product vision” and formulate product goals. This will improve the team’s focus on results.
Photo: Flamingo Images / Shutterstock
90,000 Five teams out of six learned the bitterness of defeat – the team of Yakutia, including
Results of the second round of the volleyball tournament
Games of the second day of competitions of the II stage of the Russian Youth Spartakiad (DFO) in volleyball among youths delighted fans and sports fans with interesting matches.
The morning part of the competition was opened by teams from the Amur Region and the Republic of Buryatia. The rivals were equal in strength, but the Buryats turned out to be more agile and patient. In the first two games, the Amur people did not lag far behind and sometimes even took the lead, but gross mistakes in serving and receiving the ball did not allow them to break away from the opponent. The maximum gap reached about three points, no more. But in the third period, the guys from the Amur Region left the forces, which was successfully used by the Buryat team.25:15 in the final period, and the final victory in games 3: 0.
After a short break, the national team of Yakutia entered the floor, the opponent of which this time was the team from the Primorsky Territory. At first, we watched an equal game, where the advantage passed from one team to another. But on the fairway of the first batch, when the score on the scoreboard burned 15:14 in favor of the team from Primorye, the collapse of the Yakutia team began. Primorsky managed to take 6 points in a row and broke away from their opponent at a comfortable distance, while the home team was unable to recover from this “blow” and lost the first game with a score of 25:16.In the second game the teams fought an equal fight and reached the score of 23:23. It seemed that the teams would equal in games, but a strong serve and an impenetrable block performed by the Primorsky guys dropped all questions. The third game, unfortunately for the team from Yakutia, turned out to be the last one in this match. The first defeat for one and the first victory for the other.
It was the turn of the confrontation between the teams of the Amur Region and the Jewish Autonomous Region, which presented the volleyball fans with a “fiery match”.If the first batch was confidently taken by the Amur team, then with the beginning of the second period it became clear that it was not so easy for them to take the second batch. The guys from the Jewish Autonomous Region seemed to “wake up” and began to actively attack their opponent and gain the coveted points. Taking the victory in the second period as a result, they developed their success in the third period, simultaneously taking two periods in a row. In the fourth period, the Amur residents did not allow a repetition of the last two periods and, having gathered their strength, equalized the score. But apparently, too much effort and emotion was spent to do this, because the final, fifth segment was lost.The score was 3: 2 in favor of the team of the Jewish Autonomous Region, the victory which they clearly dedicated to their partner and libero of the team Ivan Gutnik, who has a birthday today.
The last game to date was one of the central matches of the entire competition, where teams from the Republic of Buryatia and the Khabarovsk Territory met. At the beginning of the game, each team had one victory and at the end, one of them was guaranteed to put one tick in the loss column. The specialists called the Khabarovsk residents a clear favorite in this meeting, whose guys were both tall and physically developed.But the Buryat team is known for its intransigence and could cause problems for any skilled team. But this time “Mrs. Fortune” was not on their side. The Buryat team could not oppose anything to the power feeds of the Khabarovsk residents, who, thanks to this technique, gained more than ten points in each period. As a result, the meeting lasted only three periods. The team from the Khabarovsk Territory remains the only team that did not lose any of their meetings.
Press service of UFKiMS
E.6. GRUB Commands Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
GRUB allows you to execute commands in the command line interface. If commands accept arguments, they must be separated by spaces.
The most common commands are:
boot– Loads the operating system or the last loaded serial boot loader.chainloader– transfers control to the file.If the file is located in the first sector of the partition, you can simply specifychainloader +1.Example:
chainloader +1displaymem– Reports the used memory status based on information received from the BIOS. Used to determine the available memory before starting the download.initrd– path to the source RAM disk.May be required if certain modules are required to boot the kernel (for example, when the root partition file system is of type ext3 or ext4).Example:
initrd /initrd-2.6.8-1.523.imginstall– Installs GRUB to MBR.p(hd0,0) / grub / stage1.(hd0).(hd0,0) / grub / stage2.p(hd0,0) / grub / grub.conf.
installwill overwrite the existing data in the MBR.kernel… – sets the kernel file to boot. is the absolute path from the partition specified by the root command. The kernel parameter list can contain different values, such as an expression that specifies the location of the root partition (root = / dev / VolGroup00 / LogVol00).Several parameters are separated by spaces.Example:
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.8-1.523 ro root = / dev / VolGroup00 / LogVol00Here the root filesystem is located on partition
hda5.root () – Configures and mounts the root partition, for example (hd0,0).Example command
root:root (hd0.0)rootnoverify () – Configures the root partition like root, but does not mount it.
For a complete list of commands, run help --all . A description of GRUB commands can be found at http: // www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/.
| + forward | Move Forward |
| + back | Move back |
| + moveleft | Move left |
| + moveright | Move right |
| + movedown | Tilts down |
| + moveup | Look up |
| + left | Turn left |
| + right | Turn right |
| + jump | Jump |
| + duck | Sit down |
| + use | Using a weapon or object |
| + attack | Attack (shooting) with a weapon |
| + attack2 | Secondary type of shooting (attack) with a weapon |
| + reload | Reload Weapon |
| + klook | Enables keyboard to view |
| + lookdown | Look down |
| + lookup | Look up |
| + speed | Change the player’s movement speed |
| + showscores | Show the table of current players (death, kill, stat, ping, team) |
| + strafe | Using the turn keys, you can move quickly |
| bind | Bind (assign) a specific command to this or that button (bind “key” “command”) |
| unbind | Clear a specific bin |
| unbindall | Clear all existing binds |
| alias | Harmful thing shouldn’t be used |
| slot1-10 | Weapon slots |
| cancelselect | Deselection |
| changeteam | Player’s Team Selection |
| centerview | Center player view |
| changeclass | Menu for changing the type of player (class) |
| messagemode | Chat to all players |
| messagemode2 | Write to chat only to your team |
| radio1-3 | Radio command menu |
| toggleconsole | Open or close game console |
| chooseteam | Change of team for the game |
| + showscores | Account statistics |
| drop | Throw away weapon |
| nightvision | Enable / Disable night vision |
| impulse 201 | Apply a logo to any part of the map |
| impulse 100 | Turn on or off the torch |
| invprev | Take Previous Selected Weapon |
| invnext | Get the next weapon |
| invlast | Get the last weapon from the list |
| kill | Kill yourself |
| buy | Arsenal (weapons) purchase menu |
| buyammo1 | Purchase of ammunition for the main weapon |
| buyammo2 | Purchase of ammunition for secondary weapons (pistols) |
| buyequip | Additional equipment menu (grenades, shield, forceps, night vision goggles) |
| + voicerecord | Speak into the microphone |
| + commandmenu | Show custom menu |
| showbriefing | Show map information |
| snapshot | Take a screenshot (screenshot) of the screen |
| screenshot | Take screenshot and save to game folder (.bmp) |
| cl_anglespeedkey | Speed of change of the angle of view when turning |
| cl_backspeed | The speed of the player backward |
| cl_forwardspeed | Player running speed forward |
| cl_sidespeed | Player running speed sideways |
| cl_movespeedkey | Overall travel speed |
| l_upspeed | The speed of the player climbing stairs |
| cl_yawspeed | Swing speed |
| say | Send message to all players via console (say privet) |
| say_team | Send a message to the players of your team via the console (say privet) |
| setinfo ah | Prompts players to complete the objective of the card |
| setinfo dm | Card information |
| setinfo ghosts | Show ghosts in Observer mode |
| setinfo _pw | Setting the password for the Amxx menu mod |
| setinfo gui_menus | Visual menu when buying |
| setinfo _vgui_menu | Visual menu when buying |
| con_color | Set the color of the text in the game console |
| sv_aim | Auto aiming of sights (not desirable to use) |
| cl_timeout | Time after which to disconnect from the server standing players |
| cl_dynamiccrosshair | Dynamic sight while running |
| cl_lw | All weapon effects and actions are rendered on the client side |
| cl_lc | Server side lag compensation |
| rate | Set the transmission stream rate of network packets |
| cl_cmdrate | The number of network packets per second from client to server |
| cl_updaterate | The number of network packets per second that you will receive from the server |
| ex_interp | Shape interpolation per second of time (lan – 0.01 / inet – 0.1) |
| hisound | Enable sound quality 1 = 22kHz, 0 = 11kHz |
| nosound | 0 – turn on the sound, 1 – turn off the sound |
| s_2dvolume | 0-1 volume sound |
| s_a3d | Support A3D |
| s_automax_distance | Distance for maximum volume |
| s_automin_distance | Distance for minimum volume |
| s_buffersize | Buffer memory in bytes |
| s_disable_a3d | Turns off a3d |
| s_distance | Audibility distance |
| s_eax | EAX support |
| s_enable_a3d | Includes a3d |
| s_geometry | Geometric partitioning (only for a3d 2.0) |
| s_max_distance | Distance at which the player still hears sounds |
| s_min_distance | Distance at which the player will already hear sounds |
| s_numpolys | Number of polygons processed in a3d |
| s_occfactor | Soundproofing material |
| s_refdelay | Distance between sound sources and its reflection |
| s_verbwet | Vibrations in sound |
| speak | Say |
| stopsound | Stops the current sound |
| ambient_fade | Distance at which card sounds are heard |
| ambient_level | Card sound volume |
| _snd_mixahead | Amount of sound advance to eliminate sound delay |
| displaysoundlist | List of all loaded sounds |
| play | Play sound.wav file |
| volume | General sound volume in cs |
| bgmbuffer | Audio disk buffer size |
| bgmvolume | Background sound |
| adjust_crosshair | Change the color of the sight of the weapon |
| bottomcolor | Set the color of the player model |
| drawradar | Turn on radar maps |
| hideradar | Turn off radar maps |
| force_centerview | Set player’s sight straight ahead |
| graphheight | Width of the graph r_netgraph |
| graphhigh | Maximum value of the graph |
| graphmedian | Average value of the graph |
| hud_centerid | Show the player’s nickname in the center or bottom |
| hud_deathnotice_time | Time in seconds during which frags are displayed at the top of the screen |
| hud_fastswitch | Fast or slow switching between weapon slots |
| hud_saytext_time | Time in seconds during which chat messages remain visible |
| net_graph | Show FPS and other multiplayer parameters |
| net_graphpos | FPS info window position |
| net_graphwidth | Window width with FPS |
| r_decals | The maximum number of details visible at a time |
| r_drawviewmodel | Shows (1) or does not show (0) weapon model |
| r_netgraph | Shows connection information (1) or network packet sending information (2) |
| r_shadows | Shows shadows for players |
| scr_centertime | Time during which server messages remain on the screen |
| scr_conspeed | Game console opening speed |
| scr_printspeed | Speed of message output on the screen |
| sizedown | Increase FPS by decreasing resolution |
| sizeup | Increase resolution by decreasing FPS |
| topcolor | Player Model Color |
| viewframe | Frame mode for Opengl video mode |
| cl_observercrosshair | Turn on the sight in free flight mode when you are killed |
| cl_showfps | Show the number of frames per second |
| cl_shownet | Game network pack parameters |
| cl_slist | The number of servers seen when using the slist command |
| cl_solid_players | Displays models in solid mode |
| cl_waterdist | Distance in water |
| cl_adaptive | Show time, packet loss percentage, average lag, stream transmission / reception rates and frames per second (FPS) |
| cl_himodels | Turns high quality 3D models on and off, 1 and 0 |
| cl_messages | Show messages from server |
| cl_bob | Weapon swing while running |
| cl_bobcycle | Weapon swing frequency while running |
| cl_bobup | Weapon swing when jumping |
| cl_pitchdown | Maximum viewing angle downward (89 degrees.) |
| cl_pitchspeed | View Angle Rate (225) |
| cl_pitchup | Maximum viewing angle upward (89) |
| cl_righthand | We take weapons in the right or left hand |
| clear | Clear Console |
| clearlist | Clear server list |
| clientport | Network port for connecting clients to the server |
| force_centerview | Set the player’s view strictly straight |
| vid_config_x | Horizontal Screen Resolution (800) |
| vid_config_y | Vertical Screen Resolution (600) |
| vid_d3d | Use Direct3D |
| vid_describemode | Show video mode settings |
| vid_mode | Video mode |
| vid_stretch_by_2 | Screen stretch for widescreens |
| viewsize | Sets the visible size to |
| cl_hidefrags | Hides the scores of frags, deaths, scores of victories in the player table |
| cl_weather | Turn weather on or off on the map |
| gl_playermip | Player Model Render Count |
| gl_picmip | Player model rendering quality |
| gl_max_size | Maximum size of textures in the game |
| gl_texturemode | Rendering mode |
| gl_polyoffset | Offset of parts relative to the surface |
| gl_cull | 1 – turns on the mode of rendering only visible objects, 0 – turns off |
| gl_dither | Graphics Smoothing |
| gamma | Adjust picture gamma |
| lightgamma | Adjusting the gamma of lighting |
| brightness | Brightness adjustment |
| gl_ztrick | For 3DFx video cards, the accelerator needs to set 1 to accelerate |
| gl_zmax | Maximum Z-size of the game buffer |
| gl_alphamin | Transparency of transparent textures |
| gl_monolights | With a value of 1, the map becomes light everywhere, no shadows |
| violence_ablood | Show Blood |
| violence_agibs | Show meat |
| violence_hblood | Show blood drops |
| violence_hgibs | Show meat shards |
| r_drawentities | 1 – no 3D models visible – players |
| r_dynamic | Whether or not to allow flashlight in the game |
| r_shadows | Setting the shadow of objects and players in the game |
| r_mmx | To enable MMX support for intel technology |
| r_decals | The number of parts in the game, bullets, bullet holes, etc.d. |
| fastsprites | Smoke quality from a smoke grenade |
| max_shells | Maximum number of visible sleeves at a time |
| max_smokepuffs | The amount of smoke in the muzzle of the weapon |
| _vid_default_mode | Standard video mode |
| _win | Standard windowed game mode |
| _windowed_mouse | Enable mouse in window mode |
| gl_overbright | Enable maximum picture brightness |
| gl_round_down | Rounding value, the larger the number, the faster the rendering, but the worse the quality |
| gl_smoothmodels | Enable anti-aliasing for 3D models |
| gl_spriteblend | Level of detail for players’ models |
| allowupload | Download additional game files if they are not in the client |
| cmdlist | View all teams |
| cvarlist | View the list of variables |
| connect | Connect to the server at the specified address |
| disconnect | Disconnect from the current server |
| echo | Print text to console |
| enableconsole | Enable or disable the game console |
| exec | Run the specified config file |
| fullinfo | Show player info |
| fullserverinfo | Show full information about server cs 1.6 |
| getcertificate | Get certificate from WON |
| getsv | Shows the IP of each server and the number of servers |
| hideconsole | Close the game console |
| motd | Server welcome window – motd.txt |
| pingsv | Ping the specified server |
| quit | Quit game |
| reconnect | Go to player’s current server |
| retry | Make four attempts to log in to the server |
| serverinfo | Show information about the current server |
| toggleconsole | Close or open the game console |
| wait | Pauses in the execution of a script or set of commands, about a quarter of a second |
| maxplayers | The maximum possible number of players on the server, up to 32 players |
| mp_autokick | Auto removal of a player from the server, for killing a team member or hostage |
| mp_autoteambalance | Automatic leveling of the number of players in teams |
| mp_buytime | Time to buy weapons and ammunition |
| mp_c4timer | Time after which the C4 bomb explodes |
| mp_decals | Maximum number of parts on server |
| mp_fadetoblack | 1 – black screen after the death of a player, without tracking live players |
| mp_flashlight | Ability to use flashlight on server |
| mp_footsteps | Sound of footsteps in the game |
| mp_forcechasecam | 1 – 2 – 3 after death, tracking all players, only your team or free flight around the map |
| mp_forcecamera | 0-watch everyone, 1-team only, 2-first-person team |
| mp_freezetime | Downtime at the start of the round |
| mp_timelimit | Time at which the card is started |
| mp_roundtime | Round duration in cs |
| mp_limitteams | What is the difference in the players to produce mp_autoteambalance |
| mp_friendlyfire | Ability to kill members of your team |
| mp_hostagepenalty | How many hostages do you need to kill to kick a player |
| mp_mapvoteratio | The number of players required to vote for the map |
| mp_startmoney | The number of bucks issued at the beginning of the card |
| mp_tkpunish | Kill Tim Killer in the next round |
| hostname | Name of your server ks |
| sv_restartround | After how many seconds to restart the round |
| sv_cheats | Code mode in the game |
| sv_password | Password to connect to the server |
| sv_maxspeed | Player movement speed, default (320) |
| sv_gravity | The level of gravity in the game, in default (800) |
| kick | Remove a player from the server by nickname |
| changelevel | Forced map change on the server |
| map | Change the map with the removal of all players from the server |
| rcon_password | Password for managing the server through the game client using the rcon command “command_name” |
| pausable | Ability to pause the game |
| mp_logmessages | Ability to write all chat messages of the game to the log file |
| pushlatency | To reduce lags in the game, set the variable to the value opposite to your ping |
| sys_ticrate | The number of frames per second calculated by the server |
| sv_minrate | Set the minimum rate for the players on the server |
| sv_maxrate | Set the maximum rate for server players |
| sv_minupdaterate | Set the minimum cl_updaterate value for server players |
| sv_maxupdaterate | Set the maximum cl_updaterate value for server players |
| addip | Add the player’s IP address to the ban, 0 – permanent ban |
| banid | Ban player by unique identifier |
| banid kick | Ban by ID and kick of the player |
| cl_allowdownload | We allow players to download from the server missing files for the game, maps, models, etc.d. |
| cl_allowupload | We allow uploading files, logos, etc. to the server. |
| cl_download_ingame | Allow downloading additional files while playing |
| appenddemo | Records a demo recording of a game named demo.dem |
| listdemo | Show information about the demo with the given name |
| playvol | Demo volume |
| record | Recording a demo with a given title.dem |
| setdemoinfo info | Add demo record information |
| startdemos demo1, demo2 | Play demos in the specified order |
| demos | Play demos recorded with startdemos |
| stop | Stop recording demo |
| stopdemo | Stop playing demo tape |
| swapdemo | Changes the positions of segments in the demo |
| timedemo | Play demo with maximum FPS |
| playdemo | Play the demo.dem at real speed |
| viewdemo | Play demo .dem with set speed |
| startmovie name fps | Takes n-pictures per second (in bmp format) |
| endmovie | Stop startmovie |
| dem_speed | Playback speed of demo recording |
| dem_jump | Rewind the demo forward or backward for as many seconds |
| dem_pause | Pause in demo recording |
| cmd name | Change server name |
| crosshair | Enable or disable the sight of the weapon |
| default_fov | The player’s field of view in degrees |
| discard | Throw away unused ammunition |
| disconnect | Disconnect from server |
| echo | Display a message to the player in his console |
| exec | Open config file.cfg |
| exit | Exit to the operating system |
| fullserverinfo | Shows complete information about the server |
| info | Server player information |
| menuselect | Select an item from the menu |
| model | Change current player model |
| name | Your player’s nickname |
| nosound | Enable or disable sound in the game |
| pause | Game paused |
| quit | Same exit as exit |
| reconnect | Reconnect to the current server, for example, to reset frags and deaths |
| shortname | Customer short name |
| sizedown | Decreases screen size and increases FPS |
| sizeup | Increases screen size and decreases FPS |
| skin | Set player model type |
| spectator | Sets the viewer model |
| timerefresh | Player Average FPS |
| user | Shows information and given player |
| + ip xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx | Set server IP address |
| version | Version Information |
| developer | Mode with displaying additional parameters on the client screen |
| listmaps | List of maps available for play on the server |
| fps_max | Maximum FPS value |
| fps_modem | Maximum number of client FPS from the modem |
“Of the top 10 best teams in the world, 5 or even 6 are from China”, V1lat – Dota 2 reports
Maincast commentator Vitaliy “V1lat” Volochay shared his opinion for Sports.ru about the WePlay AniMajor format, Chinese teams and Virtus.pro’s chances at the tournament.
– The winners of the last major now play a wild card. Does this format suit you?
– I like this format, because the Major starts with incredibly cool battles, and the teams that could not take the first or second place in their regions are forced to fight in the wild card. The fact that IG, the champions of the last major, this season showed themselves not as confidently as in the past, for this they are actually punished.Accordingly, they now need to prove their strength against other teams in the first round, in the first two days in this mad meat grinder. So I really like it.
– Wildcard teams always play cool in the tournament (top 3 in Singapore, top 2 on Inta, Minor winners always burned at the Majors). Easier to feel the meta? Or is Kwala harder in China than the top tournament?
– Wildcard teams have already been played. Teams that have been playing in combat mode for two hard days, on the third day are already in the meta, they have called out and are ready to break.But the teams that are just starting out are still weaker at the start. We talked about this at the last tournament, that the teams that play more have an advantage, due to this the team from the wild card goes further, this is my opinion. In China, qualifiers are more difficult than a tournament – this is a fact. The Chinese division is now just fantastic, extravaganza. In my opinion, out of the top 10 best teams in the world, 5 or even 6 are from China. That is why it is certainly more difficult to win the Chinese region than to win the Major.
– Virtus.pro will start from the playoffs and again may not make it into the meta. What would you advise and wish them?
– VP have already gained experience in the last major and must draw conclusions. I hope they practice very well during these 6 days until they play. Namely, they will play not 3, but 5-6 matches a day so that the team is played and understands how to do what and, as a result, we will not have such peak stages as we had in Singapore. I would advise you to just watch a lot of how their potential opponents are playing, and try to spend an incredible amount of time specifically in the game during the preparation days.
You can follow the progress of the Major using our match center .
