TL;DR
- 100 Thieves’ GM defended rookie players Ryoma and Poome following harsh community criticism after playoff elimination
- PapaSmithy emphasized Poome’s rapid development from amateur to LCS starter in one season
- MarkZ retracted his critical tweet, highlighting challenges new players face adapting mid-split
- The incident reveals tension between immediate results and long-term player development in esports
- Community reactions often overlook developmental context in favor of performance metrics
Following 100 Thieves’ decisive 0-3 defeat against Evil Geniuses during the 2020 LCS Summer Split Playoffs lower bracket, the esports community rapidly targeted the organization’s emerging players with substantial criticism.
Across multiple social platforms, fans identified newcomers Tommy “Ryoma” Le and Philippe “Poome” Lavoie-Giguere as primary factors behind the team’s premature playoff departure.
Although both athletes delivered suboptimal performances, additional strategic and team coordination issues contributed to the early elimination.Despite broader contributing elements, community members directed particularly severe critiques toward the inexperienced duo. Notable criticisms included Ryoma’s apparent struggles with skillshot accuracy against super minions, while analyst Mark “MarkZ” Zimmerman highlighted Poome’s concerning series statistics of 3 eliminations, 23 deaths, and 6 assists.
#LCS pic.twitter.com/Pw5IZcv6GZ
— C9 Mateus (@portilho) August 16, 2020
100 Thieves respond to criticism of Ryoma, Poome
After the competitive dust settled, 100 Thieves General Manager Chris “PapaSmithy” Smith utilized Twitter to address the mounting criticism. He contextualized Poome’s situation by noting this marked his inaugural professional playoff appearance, following an extraordinary progression from the organization’s developmental roster to the main LCS lineup within a single competitive season.
Smith further advocated for patience, suggesting Poome’s anticipated long-term presence in the league warranted understanding, though some community members questioned whether potential justified dismissing current performance concerns.
Poome not having a series to remember in his first ever best of 5 is not something you get to weaponize – This is a player who will be a support rock in the LCS for years to come, so give a young talented player a break for fuck’s sake
— Chris Smith (@PapaSmithy) August 17, 2020
Ryoma possesses considerable experience navigating community skepticism. The Australian mid-laner completed his debut LCS season after entering the league during spring amid significant fan disapproval regarding his starting position. Many critics expressed frustration that Ryoma secured the role while more established domestic players remained without starting opportunities.
Conversely, Poome generally received favorable assessment since assuming starting support duties in week four of the 2020 Summer Split. Analytical commentary typically emphasized his composure during high-stakes competition despite limited professional experience, rather than focusing exclusively on performance errors.
MarkZ subsequently issued an apology for his initial social media post, elaborating on the substantial challenges confronting new professional competitors joining mid-split and adapting to deficit situations. He further clarified consistently applying contextual consideration to Poome’s evaluation due to his accelerated competitive progression, characterizing the original tweet as intended humorous commentary.
This situation underscores the complex balance professional organizations navigate between immediate competitive success and sustainable talent cultivation. Effective player development requires managing community expectations while providing emerging competitors adequate growth opportunities through challenging competitive experiences.
Teams must develop comprehensive communication strategies that contextualize development timelines while maintaining competitive accountability. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for anyone following competitive League of Legends, similar to mastering strategic elements in games like our Class Guide for optimal performance.
Action Checklist
- Analyze player performance within developmental context rather than isolated statistics
- Evaluate community reaction patterns and their impact on player development
- Develop communication strategies that balance accountability with developmental support
- Review long-term organizational development plans similar to our Complete Guide to strategic planning
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