Welcome to Thunderdome

Scooty explained to me that he wants to train top because he wants to replace Theo. He recruited Theo so we had another player to play with when one of us was gone. He didn't mean for Theo to replace him on the team. That being said, I have seen him be way more consistent with his playing. It's been all top. He's got a few champs he switches up with, but it's always top, and more or less the same style. At this point, I'd say he's about as good as Theo up there. Theo used to be better, but seems to have slipped the more he got to know us. It was as if he tried very hard in the beginning to make a good impression. Once it became a given that we'd invite him, he started playing poorly. Even as Wu Kong, he feeds and makes dumb decisions. If finally seems like Scooty is taking his training more seriously. He fought, kicked and screamed the whole way, but, I think we've almost got him there.

We need a second support option. Stranger isn't always around. Thought Gordon was going support, but I haven't seen him there since the one night he rocked our worlds as Sona. The other night, when asked if he was going support, it was an immediate "no". Is it because you don't want to, or because you are already expert and don't need to be there? (that was humor). I think it is imperative that we have a second support option. Not trying to force Stranger out. Just covering our asses when he's not playing. I'll do it. I don't care. Just someone's gotta do it.

Team comp. What's been confusing about it? We have multiple options at every lane (except support!). When we want Teemo, Leisher's been mid. If we want Graves carry, I do it, Ez, Leisher. Mid is me or Theo. Top is Gordon, etc. etc. I think we are better when we play our strengths instead of our roles. Don't force Leisher to play Graves when he's better at Teemo.

Teemo:

I've been digging the Gangplank jungle.

I apologize right now Gordo, but I do not agree. It has nothing to do with you at all, and everything to do with Gangplank. I just don't think his kit brings much to the team.

We NEVER see GPs anymore. We saw one recently come out of the jungle, and he did mostly nothing for his team. GP was a big hit when folks were playing him as Critplank and using his Q to really harass, but it was a one trick show.

He is a melee champ. He's got one ranged shot that's an ability and uses mana. It's like Nidalee only a LOT less powerful. He's got a speed boost just like Miss Fortune, only it speeds up his allies too. He's got a heal, which is good for sustain. He's got an aoe ult that is global.

Decent abilities in theory, but what role does it make him good for?

Unless you're going Critplank, and all your runes/masteries are set for that role specifically, you're going to be dominated in the laning phase by anyone with ranged autoattacks. So top, bot, and mid are out. Bot especially because that'd make his the ADC, and he'd get harassed to death, even as Critplank.

He's not support...although, thinking about it...Critplank as support is interesting. If he can get his damage to be near Nidalee's spear, and it's not a skill shot... (This is seriously something to ponder. The more I think about this, the more it intrigues me.)

So that means jungle is his logical home right? But what's he bringing to the table? He has no CC. No gap closer. No slow. He's not tanky. Doesn't have a good initiate. All he's bringing in is damage, but he's melee, so without a gap closer, he can't hit anyone!

His ult is the biggest problem though. Yes, it's global, but it has a big cooldown. Also, I personally don't find it to be very effective. It's essentially just a big version of MF's little circle of slow. Placement is everything, and that can be hard to judge. Also, I think it's too tempting to use at the wrong moments. For example, he dropped it late game last night to try and help Lulu escape to no avail. Moments later, as enemy minions and champs were pushing our mid turrets, he didn't have it available. Obviously it would have been much more effective there, but it's not like he can see the future nor is it good to always turn down chances to get a solo kill on an escaping enemy or help a teammate run for a "just in case" type of mindset.

So no, I do not like GP jungle, and if my vote mattered, I'd vote that we don't see him again. So "everybody" didn't want you jungling as GP

I wouldn't tell you who to play, but we need a tank on the team in the worst way. We need more CC. We need an initiator.

Alistar never gets banned, has a GREAT initiator, a stun, a healing ability, and is a tank.

But having one person dedicated to watching the mini map, calling out mias that are missed because that person is shopping or ganking, picking a lane to split push in because I was able to account for all enemies because I've been watching them the whole time, etc, is cool.

2. GP is better than you think, I think. He usually get him to the point in a game where he is crit-plank, and yes, I do have the runes and masteries to go along with it. Cake has mentioned it, "Whoa, GP is doing some damage now." Last night was a waste for crit-plank, though, which is why I was getting frustrated. I was a crit-plank, but I couldn't get my team to support anything I did due to being skittish. I get that it is a different mindset... we are not accustomed to my playing a heavy-damage dealer, but you guys need to do a better job of reading my mind, I think.

Also, one last thing, no one of us should be deciding to themselves "We can't be team fighting them" and then not tell anyone else of their decision, and then just not engage when everyone else starts a team fight.

I honestly think we lost the game because of that single battle near the end when no one would cover me.