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BOSTON -- The crowd goes wild as U-S-A chants fill the Boch Centers Wang Theatre. Weve seen this before in Seattle in front of tens of thousands, but American pride is at an all-time high following one of the biggest wins on Thursday in the past few months from North Americas most popular Dota 2 team, Evil Geniuses.Four months ago, Wings Gaming decimated Evil Geniuses at Seattles KeyArena during The International 6, a tournament which Evil Geniuses had won just a year prior. But on Wednesday, a rematch between the teams took place in the Round of 16 of The Boston Major, one of two events leading up to the International 7 in 2017. Evil Geniuses, for their part, reversed the roles and smashed the reigning International champions 2-0.For Evil Geniuses coach Clinton Fear Loomis, a retired player who was on the team during their historic International 5 win in 2015, and also a member of the team who lost to Wings in August, the Wings Gaming win on Wednesday was a massive confidence boost.It felt really great [to beat Wings], he says. [They are] one of the most respected teams, but especially by our guys in particular. We respect them a lot. Being able to overcome them when were feeling down was probably one of the biggest confidence boosters we could have.That boost paid dividends on Friday morning as Evil Geniuses beat Virtus.Pro, a team which has won several tournaments prior to the event and was a favorite coming into the Boston Major. Predictably, the crowd roared for their home team, EG. Hundreds of fans then lined up in the two lower levels of the Wang Theatre to meet and greet with Evil Geniuses.But despite the Virtus.Pro win, Evil Geniuses side of the bracket will continue to get harder. The team will now face OG, a two-time major winner that defeated Evil Geniuses at The Summit 6 several weeks ago. That match on Saturday will determine which of the two moves onto the grand finals.If we do it make it to grand finals, its going to be quite the journey and we would be very confident because we wouldve gone through a lot of the tough competition already, Fear says. Thats the most exciting thing for me. The journey to get to the grand finals is very tough for us.Unlike previous tournaments, however, there is no second chance here in Boston. One series loss and youre out, something new to Dota 2 tournaments, particularly as The International has been praised for its double-elimination bracket.I think what were really looking forward since we won [Wednesday], the format is kind of interesting for us, Fear says. Its a single-elimination tournament and on top of that, we believe to have the harder side of the bracket. So basically whoever wins their side of the bracket is guaranteed grand finals, [but] I think our side of the bracket, in my opinion, has four of the best or hardest teams that most people thought going into this tournament.The Boston Major doesnt just mark a stepping stone for Evil Geniuses in bracket strength, but its the first major tournament the team has competed in since a massive restructuring in September through October. The team not only made two roster changes -- bringing back Artour Arteezy Babaev and adding Andreas Cr1t- Nielsen -- but also made organizational changes, having former Dota player Peter ppd Dager move to a managerial role atop the organization and Fear became coach.I think the restructuring [in Evil Geniuses] in particular was just trying something new, Fear says about the changes. Before, you would just have some captain, older players just kind of leading the younger guys. Instead [now], were just trying to bring in all the talent and then we have the older players helping from outside instead of inside the game.Fear says that he believes in their current talent but that success will rely on how the teams two new members, Arteezy and Cr1t-, mesh into the team.Its a new way of looking at it and its something I think has a lot of promise, because in particular [Arteezy] is a great player, he says. He hasnt had the most success before but I think I can lend him my wisdom and he can play the role I played better than I can. If they can all just get their stuff together and [Cr1t-] needs to be able to pull them together as the captain, because you need to have an in-game captain. If hes able to pull them, which hes doing a really good job, this team should be, on paper, one of the strongest teams in Dota.While The International 6 marked an end to Fears 11-year competitive playing career, his role as a coach in the team is still in the process of being figured out. Like many other retired pros, he has moved into the role without any form of coaching experience. As a player, he was often praised as being an encyclopedia of Dota knowledge, but he seems himself differently in the role. He says that he wants to offer his player skills and knowledge of how to be successful, rather than strategic advice.Most of the coaching structure right now [in Dota] is players who are current players but failed to get to an event, he says. There are a lot of smart players in Dota and someone will be in the qualifiers but its unfortunate when they dont qualify but they still want to be part of the experience. Im not going to be actively competing in any tournaments from now on, Im just going to be using my previous experience. Its still fresh in my head now, but going on in the next 2-3 years, if I dont continue playing, how good will I be as a coach still? Im not sure. Ill still just do it for now and right now, I am enjoying it and well see where it goes. Otis Sistrunk Womens Jersey . The 19-year-old Olsen played 34 games with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL this season. In that time, hes recorded 17 goals and 17 assists with 36 penalty minutes. Foster Moreau Womens Jersey . The 17-year-old native of Marystown, N.L., pulled out of Skate Canada International last month in Saint John, N.B., with the same problem. https://www.raiderssportsgoods.com/Womens-Jack-Tatum-Inverted-Jersey/ . Down by seven with 90 seconds left in regulation, thats where they looked comfortable. George Blanda Raiders Jersey . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. Bo Jackson Raiders Jersey . The Clippers were angry about blowing a big lead; the Kings didnt like being in that kind of hole and nearly digging themselves out only to lose. SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid was the first teammate of quarterback Colin Kaepernicks to join him in not standing for the national anthem as part of a protest of racial inequality and oppression in the country. But he might not be the last.On Friday afternoon, Reid said he plans to continue to kneel alongside Kaepernick when the 49ers open the season with the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football.And while Reid and linebacker NaVorro Bowman indicated theres no momentum for a team-wide action, such as the pregame demonstration the Seattle Seahawks have planned for Sunday, Reid did leave the door open for the possibility that other teammates could join him and Kaepernick.There have been guys that have talked about it, Reid said. I cant speak for what anybody is going to do and their plans for the future. I guess well just have to wait and see.As of Friday afternoon, no other player has publicly declared the intention to join Kaepernick and Reid, but Reid didnt announce his plan to join Kaepernick before last weeks preseason finale against San Diego, either.Bowman said Friday he will continue to stand for the national anthem and that there hasnt been a discussion of planning something for the entire team to do.I plan on doing the same thing Ive been doing and just trying to focus on football and get the win, Bowman said. No one has talked about [a team-wide protest]. I feel like thats a personal issue, and guys have done a great job of keeping it personal, and no one says anything if a guy did decide to take a knee.In the week-plus since Reid and Kaepernick kneeled in San Diego, others in the sports world have joined. Denver linebacker Brandon Marshall did the same before the Denver Broncos game against Carolina on Thursday night.A credit union that serves military families released Marshall as one of its ambassadors after he knelt before Thursdays game.Although we have enjoyed Brandon Marshall as our spokesperson over the past five months, Air Academy Federal Credit Union (AAFCU) has ended our partnership, president and CEO Glenn Strebe said in a statement. AAFCU is a membership-based organization who has proudly served the military community for over 60 years. While we respect Brandons right of expression, his actions are not a representation of our organization and membership. We wish Brandon well on his future endeavorss.ddddddddddddReid, who counts Under Armour as his lone endorsement, said he hasnt heard any concerns from the athletic apparel company, but he said he understood the potential consequences when he decided to take a knee in the first place.When I decided to do this, it came with the understanding that thats the risk you take, Reid said. Its business. I studied business in college, and people dont want to be associated with bad press. and thats understandable. Thats cool with me, but I feel like Im doing something bigger than money.If I lose an Under Armour endorsement ... I wouldnt be worried about it, because to me, in my heart, Im doing something thats for the benefit of a lot of people.Other athletes who have joined in kneeling during the anthem include Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane and womens soccer star Megan Rapinoe. Reid also got in touch with former Marine Staff Sgt. Joey Jones -- he lost both legs in Afghanistan -- who offered his help to Reid and Kaepernicks cause.Reid said a lot of players have reached out to offer support over the past week, but that many of them arent sure how they want to go about showing that support.A lot of guys are being supportive -- they want to be involved, Reid said. A lot of guys have expressed that they dont know if theyre comfortable with kneeling, but they do support the cause so theyre looking for ways to get involved, and I applaud them for that.On Thursday, 49ers chief executive officer Jed York announced that the 49ers charitable foundation will be donating $1 million to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and the San Francisco Foundation to help improve racial and economic inequality, causes that are at the center of Kaepernick and Reids protest.Thats in addition to the $1 million plus proceeds from his jersey sales that Kaepernick already has declared he will donate. Reid said he was excited to see the organization offer such support.Any time you do something, a protest, you know theres going to be backlash, Reid said. You know you cant satisfy [everyone]. But for our organization to step up, it feels like were supported by the NFL. Thats huge. It gives substance to what were doing. Our owners believe in what were doing. It kind of gives me encouragement to move forward. ' ' '