"Cologne is bigger than the Major", the worst duo in CS, and what core should 100 Thieves sign?

On this week's episode of Overtime on Inferno, our hosts discuss Sam and Elliott's Twitter backlash from last week's worst AWPer conversation. The conclusion? L00m1 still can't AWP no matter how much AdamB says he can.

PGL Bucharest and IEM Chengdu are also covered alongside 100 Thieves' return to Counter-Strike.

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Chapters
00:00 Intro - Worst duo in CS?
13:00 PGL Bucharest review: Aurora, Liquid, Legacy
27:00 BO5 Grand Final for Budapest Major announced
45:56 Taken of the week - 100T to sign rain
59:40 IEM Chengdu mid-tournament review: FaZe, NAVI, 3DMAX
01:07:20 Who will win the Major?
01:11:22 Outro

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Shocks and scream, Shiro and donk config and Heineken.
Counter strike is full of amazing duos but I want to ask
you 2, who are the worst duos incounter strike ever?
Open floor. Who are the worst duos in
Counter Strike ever? Blaimath and anyone?

(00:20):
Yeah, I mean, he does OK out of it, to be fair.
Yeah, I. Mean the meth abuse.
Freddy Frog and a relaxer. Freddy, Frog and Relax is a good
shot. That is a good shot.
The the obvious answer is of course, Spiddy and Dennis.
Yeah. No, maybe the worst duo ever.

(00:42):
Like they were. And I feel bad because Dennis
like sort of turned his career around and was actually all
right later in his career. But Spiddy was like just
appalling, like just so bad. And he, he was just awful.
Yeah, not great. Do we 2 cane skins?
There you go, topical. Very topical.

(01:04):
I want to give. I want to give an actual serious
answer. Yeah, like I I thought I'd say
Spitty and Dennis. I think about the obvious
answer. I had a good answer for this
earlier that I thought of and it's just it's just like my
brain is as we went live so. Is it is it?
Is it deaths and is? It it was deaths in WG that
actually is what it was, yeah. Yeah, I thought it might be.
Yeah, no, that is right. That's what.

(01:25):
It was any two players from EvilGeniuses 2023.
There you go. Any 2 rosters and ESA.
No, because ISA was actually good back then.
OK, OK. ISA and MBK from Iliogi.
There you go. OK.
Yeah, it's pretty. Good.
It's pretty good. They were awful at that point.

(01:48):
I mean Kerrigan and Brokie rightnow.
Yeah. Yeah.
What do you? Have to mean.
I just thought, you know, peoplelike it when we talk about bad
players it seems especially especially Adam or Adam B, as I
presume it's meant to be said, capitalize the B.

(02:09):
He, he told us that we were, I'mnot allowed to say this word,
but I believe our producer is. So he told us we were a not very
nice word because we because Samactually, I should say I didn't
have any say this. Sam said Lumi was the worst
opera of all time. Which he is just once again.

(02:30):
So we are doubling down, are we?He's, he's shit.
Like, I don't need to say more than that.
He's just not a very good player.
He's not, but this, this whole clip did it did get some some
interesting opinions from the community, didn't it?
Yeah. Should we go?
Yeah, most of them. Most of them having a go at us.

(02:50):
There it is. Producer Charlie, please stay
there for your excellent response to Adam B, where after
Adam B called us our words, or rather called me an our word,
Producer Charlie said. I'd say that you shouldn't use
that word, but if you think Lumiis a good Orpa, you probably
have the pass, which is just brilliant just to clean.

(03:11):
It I do, I do respect backing you former teammates like that
because yeah, you've got it right.
They've played together, right? So he probably know.
He knows more than anyone that he's not that good, Probably.
But. Oh Plopsky and Rez.
Oh God that was an awful duo. Plopsky and Esther tag.
Was, I was going to say Plopsky and.
Esther, oh God. That's it.
That's the worst. S tag on the orp as.

(03:32):
Well, S Tag, I actually thought Esther Tag was a better orphan
than he was. I've missed this reply.
That which one? I don't want to from our lovely
producer. I don't mean to alarm you, Sir,
but you have Apex had some things to say, particularly

(03:56):
Elliot. You said what's the hell are you
talking about? OK is the end wasn't great, but
you're talking about the really good opera that have been a
fucking solid rock for a long time.
Don't talk when you have no clue.
First things first, if you've been rock solid for years, you
should probably see a doctor. 2nd of war, a prostitute.
He he even admits in this tweet that the end wasn't great, so he

(04:19):
knows he was pretty dog shit. He knows he was dog shit at one
point. I'm clearly not talking about
when he was good in CS Source. I don't know what I'm talking
about. No, no.
So I I then said like, I didn't endorse The Smiths thing.
I said if you're talking about Lumi though, I have eyes, man,
I'm sorry, apexious response. Smith's brother.
He also will not deny that Loomino he's.

(04:42):
Probably never watched him. He he got no reason to watch one
of his games. I do think, though, Smith was
all right when he wasn't open. Do you know what I mean?
Yeah, yeah, he wasn't a terribleplayer.
He just wasn't a very good offerand that's fine.
But by the end of his Orping tenure, he he was like losing

(05:05):
them games. Yeah.
He he was bad. Like OK, he wasn't the worst
ever because Sixer has also played in France and would have
been the better shout, but like.You know you'd have got he.
Was not. And if he was a trooper, Well,
yeah, I'd have. I'd have fired back a lot harder
if they backed up Sixer. Sixer and Devil, by the way.
One of the worst duos ever. Pretty sure they were on a team

(05:28):
together on Envy. Yeah, they were.
Yeah, awful. I feel like I need a wash.
Now maniac vodka or maniac women?
Also bad duo, just saying. That's not going on.
It's not the women, but the women there aren't bad.
Go back, go back into replies toCharlie.

(05:49):
Let's let's let's move on. I love that he's been upgraded
to producer from like Link Liquor.
What's that one that translate back into?
Apex. Oh, OK.
Oh, that's that can't be good. Yeah, boring.
Oh, right, yeah, France is a great.

(06:10):
Character Best French team has two players.
I wasn't having a go at. France The French team bombed
out of Chengdu so. Yeah, fair enough.
He's like, he's just guys risen up Apex and the.
Yeah, fair play. That's what I'll say about to be
fair to Apex, like he is very good at meeting his fans.
Like he will just go and meet him, Yugi and Lucky, Yeah, I
mean. Lucky.
Fine, I just think there was a Yugi.

(06:30):
Really unfair. You give us him for a bit.
Yeah, if you go back on. No, he.
Like some of his no scopes actually hit for a bit.
No, haven't it? Like the teams he's playing.
Man's not hot envy. There's envy in here.
This was Tier 2 when in 2018? This is fine.

(06:50):
It's North, it's your team and he fucking railed them.
Yeah, N were also garbage. Wasn't Cajun B Orfing at this
point? Probably, yeah. 2018 in.
The building, just him. Just him alone really.
But someone also brought up Christu.
Yeah, yeah, I was. Christu not an author, I don't
think. No, he was, they forgot about.

(07:12):
Genuinely painful to watch that guy play Very good.
Yeah pretty sure N signed him after they got rid of AZ and I.
I tried but I I couldn't do it. I couldn't do it.
I mean, that was that was a huskof of north, you know, that was
that was a shame and N were already strike team.

(07:36):
Yeah, Woody is a very good idea,but he never gets things going
with the ORP, I mean. You know that, Baron complied.
I feel like. Charlie's fight until.
He went on to Australis. I don't know whose Solec is, but
two different people have said it.
I'm I'm going to look at it. They're both Australians so this
is probably some sort of meme answer.
That's what I've learned from Australians.
Emmanuel. Somebody said Salazar, that guy.

(07:57):
Somebody said Salazar, though Salazar is bad.
But I do. I just kind of I want to.
Be he's a Swiss player played for like alternate attacks and a
team called Berserk for for mostof his career.
Who's the German bloke on M80? He annoys me.
Slacks. Slacks is bloody awful.
He's. Got a bit of sauce about him.

(08:17):
I. Don't know.
He's very good, but I think he'sgot, he carries himself with
demeanor where I kind of, I kindof back him, I think.
Slacks his I think so many points out how how these guys
talk. He's not even inconsistent.
He's consistently rubbish. Nah, like.
Slack Slacks has put a few gameson his back.

(08:38):
I'm not having it, I'm still annoyed at slacks for like
bottling and a made like an RMR in NA to stop malbs getting
stickers for the first time like.
Hold tight world. Edit This is the disrespect here
is crazy. World edit is nowhere near there
so I don't care what anyone said.
World edit no, that's a player who's just inconsistent.
World edit had high peaks but like horrendous flaw.

(09:01):
His worst He was awful, but his?Best is valued.
Speed, idis, balance and a full moon.
Best player in the world, don't care what anyone says.
Idis balance was was like, yeah,sometimes incredible.
Sometimes if the major final wason a on a full moon he would be
the MVP only be in the game. Like this is a deep dive that

(09:24):
one of you 2 needs to write actually the best to worst
operas of of the dust. The worst opera of all time.
Yeah, I think it could be a goodpiece.
The community is completely. Violent.
If you have any thoughts on. I put Speedak in there.
Do you remember watching Speedakat the major?
That guy. Dream Eaters or some shit.

(09:44):
Dream eaters that guy was appalling.
I I mean it's not his fault because he was like he's
probably like an ESA main playerwho freaked his way to a major,
but he was like no, he was bad. Could.
Have been me, should have been me.
He. I I like I've not seen a player
miss as many simple shots as himand I'm counting players like
Draken in that. Like that guy was Pooh.

(10:05):
He was really bad. Yeah, I still think Draken could
could feel right. What now?
Yeah, I like. Draken absolutely nothing
really. I just think, yeah.
Now, now, maybe not, but I likedit.
I like I think I thought it. Was all right.
It's been bent from Johnny speeds like maybe they stuck
them off. I just always thought he no,
he's still over Johnny speeds. I just thought he never really

(10:26):
could have. He never really got it going
right. And then he went to kind of
valor on when he was kind of at his peak and then and that was
it. Drakon was like, actually pretty
decent on it. I always thought I was, yeah.
I don't know for long though. I thought everyone, I thought
everyone was like really unfair to Drakon to be honest because
he just kind of looks like a Dick.

(10:46):
Nothing funny and I think I think his dad is the CEO of Sony
Sweden. Or some CEO of being rich.
Like, you know, he's like, yeah,yeah, he's minted, yeah.
He he is absolutely minted. I'm pretty sure the first HLTV
awards was in like an arena thatDracon's dad owns or something.
It's something like that. Dracon's best year, by the way,

(11:08):
it. Didn't get an invite.
Dracon's best year, 2017, where he had a 1.14 rating.
People act like Dracon see that's got above a one point O
five. Yeah, that's a good year.
That's actually a good year. People act like he was, yeah.
People act like he was junior. He was not junior like he was
like he was like the 8th or 9th best author in the world that

(11:32):
year. Like he was good.
And that, by the way, he's just.Weird to what?
Like he was fun to watch, but hewas weird.
That's. Playing it too, he didn't hit
one match of the year. That was the issue.
Yeah. Look, he yeah and Nip actually
the. Funny part is I've.
Always thought he was really unfairly divided.
The funny part is that his second worst event of that year

(11:53):
is the one thing that Nip won that year.
He's Oakland. Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, that was like the one event Rez has ever been good at.
He had a one point. I just looked like in.
December of 2017 In December of 2017, Nip with the fourth
highest rated team in the world.That's the good the glory days.
Wow. Like, you know what I mean?

(12:14):
Like this was not a bad team andhe was that open like say well,
he was treated like he was junior.
He was like Brokey maybe like Brokey would be a fairer like.
Description And that was And they were fourth in the world
after failing to make it throughthe fucking the minor for E
league. Like they didn't even make it to
the minor. Yeah, might be the year they
lost to Vega, yeah. They lost in a close qualifier.

(12:35):
Yeah. Are you like, yeah, I mean,
Cajun B was north or, but they were ninth in the world.
Oscar Mouse, he was probably better.
Kenny S was on G2 at this point.Yeah, Oscar was very good that
yeah. He was, I just didn't like him
and I'm not 100% sure why because looking back he's
absolutely the type of player I would like.
Yeah, slightly. Weird enough putting, but really
good at the game. Yeah, pretty much.

(12:59):
Pretty much. Let's move on.
Anyway, yeah. Sick, sick of talking about bad
teams and bad players. Let's talk about Aurora.
I mean, they, they, that was thejoke.

(13:23):
Yeah. They were good question mark.
They were good. They won.
They won. They won the event that they
definitely had to win to be taken seriously ever again.
As we said in the newsletter, right, this, this was their
layup. This was their.
I'm trying to think of the analogy.

(13:43):
That's good, but I don't have one.
They could not have lost. This an open goal.
An open goal, yes. And it's, you know, extra wide,
should we say? And they did.
They did what they needed to do.I think it would have been
acceptable if they had lost it to Liquid, but other than that,
like, yeah, they could. They couldn't lose.
They couldn't lose, especially to Legacy, which is why, like,

(14:07):
I'm still slightly concerned about the fact that after going
to our it did end free too. But this isn't total victory.
Yeah, but also. Well, it could have been another
really good reverse sweep final,which would have been fun.
The thing is, legacy are actually still better than

(14:28):
people giving credit to, I thinkeven after the CIC win, like I
still think they're kind of still underrated.
So a close final against them islike, it's not good for Aurora,
right? Like I think Aurora should be
doing better than that, but I think it's kind of
understandable, I would say, butI don't think losing liquid
would be justifiable. No, I think.

(14:49):
This liquid is still tumultuous.I'm, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
I'm I'm gonna disagree. If it's fine for them to lose to
legacy or whatever, it's absolutely fine to lose to
liquid like legacy. I'm sorry.
No, no. No, no, no, there's no sort of
beaten legacy. I'm, I'm doing, I'm I'm just
thinking. It being that close, it's.
OK, Legacy are just pain too. They're not that good.

(15:10):
They're they're not that good. They're just playing well at the
moment. I don't think Payne have ever
made of. Payne never won an event and
they never went to back-to-back finals.
The Legacy are already better than Pain of Everything.
OK, but let's look at these events.
I think of which I know pain wasthere as well, but like.
I don't care. Yeah, No, no, I well, yeah,
exactly right. But Pain have never won these
events either. Sure, but like what I mean is

(15:35):
they're just in a a nice run at the moment.
They're not actually that good. But liquid aren't actually that
good, and they're not in a good run.
So liquid like garbage. Well, liquid aren't just not.
Liquid standards, they're in a good run.
Well, yeah, but that's kind of the point, isn't it?
Like that's, yeah, I think, to be honest, I don't think Aurora.

(15:59):
I think Aurora also had a prettydodgy run.
I thought it was pretty hard to pick a winner going going into
this. I was like looking at the team
like oh fuck it, like maybe Legacy actually do just win it
again. And they nearly did.
But like, I mean, turns out one of the one of the sorts of
vaguely big boys decided to showup, and that vaguely big boy is
Jantaris. Do we think Ostralis didn't have

(16:19):
Rugger playing? They would have done better
because they've been pretty goodat Chengdu.
Right, which we? Can get to but.
If Ostralis didn't have Rugger playing in Aurora would have
been knocked out in Swiss. Charlie.
Go on, go on the results and go on the Aurora Australis game,
because this is actually a game we should talk about.

(16:42):
Losing a map to a coach is is poor.
But. And this was because Device was
like shitting himself, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah, just for it's.
An important visual context. So look at pooping.
Look how bad Rugger did. And for people who weren't
watching, Rugger went 19 and 48 across the free map.
Best of freeware. All the maps were relatively
long. I think the next the next lowest

(17:05):
ranking player in the server wasobviously major, but the next
lowest ranking player on his team was hooksy and Stair who
both had 48. If that's device Aurora don't
even make it to playoffs. They just don't Yeah yeah.
So so looking back at playoffs then who did Aurora beat there

(17:28):
game of legion was one of them. I can't remember the final team.
B8 game of Legion and then Legacy.
B8 was the quarterfinal team. Yeah.
So really would. Have walked through those.
Teams. So really, Australia should have
won this event. What a horrible fucking timeline
that is. I'm sorry, sorry.
That is a big, big assumption. I think there's a lot of events.

(17:53):
Australia should have. I don't think Australia's are
better than legacy. Would would also like to point
out, by the way, just click on that Aurora game Allegiance.
Yeah, that I, yeah. This this was a.
Sorry, when you're getting 3110 that team is Major.
You are rubbish. Like fucking hell Major, shut

(18:18):
down your throat. Are you fucking me?
510 times in a series. What were the because 3031 they
got absolutely bad. Disgustingly but how is that
semi final? How does game elision make it?
How do they get get off the plane?

(18:39):
So I can, I can show scroll backdown, Charlie.
I, I can, I can show you this. No, it's the guy.
What the fuck? Is going on in kind of strike?
Yeah, it's the guy at the bottomof the game.
Legion scoreboard. It turns out Jacob isn't the
only fraud to come from from Apogee.
Hypex is also fucking rubbish. Fraud is kind of like did anyone

(19:06):
rate Hypex is even a fraud? Isn't he just kind of bad?
It's not really his fault. And I'm pretty sure important,
in fact, he doesn't live in the UK, so we kind of have to
endorse him. I'm afraid I don't have to, I.
Don't endorse. I don't endorse.
Screw. You.
He's from. UK I'm not going to make.
There's reasons for. That I'm not going to make this
political, but unless I see the British flag next to their name,

(19:27):
I don't endorse them. Yeah, I think it's quite
telling. As soon as Volt got rid of the
UK flag he he became where is he?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Isn't he odd?
Exactly where is he? Nobody knows.
Let's not even look it. Doesn't deserve to be locked up.
He's on that deserved 500 team. Yeah, there we go.

(19:47):
Doesn't deserve to be. Like the one that don't have we,
we spoke on the team the other week.
I'm not doing it again. We did.
Mark. Mark at this team.
Basically they can see. Like Sewell made the semi finals
of this event. Oh yeah, that's cool.
Made the semi. Finals over Liquid.
Yeah, they beat Liquid Go on that game, Charlie the sore
liquid. Also pain lost to legacy just so

(20:09):
just so we because you were talking about how their pain the
beat pain. Yeah, but pain in the sense of
how you talk about pain. Yeah, but Legacy didn't let us
down in Asia. They won.
They actually won an event. Pain won't do that.
This is another, I just think having a plague or she showed

(20:30):
the best of three, isn't it? Yeah, no, it is.
But like, go back up to the math.
Issue this is this, this is a Tier 2 event.
This is this is not a tier one event at all.
No, this is not A and liquid andthe prize pool is making it that
way. Right?
And I understand vRS and stuff, but this is it's not a good

(20:54):
event. This is acct with an audience, I
think. Did it even have an audience?
Wasn't it like cut? Short.
No, It's Big Crest Studio, isn'tit?
But just to a sore at the major.No, Yeah, no.
Probably. No, I don't think so, but just
to read this out for the people who aren't who aren't watching

(21:14):
and only listening. Liquid opened this series of 13
four win on ancient which realistically is probably what
you should be expecting out of Liquid saw but then saw one
train 13 two and inferno 13 one.Like what the fuck?

(21:37):
Even if liquid are bad that is hyping that can't be allowed.
That's like that's mental boom, isn't it?
But that is mental boom. That's like they've just like
their their heads just blown up.I feel like train they've
they've got so. Ultimate went one and 13.
Like tilted during train? Bear in mind that SAWS or the

(21:57):
story went 18 and 6. They've got two players Yeah I
mean it's kind of a two point O rating.
Mutrus went 13 and one man. Mutrus hasn't been good since
happening. Tap got banned.
It's just. Hard to be good CS chats bad CS

(22:17):
GO came out. Bro, that guy's a pensioner.
Was that a serious question? What is happening?
I do remember stats are getting bad, don't worry.
No, this is like such a clear Elise Elisha's has ruined the.
Game Humpty Dumpty terrorism ball.

(22:38):
Wait, Charlie, this. Is such a clear details Elise is
not come during infer. Charlie on the detailed stats
for trade. This is so clear.
No, he's he's asked for a drop and just throw it out the map.
That's what he said. Yeah.
Click on train, Scroll down. OK, which round did a leash stop
talking? Let's scroll back up, Charlie.

(22:58):
Scroll back up onto the round. Let's see, let's see, let's see
which round is still fine this conversion fine.
I think it's probably around 4:00.
I was going to say. Or no, no, no, it'll be no, no
it. Won't be.
I'm going to go round 6. Round 9 I think.
I think round six, round 9. Without the plan, yeah.

(23:19):
OK, round six he's made his first comment.
Round 9 He's just decided he's probably got worth it anymore.
He's probably got he's probably got entry on it in round 6.
Round 6. And he's playing someone else.
Round 6 he's steam messaged and said like can we get rid of
autumn? Can we get rid of him?

(23:41):
He says he's working. He's he must have.
He would have been so telling. He's he's Polish, right?
I don't know. He speaks Portuguese.
I can just imagine that that. So he must have been typing to
sort in the steep messaging store.
He's telling story where where ultimate saying go off him in

(24:02):
fluent Portuguese. I just think he's just saying
like insane Polish flows in in voice chat but like in his
accent. Like the grammar is perfect but
the accent's not do. You think he ever spoke during
this map? I don't think he's the only one.
I don't think Nuts would have spoke much either.
I don't think anyone plugged that.
People so angry nobody was talking to Ultimate in this map.

(24:25):
I'd also like to build. A Like Steve messaging story
where he was. I'd also like to point out at
this point for anyone listening that's doubting us.
All three of us have been in a room watching Elise play at full
best of three and not open his mouth once, but we've all seen.
Unless he's also not. He's not the.

(24:46):
He's not the only one, I'd like to say.
No, he's not the only player that does it, but he's.
Liquid of liquid have had these problems for years, at least as
though. Famously said though when he was
on phase that he wants to like reduce the amount of
communication or something. Clearly he took it too far in
liquid but but. I don't think, I don't think
he's the only one. On this team, I I think stood

(25:06):
there we. Spoke.
We spoke last week. You go.
Go on. OK I genuinely stood there once
for a full map of a liquid game in Paris and not one person said
a word all game. There wasn't even calls going
on. Like actually no call outs no no
like let's do X round the start of a round.

(25:27):
They just went and poked and didlike no come poked until they
got battered. That's that's a vibe though,
isn't it? But so it wasn't at the time
there was going No2 down in the challengers staged me.
That's also a vibe for me. But we we tried to discuss
right, we tried to guess with liquid orang right, and we said

(25:49):
like, Oh, that the 12th best team and turns out they actually
are getting 3433 rounds, 4 rounds, 3 rounds, 3 rounds in
the second. The last two maps is is not I
forgot they're on the screen is not 12 best team behaviour like

(26:09):
like you have to like at least be.
Not, not against. I don't.
Even so, I don't. Think I don't think you could
lose 13113. Two against anyone would be the
12th best team in the world. Well, quite hit, but
particularly team who aren't good.
I don't know if you get dumped. If they did get bad, if they
lost like that to spirit of likefirst half of the year, vitality

(26:32):
or like tournament winning spirit, I'd just be like, yeah,
fair. I wouldn't.
Yeah. Because that that caveat's fine.
Because of the players they haveand how good they they are and
the RGLS those teams have sore is not one of those teams.
They're not, they're not those guys.
They're not even close. They had they had a Cologne,
they had a Cologne where they were like really good.

(26:52):
And then the two guys, 2 good players from that team fucked
off and that's it. Now what?
Yeah, it's actually kind of sad to see so will be bad because
they're so it was so fun to watch.
So it was so cool. And now it's just like as you'll
Aragorn and crazy like yeah, no,I don't care, I'm sorry.
I really don't care anymore. Can I interrupt with some

(27:14):
breaking news? Yeah, as it happens, CS have
announced that the major finals will now be best of fives.
Thank fuck beginning. With Budapest, I mean, you have
to with MR12. Can we kill best of ones?
Yeah, I mean, that's still the issue of a best of ones, but

(27:34):
this is a very good start. What if the major final was best
of 1 and the opening round was best of five?
What if you worked in Tesco for six months?
What if? And so many problems might be
solved. I worked in the Co-op for a bit.

(27:56):
It was I, you know, I wanted to end it all.
Yeah. No, I mean, this is obviously a
good change, right? Like in MR12 I think you have to
have best of five because the games only last about 25.
Minutes I also I also just thinkit's not even. 88 rounds.
I don't even think it's to do with the the MR12 thing.
I just think when every of a tournament is a fucking best of

(28:18):
five, which I know well, that part part of that is due to
MR12. But when every of a tournament
is the best of five, yeah, by not having the major be a best
of five, you just make the majorworse.
But it's the same with Bo ones existing.
Like for as long as Bo ones exist in the major, it will
never be as good as like a stacked PGL because they do all

(28:44):
best of free Swiss with an 18 playoff.
But yeah, it is is just the unfortunate truth of it.
So it's a start, but it's, it's not the finished product, is it?
What if the semi finals were also best of fives?

(29:05):
I don't like that so. Thoughts.
I work events so no thank you. So the other game, you know the
bad one maybe all colours and the abilities and shit they do.
The Lego one. Yeah, yeah.
I can't remember if it's best offive foot upper bracket final,
but certainly the lower bracket final is best of five because

(29:29):
they do fucking which is equivalent double LEM.
Playoff ball shot. With a map or no?
They do. The team that went through upper
bracket bands, the two maps I think.

(29:50):
That's pretty good. I like.
That I think they just decide which which maps go and then
from there they pick their maps and sides and whatnot.
I don't like the lower bracket final being best of five.
I always find that like a tough game to watch.
So it's gruelling, a bit of a drag.
Yeah. And I also think if you.

(30:12):
If you play the upper bracket final, lose, play the lower
bracket final, win and then the final, you've played three Bo
fives. Yeah.
And I also, I also think I also think like if you're going to do
best of five semi finals, then you should do best of seven
final. I don't think any game should be

(30:33):
the same length for it. No, I'm down in that case, but I
think the final should always belike the long.
Term for it. Yeah, Yeah.
I just think. It just becomes unreasonable.
Like I know it's not too seriousanswer right?
But I honestly like. No, no, I'm being 100% serious.
If you have best of five semi finals then you have to have a

(30:53):
best of seven final 100%. Ridiculous.
Like your your final becomes a 12 hour date without a third
place decider as well, which youhave to have now.
So it's just. Oh yeah, you have to have
logical. Can't you just like flip a coin
for a third place decider and have a best 7?
Final, just do a round. Round difference.

(31:15):
I swear you don't have to have the 3rd place decider.
Do you have to have one? I don't think.
You have to right? But I think like it's not a
valid rule, but I think Team T OS are being more preferred by
by teams if they do right, because you you can get game
right. Yeah, exactly.

(31:37):
It's all just you. Know I'm not sure that's true
that teams have been ESL done a single third place decider yet.
No, they start Chengdu. Oh.
Yeah. So yes.
No, this no. But my point was, I think at the
moment TO's are just being preferred by if they're Blast

(31:57):
and ESL and that's the only preference because Blast have
had very little going for them in terms of like convincing
teams really like their price pools have been the smallest
this year comfortably I. Don't even look I'm too rich to
care about other people's money.Oh, they're probably the blast.

(32:19):
Price falls this year have not been big compared to like what
was Bucharest like probably a mil blast.
Rivals is maybe. Was it that 1.25?
Even better Blast Rivals IS350K,but the price falls have not
been this year. In the age of of of player

(32:39):
salaries and and vRS and the major and stuff, right?
Like does anyone even really, players aren't necessarily like
prize, prize money is a a bonus,right?
It's not exactly like somebody like the placement and the
trophy is kind of what these people care about.
So I get what you're saying. I think the major should also be
10 million. Make it actually.
Ridiculously, I think it should be who's going to pay for that?

(33:01):
I think it should be at least who's going to pay for that.
The company that maybe makes like what, what is it now?
120 million a month from cable? Why would they put?
Why would they put up 10? Million for it.
They put up 55 a year for fucking data so.
But that's funded by fans. Then make do that make the CS
community. Pay Make some content that we'll

(33:21):
pay for. We already can do it isn't hard.
That's that's another topic, butI think.
The the the sticker money goes to the players instead, like
you'd. Have to yeah, yeah, sorry.
OK, so making. Team.
I'll also get a share, don't they?
Make a team Glock. But that's.
That's or whatever. There's so many ways you can you
can. That's what Valerian, yeah.
And the fact is, you don't actually.
You don't even you. Don't even.

(33:42):
You don't even buy the stickers though I feel like.
Make a Make a team. OK, so you could team, but when
you buy, when you buy the viewerpaths, the viewer pass 2025%
goes. I don't think.
What is it 7, seven, £8 per user?
What whatever it costs to buy U pass?
Is that integral to Val's fucking bottom line?

(34:03):
Is it or the top line it? Doesn't matter whether it's
integral. Businesses exist to make money,
no matter whether it's integral.No, but of course.
More money than they need to. The major is not the major is
not the biggest event of the year.
It still isn't. That's something that make it, I
think it should be and, and, butlook at, look at, look at Dong,
right? He cared more about Cologne than

(34:23):
he could about the major. There, Cologne's the biggest.
Event and that's not even me trying to be a biased fucking
Saudi shell ESL employee, whatever Cologne is just the the
status of that is bigger. I also think on the topic or.
Maybe I just think that's. Because the major was in China,
though, I don't think I think I think a major in the West is

(34:45):
more important than the Cologne person.
No, I think that's like, I thinkthat's Counter Strike
romanticism. Cologne is the biggest
tournament of the year, half because of format.
I don't at all. I don't think.
Most of the I think most of the like most memorable.
I think most of the most memorable tournaments in Counter

(35:07):
Strike history are majors. Yeah, but I think that's because
majors attract more viewership, right?
Like from casual fans? But you said they weren't the
biggest of that of the year. No, I think like.
But I don't think I. Fucking I don't think it's star
ladder major, was it? Was it Berlin That was star
ladder? I don't think that's as
impressive as a Cologne or or a academiester.

(35:27):
I just don't. Yeah.
And and I also don't think. I also don't think.
And I think prize pool is a way you can fix that.
I I don't think for Dunk at least, winning a major in
Shanghai changes anything to if he wins it in any other city in
the world. I think his reaction is the
telling thing. I think you you might say it
from your perspective. I think it would.
Oh, OK, maybe if he'd won it. No, but like.

(35:48):
If he'd won the stock, the Stockholm Major, the Rio Major
were bigger than Cologne in those years.
They were. I think Rio might have been.
Rio was. Definitely bigger what Rio where
the fans didn't. It's not even a disappointment
in the end. Rio where the fans didn't.
It was disappointing in the end,that one.

(36:09):
It was a disappointment in the end, but that doesn't mean it
wasn't. It wasn't and also the biggest
event. Also it was stuck.
Clearly the most hyped event of the year by a mile.
Stockholm is nonsense, by the way.
Stockholm should never be counted like Paris should never
be counted not. No point, Copenhagen.
I I. Also, shouldn't be counted

(36:29):
because the. Recent two major.
Last go major. First two major.
Yeah. We just, we just, if you just
discount all the Western majors,all the majors don't count.
Yeah, no. But no.
But no. But listen, there's so many
people count about the majors because they have to cry
bullshit. Sorry.
People cry about Mickey Mouse majors or or the wrong teams won
it or the formats was was the issue and stuff whatever right.

(36:51):
Like as we people just mind about the major all the time,
they do right? And I think again, you fix this
and you make it undeniable by making it fuck you money, right.
I think then then it. Becomes the only thing that
matters, which is what happened,no?
Because it doesn't. No.
Yeah, but that's because it was ridiculous.

(37:11):
But yeah. But now you have.
What would I say? Fuck you, money.
But now you have AVRS circuit that actually allies the major.
The events do matter, right? Even Philadelphia matters
because of that. Yeah, yeah.
Which is. Obviously, right our circuit, I
just think it works, doesn't show some of the other T OS.

(37:32):
Yeah, I've been to many majors, I've been to many ESL events,
right. I don't mean to blast event, I
don't think. No, I haven't.
I would. Say.
Atmosphere and like, yeah, atmosphere and vibes, like
majors, I'm not worked out. So I've been a bit more chilled
out and I've been more of a moreof a spectator, right?
But I still feel like like as a fan, like the Major has way

(37:53):
that's going on, the ones I've been to.
Oh I completely disagree. Every single major I've been to
I've enjoyed much more than Cologne.
Really. Yeah, absolutely, absolutely,
100%. Antwerp major was amazing.
It was my Antwerp major was my favorite one.
Yeah, but Copenhagen I loved, Paris, I loved, Stockholm I

(38:14):
loved. Yeah, I've loved all the main.
I'm not saying they're bad events like.
More than Cologne, Copenhagen. Like it was fun.
We ate some good food, we got drinks every night.
The games were pretty crap. But like, Copenhagen for me,

(38:36):
like, you know, all the other shit that I can't be asked to
talk about again. As to why that one's a bit like
just fucking annoying. Paris was wicked.
Like Paris was so good. Paris was amazing.
Just just for the fact that we were for Blast during that made
that better. I just, I enjoyed, I enjoyed the

(38:57):
tournament, I enjoyed the atmosphere.
I thought it was the best atmosphere of any event.
I've been to Paris. Paris not to be the guy.
Who goes results and stuff? 22 is good, but again, like like
the Paris results, right? The teams that were in the
finals in the playoffs were not.I don't want to be this fucking

(39:20):
bracket format guy, but like, they were not the best teams in
the world, right? They were not the best.
They were not the teams you would you would have picked to
be in to be in the playoffs. Yeah, well, 2.
I don't. I don't hate that.
I don't hate. That OK OK, but the argument for
donk was oh don't cared more about do you think zai Wu cared
more about winning a major or winning Cologne?
Do you think Alexi B cared more about winning a major or winning

(39:42):
Cologne? Because.
He can't win a Cologne. Do you think Nico would care
more about winning Cologne or winning a major?
Well, Nico has won Cologne. Yeah.
Yeah, no, yeah, no, sure. But I still which.
You think simple preferred Everyone wants to win a major.
It's more. Important, no.
Of course they want to win it, but I just think like it's.
Bigger than Cologne? In the calendar you look at the

(40:04):
events, nothing sets it apart other than an ingame trophy and
stickers. Like I think major season is
fun. All the hype around it, when you
have the RMRS and the miners andstuff, you have like a like a 2
1/2 month stretch of. Good.
Yeah, that that helped as well. I love all that stuff and I like
I'm I'm excited for the major. The issue is I just I don't know
if the last few few majors have delivered as a spectator.
This, this is the point, right? Nothing.

(40:28):
Nothing stands out about the major anymore, right?
The major has best of ones whichwe all know as shit, right?
It goes on for fucking ages. Like it's actually a fucking
slog to get through. And I know that because Blast
hosted the last one, so I have to watch every fucking game, but
I'm not being fun. Do you think I'm watching many
firsts, many of the games in stage one this time now I don't

(40:50):
have to, of course I'm. Fucking not they they killed it
while removing the RMR like theythey killed.
No, it's not even the fucking RMR, Elliot.
It's not that it's but it is. But it is.
OK, it's a lot of the fun of themajor was that there were teams
that would make miracle runs. No, I'm sorry, you have to
separate major in the RMR and there's still teams in stage one

(41:10):
that can go on a miracle run in theory.
Like you put that to to say thatthat's OK, sure, but like it can
still exist. Link vision in the last major,
even legacy in the last major, right?
Like these things can happen. They're not completely gone.
The issue is the major is now too long, has too many shit best

(41:34):
of ones, too many crappy teams which again problem with RMR
system. Either way like crappy teams for
how long it is before you get tothe good teams?
Best of five final was needed. That's good great.
But I agree with Jack, the prizepool is not big enough for how
long it is. It takes so long and you get to

(41:55):
the same prize pool as PGL Bucharest where the highest
ranked team was Aurora. The the major is not as big as
it should be. Yes the stickers are great, yes
the fucking in game trophies aregreat.
But the major isn't as big as itshould be.

(42:16):
Maybe not. I still think it's bigger than
Cologne. I'm going to have one one final
comment on this though. Obviously the first 3 colognes
were majors, right? Has that prestige carried them
through? Because I still think even the

(42:39):
colognes that haven't been majors have been better events
than the majors of those. Years done, a lot of majors.
I think on that what really helps Cologne is that it doesn't
move from Cologne. And I think the real test of
that will obviously come in January, February with Krakow.

(43:00):
Now it's not in Cato. Yeah.
But it's one thing that I think every TO should do is they pick
one of their events every year. Doesn't like it, it doesn't
move. It doesn't ever move.
Blast kind of had it. Blast kind of had it with the
Royal Arena. Should have a blast.
Should be Lisbon. Lisbon is their coolest event.

(43:23):
But like Blast kind of had it with that, but they lost that
because of how the Royal Arena jumped up prices and probably
also just because of how the Blast circuit was.
But with how the Blast circuit is now, if if they kill the open
name because Open just sounds a bit shit.
It sounds bad. It's not tennis.

(43:44):
Yeah, it just sounds like. And I say that wearing a blast
open hoodie, by the way. But shill?
Yeah, you get, you get rid of that and then you just like,
yeah, blast open. But the, the autumn one each
year or whatever always takes place in Lisbon within five to

(44:05):
six years, especially if you canmaybe make it so it's a major
one of the years that tournamentnow means something.
Having a major definitely helps,but I think if you can have a
good a good prize pool and a setlocation, it's also good.

(44:27):
So yeah. Yeah, I do agree.
Yeah, definitely do agree. We are going to take a short
break because we're 45 minutes in and we were not expecting
that breaking news kind of messed with that flow a bit or
we'll take a little break for anad and we'll come right back.
So Jack, do you find it hard to keep up with all the news and
counter strike? I do, I took a weekend off and I

(44:49):
came back to six new Igl's, 3 retirements and apparently
Malbees waterfall got picked up by a top 20 team.
Right, that's why I've been relying on the TLDR newsletter.
It's a biweekly e-mail that keeps you up to speed on
everything in the CSC without needing scroll.
Read it for three hours while questioning your life choices.
Yeah, it's like if HLDV had a baby with your funniest friend

(45:11):
who actually watches every game.Yeah, quick hits of news, spicy
officer moves, upcoming match schedules, and even some insider
gossip. All killer, no filler.
And let's be honest, some of these tournament formats you
need a guide just to figure out who's playing who.
TLDR breaks it all down so you actually know what the Hell's
going on. Plus, it's funny.
Like actually funny. It's like reading a group chat

(45:34):
between smart CS fans who roast everything insight but still
care deeply about the game. So if your brain's full but your
heart still beats for Counter Strike, do yourself a favour,
sign up for the TLDR newsletter.It's free, fast, and guaranteed
to meet you smarter, or at leastsound smarter in Twitch chat.
Check out the link down below and subscribe, because the only
thing more tragic than missing amajor upset is not even knowing

(45:55):
it happened. TLDR you don't have time to read
everything, you still want to sound like you did.
Take a gun of the way, we're back in the room.
Elliot. Yeah, we've got a, we've got a,

(46:16):
we've actually got a double header for you seasoned listens
of this podcast. We'll know about Take, and if
you're new to this podcast, takeas a guy in the TLDR discord who
through some sort of psychosis is able to speak to the voices.
And the voices have dictated through him that a discussion
should start. And that discussion is minus

(46:37):
mezi, misspelled plus heavy God because Vitality are desperate
for a Ross move, which we'll getto in a bit.
Minus Mezi plus heavy God. Thoughts.
Yeah, it's a it's an IDF ploy. It's more sad.
I'm out. Moss out of the we.

(46:59):
Take it as a Mossad agent, I'm not.
That's it. Oh, I'm out.
Oh. No, OK, let's go to the take and
then the other taken of the week, which was sorry, we're
about to get to which is 100 thieves.
If they want to join back in, they should sign Rain.
Check. Emma Crimbo fire and let Emma

(47:25):
IGL. I'm going to start by saying.
Oh, you missed off, you've stillgot 2.
Spaces. You could, if Emma doesn't want
to, IGO. Yeah, what I was going to say.
You've signed three players there, none of which are IGO.
Just sign an IGL. You've got.
You don't need to pick one of the non ideal, so ideal if

(47:46):
you've still got spaces you can just pick an IGO, which he then
does and says he wants prison. Another problem.
With this is. Another problem of This is why
would Emma leave Navi like am I?Am I being mad like?
Well, we'll talk about that in aminute, isn't?
He kind of fine. We'll, we'll get to.
That kind of fine, I don't know.Yeah, Navi aren't very good.

(48:09):
He put. Did you say you make enemies
that much? Better.
No, but main caveat we've we've taken is psychosis here is that
nature of vRS to stuff 100 thieves will lead us will lead
us on a core they'll need to sign three players who all exist
have points. You know these players all have

(48:31):
points individually, but not notas a cure so well.
It's just the thing it was. Rambled, but it just doesn't
actually. It's the thing that was mental
though in it because like in thetweet that Taken has sent it's
OverDrive tweet saying 100 figures is returning to CS, Rain
has signed a contract on condition that a strong core is
purchased. Core free game of Legion players

(48:52):
are in priority so it even says it.
Therefore, Taken and Taken just just decided to make his own
core of players he deems to be strong.
I think after 5 words he can't get there anymore.
And also it says Rain has signedon the condition that they
signed a strong core. So if they don't sign a strong
core, he won't have Rain in Quimbo because Rain won't be

(49:15):
there. So I wanted.
To do 100 thieves team though. OK, so like go away, go do
something else. So I would have, I'd have rain.
OK, I got this guy called Twists.
You get this other guy called Frozen.
Fuck off. Yeah, and then I'd get a nice

(49:38):
girl on an opera. What about Emma, IG, Elling and
Crimbo on the OR it'd? Be better than phase.
That's for. Sure, so I was going to say
right, presuming the gamer legion corps they would get is
PR Towson and Rez and Rain IG Elling, what's their best case

(49:59):
scenario as an opera? So I've got an idea, but I'm
interested to hear what yours are.
The best case scenario is dependent on how much they're
willing to spend. As a rule, yes, it usually is.

(50:24):
Well, yeah, but I think like because I'm thinking the level
that they're going to sign is nowhere near what their best
could be. Because I don't think they're
going to go and spend on somebody like, I don't know.
I don't even know actually who they can like.
I'm looking through and I'm like, who would be?
I feel like doing this so I I. Think.
That would be slightly move, butI think their best case scenario

(50:48):
is signing whoever isn't Oping for G2 in January.
And by that I mean G2 in Januarywill either have climbers, their
OPA, or some Pious as their OPA.100 feet should just sign
whichever 1 isn't on G2. Right.
Clemson will be all right now onloan, correct?
Yeah, it's their best hope. I don't think I realized he was

(51:12):
on loan. My first thought was that not
going to get anyone that good. And I was like Holzer called
Regali. It seems more in line with the
rest of the team. I like Holzerk.
I'm a big Holzerk. I'm a Holzerk guy.
What can I say? I'm a Holzerk guy.
I think he's good, regardly not so good, but like he's also on a

(51:35):
terrible team. It's kind of hard to be to judge
him too hard. Outside of that, I think you
have to go like pick somebody from tears.
I imagine he has a ridiculous. Point.
But Jambo? He's Wyatt, yeah, they're not
going to get him. Surely.
There's no way Jambo's just likehe.

(51:57):
He's just infested, fanatic withpassion.
UA players. Like he's not going to go now.
Did you see? The woman.
'S mate, did you see that clip from Hedge or TB?
If you get Cypher on this 100 Thieves team, what clip?
Is this Cypher does have a fetish for terrible orgs?
The the the clip where dog. Shit dead teams.

(52:17):
The clip where Maui snake was talking about how I think it was
Maui anyway had a it was talkingabout how Cypher just has this
like massive cult following because of ITB and that fanatic
instead of running with that decided to pick up a passion UA
core that was never actually that good in the 1st place.
It was just, it was very nicely worded.
I I really enjoyed it. Yeah, I thought you were going

(52:40):
to go there like, oh, he's not actually that good, he's just
got a court fire. But actually, yeah, they should
have just fantastic or an English org.
They're based in England. Like run with the court
following you have of an Englishplayer.
Do you really play up to that? But instead you go for the
Ukrainian thing that like nobodyreally cares about because
you're not going to be the best team in Ukraine.
Yeah, and it also, you know, like branding is important,

(53:02):
right? Like complexity that it with
halzer, they turn halzer into this fucking hillbilly, right?
Like that was the the honorary, honorary fucking yank.
There's, you know, rather competition is one thing, but
also like having an audience andhaving a market is is important
for sponsors, for revenue streams outside of price pools.
If you're not winning everything, you need to also,

(53:24):
you know, be a good brand. And I just think that they're
needed over them right now. Yeah.
Oh, yeah, absolutely. I think, I think Holzer could be
a fun wrinkle on this team. I don't think I think 100
Thieves are going to struggle tofind an Orpa better than him
that is willing to join them. And I'm sure he's willing to

(53:46):
join them. I like the.
Whole I would. I has anyone anything more to
say because I've just seen something that alarmed me
greatly and oh God. No, some of the alarmed was it.
It's going to be a complete likeThomas Cheney.
I've just seen, and we were talking about terrible duos
earlier. I've just seen an absolutely
horrendous team. Are you ready for the lowest

(54:07):
firepower team of all time? Is this a new team?
Yes. Have you seen I've I've never
heard of them. They're called Kono KONO.
They are not. They are this is this is going
to blow your mind. They have got like 3 of the
worst players you've ever seen. Look at the power is on this

(54:30):
team. This has alarmed me greatly when
I was looking for authors and I just like I was just scrolling
through teams while you were, you know, blabbering.
On you were. You were audio.
Listeners fucking himbo. For audio only listeners, this
team is burned from Sky as the IGL, which is already like low

(54:53):
firepower. You've got to get some you've
got. To get like the previous Epic
LAN, I'm pretty sure didn't This, this is the caliber, yeah.
Borup Chaos, who you know, majorfinalist, but he was he was not
very good captain Kirka, who I like, but it's, you know, he's

(55:15):
like a solid 4th man on a Tier 2team.
And Bermilov, who is, you know? And Kathy Kukov was was an IG.
L Bimelov's OK. I think he's kind.
Of I'm not sure Kurt Cove was I think I think nipple was.
I think nipple was the IG L. No, no, he is now.
I'm sure Kukuku was previously the gel.

(55:36):
I thought it was nipple the whole.
Time so one just took over. From Nipple.
Yeah, I think nipple was. And now he isn't.
Whatever. Yeah, but he's not.
Chaos isn't very good. Vermilov's doing all right at
the moment. Friend of the podcast, in a way.

(55:57):
Oh yeah, Love the guy, good guy.But he he's not, he's not
firepower, he's not fire like he's he, he does the hard yards,
but they've got like 4 guys. You do the hard yards, they need
somebody to do the easy yards and they don't have that.
Bermilov's kind of fragging on this team, but he's going to
have to. Yeah.

(56:19):
He's going to have to go berserkon this team.
It's this was just a complete topic change.
We're already like running late.I just, I just saw it and it
alarmed me. Let's see I mean from from the
take rain has tentatively signedFinder thieves.
I guess that's that's the key bit, right?
Yeah, that's let's go back on track, which I think is, I'm not

(56:40):
sure how that works with contract legalities, but like.
Yeah, you can write. A pre contract right where he's
gone yeah, sure, but you need tohave a good call.
Yeah. I think it'd be fun.
I I I've always got 100 users. A brand.
I think they're a cool brand. I don't really care for every
sports team that they've ever had.
Well, they know how to go to CS team really.

(57:02):
It's exciting. I'd like to have them involved
in CS. It's exciting, it's how you
read. It's going to be rain plus
three-game of Legion players. Well, and rain is high.
And Holzerk. Which I'm concerned about.
Rain's still fine. I think Rez is good, PR is good.
I think Towson is like my question mark.
Maybe you get the TR and fuckinggo crazy instead of Towson, but

(57:25):
they're probably not. I don't know, I think you can
find it. It depends what roster they end
up with, right? And I think the Opera is a big
question mark because Lord, they're not.
They're not bringing Hypex as well, is it?
You would suspect they're going to bring back Kersey.
What if he what if he's in the call because of because of match

(57:46):
players? That would be awful.
He he he will not be signing for100 Thieves.
Yeah, I don't even know who the orb could possibly be.
I know who this orb could possibly be.
That would make this team exciting to me.
It would have to be. Like for for me it would have to
be Clem unless he's. It would have to be.
It would have to be. It would have to be for me,

(58:09):
Brokey. And he's allowed to do whatever
he wants. It would have to.
That was the only way I'd watch this team.
Not the best brokey ever. Exactly, that's the only way I'd
watch this team. They just give Brokey free reign
to do whatever he wants and thatincludes sitting on top of
hearts on Nuke with an orb trying to no scope people coming
out of thought, which I have seen him do and I ever since.
That's awesome. Yeah, I've stanned him ever

(58:31):
since. Get Oscar.
Get Oscar. That's my pick.
He's like 40. Get him in.
Yeah, so great. Yeah, I think this team won't be
any better than Gamer Legion. That's kind of my unless the
Opera is insane, it's just goingto be game a Legion with a

(58:52):
slightly, slightly improved roleplayer.
And I don't know, that's a bit harsh on Rain, but that's kind
of what he is now. And then, and then it's like,
oh, and they've signed an actualopera.
So hopefully if they say they don't sign an actual opera like
game, Legion insisted on doing them.
Whatever I mean. I see what's more fun is what's
more fun is game. Legion having probably going to

(59:12):
have to sign another five players because they tend to
find players that have absolutely nowhere and turn them
into decent players. That's more exciting to me than
100 Thieves. Game Legion have been doing that
until this year yeah like I I I trust Ashley scouting he's let
me down on the last last two operas they've signed but prior
to that like he's he's made somepretty good I mean slender
wasn't even that good really butmaybe he's not going to signing

(59:36):
operas but otherwise you know he's made some pretty good teams
out out of rubble so. Yeah, that's more exciting than
100 Thief. Should we move on to Chengdu?
Because it's, you know, we're anhour in and we haven't even
talked about where you are, Jack.
Yes, I am remotely in Chengdu. What are you Cheng doing?

(59:58):
Event coverage and I'm very sleepy because I'm I'm on an
inverted sleep pattern. I'm also very sleepy.
Should we have a nap? The like the podcast overtime on
nap time, nap time on Inferno, There we are.
It's. Been it's been all right.
Good, bad and ugly. Kind of kind of group stage so

(01:00:19):
far. Yeah, it's it's not a good time
for me. So I've caught more than I have
done in previous events, but I watched a lot of the mouse
versus vitality game. That was enjoyable.
That was a good game. Account strike between two good
teams. That's all I'm asking for.
That's not I didn't get Bucharest.
That's all I'm asking for. I haven't been, not just me, but

(01:00:42):
I think the B stream commentary team are some of the Aussie
boys. It's Sam muted, I haven't heard
him say anything and. I'm I'm.
I'm back. I'm back.
Now it's stressing me out I feltlike.
What are your opinions? On on Chengdu, yes.
So obviously there's an event, yeah.

(01:01:03):
So obviously with the fantastic time zone it takes place and
I've been watching so much of it, I've been really enjoying
it. I think every game has been one
of the best games I've watched this year.
No, I've I've not I'm. Not like you're not awake at
these times. Yeah, but I've been watching
over shit. I have been awake.

(01:01:23):
No, I'll probably watch the playoffs.
I've watched like highlights andshit.
What I will say is if you look at the four teams that were
already out, Charlie, yeah, thisis a terrible result.
This is a terrible result for three out of four of those

(01:01:44):
teams. 4 out of four of those teams. 3D Max.
This is the second second event in a row.
Generally going out last is not good I would say.
Yeah, but it's more acceptable when you're Tylo.
I think this is the second eventthat 3D Max has gone out in a
row in last place in a row, but Navi in phase.
What the fuck are you like doing?

(01:02:05):
Actually, what are you doing at this point?
I feel like once we talk about this, he was being awful every
week and Navi, I'm like, I care less about Navi getting better
because I didn't even really care when they were that good.
Not that's if they got rid of jail.
I just I'm just my interest in the team is kind of squandered
and until bit goes to Falcons, Ijust don't really care.
Phase, like you know, my thoughts on phase is phase of

(01:02:29):
structure and and leadership. But like this is like
horrendously bad, especially after what happened at EPL with
with the. Fucking.
Stand in situation and stuff. I'd also like to say at this
point, I'd also like to say at this point, if you're currently
watching this podcast and you don't subscribe to the
newsletter that you got a lovelyad break for earlier, you should

(01:02:50):
subscribe to it. And you should also go on the
website because there will be a deep dive talking about how
fucked phase are that will release at the same time as this
podcast or a few hours later. So read that because I actually
predicted that they would do horribly in Chengdu and I wrote
an article about it. So enjoy it, do you know?

(01:03:13):
What's what's kind of jarring about this?
Or not jarring but like, and I know I talk about this like
multiple times a week, but Phasedid not play with this line up
at any point before the vRS lock.
They are going to play at the major with a roster they did not
qualify the major for and a roster that on this form would

(01:03:36):
not get out of vRS. They would not get out of the
RMRS. 3D Max are in horrendous form.
They would probably bomb out of the RMRS.
Gamer Legion are a dead team. They would probably bomb out of
the RMRS. But instead we have to watch
these teams like fucking carry their corpse around in the
biggest event of the year. And it is the biggest event.

(01:03:56):
I don't fucking give a shit if you think Cologne's bigger
biggest event of the year. We have to watch these fucking
dead teams carry their corpses around because these stupid
fucking vRS rules. Miserable.
It ain't good, is it? 3D Max have gone out last in two
events in a row, but they're because they're the one of the
best teams in the world according to fucking HLTV

(01:04:16):
writers. They just go to the major
anyway. They won't.
They can't win a fucking game. They're rubbish.
And I'd like 3D Max before, but on current form they are not one
of the best teams in the world. Neither A phase for that matter.
Phase aren't even like. I mean.
Close to it and and and there's always the the, the the dream of
them having a run and doing a right, right like they do at the

(01:04:37):
majors. Supposedly they they show up and
turn it on, but that was old phase not not.
I still think in my perfect system, I think in my perfect
system, 3D Max would still get an invite.
I liked the way that they did itfor Austin.
Like I didn't like the fact thatthe Armas were online and had
best of ones and no coaches and whatnot, but I think the way
they did it for Austin where like some teams got invites and

(01:04:59):
then beyond that there was RMR qualifiers.
I can't remember how many teams it.
Was am I got invites OK? With that, I, I, I like that and
I think 3D Max would have still been in invite range if that was
the case. Again, they shouldn't.
Well, where are they in Europe? But then but then also the vRS
way too early like you know like3 weeks in counter strike is

(01:05:23):
like 3 months in like a normal. Sport the rough.
In three weeks you can go from the best team in the world to
fucking dog shit like. The rough lot thing solves the
issue of visas and invites and all this stuff like, but by
doing that it's created another issue with, but the teams that
aren't, I don't know, the major shouldn't be there right like
that. That's now no one's going to
miss out because of visas or political issues and stuff.

(01:05:44):
Great, awesome, but now you haveto watch a bunch of shit teams.
Yeah. What, what are we?
It's just it always sucks when ateam miss out for for non game
reasons, right? Like, you know, that is never
good. Obviously maybe hosting events
in America is is the reason for that because there's
historically those majors that have had the visa issues, but I

(01:06:06):
just, I don't know, man. It's frustrating, but anyway,
Chengdu itself has been fought because these teams have bombed
out deservedly and then the like.
Some of the upper bracket games have been great, like the the
the mouse. Was VP were impressive so far?
VP would like genuinely good forsome reason.
Yeah. They like fame was going,

(01:06:27):
absolutely. Heroically not on a pretty good
form as well. I was in.
They knocked out Navi. Yeah, I mean, heroics, whatever.
I just struggled to care any more about heroics.
No, but. Even even the Mongols Australis
game is quite enjoyable given like both teams are pretty
rubbish. Just tight.
Just keep going. It's always.
But yeah, the event's been fun. These sort IMS are always a

(01:06:47):
little bit difficult because thegroup stages obviously you know,
there's no play in or stage 1, so it's just like 3 days of
eight Bo threes. It's kind of a lot of siesta,
kind of digest at once, but thisshould be a pretty fun playoffs.
I think so. Fury and Miles are free, right?
That's always a good start and then it's Falcons and Australis

(01:07:11):
are also through so. Can I say it's a shame that only
one of G2 or Vitality can make playoffs?
Can I say as a as a final point,because I assume that we're
wrapping up shortly, Charlie, I'm just going to send you a
tweet real quick. I'll put it in podcast spam,

(01:07:35):
Something that Pimp pointed out now a few a few episodes ago,
Elliot, you spoke about Falcons being like second best team in
the world with Spirit. Awesome.
From the time I disagreed because you know, I thought it's
ridiculous to still not have Vitality in the top 2.

(01:07:57):
We do now have I think 4 best teams in the world again and
it's Spirit, Falcons, Vitality and Furia.
I know Mouse just beat Vitality but I'm not sure I'd include
Mouse in this top 4 but make it a top five if that does you
better. Falcons are in really good form,
I will say. I will say you didn't watch the

(01:08:19):
mouse vitality game. They were like good CS.
That was the most impressed I'vebeen watching mouse in a long
time. Brolan was like just straight up
out calling Apex. Like seriously just out calling
him Spinks. I mean the I think it was the
inferno game. Spinks had one of the most
insane rounds I've ever seen. You can't.

(01:08:39):
Judy came back like he literallyaced everyone in like 8 seconds
in a full by round. He didn't just headshot.
Everyone, I want to speak on Brolin quickly because I know
you have thoughts on his calling.
There's some shoulder content that's going on during Chengdu
where players are pretty rankingthe top three RGLS, right?

(01:09:00):
A lot of them in some order. Well, most of them start with
Apex, but they included Chopper and Brolin in the top three,
which I think is very interesting because I rate
Chopper. As we know, Apex is obviously
the number one, but Brolin beingup there is is is, yeah,
interesting to me. I do find that a bit.
Teams seem to think. I do find that a bit odd because

(01:09:21):
Mouse have had some horrible teasites at points this year, some
really bad ones, but I want Brian to be a good idea they.
Did under SUI right? No mate, they played one event
with SUI this year, no. No, I meant before that.
Like they. Oh, right.
OK. Like mouse had these drop offs

(01:09:41):
with sui as well. Like I think that's a mouse
thing rather than a April. Maybe yes.
They've always, they've always had this soft underbelly.
No, I I want I like this mouse team as the five they are.
You know, like if Jim Fat playedbetter.
Great. If Roland continues to have
success as Nigel or you know, success in mouse terms, great.

(01:10:05):
Like I like the five. It's it's a good team.
Pick your major winner now. I'm seeing Spirit as a fan, but
I think Falcons have a a clean shot of this.
Sure, The thing is right. You you said pick your major in

(01:10:25):
and out and instantly I just wanted wanted to say Falcons,
but I'm going to stick with Furia mostly because Jack said
Falcons, but also because like, I'm sorry, I've watched enough
of Nico at majors to know what happens and it makes me sad.
I really want to see Nico with amajor like I really do.
But I know and. It makes you sad to say that

(01:10:45):
because you know I was going to say it and you hate it when I do
it. I'm going to go tried,
interested, tried and tested. Vitality are going to win it.
They're just going to step it upwhen they.
Need. Do you know what I actually
think? G2 would sleep up for this major
though. I actually think, and there'll
be a, it will be a horrible major now because this is
happening. You asked that question and

(01:11:06):
there's just four teams that I'mjust like, yeah, no, they
actually probably do have each like a 20% chance of winning and
the remaining 20% chance just goes to every other team
involved. G2 don't count out G2.
That's what I'm saying. Look, we've got I think 3 weeks
to the major, so you've got plenty of time to flip flop,

(01:11:27):
change your opinion. I know we've all got stuff to do
this afternoon and we've been here for an hour and 15 minutes
already. We've talked about everything
there is in Counter Strike. If you want any more, sign up to
the newsletter. That's all I'll say.
Sign. Up to the newsletter.
Join the discord DM Jack pictures of your cock.

(01:11:49):
Don't do that, preferably. No, please do that.
If I get one, it's going in the newsletter, just so we're clear.
We will see you all next week when Jack is hopefully a little
bit more awake.