LOA Wookies Take 3rd at MLG Dallas
The MLG Dallas event this past weekend was a huge stepping stone for the future of the LOA. Teams stood out, players stepped up, and most important of all, the LOA showed that it is the most well rounded gaming organizations on the MLG circuit. LOA teams reached the championship bracket for all 3 MLG pro circuit games for the first time ever. Consider this weekend a proud moment for all of us. I know I wore my LOA swag proudly. Considering that I had two Rainbow Six teams to look after, I really didn't get to interact like I would have preferred with the GoW and Halo teams, but I was consistently hearing "LOA Brute Force", "Stryker", and "LOA Intensity" being announced over the speakers all weekend. I was able to take a few minutes to talk with Stryker, Hames, and Truth from Varsity, Tophers from LOA Brute Force, and the LOA Intensity team. With all the great things that happened this weekend, the highlight for me was the LOA Wookies taking 3rd place in Rainbow Six Vegas. Reloaded didn't do as well as originally expected but adjustments will be made, and Reloaded will compete on a high level.
After we arrived Friday to find out that the Wookies team was all there and ready to play. Unfortunately, we were forced to scramble due to the last minute no show from M3L3ND3Z, which forced us to make a late Friday night call to x ABLE x. He made the 3 hour drive to Dallas with no notice and filled in. I can't thank him enough for taking time out to come play. Reloaded played admirably, considering two of the players were added less than 3 days before the event. We were able to play 2 games on the big stage, and get some time on the VoD. In the end, Reloaded didn't make it to the championship bracket, but the players showed promise. The Chicago event Reloaded team will look much different, and will be ready to play.
The spotlight of the weekend was on the LOA Wookies. This team, comprised of BenFoldsSheets, Logic2ID, Sleep Terror, and Nath0 has been nothing, if not controversial. They were a huge question mark, considering they had only played as a team for just over a month, and only half of the team had played a LAN event. That aside, some people were picking them to place high, based on their raw talent and reputation. The captain and most recognized person on the team is clearly, the infamous BenFoldsSheets. Of all the players in Dallas, he was the one all the teams were looking for. Everyone wanted to meet the guy who had been the mouth of RB6 since last November. I'll admit that I was curious to meet him for the first time, myself.
The Wookies stared out fast and smooth, as they ran through teams in the Saturday open bracket losing only one map the whole day. They even swept their first championship bracket match. It was obvious that they were living up to all the hype. With each match they seemed to be playing smarter and more crisp. I coached their first open bracket game, and quickly realized that this team was going far. There was no clear weakness to speak of. If they could stay focused, and not burn out, it was going to be a very good weekend, for them and the LOA name.
Sunday was going to be the biggest games they've played yet, as they ended up matched up against teams like XBLB, TU Dynasty, and TLR. Talk about a gauntlet from hell. In those 3 teams alone, you have the champs and the runners up from events one and two. Doesn't get much tougher, and those are 3 excellent teams. I decided that with his knowledge of the game, it was better if I let Smack handle the rest of the coaching of the Wookies. We played very well against XBLB, and beat them 3-0. TLR was the first team to beat us, as Compact Killer was a BEAST. They sent us to the losers bracket of the championship round, where we beat TU Dynasty in a very close and tense game, 3 maps to 2. That game sent us to the losers bracket finals against TLR again, for the right to play in the championship against InterFEARence. We had to start being down 3 maps to 2, since we'd already played them in the championship bracket, and never fully recovered. The very notable point was when we were playing retrieval on the bad spawn of Library, and the team decided to play safe and sit back with the can. After we won the map, the haters decided to show their displeasure by booing. Not a big deal, as we thrive on reactions, whether they are good or bad. No one was booing when we were camped by Honor and Integrity in Charlotte TWICE, or when Defiance camped us in the online tournament. Much love goes out to Playa from Pro Skillz who stood up and said, "All you people in this room would have done the same thing".
Overall, It was a crucial event for LOA, and we showed why we're in the upper echelon of gaming organizations. Look forward to hearing big things from not only the Wookies, but Intensity, and Brute Force. Next stop, Chicago.
Smack and the Wookies with G8 and Keymaster looking on
G8 and Reloaded
