Weenus' Preseason Preview 4:3

Posted by: weenus

3D New York (2-1) vs. Carolina Core (0-3)

In the opening match of the night, we see the newly reformed 3D, with PEX playing in Volcano's spot, heading up against everyone's favorite practicing, online disadvantaged team, Core. Both of these teams have battled through the preseason, its just that, one of them has managed to put forth a little effort and show some respect to the process. Can you guess which one I'm referring to? Congratulations!

If there is one major equalizer, aside from the internet, that is... it would be New York's usage of a taxi player. I've been very vocal in the past about how the General Manager's should be taking advantage of this opportunity to try out other factors onto their team, give their taxi players some time in the spotlight, and genuinely give everyone a chance. For 3D, throw that concept completely out the window. 3D is a team that has the factors that they need across the roster, now its just a matter of rushing towards building chemistry and cohesion, the missing link of sorts on their roster.

Carolina isn't as strict of a follower towards not playing with any taxi players, but it didn't do them any favors in the past. Still, I feel like this Core lineup is as good as it gets. It has talent and skill almost all the way across the board, its just a matter of shutting up and doing work again, the way Core did last year. Instead, its been a hot mess of talking and excuses. Accept some responsibility and get back on the horse. 0-3 is completely unacceptable, you're supposed to be placing 2nd, Carolina!

Dallas Venom (1-2) vs. Los Angeles compLexity (2-1)

Well, if there's a good way to prove yourself as a new, up and coming lineup, its by throwing yourself over the cliff that is compLexity. In the second match of the night, Venom will try to break even against the 2-1 compLexity, that is, god willing, that a 747 doesn't crash land into the compLexity house, or it isn't swallowed up by a pocket universe, forcing the players from compLexity to become heroes in a magical kingdom with talking animals and warrior princesses.

My major problem with the Dallas lineup thus far was that, much like last season, it feels as if they are sitting on the edge of something really great, and they are just having trouble making it that extra few feet that seperate 6th place from 1st place. There is strong talent all the way across Dallas' board, however utilizing it has proven to be a bigger challenge than the opponents they've played against.

On the flipside of that coin, its been business as usual for compLexity but each day and each match they lose the exciting factors that have built them such a huge, devout and devoid of logic and reasoning fan base. Sometimes when I watch them play, it almost seems like they are just going through the motions. Something needs to bite them on the ass and get them to kick it back into gear, and in all honesty, I can only imagine that would be a new, exciting tournament circuit, or a less than stellar finish at the CGS in Season 2 to throw them back down into the underdog position. Something needs to change, because it all just feels stale.

San Francisco Optx (3-0) vs. Chicago Chimera (1-2)

The final match of the night proves to be probably the most exciting match on the card. If for anything else, because its the most evenly matched and not on a playing field of under performance. For the Optx, they're an undefeated team that has surprised most of the competition as well as the critics, and are currently the only team in the CGS preseason that stand unscathed. For Chimera, they're a team that has even looked good losing, and as long as this match doesn't go into overtime, Chimera stands a chance.

San Francisco has looked... well, better than I would have expected. It was around last week that I finally began to come around on their lineup, finally realizing that my concerns weren't making themselves apparent anytime soon. The team has an interesting cohesion that I never would have guessed could have worked, and I can't really credit that to Kat Hunter, I can only really credit the players for managing to make what I would consider, largely different personalities, work with each other. As of right now, the Optx are the most explosive Counter-Strike: Source team in the preseason circuit, and if they come up from behind, win seven straight rounds and tie a match, it just might make your internet explode.

With Chicago, their record doesn't really represent them well. 1-2 by week 3 isn't a fair assessment of how hard this team is working, and in my opinion, working with Pham playing. I expect, after all of the attention and controversy surrounding Pham's play time with the Chimera, that we will see Hahn playing today. Brian Flander himself has stated that Pham is good, but he's defending his Hahn pick, and believes that Hahn is the better player for the team at this time. I myself don't agree, but the thing that sets Flander and I apart is a pretty large paycheck, so I guess I'll let him do his job.