CDL Opening Weekend - The REAL OpTic vs FaZe
After an exciting offseason with multiple roster moves and the highly debated switch back to four on four gameplay, fans are eagerly anticipating what many expect to be a huge year in the CDL.
Could the thieves bounce back?
After a dismal 3-0 show match loss to OpTic Chicago, things were looking bleak to start the season for LA Thieves and heading into the opening weekend of the official start to the season, supporters of the fan-favourite franchise, which is owned by renowned organisation 100 Thieves, had every right to be sceptical of their team's chances this weekend.
Many thought last year was just a blip for the trio of Austin “Slasher” Liddicoat, Kenny “Kenny” Williams, and Thomas “TJHaly” Haly on the Los Angeles OpTic roster during the Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare season. Although, after recovering slightly towards the end of the season which culminated in the team achieving a fourth-place finish at the world championships and Kenny seemingly returning to form, hopes were high headed into the new season, especially under the LA Thieves banner.
In their matchups this weekend they faced the Minnesota ROKKR and the New York Subliners. In the ROKKR, the Thieves faced a team on paper that could definitely challenge the top teams in the game and in current form will likely be the favourites in the eyes of many fans against the ROKKR.
Kicking off the league against the ROKKR, LA Thieves scarcely had to shift into third gear, with the clear cohesiveness from last year becoming too difficult to a disorganised ROKKR side whose glue has yet to settle. Cruising to a 3-1 Victory, their toughest challenge of the weekend is still looming, as they prepare for challenge versus a Subliners roster who, although still unsystematic, have a few unknown weapons in their arsenal.
Following on from this, against the Subliners, the Thieves will likely be favourites with New York currently going through a transitional phase at the start of the season due to multiple unforeseen roster changes. Although for such a star-studded roster as the LA Thieves that have shown to have championship pedigree, with Slasher and Kenny previously being two-time champions playing for 100 Thieves, anything other than a 2-0 weekend will likely be seen as somewhat of a disappointment, and for them to truly bounce back they need to be able to beat teams such as the Subliners, a team fans think are there for the taking.
Click to enlargeThe REAL OpTic vs FaZe
After what seems like a lifetime in esports years since Hector “H3CZ” Rodriguez sold his rights to the OpTic brand, the team is back under H3CZ’s ownership and straight back into competitive Call Of Duty, taking over from the Chicago Huntsmen organisation. In the eyes of many in the community, without H3CZ at the helm of the team, the OpTic brand was a shell of its former self, and the loyal Greenwall fans didn’t seem to follow the team without the fan favourite players and owner. Although, now with the “real” OpTic back in the league and fan favourite players Seth “Scump” Abner and Matthew “Formal” Piper on the team, the rivalry between OpTic and fellow legendary organisation FaZe is well and truly alive.
In what will likely be the most-watched and highly anticipated series of the weekend due to the high fan bases of both teams and the pre-existing rivalry from years of series played against each other, fans will be more than ready for the final game of the weekend. As well as this, with both teams being considered by many to be two of the top three teams in the game, it could be anyone’s game when it comes down to showtime. The most intriguing battle could be seeing now FaZe AR player Alec “Arcitys” Sanderson face his former team and put to rest the question of whether Chicago were right to let Arcitys go from the team.
Click to enlargeCould the Empire hold strong?
With a few fans questioning if the Dallas Empire made the correct decision to drop James “Clayster” Eubanks in the offseason following their world championship victory during the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare season, the Empire will finally get their chance to put the doubters to rest if they manage to put in a dominant display this weekend, winning both series comfortably. Going by their preseason match against the New York Subliners, in which they destroyed them 3-0, it seems likely that the Dallas Empire will still be a top team in the second season of the CDL and this weekend is their chance to prove it.
In their first game of the weekend, they faced a struggling Seattle Surge roster which on paper should have been a commanding win for the Empire if their star player and last season’s CDL MVP Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro could show up to play. Predictions reigned true in their opening fixture as the champions but the sword to Surge and slashed them out of the water with a 3-0 victory. Shottzy showcased his star quality over on Miami SnD, clutching up a 2v1 situation including a vile snapshot for the game-winning kill.
The biggest challenge for the team and the real way they can answer the question of if the Empire has held strong this season will be if they can win their second match of the weekend against the Minnesota ROKKR. Heading into the season, the ROKKR are regarded by many as a potential top-five team, so if the Empire can put them to bed convincingly, there will be no doubts as to whether they made the right decisions in the offseason.
Click to enlargeImages via Activision | LA Thieves | Attach