Crimsix: 'I Want Four Rings'

What makes a champion a champion? It's a question that has riddled athletes and competitors since before time. Is it sheer determination, hunger, and drive? Is it raw natural ability, skill, and sagacious intelligence? Or is it teamwork, cohesion and adaptability? 

The Dallas Empire stormed to World Champion status with an abundant blend of each, with three rookies and two veterans becoming the well-oiled cogs that drove the roster to the best prize in console esports history. A pair of customised black Nike Air Jordan's. Oh, and the small matter of $4.5M, the Call of Duty World Championship trophy, and a physical throne.

The difficulty of encapsulating the many milestones that were smashed is immense, with many monstrous accolades achieved, both personal and collective.

Arguably the most impressive aspect of the feat, and the epitome of their success, lies in the hands, or on the fingers of both Ian "Crimsix" Porter and James "Clayster" Eubank. Whilst the latter is the oldest professional in the league, he became part of an elite group, alongside his teammate and Damon "Karma" Barlow, as the only players ever to win three World Championships and flex three rings. Whilst Clayster goes back-to-back, Crimsix becomes the undisputed best player in Call of Duty history, unless you read the replies to his Twitter. Three rings, the most LAN event wins ever, the highest amount of earnings in any console esports, surpassing $1M in prize money, and an X-Games gold medal. The only people to doubt Crimsix now have very few legs to stand on.

It's this doubt that lights a fire underneath Crim, and makes him want more. The trolls, haters, and doubters are the fuel that he needed to become the best player ever. The irony. Even with the accolades, Crim explained how less than 24 hours after winning his third World Championship he sent into a ball of fury that has set his eyes firmly on getting his fourth ring in Black Ops Cold War. "I want four rings!" he stated in a press conference.

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"I was super happy yesterday [Sunday, August 31] and then all of a sudden I was super p*****d off. Because that's the only argument people have ever had against me [not having three rings]. Then I get the rings and there's another excuse. To me, it's like you all don't learn, because you keep saying this stuff to me, and now I want four rings! Now I want you to have absolutely no doubt. I was getting images made saying 'undisputed' but now there is still an argument, and that argument is the s**t that motivates me. I guess I'll do it again next year. 

"I don't understand how there is a debate, honestly, and I'm proud of that point. It may sound cocky and egotistical, but I genuinely feel, without a shadow of a doubt, that there should be no debate. I earned that s**t!"

This year was all about proving himself for Crimsix, with a burning passion to become the greatest ever. After a slow start to the season in which Clayster and the young guns began to pick up the slacks, a self-imposed Warzone ban, and a knuckle down in practice and scrims, Crim saw his season turn on a sixpence, even slaying his way to becoming the Most Valuable Player at Champs. 

But the grind doesn't stop here, for both Crimsix and Clayster. The two gilt-edged esports superstars want even more going into 2021 and Treyarch's Black Ops Cold War.

"For me, personally we lost five tournaments this year, we didn't get the first seed in the league, and yeah we won three [events], got the second seed, and won champs, but until I win every single tournament of the year, until our team wins every tournament of the year, I don't think I'll never be satisfied" stated Clayster, summarising what leaving behind his legacy means to him and what's next for the decorated duo.

"I think I speak for Crim too. We strive for perfection and to get first place in every single tournament. It doesn't matter if it's a random Home Series at the beginning of the year or Call of Duty World Champs, we're trying to win it every single time. Every single year that is the goal: perfection".

"That's exactly how I feel too," added Crimsix. "It's a bad way to live but the best way to compete. You put yourself through stress and hardship by putting standards that high for yourself. But you have to deal with that. Once you're comfortable with being uncomfortable, regarding that pressure you're putting on yourself, that's when you can be amazing and that's when you can get better. But yeah, Crim said it best, win every tournament every year, that's the goal, and should be the goal for every player".

Every single year that is the goal: perfection".

- James "Clayster" Eubank

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Despite the news today that Clayster has been the player to depart the World Championship roster as the CDL goes back to 4v4, the price to pay for being a champion is personified by both Clay and Crim, and reverting to Clayster's famous quote of “feed me to the wolves and I’ll come back leading the pack”, it's clear to see how they have affected their youthful Dallas Empire trio in Shotzzy, Huke and iLLeY, and will continue to develop the youth of the CDL, no matter where they are.

Another outrageous accolade falls upon the regular season MVP, Shotzzy, as he became the first-ever esports professional to win a World Championship on two separate game franchises (Halo and Call of Duty). An achievement almost unrecognised withing the overarching esports community, but nonetheless a monumental accomplishment. In his debut season too. Anthony "NAMELESS" Wheeler's commentary at the opening day will live long in the memory of anybody discussing Shotzzy's opening season, as the most vocal doubter of the debutant. Even Crimsix said he started as "Botzzy" before stepping switching through the geats.

Reflecting on the season, one of the most memorable moments for the roster, amongst the Champs win, iLLeY's hilarious Launch Weekend walkout, and other notable behind the scenes advice from coach Raymond "Rambo" Lussier, was the stellar performance by Shotzzy at the Los Angeles Home Series. Dallas Empire owner, Mike "Hastr0" Rufail, explained that the look on Shotzzy's face as he defused the bomb in the final of the final was his highlight of the season, alongside Clayster. "Obviously winning champs was great" Hastr0 began, "the memory that puts a smile on my face was when we won our first event and on the player cam where they had Shotzzy defusing the bomb, and he was just smiling. He was just smiling and that's all he could do at the moment, he couldn't believe he had just won. He was just smiling like 'oh my god'. To me, that brings a tear to my eye because it validates what this team is about".

As for the young guns themselves, most surprisingly, their highlights from the year stemmed not from winning, or joking, but simply developing. The humility behind their personalities was substantiated by Huke, who explained "For me, it was the growth of the team" he started when asked about his favourite stand-out moment, adding "[it was] seeing how both iLLeY and Shotzzy have grown as players throughout the year". iLLeY backed this up by stating his was standout memory was "seeing our improvement. We'd been through everything as a team from the beginning. We started from rock bottom and just getting on every day and seeing improvement, that's just the best feeling ever. for me that's my favourite moment, getting on in the morning, everybody getting better and we're just improving every day. In the end, it showed, and we were the best team in the league".

One thing can be said about being humble and abase, but it exemplifies why this roster became champions. The will to win from the legends of the game and the crave to develop from the three less experienced professionals illustrates the true remedy to become a world champion.

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What's next for Dallas Empire is a blank piece of paper. Nobody can write a script for what will unfold in this off season. The change to 4v4, the departure by mutual consent of Clayster who has vowed to be back stronger than ever (which for a back-to-back champion is a tough feat to beat), and the uncertainty of a new game, all throw curveballs at anybody's predictions. 

One thing is for certain though, you can guarantee that they won't stop developing and their hunger to retain the World Championship will be immense.

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Image via Dallas Empire | Team Envy