Super’s Granite Masterpiece

Answering the cicadas, every day, the sculptor rises to carve away at his next masterpiece. Hoisting himself up, etching, chipping and sanding away for years before a congruent shape is even visible. Similarly, athletes echo those same attributes. Persistence in practice, consistency of form, and refining world-class skill. Today one of Overwatch's greatest artisans has hung up his apron and stowed away his pick and chisel, content with his work. A first-ballot hall of fame inductee and the face of the Overwatch League, Matthew "super" Delisi has etched his face on Overwatch’s Mount Rushmore.

A now-closed portfolio, that towered well over his peers, super's work was finally done. The practice, the effort, the stress—it was over now. In many ways, it wasn’t the results or achievements that stuck out, for many, it was the checkpoints on the journey that managed to capture our imagination. While it's never easy to say goodbye to someone who has influenced and impacted something as much as super has, recounting his journey to where it rests today speaks to his candidacy as one of the greats. 

Retirement Didn't Mean "He Couldn’t" It Always Meant "He Did"

We'll always remember your debut.

The narrative for the 2018 San Fransico Shock was dominated by the holding pattern around their stars unable to play. Both super and Jay "sinatraa" Won were star North American players that were sidelined due to their age. They were the keys to the Shock's success. Was it so surprising that their highest stage finish would be when super was able to take the stage? Stage 1 ended with a fairly disappointing 9th place finish with a 3-7 record. Their second stage as a franchise was a repeat of the first.

Walking into their Stage 3 opening match against the Los Angeles Gladiators, they would be hunting their seventh win of the season. And in a rather convincing fashion, they'd earn it. Super not only remedied some of the Shock's tank woes, but he was the glue that brought their dive to the forefront. Even past the dive, super was the assist specialist Halting their enemies as Orisa on Junkertown allowing both their Junkrat and Roadhog to capitalize. This was what the Shock was waiting for. This was what super was waiting for. 

Twenty games of watching from the outside and it was all paid with a win. 

What a debut to start a storybook career.

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We'll always remember your first world title. 

The 2019 Overwatch League season was a tale of two cities. San Francisco and Vancouver traded blows all throughout the season and it would only be fitting that they both would be in the final. Those astute enough to remember might recall that super wasn't actually featured during their final match of the playoffs, his main tank stablemate Yoo "smurf" Myeong-hwan held the honours of putting the dagger in the heart of the Titans. However, that didn't mean super’s efforts all season didn’t help them get to the position where they were that day. 

The golden stage. 7-0 with 28 straight victories. What a feather to stick in your cap. Legendary head coach Park "Crusty" Dae-hee’s words ringing in their ears: "this time we’re going to cry with smiles." There every step of the way, super was the Shock's frontline during the GOATS metagame. He was their Reinhardt no matter who the starting six were in the finals. 

Per the official Overwatch League Stat Lab, super was ranked 2nd in final blows per ten minutes, 3rd in eliminations per ten minutes, 2nd in hero damage done per ten minutes, and had the 2nd lowest deaths per ten minutes on Reinhardt across the entire season. We often speak of his skill at Reinhardt, but seeing it broken down statistically speaks volumes. 

Following that came 2020's Cinderella title defence against the Seoul Dynasty, monthly tournament appearances. However, it would all pale in comparison to the first one. The journey to the season two grand finals was super's gauntlet thrown to the doubters. He wasn't just a world-class main tank, he was legendary. He wasn't just second-fiddle to the Titans, he could best them. 

2019 was when super cemented his place on Overwatch’s Mount Rushmore

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We'll always remember your last game. 

While Tom Brady and Jacob "JAKE" Lyon would have words for us, they are the exception to the rule. 

After their unceremonious defeat at the hands of the Shanghai Dragons during the 2021 Overwatch League playoffs, the San Francisco Shock still would play gatekeeper to their throne. They were the back-to-back champions defending their crown, super and the Shock would not be carelessly tossed aside like eraser shavings from a sketchbook. Narrowly advancing past the Philadelphia Fusion and spoiling the Chengdu Hunters, they remained. Bruised and dented, super and the Shock persisted right until the end—and then came the Reign. 

Still piloting the same character he started with all those years ago alongside -bird noises-, the character he was most synonymous with, and the destination for his last game, poetically, super battled that Atlanta Reign with Reinhardt. We often talk about how certain players wrote the rulebook for characters like Winston and Tracer, we can now add another name to that list. 

Super Is The Author Of Modern Reinhardt Play

Slowly, but surely the match escaped them. Was it the early picks or a difference of calibre? First Hanamura, then King's Row, and Havana followed suit thereafter. Super and the Shock would finish fourth in the 2021 Overwatch League playoff standings. Unbeknownst to the world, and even perhaps himself, this would end up being super's last official Overwatch League match. 

However, we should not view this in the vacuum of results-based analysis. The defending champions were ousted and would finish just off the podium. The dreams of the "three-peat" were over. And maybe the itch to retire started here for super. Did any of that matter? 

The fact that the Shock dared us to think that maybe, just maybe they had a little magic left in the tank should say enough. And even if super's retirement had been premeditated and followed the result of their season, what an incredible resume to be left behind. 

We're left with a myriad of memories and moments from super's illustrious career. He's without a doubt left an impact on us all and will go down as one of the best to ever play Overwatch. He is and will always be a part of Overwatch history, retired or not. 

Don't be sad it's over, be happy it happened.

Every day, the carver rose to sculpt away at his next masterpiece.

And now it was finished. To be viewed in the beauty of finality. 

Two world titles.

A World Cup winner.

A career that spanned over five years at the highest level.

Matthew "super" DeLisi, your magnum opus is complete. 

Rest now and enjoy the fruits of your granite masterpiece. 

You've more than earned it.