The Year To Define The Outlaws - Can 2021 Be The Outlier?
As a member of the inaugural season, the Houston Outlaws have three rounds under their belt and are against the ropes going into the fourth. However, after some structural changes and an injection of fresh players, the Outlaws look to be building out something quite competitive on paper—but that’s the problem. The Outlaws always seem to be fighters, but for one reason or another deflate before they even hit the ground. With a championship calibre coaching staff and some potential stars saddling up, it is make or break for the Outlaws heading into the 2021 season.
When you first view their roster on paper, it includes some strong names when placed in a vacuum, but it’s the forest, not the trees we are looking at. In that sense, the 2021 Outlaws look like a team that could become much more than the sum of their parts.
Year on year, Dante "Danteh" Cruz proves he is the staple western DPS threat. With the flexibility that still might be more extensive than we expect, Danteh is vital to this roster not only as a familiar and loveable face, but as a threat that the Outlaws will surely bring to each and every match day.
Now you can’t talk about flexibility and not mention João Pedro "Hydration" Goes Telles. This is a player who has seriously done it all and did so while playing against the best Overwatch teams in the world. Flexibility is the name of the game, especially with the format of the 2021 Overwatch League still up for debate, and no one does it quite like Hydration.
Former Guangzhou Charge hitscan ace Lee "Happy" Jung-woo gives this team some much-needed firepower. We’ve all seen what Happy is capable of on heroes like Ashe and Widowmaker and he’ll undoubtedly be a strong and consistent weapon in the arsenal of the Outlaws.
Ending the 2020 season playing well on a team spiralling, William "Crimzo" Hernandez still remains in Texas, but has moved to Houston. A standout player from the Dallas Fuel and previously from Overwatch Contenders fame, Crimzo continues to showcase that he does belong in the league and is a candidate for being considered one of the best western flex supports.
As a core, this roster has an ocean of potential, but they are far from finished. Much like the rest of the teams still building out their 2021 plans, the benefit of the doubt must be given to them, especially when you look at who still is a free agent. That said, Houston ideally should be making long-term plays, investing in players that will become pillars for the future.
When it comes to the coaching staff, the catalyst to begin Houston’s propulsion up the pre-season rankings, the Outlaws house overlooked any quiet contenders that have proven track records of success. The Overwatch World Cup is not the pinnacle of competition, but a strong performance can be a sign of things to come. It is not the argument in its integrity, only a small piece of supporting evidence for the case. Knowing this, when we approach the coaching staff, you’re already off on the right foot. As a part of the staff who brought the World Cup trophy home to the United States, both Harsha "Harsha" Bandi and Jae "Junkbuck" Choi deserve credit on this front. Again, using this as a framing, we should expect to see more success as we continue down their resume—and we do. Harsha has worked alongside the Vancouver Titans during their impressive 2019 season, and Junkbuck is a two-time Overwatch League champion.
This is a coaching staff that can bring Houston results.
With all of this under the microscope, then can this season be the outlier, can the Houston Outlaws finally land success even though it has eluded them for so long? 100% they can, however, the approach has to be different. The message for this season should be that this is a fresh new look for the Outlaws. Firsts need to happen, risks have to be taken, and that is something we should expect from a staff this decorated and a roster that should not be slept on. Combine that new outlook with some fresh talent, and you’ve got an explosive combination—especially when we remember that they aren’t finished building their roster yet. And to be frank, this isn’t even strictly a narrative evolution either; we have to remember the structural changes the Outlaws went through last year.
Houston Outlaws general manager, Matt "coolmatt" Iorio, spoke to Hotspawn in detail on this very topic. He reminds us that not only did they go through staff changes, not only did their ownership change hands, but they suffered all the typical problems that most Overwatch League teams go through. That’s not to excuse them fully, but this context helps to understand why things never seemed to fully come online for them. 2020’s disappointment could easily be framed as a learning experience, one that directly shapes how they approach the 2021 season—and in that way, is it that farfetched to assume they will perform? This isn’t the same staff from the inaugural season, nor is it the same people who worked on the team in 2019, nor is it the same roster.
This is a new team, one that admittedly started poorly, however when we face the facts; they’ve only really had a year under their belt. Consider the following, if you removed the branding and kept the context, the players, and the coaches; would you think differently about the team or are the first two seasons the base of your criticism?
Click to enlargeThat said, expectations need to be made clear; the Houston Outlaws, as it stands now, will battle some upper-middle of the pack teams close, but it is difficult to see them making a staggeringly deep run in the playoffs—and that is perfectly fine. That isn’t to applaud or somehow wish for mediocrity on the Outlaws, but for future success, showcasing—at the very least—a stable environment that can provide some results, both big and small, is a strong base for a team that is in desperate need of it.
One goal the Outlaws should be banking on is the removal of this narrative that captured the attention of the community throughout the 2020 Overwatch League season. Painted as a team that performed well in practice, but for whatever reason could not translate that success to the stage, Houston could aim to be a consistent mid-table threat with swings in particular metagames. The performances were not up to par, that’s unavoidable, but the context and explanation on why they underperformed is important. What’s problematic about this is that they carry with them unnecessary critique from previous seasons.
The 2021 Houston Outlaws are primed to be fair food. Fried in a dredge of past criticism and under performances, however, under it all, the Outlaws contain a promising roster that can break the mould. A return to consistency, an added stable-ness with the occasional upset gives the Outlaws legs to stand on in the future. While this isn’t certain by any means, it’s well within their wheelhouse of possibilities. And a step forward, no matter how small, is exactly what the doctor has prescribed for the Outlaws.
This is a new regime, now equipped with the experience and motivation of failure. This will be the season to separate themselves from previous blunders. This will be the season to bring hope and excitement to one of the most passionate fan bases in the Overwatch League.
The Houston Outlaws will break the mould in 2021.
Image via Blizzard Entertainment
