OpTic Podcast - The Back to Back World Champions | The OpTic Podcast Ep. 232

Episode Date: July 10, 2025

Get your championship white jersey here: https://shop.opticgaming.com/ Get started at https://www.factormeals.com/optic50off and use code optic50off to get 50% off plus FREE shipping on your first box. Get started with AG1 Next Gen for less than $3 a day when you subscribe! http://drinkag1.com/optic OpTic Gaming Merch: https://shop.opticgaming.com/ Check out the OpTic SCUF collection and use code “OpTic” for a discount: https://scuf.co/OpTic Check out the OpTic Podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/optic-podcast/id1542810047 https://open.spotify.com/show/25iPKftrl0akOZKqS0wHQG The Back to Back World Champions | The OpTic Podcast Ep. 232 00:00 Intro 01:00 Beginning of CDL season 07:00 Huke play style 11:00 Playing Faze first round 12:00 Surge Finals 25:00 EWC 30:00 Ads 34:00 First day of EWC 36:00 Challengers roster mania 43:00 CS Cases 54:00 League of Legends Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bro, I was on some Jordan shit. I saw me in my hotel room. Like, I'm sleeping. I remember, I couldn't sleep going into Sunday. And I was just like, I'm fucking holding that fucking trophy. I don't give a fuck what it takes. Gentlemen, welcome to the Optic Podcast, episode 232. Brought to you by Factor and AG1.

We are joined by not one, but two. Back to Back, to Back, All of Duty, World Champions. Back to back. How are we feeling, boys? introduce him the right way it's mr buckets it's mr buckets mr mountain valley mr mr mountain valley this guy's moving differently back to back now i was wearing bucket hats what the fuck's next drinking round bow actually you got the Porsche already said i'm buying mountain valley by the case well that's because i just know i'm going to want more than one of course it's water

yeah we all need more than one exactly so that's why i'm staying hydrated uh that water is actually got like it is right and that's what you said whenever you went back to back i said i need more than So you went ahead and you got two. You said, fuck it then. I'm like, one's really good, but two is a lot better. Two's dope. Dude, I was gassing it so hard on the watch party. When you're just walking across the stage?

I said, yo, I was like, by the way, that's two. Everybody's like, okay, this guy's blocking out, I think. bullshit. Of course. It's the first podcast since you guys went back to back. So, like, we have to, of course, discuss it from top to bottom. The start of that week, no, let's, let's, let's, let's, rewind. Let's start from the beginning of the year

because holy shit, boys. You want to go all the way back? Turbulent one. Turbulent one with a cherry on the top. Dark times for sure. Dude, this year was not even real. I swear to go ahead. Dude, you guys almost picked me up. Thank God. I mean, I tried. Thank God you didn't almost pick me up. I'm not dropping 1.4s. I would have gave you a 1.0

consistent and I would have taken the right routes, but I'm not dropping 1.4s at the age of 30. We would have been gone. I actually wonder I talked to my chat a couple times I wonder what the viewership would be if you came back like your first match because it would have to be it would be huge

it would have been insane it would be like mid year like in the circumstances too like if you were just come back in general would have been insane but with like struggling team you're like imagine you did we win one match

everyone's like holy shit he's the goat yeah yeah holy shit we're gonna with chance just one match I'm like yep yeah we beat LG 31 it's like holy shit he's L-A-G, give me them. Kismet. Ladies and gentlemen, the World Championship

Whites are available right now. The only difference, just so you guys know, the only difference is that we're going to not have the monster logo here. This is where the patch is going to go. But it's still available on a store. Look at the champions right now preparing for ESWC. Man, Hooke is all up in his monitor as usual.

Go cop them right now. Yeah. It was a crazy year, though. And we were all talking about it, like, just in Toronto after y'all won, we were like, holy shit. We really, like, on the watch party all year long, we were like, don't worry, they're going to turn it around. Yeah, but you're like, we don't really know.

And then it's like the eighth match and it's like, they're not turning it around. We're like, holy shit. I think it's, I truly think it makes it that much better, though. Yeah, now it does. Yeah. Yeah. Now it's like, it's hilarious. Yeah, but it's like watching yourself.

sports team struggle. It's like, oh man, you're a, you're a Giants fan. It's like, yeah, I always will be. But as soon as the Giants are good or they go do something that's good, I get to be like, that's right. You know, I stuck by this team through thick and thin. And I feel like your own 18 stretch was probably one of the worst stretches you guys have ever had as players. Or the worst. And then to come back and do what, like, when I picked you guys to beat Faze on my stream, I was getting called bias, blah, blah, blah, optic could never get it done. and I'm like, just watch. Then you guys go out there, you're 3-0 phase.

It's like, okay, that's pretty dominant. Then you're playing Toronto, who aren't, in my opinion, on Faze's caliber and sense of like, I think once you beat Fays or Thieves, you're confidence at an all-time high. Yeah, champs too, you're like. Your scrimms have been insane. That's one down.

Let's go back. Let's talk about the practice. That's the one. Ones and losers, and then Boston got your trade somehow. Boston is insane on Thursday. Yeah. Bro, they're doing that to everybody this year. What's, this is Thursday record?

I'm not even joking. It might be like, I think I'm going on. After I saw thieves lose and then you guys beat phase the way you did, I'm like, yeah, it's over. Oh, yeah. And now it's our tournament to lose. Exactly. And once you're like that, when you're in that mode at champs, it's like, you're just playing with full confidence. You're like, let's go back real quick, though, because there was like a zero dark 30 period where you guys, like, no one really knows.

Well, because you guys have like a month to scrim. You're not streaming scrims. one's really talking about scrimms. I kind of shit myself when you were on the podcast with Nick and you were like talking about how well scrims were going. Yeah, we were like, come on aunt. I was like, aunt you almost made it through. You're thinking the same shit.

You almost made it through. But then I got I was like, but then I was like, we are Loki slamming. I mean, dude, when you're slamming in scrimms, it's so hard to not be like, yeah, we're slamming in scrims. Yeah, because like it's like what else do you really, like, what are you going, like, oh, where scrims are going, aye. Yeah, that's why it's tricky because like, whenever, I'm asked about that shit, it's like, I'm not going to lie and say like, oh, they're going

well, you know? No, you're pretty good about that. They were going great. You'll tell it how it is. Like, if you guys aren't playing well, you'll, like, actually say you're not playing well. And I think that's awesome when it goes well. And then, of course, when it doesn't, it just amplifies. Like, of course Shotsie had to go on the podcast and say this, blah, blah, blah.

So depending on how things are going is the way people are going to run with it, like, hell yeah, they won. And transparency was awesome. I'm so glad Scums are going well. And a hypothetical world where you guys didn't, of course Shotsie had to jinx and speak up and say scrimms were going so well. Yeah. Now, they actually were.

Like, I wasn't even over-gassing it. Like, I'm not even chilling it. Ever since we got back from, what was the major four, Dreamhack? Literally, like. Yeah, our champ scrims were insane. If there's a record, like, one, we didn't lose a single scrim. Clearly. Out of all the scrims, we didn't lose a single one.

If anything, we tied against, the only team that we ever tied against. Wait, hold on. You didn't lose a single scrim for a month? No. Ever since we got back from Major 4, we didn't lose a single stream. They were saying they, like, wouldn't lose a map. Now, that is true, too. They're like Boston

We're like 31 against them Yeah that's the example And that's respond right? Yeah Okay Because I will say You lost like JP said you guys lost like one control

Over like a month It was like It was like 3-2 And we were like Fuck we lost We finally lost one Yeah To Boston right

But we didn't lose a map to Boston In like six sets I've never seen some shit They're spawning in like again They're like holy shit Do we have to play these guys After the third time They're like

Alright Yeah yeah No bullshit We get to the controls and then they would just randomly leave and they'd be like, we're gonna go to gym. I was like, the gym. I'm like, sit your ass down.

But I just last. You mean the gym. This is not gonna help this. I said, I'm like, the gym. I'm like, this is the worst excuse I've ever seen, boys. The gym is 24-7s. You know what I mean? We do best of nines.

And by like the fifth map, we've already won, like, the majority of it, so then people would leave. Yeah, that's how scripts always go, bro. Like, if you're just slamming a team, like those next, like, the controls, you're just running it down, just pissing on them. You could just tell them. Try it. Like, these aren't even real raps.

Like, these guys you checked out. Literally. I mean, you guys sounded, and you obviously looked like a complete, the difference from, like, Dreamhack prior to Champs was like night and day. But the listen-ins were really impressive because I feel like your comms collectively, especially Kyler, were just like ramped up to a whole new level. Like, obviously with the prior iteration, you had Kenny, who was kind of like this very vocal talking about stuff, and I was listening to you guys at Champs and was just very collective,

Like everybody, even Mason. Like, Mason's soft-spoken, but like, I feel like the communication that Mace gives, he gives like the good comms. But it's like those micro-coms that you need. Like, you always know what he's watching. You know what you need to pick up. Like, I feel like you guys just elevated collectively to a whole new level. I love Kyler's comms, bro.

Kyler was such an underrated piece to the team this year. It gets so overlooked. Kyler had like an amazing, like, full season, and I feel like he gets overlooked so hard. It's just because of the way the way that. people think of like Kyler in general. I was talking about it

this yesterday, but the way that people think of Kyler, whenever he's like on the different team compared to like our team is just like so much different.

And what I mean by that is like people look at Kyler on different teams is like, oh, this guy's just rogue whereas if like our team, I feel like we have like

assistant to where he doesn't do like I guess rogue dumb shit if that makes sense. Well, I feel like it depends on his subduo too. I feel like you guys

just work really well off each other because you're both like that rogue, Rogue, but like it's calculated, but like you guys do shit together because you're already on the same page all the time, just because your play styles mesh

so well together. Yeah, 100%. And I will say that he understands this game. He would probably say this himself because I've talked to him about it, but he definitely understands this game way more than probably any game he's ever touched. So I feel like that obviously helps.

This was a Kiler game. Just a bang out. You know where they're spawning every time. Yeah, and it's just a bang out. Just like fucking camering everything. You know what I mean? Correct me. I'm wrong, but I feel like he's also just like so comfortable where I feel like on former

teams, like I feel like Kyler's play style, you kind of have to allow him to make some mistakes and like that's kind of okay. Whereas like a player like you and Kyler, you can't nitpick the game because at that point your star SMGs are going to stop making star SMG plays. Like they're going to hesitate that millisecond that they need to make the play, then their timing is off. So I feel like that's like it speaks to like just your guys' confidence in each other. We're Kyler feels like he can do no wrong. Even when he's doing wrong, it's not received like, Yo, Kyler.

You get what I'm saying? Yeah, yeah. Like, you're not micro adjusting his gameplay. You're not like, yo, Kyler, stop fucking doing that. Like, that shit is the most, like, bro, we are the ones that make, like, literally most of the plays on the round the map that, like, are fucking ground-baking, like, if you're going on a team or not or whatever the fuck.

Yeah. And I feel like going on a team, kind of like where you're saying is that whenever you're getting nitpicked too much, especially, like, as me, and Kyler and you're being told like yo you cannot do this on this rotation or whatever and you take it literal and now you're playing like so fucking weird it's just it's so it's so funny to see it in minimap cod because i've seen and like robot mode and bro this guy starts lagging out right he's actually like out he's actually like I have to hold this lane

I have to hold the cred it's like he can see a force field you can't go past this what the fuck no literally I mean that's just the game bro I mean like sometimes you're going to run down mid and get a three piece and sometimes you're going to get blooded and it just that's the game like it's just player dependent i feel like someone that like is down to do that and actually doesn't mind it deep down i feel like you could tell them to just do stuff like that but i feel like someone that like you just have to work on the player is the best way to put it and i feel like not everyone is like down to to do what you say it if that makes sense i don't know if i'm explaining that correctly but like if are you saying like overall are you saying like a specific like play call like yo

it's double bang spiral right now. It's such a bad play. They're probably pre-aming it, but fuck it because we're going to do it. No, no, in that case, yeah, of course. Like, definitely double spiral. I'll do anything in my team that says. It's more of like whenever you're getting nip-picked, like, yo, you shouldn't do this because X, Y, Z.

But in reality, like, you made your play because fucking it felt right in the moment or like this and that. Like, it doesn't mean it's a bad play. It's just you probably did it at the right time or the wrong time. Yeah. And I feel like explaining that in a specific way, at least to me, is better instead of just saying, like, yo, just never do that. Unless it's actually the most brain dead play.

Yeah. Then obviously at that point I will never do it. There's definitely some faded ones, but it can't all be good plays. Yeah, I mean, that's why. If they were all good plays, it'd be a perfect, perfect world. Yeah. Can't be perfect. How did it feel for you, man?

Winning in Canada? Yeah, that was actually dope. I mean, it was, it was unexpected too just because, I mean, the year we had. And then, bro, I'm not going to lie. When we saw, when I saw we played phase first round, a lot of people were like, oh, that's easy. You guys play phase or these. The best time to play them.

That's what I'm saying. I'm also looking at it from their perspective because we've also been a top team. And then obviously if you have a top two seat at champs, you should be playing like a team that's... And they get you guys. Exactly. I'd be like, what the fuck? That's what I'm saying. I'm like, bro, we just worked all year to have a seed like this and we're playing these guys.

And we know, like, obviously they're on the upswing and then our scrimms against them have been really good. And then like even just in matches, we've been playing a lot better. So then the pressure is really on them. Like, you're supposed to beat us. You guys are phased. That's what I'm thinking. Exactly. So like it's all like, if we lose them, we're supposed to lose.

And if you guys lose to us, and they know that also we've been playing a lot better. So it's like, holy shit. Like everything's just like kind of piling on. And then if you went a series like that and think about it, like who's really in your way? Because like the other side has these. And realistically we would probably expect them to play these in winners finals, but they lost. So now it's like, now there's nobody left. So now it's just we're really playing against like we're like playing in a mirror at this point.

To be fair though, I will give some props to Vancouver because that final was actually like a really, really good final. They were shooting. Like, dude, every single map, like first map, you guys slammed them. Second map, they slammed you guys. And then after that, it was literally like, they scam the protocol. They scammed the protocol. And then at that point, imagine they don't scam that fucking, they were on defense. Yeah, it was a 5B3.

They were on defense. Imagine they don't scam that. Now they're up to one. And then the next map came down to like, it was a vault HP, I think, came down to like. Yeah. But like, it was a good final. And then it goes six, five. Like, it was a lot better than like.

Like, when you guys slammed in the. grand finals last year. Obviously, we loved to see that. But this was like, this was a good final to watch. Like, 5-0, of course, we're like, hell yeah, like, we're stomping them. But we were kind of tweaking, though, because once it went 3-3, it was a lot better to watch. And you pop that four-piece and you still lost the map. We were like, oh, my God.

Oh, my God. Did it? No, you popped the four-piece. And then you overheated the, you pushed out plat and we were like, no. That was the best four-piece of the years. That was insane. Yeah, that shit was just. It was like 30 HP and got three more kills.

And they all just came flying at you. I was like, I don't want to like sound like a hater, but dude, there were so many lagout moments in the final. Like, yeah. Like Vancouver, like there were a couple moments where I like, these guys are fucking tweaking.

Like that four piece was insane, but like, dude, that guy that came your second kill when he just like bot walked around fence, he was like, uh, and then the guy jumps off plat doesn't even look at you. I was like, uh, and then the fourth guy rounds the corner.

He has a pistol and just, doesn't hit a shot? I was like, what is going on? Dude, you know if that's a scrim? He's just coming out of that corner. No,

he had a pistol. He had a pissily, yeah. I was like, bro, these guys are tweaking. Oh, it's actually facts,

though. Like, that's just champs finals con. Dude, I swear he just feels like, I don't know. I don't know if it's just people are playing more stiff.

It might be like some of, like, a combo of like people thinking about their shit, but it's just, I don't know, bro. Like, you're not getting a four piece like that in a scrim heavy. I'm telling you, No.

You're getting treated after the first guy. Second guy's killing him. You're like, one shot. He was in that fence corner, like, just tucked in that corner behind the box, and the guy literally just, like, walked around the corner. The second guy was the freest go average. Yeah, it was so weird. The first guy I looked at shit on.

The first guy, you shit on. Yeah, first guy was the only guy that really, like, was trying to kill you. That's what it felt like. It was like, it was insane. The first guy, and then the next three was like, you just finished. I'm not taking anything away, by the way. It was still disgusting. But, like, I'm just talking about, like, the lag.

out moments in general, especially that the proto, too, like, it's a 5E3, they just let you guys walk up to point and get on it with two ticks. That was insane. That was actually insane. We're like, oh my God, they just tweet. Even Mason was like, what the fuck are they doing?

Bro, you guys were clutching on protocol control, like the 2V4 against Ultra, like, how were you if I'm getting, if I, that was gross, if my team had a 4v2 and it was a 2-4-4. Like, you got one and how they got one to hop that point? I would be fucking appalled. I would be

fucking appalled if we lose that. I'm telling you I know. The 2B4? Yeah. Even in rank, let's say we were playing ranked and we got 2V4 when they, when they were on offense had the cap that point, I would lose my mind. That was just good plays out of us though, because you like flank spiral, right? Flank spiral, shot on the back.

No, but I feel like they actually didn't work together. Like that's like, bro, I could, I could literally, hopefully we never end the scenario again, but like thinking about it, they're coming off spawn. The best play, you already have a guy top trips. You might as well funnel the last side of the map. They're on O, right? They should just hit boat. Just four-stack boat.

Go to the series, go to point. It's two subs. Instead, one guy, one bottom mid, I single that kid out. Kyler, where did Kyle get to kill? I think he was like 10 steps, maybe. No, Kyle killed his guy gun from what I remember. Like, top mid. Was he top mid?

Yeah, he killed the guy at top mid. And then now it's the 2B2. And now, like, anyone can win that. Like, they didn't even, they're just tweaking. I'm not going on. That was just like a tweak. Like, it was insane to watch. We were like, dude, we were like, what is going on.

Dude, that's what I was saying sometimes. I was like, holy shit, bro. this is like a straight movie plays, bro. And then they battle back. Now it's 3-3 and we're like, holy shit. Like now this is actually a series. Literally. And then you guys slam.

Dude, you were making like actually, you played in the final, your search plays were like literally perfect. Yeah. Like every search play like was so like thought out and methodical. Like you just tell you and you're in your bag. Not thankfully they didn't play that map. So like all the strats that I was saying was secretly off like them not having reps

on the map to where like they can adjust. Bro, no bullshit. Did you? The first two maps, realizing like bro these guys knew like they were lucky just playing anti to every one of our shots and then like fucking we went down two on the proto and at that point we lost like eight rounds like straight and i was like i think anton he's like these guys know our back we're like we got to change everything abroad this point like fucking like just don't do like the

shit that we've been doing it like especially in this tournament because everything we're doing is literally just mirror just perfect countering it yeah they were like we just got a loki play more on the fly because bro the way that nepp was doing like a specific thing did it right then and there literally just told me like all right they like actually watch her shit because no one has ever done that i'm not gonna say like what what it was. Oh yeah. I mean before a champs final, you guys know what the maps are going to be. Yeah. Like, you guys probably knew what the series is going to look like.

It's like. Was there a weird veto in the final that you guys were like, because they only had one veto, right? They got one. What is it? HV. An HP? Oh, Skyline. What, they get the veto skyline? Yeah, your guy's skyline look crazy. Yeah, but I'm like, Dale was like, I was like, look you over for that in this series. Yeah, same. It's my favorite map to watch. The same. That's the hard part about. I was like, please play, please play Skyline. I love watching that map. I was like, please Skyline game won. Guyline is fun to watch. Every time I see Skyline, I'm like, yes.

It's my favorite. Well, Faze and thieves are facing criticism because, like, they didn't change up their search stuff. And I saw, like, I will agree with that. I'm not going to lie. I saw someone's take. They're like, well, it's hard to change stuff up when you're so dominant that, like, how do you, if you're a thieves and you're dominant in search, right, and you're dominating teams, how do you go in the practice room and say, yo, we need to change everything up?

In hindsight, it's like, of course, yeah, we should have changed everything. But they probably felt like, yeah, yeah, we can't be. be fucked with, which like you guys changing your stuff sounds like it just, I mean, I guess the tournament. Like you guys were like, yo, we have to do completely different stuff because they're blind countering us. That was like mid-map adjusting because I mean one, we didn't went around for like eight straight and it was also like we were realizing that everything we did it was like, you're losing around it. It's like bro, we're just losing situations. Like two two-e-two's we're losing post-mline or like but every time we're into four before and then the

round ends within like five, ten seconds and it's like the one before it's like, yeah. It's like a and all four there like you know what I'm saying? It's like. They know. Yeah, they obviously know. You know who's search I really fuck with? Boston's plays good search. Yeah, they're so dirty, dude. They're good search, but I've watched it, bro. It's low-key, just like Black Off 4, just like R&G.

Snoopy 2-2. But it's not, though. They'll have like an AR watch over. Like, it's similar to how you guys play, but obviously you guys do. They do. Like, on Hasey, they do this, they two-two, right? They single whoever the fuck out. And then they all group up, and now they're hitting random ass shit together, which is good.

It's just like the way of doing it. That's just like... And it's so hard to read. It's the most weird a shit. getting double slit on our side like rock bomb you're like what the fuck are they doing but it's like it catches you off guard too like when they work out or like outside the a bomb yeah oh yeah they're right yeah i was watching the record not like they'll push up sidewalk get into the like p2 and then they'll like get info on the guy back p2 and then they'll just run them red card dude

you're so sketched to go be because you're like dude what if there's what if they're double cornered in there like we don't know we have no information no i literally told my team i'm like yo if you guys play red card in a single match this year i'm gonna fake my own death. I promise you you can find a new fourth. I'm not playing them up. H.B.S. and D. That was Miami? Yeah, yeah. No, no, no, no. For a fucking the last event?

You're talking about, uh... No, I'm just saying, like, that was your Miami. Like, you don't want to play record. No, yeah. Miami. Heavy. Miami, that was South Beach, bro. I don't know what the fuck it was. No, I'm saying, like Miami and Cold War. I know what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying. Like, I promise you that I'm playing that map. Just like he was scarred on Miami. I'm scored on red card.

I promise you. I'm faking my own death. It happens, bro. They were sending me top purple alone And it's like, yeah, we gotta do this? I'm like, I don't get to fuck, I'm gonna do it. You know, how was Kitchener from your guys' perspective? I will say, before we get into it, Sunday did look the most packed. Yeah, yeah, Sunday was ever looked a lot better.

Thursday on. The prior days felt like very dull, man. Obviously, we were watching you guys and your play kind of carried us through it, but for champs, how did Kitchener feel from your guys' POV? Is this something you even, like, noticed? Did you... You're talking about, like, the stage or the just like, everything. Like the whole, the fans.

It was mid till Sunday. I'll put it like that. But, I mean, it was still lit. Bro. I mean, it's champs. Like, you don't want it. I mean, you guys are playing. So you're like, obviously you want a good turnout, but like, you're so locked regardless.

It doesn't even matter. Yeah, 100%. I would be playing on Mars and I wouldn't give a fuck. Yeah. Like JP said that Thursday and Friday were awful. It was awful, to be fair. Even Saturday was kind of, it was Loki awful also. Sunday when you guys were in the final, everyone's okay.

Now we got to go to. Now everyone in Toronto was like, all right, we got to go to catch them. We're going. Yeah, they're looking for us there, right? I mean, no, that was just like, okay, championship Sunday, optics in the final. If you're in that general area, you're down to make that trip. Like, it's just. Yeah.

It was lit. I mean, regardless of the fan shit, like it was actually, I don't know. That shit was just lit. I like that stage, bro. Gets me going, fucking. Yeah, you're talking a lot of shit. Yeah, you have a default remote. Yeah, I got to get a new bag.

It's the same amount. every time. You're fucking dog shit. You're just spamming it. Just that every time. Like me at the start of a round in rank play. Just, ah, fuck, I'm emoting. That's my starter pack on that fucking stage. Yeah, the starter. Yeah, that's the face-to-face stage. That's an starter pack.

But I was crying, though, because apparently Induro was at the event. And then... Dude, I saw him at the meet and greet. You saw him? Yeah, it was on Sunday. And I, like, out of the corner of my eye, he's like, yo. I like, I did this. I went...

I like, double-took it hella-quick. I was like, yo. And he was looking fresh, too. a button up on and shit. I was like, all right, then, Ender. It was good, kid. Oh, bro, bro, that's actually comedy because he called me. I actually had no idea was at the event, and there was two days after he won, and then he's like, he's like, bro, bro, bro, bro, bro, bro, bro, bro, I thought he's gonna congratulate

me, right? And then he's like, bro, you think you're fucking good, you only win champs that I don't go to him. I'm coming back next to him. I'm like, I thought he's going to be like, yo, good shit. Bro, he always shows up, dude. He showed up at our 1v1 to it. Was it major four? He did?

Yeah, I looked at the corner of my eyes, like, yo, let me play. I was like, dude, let the fucking, let the fans have him and shot it. He's like, let me play. I win a rack right now. Yo, I actually love Ender, man. No bullshit. Yeah. He just pops out of nowhere, dude.

Yeah, and he just with the controller every time, man. Oh, yeah. Remember he used to go to the diner and he used to pull up with his hoodie on, like, fucking hud. With this scuff case? Yeah, yeah. I'm like, dude, this guy's red. He Chippolely pulled in the diner. Yeah, he brings his own lunch.

Yeah, he's a lunatic. He's like, no, no, no, no, I'm ready to play. I'm like, what the fuck? He's got to come back, bro. He's actually a legend. The league is better with Ender in it. Oh, bullshit, man. That kid's hilarious.

Do you guys start scrimms today? Yeah, finally, dude. Finally? Or not finally. So you're still legend? No, no. No, no. Actually, I don't know why I said finally.

Honestly, I couldn't even, if we had one scrim going into it, I mean, I should already got, like, scrums are just so, like, it's just easy mode. I feel like at this point on, like, after champs, like, for example, For example, leading up to champs, it literally was like instant. Like everyone knew everything. Fucking, we'd get on, not lose the map, get off. It's like, holy fuck. Like, you know?

Yeah. I'm not to do that again. I feel that. It's like everyone, at this point in the year, everyone knows how to play the game. Just who's going to play better on the day, you know. Obviously, there's talent and stuff like that. But yeah, at this point, everybody knows what the fuck is. Literally, everybody knows the game.

I think I could spawn in and know what's going on. We've watched so much fucking cod. Yeah, literally. You know what's a scam. You know what's like. And this game's easy. It's, this game was like an easy cod. It really was.

From like, just overall, like spawns, knowing how to control the map. It's like so straightforward. It's also. Wait, way, I do agree with that. I think this cod was by far the easiest cod. Yeah. Hacksprit is just on. Everybody looks like Shotsie on the map sometimes.

100%. We all thought it would make the skill gap higher and it did the opposite. I feel like. Like everyone, people are arguing with this. I'm like, before in prior years, like you would watch Ant or Hydra and be like, yo. It looks unique. Like this is, yeah, like, it's just so impressive. And now it's like, there's still a slight gap between like you and someone else, for example.

But it's so similar now compared to prior years. And also you guys didn't have to learn any new maps. Like that's something that MW3 threw to you guys. It's like, okay, you guys got three new maps introduced. You actually have to put your head down and like figure out how to play it. What's the best way? You've been playing the same fucking map for how long now? Six months, seven months?

I mean, besides dealership. They add fringe when the game's dead? Like when the game's over? Are we playing that, by the way? I don't think so. Apparently we're trying to. Oh, really? I think we should play for search, though.

I hope you guys play it by asleep. Get rid of red card. Red card's out. I'm so down to hear a red card out. I promise you, I'm so down to never play that. I'm actually so excited to watch EWC though, because, like, you have that pool play aspect where you're playing each team once, and then you go to the bracket. Like, it's just the way that I think Cod should be, like, from a league perspective.

So I'm excited. Do you guys know by any chance of any team got out of group play last year? I don't remember Fuck I think one did Didn't lore It was like Alex team Well they actually did

Did they? They were in our group I think They might have actually Was that Byron? Did they? I think one team Got out

Were they at least Beat a pro team In the pool play maybe? Yeah maybe they beat a pro team Didn't make it out But I thought one did Maybe I'm tripping There's some hay and shit

I do feel like this year They're low-key I think there is gonna be You pull up the pools Actually Who's the Omit team That everyone guesses Because pools are

which one is that? Is that Standy's team? There's two different omits teams. There's... Baccede. Brecceed's inevitable at EWC. You think he's guaranteed spawning into that fucking tournament.

Just pull up the groups. It's an early start for us, boys. 7 a.m. starts. Wasn't it? Didn't we start at like 5am last year? Am I tripping? Oh shit. I forgot it is an early start.

Oh, yeah. 7 a.m.'s not terrible. I mean... Wait, is that... Wait, do you guys remember for Sunday if it was at the same time as also? Was it 7 a.m.? It was probably maybe at least.

little bit later. I think it was a little later. Maybe 9 a. Yeah, like 9. Maybe. Wait, how I had is Saudi? Uh, pooh. Like 9.

9, 10 hours, 9 hours? So 7 is 8 hours maybe? 7 is 5. No, I think it's like, it might be like 6 to 8. It might be 8. 6 is like London time. Yeah, 6 is 1. It's way more east.

Yeah, but think about it. So, so it's like. Yeah, but I would say 7 a.m. You're maybe starting 3 p.m. Saudi time then? Not I remember starting 8 hours ahead Really?

Yeah no They'd be playing it like Bro, we started at 9 Yeah they'd be playing like 10 11 It started at 9 before 9pm? Yeah They were playing late as fuck

Bro we started fucking late So we're just So 7 a.m. is generous to us Matt can we look up the time I mean imagine that 1 p.m. is like 10 p.m. That's why the time situation Was like kind of fuck me

Is there ahead by I thought it was 8 hours? 8 hours. I knew it. Thank God. See, I'm not So we go back to the Call of Duty And then look at the start time says one

So like we literally play at 9 Or what is it 8? Yeah, we literally play at 9 Yeah, we play at 9 that time though That's the that's winner's match Wait is that 1 o'clock? No, that's one here That's one here

Central yeah Yeah so we play at 9 Yeah, you play 9 Lock in Wait how does that make sense Wait no no no I'm down Oh yeah no that's right Because remember you remember you were like

You got to leave at 5 o'clock for the No, warps at 5 o'clock. And then I look, and then, bro, it's 5.05, and A. just pulls up like a zombie out of our door. The PPA, at 5.05. And it doesn't say a word. It's like I'm looking right through him. You know what I mean?

And then I'm like, holy shit. And then he's like, holy shit. And then he's like, I feel insane. Jet lag. All this shit. Yeah, how crazy? How crazy is a jet lag over there? He's no good strats.

Because London's bad. I can't imagine. He's not calling strats. Oh, Saudi. Saudi. He's stepping up. I'm going to go to bad three people. Thoughty is insane.

Piler's got to step up or maybe you got to step up. When it comes out of the jet lag and all that shit, dude, like, you have to go like four days early. I'm just going to force the fuck out of, like, just actually staying up. That's what I'm going to. You know where you've been fucking up? You've been fucking up when we land, you instant like, just give in. You can't sleep.

You got to fight it so hard, though. You got to find something to do, drink as much coffee as you can. You have to fight it. Dude, but by that third coffee, you're like, oh, my, it's 3 p.m. You just feel crazy. You need to fight it with every ounce of being you have. Otherwise, what happens is you're just beat for the rest of the time you're there. Because, like, that, like, first sleep is actually your, like, pattern for the rest of the tournament, for the most part.

Nah, but, like, it's fake sleep, though. Like, you'll, the first night, you wake up and you still feel. It's, like, four hours. You still feel crazy because it's, like, I mean, think about it. You're eight hours in the future. So it's like, you're waking up. Your body's just not acclimated at all. So when you guys fly there, the tournament starts the 24th.

I'm assuming you leave, like, the 20th? Yeah. Yeah. Or 21st or 21st, I think it's the 21st. Damien, you're even 21st? Because the 20th is the Sunday, no? The summer is here. There's more sun, more light, more time to do all the things that make summer so special.

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That's drinkag1.com. slash optic. Thank you to AG1 for sponsoring this episode. I don't know. I'm pretty sure this one is. I don't remember what we did last. The tournaments though what? 21st. 24th? 24th through 27th or 28? Oh really? Okay. Or three day? Four day. Thursday? Yeah, I think so, right? Because there's pool play too, so I think it's four day. Thursday through Sunday. And then it's single lemon bracket. Which is kind of crazy. Honestly, I don't mind single limo for it was the best of seven. They're not B0-7s, right? No. There's.

best of fives. Is finals be on seven at least? Yeah. So finals is the only best of seven. Yeah. Well, single a limb... At least last year. Single a limb from pool play is a lot more like reasonable than just going to play one match and going home.

Yeah, I agree with that. Like, at least you get to play pool play and then if you're in winners, like, you know what I'm saying? Like you at least play cod, whereas imagine just some of these events you're flying out, you're playing one loser's match and you're going home. It's infuriating. It's like, dude, I feel like I've got to even get to play. You're guaranteed what? at least three matches. And they're like,

it's like similar to how it used to be. It's like they're back to back. You'll play like two matches in a day, maybe one on the last day, but at that point it's like, okay, now we know, do we need to win this? Is it like, you know, it's pool play? Wait, is it, does the tournament start on,

is it just Friday through Sunday or is it? No, it's Thursday through Sunday. You guys start Thursday, yeah. Day less. And how much is first? 200, a lot of money. 150 each? I think it's 600, yeah.

I mean, shit. That'd be nice I'm down I mean yeah Champs Champs in EWC Champs in EWC That would be

What an ending to the year That would be That would be That would be quite I mean The year is It is a back to back Theme year

You know what I mean Like we got Phase one in the first two These one of the next year Now it's your turn Think about it Just at the right time There's some hained shit going on

Bro you guys see Bands's challenge's team Dropped Henry for Beans Oh really I did I did see that So they qualified with Henry, and they dropped him for beans because beans got dropped. I would be infuriated. If we qualified, I think there should be a rule.

The only way the challengers teams that qualified should be allowed to change is if one of the players goes to a pro team. You know what I'm saying? You shouldn't be able to drop someone you qualified with because that's so much hard work, bro. They placed like second a bunch of times. Like that's hard work to qualify for this tournament. And now this kid doesn't even get to go. And I love beans and maybe he's an upgrade, but it's not even about that. You also have Carolina now coming in with three new players,

rumored to be Cobra, Afro, and FDOT, because Teage goes to Falcons, Gwynne to Cloud 9, and I think they're dropping Dylan Rex. But there's some decent shakeups. I forgot about all these team changes. I thought of these things. By the way,

how does, like, third get paid more than fourth when it's, like, the same place thing in this? Because last year we got just top four, top three, but it was like... Maybe there's a third place match? Is there a losers match now? A loser's finals? Oh, yeah, there might be a consolation.

match. Like if you lose it to the team that won the turn. That'll be fun to watch. Or maybe that, yeah, whoever like, yeah. No, I mean, you're sitting there like, please wear that. An extra 20K. Yeah, look. Hell yeah. See, that's awesome. That's going to make that match so much more fun to watch. I mean, yeah, it's an extra 20K. That's like playing for bronze.

Yeah, but 20K. You're going hard. Yeah, no bullshit. Why not us? I mean, I'd rather make 20K than not make 20K. Yeah, no bullshit, yeah. All day. Yeah, it sucks that you're out of the tournament. but there's still something to play for.

Damn. Because last year, I think third and fourth just got 40K each. So this way, now it's 30 gets 50, and now fourth gets 30. Okay. Instead of just, they kind of split. I like that.

Yeah. Even if you placed 9th through 12, man, you're walking out of there with 10,000 apiece. I think even if you just go there, you get 5K each. Yeah, top 16. Yeah, 5KG.

Yeah, it's going to be fired. It's on Twitch, too. And we're going as Opti Gaming, I think. Really? Oh, yeah. Well, last year, we did too, right? I think it was Opti Gaming. We're down.

I'm done to go back to box. Yeah, that's lit. Oh yeah, like, look, it's like, even Minnesota, they go as G2, that's pretty cool. Yeah, I like how it's like 100 Thieves and like the Faze Clan. The opening, uh, the opening ceremony

for EWC is Thursday. This Thursday. Yeah. That is? Yeah, the opening ceremony is Thursday. We should just watch party Apex. That's going to be lit. How is Apex?

Oh, Key. I'm actually kind of down. Todd is dead right now, bro. Let's just fire it up and let's give the people what they want. Just watch a little ape? I mean, nice wig's got a lot. Don Locke. I would never, you know, that guy's got a good operation. I saw a wig at the

the, uh, the Borderlands 4 event. He's so vibe. I walked up to him fucking crazy dad. Nice wig's the man, bro. Yeah, I was like my fucking guy. I tweeted about sleep token one day. He goes, dude, I didn't know you were a fan. I'm flying out. We're going to a concert. I'm like, wait a hell yes. Wait, so this is Apex. I'm down to watch like Sunday, maybe Saturday, because like, pool play Apex is, you like know who's going to make it out. You've been grinding league. Um, SIs this weekend. Yeah.

Big league tournament. Yeah, I didn't know. It's like the second biggest. It's like the second biggest tournament other than worlds. And I would actually like understand what's going on now. I need you to give me to crash course or I need to watch a YouTube video. Because I feel like it's a game you have to play to understand. You have to.

There's 181 champs. Would you understand before you started playing either? Did I or would I have understood it? Yeah. Probably not to the same degree. Like before I started playing, no. Not a fucking clue. There's no way.

Not a single fucking clue. I would watch World just for dope. Like I would just watch Faker play and the casters do make it a fun experience, but I don't know what the hell is going on. But now I'd actually, it's actually, I haven't watched a league tournament, like knowing league. Now it would be hell of fun to watch because now I know like probably what about half the champs do, but I know like all the champs that they're going to be playing because there's like meta champs,

I'm going to know what all them do because they don't play like the shitter champs. It's just so weird for me as like a strict FPS guy. Like if I watch Shotsy get a three piece, I'm like, oh, and just shit on them. when I'm watching Faker get two I'm like yo did he just shit on them or like it's so mechanical like did he get a free two piece or did Faker just piece these guys up They know they know every like

It's insane because you see a champ on the map You'll see him for a split second They immediately in their mind They're like all right his cue does this He does this he does this You look at your tab you're like he has these items Can I win the fight? So it's so impressive

It's fucking insane Damn Like they tab They're like okay I'm down 10 CS and down a kill He has one extra item. If he hits everything, I probably lose this. Or he's like, my champ, hard counters this champ. I can actually get away with, like, fighting this.

I feel like league's like the chess of e-sports. Like, I have to learn it. Like, you have to play it to understand it. Yeah, no, it's insane. And then you're like, the objective control, there's dragons, grubs, barren, fucking... I respect the fact that he was a dirty gamer when you're not streaming. Like, the fact that you're off stream is sitting there grinding league, it really is impressive. I played to like three last night.

I just melt into my couch and watch TV. Yeah, I played till three last night. I'm almost in gold. I'm in, like, hell, Elo right now. Like, I'll play perfect and we'll still lose because my teammates are just awful. Wait, do you like that? Yeah, that's what I heard too.

Do you like that? Do you like that's like? I haven't played that, but a lot of people play A-Ram, which is all-random all-middle. So you'll just play, it gives you a random champ, and it's just one lane and you just head-buddy-john. You've got to watch Arcane now. Oh, my God, Arcane is so good.

Yeah, what champs are in Arcane? Is it Jinks? Who's? Jinks. V. Vi, okay That's a jungler? What's the rat looking dude?

Twitch? No. He's like a... I don't know what he is. Herman Dinger? Oh, Heimerdinger. He's in it. The scientist.

Yep, Heimerdinger. There's... Dude, it's so good. You gotta watch it. Same like... Ponset? Yeah, but completely different. What?

Like, it's a Mova. Oh. So it's like same thing. You get... gold. What was the difference? Just different champ. I mean, different map, different champs.

I've never watched. When you guys are at EWC, is it like you're only seeing cod people, or are you like seeing other stuff? Does that make sense? Like, is there any interaction with other e-sports or is it like you're going to the cod place? Yeah, there's an esport that's like next year.

So last year it was FIFA. Oh, yeah, we did have the FIFA. I remember AG said that he like, he randomly went in a car with like this FIFA. FIFA guy and like apparently he's the best FIFA player in the world can you look him up I don't know search up like I don't even know you would even search up best FIFA play in the world but apparently like apparently this guy's like like like a psycho and like a good way like he just yells at his coach because I you know that people players have coaches when they're playing like right behind him I didn't I didn't know that really cross and you'll see like you'll see whatever he's losing like he'll be bitching at him and like he'll be like throwing a fit but apparently he's like the best player in the world I don't know his name though that's crazy But yeah, he had a conversation with him. Dude, I hope we go there with the CS. DS is so cool, man.

I think CS is by far the cool. I mean, let's not even, I mean, we can get into this, bro. This CS case little phenomenon going on right now. It's overtaken Twitch. Everyone, I streamed for the first time yesterday after champs, everyone was just saying rip cases. Who started the trend of? Zach Nisha or someone else. I think it was, Nate.

What I don't, the one thing I don't like about it is when they come to my stream and they're like, yo, Zin, buy cases. I'm like, you guys know this is like expensive. Like, it's not like, and they're like, you got it, bro, you're on optic. It's like, I mean, Matt's like 60, 70K in.

How can I compete with that? Is he buying the cases? I know he's buying the keys. He's 60 to 70 in. Holy shit. I think it's more than that. I think he said it's like 80 to 100 or something. But yes.

Like, I'm a level with you. I ain't doing that. Yeah, yeah. I'm just keeping a buck. But to be fair, no,

I promise. I'm not hitting that shit either. I'll play. Look at this. You know? I might open 100 cases. No bullshit. I'll invite me to the queue.

I'm down. Dude, look at that picture of Matt and him real quick. Can you go to the final slide real quick? Good Lord, man. Just two fucking morons. Just that degenerate case opening. This is crazy though. I mean, so

for those that don't know, if you haven't been following, they've been opening a bunch of cases, the whole community's rallying behind it. This guy who has a crazy steam inventory offered each of them $60,000 worth of cases for free to open. And it's like 2016 MLG stickers. Yeah, yeah. And if you rip one of those

Titan stickers or those, it's literally 70K, 60K. If you rip a Dragon lore? 20K. Just boom. 20K? Yeah, 20K, no bullshit. A dragon lore? Yeah, factory new, souvenir.

That might be 50K. A souvenir. If there's no way a dragon lore is going for 20. Oh, I'm telling you, I can show you right now. Dragon Lord gut, or... It only goes for 20? I thought Dragon Lores went for like a fuckload. No, they used to.

They used to, but then the gunnier up, which overtook it. It kind of overtook like the main op. Oh, what's the main op? The gun year. That's what it's called. I've never seen that. be fair at dragular if you get the souvenir one factory new that shit goes for because it's like it's in those cases the souvenirs but what's what's the what's the aka the blue gem aka that everybody like

it's like 1.5 million i think i wonder if that case is in here because if you hit a one right if you hit it the guy who pulled it got offered 1.2 million and said no yeah it's smart i would have press sell that was smart yeah of course to say no k Pokemon card it only goes up in value no unless someone else pulls it, then it goes down in value. Isn't that true? No, I don't think it would. I think every skin is like one of one. Like every skin's unique.

What's the difference between one and two, bro? There's two of them. Oh my God, there's two of them now. I would sell it for one point two in the world. I would sell it for $1.2 million. If I got a trade offer and it said, hey, Zend, I'm going to give you $1.2 million cash for your AK-47. I would have said the AK-47.

I would have if you hold it for five years and it's worth $2.5 million. I'm not taking that far. I want the $1.2. when I want it right now. Bro, you know, all the skins at CS2 just went up, like, I'm not even joking, like, 200% bro, because I bought two of my skins, the tiger tooth and the slaughter, Cramid and a butterfly for 500 each, and this game, I sold them both for 2,200. I just can't believe, bro.

Literally 400%. These guys, cash. Counterstrike has the operation, man. Because not only do you buy the case, you got to open it with keys. And it's like, to open 100 cases, it costs like double the price, basically. Over $250. It's a scam. To open 100 cases.

Dirty Dirty Skeny. It's crazy, man. It is a fire serpent. You got a good thing going, dude. But I am excited to watch this, even though I don't really know. What is that happening? I think they're doing it Sunday, maybe. And Nate has got some pulls from these cases.

You got the Hedgema's minimum wear go. Those are 20K, right? That's the green ones, right? Crimson Kimonos, 5K. He got like two other, like, good knives. I'm pretty sure, like a gamma Doppler butterfly. That's like 8K. So he's got in like, he spent like,

What was it? Like you said, 100? A hundred? He's gotten, just from the cases alone, probably I want to say like 50. Well, his stream is just like... And the stream. Yeah. The stream is just... I'm still...

What's going on? It's insane, bro. I'm still not... It's crazy. I mean, it's... I'll play war zone ranked. Yeah, fuck that. Or I'll hop into some face it.

Yeah, yeah. You should try playing... I was watching you play yesterday. You're actually like kind of snappy. Yeah, yeah. But then yesterday I was Loki crashing out because I was in a dirty losers queue. And in my chat every map like, Nades opening this. First time chat with.

I'm like, shut the fuck off. I'm gaming. I'm like, I don't get a fuck. I keep losing every game. Yeah, real quick. Let's rewind to champs real quick, because I feel like we didn't really talk about Mace. How was he post champs win?

Like, that, we've set it a bunch on the watch party and stuff, but like his family has to be mind-blown. I mean, yeah, his life completely changed. Like, he goes from getting blessed because beans can't get into the country. So he plays for beans. He shows out. He joins Optic as his first.

ever starting role and then wins champs like a month later. I'm pretty sure. It's like the most insane thing I've ever seen in my life. Yo, W mom, after Mace had the grand finals appearance of which I didn't even think was bad as he seemed it or whatever the fuck, but she was like, that set of had it been broken or something like that. She back beef? I like that.

I like, yeah, I agree. She knows ball, bro. Bro, Mason, the first three days, I was like. Mason's, like, I tip it. His gameplay, like. He could do no wrong. I feel like the one thing that... He's actually insane.

Like, he plays smart, he's got insane gunny. Yeah. Good comms. Like, he's nasty. The one thing that is a competitor that he has, that, like, it's hard to teach or, like, whatever the fuck is just confidence. I feel like that's, like, the biggest thing that he has

that, like, is his biggest, like, trait. Because, like, as a rookie and, you know, coming into the league, like, I don't know, people just second guess. And especially if you're on optic and you have all these expectations, like... Dude, I couldn't... So I feel like...

Like, yeah, Mesa is just him. I remember the first day you guys scrimmed, I was like, how to go. You were like, bro, this guy's actually him. And I was like, really? It's like, dude, this guy's actually him. And then he went out there and dropped the 1.5 against phase, 1.4 against Boston. Next thing you know, you're in like the winner's final up against, or sorry, Toronto, whatever. You played Boston winner's final.

When did you guys know, did you guys ever at some point think, like, did you guys get ahead of yourself? Like, yeah, we're winning this shit? like on some like early in the year or like at champs well the confidence is good when you be phase when you be phase

you were like yeah I know I knew we won that shit like 100% I'm not gonna lie at least in my head after three owing them too I was on some Jordan shit

I swear to god if you saw me in my hotel room like I'm sleeping I remember I couldn't sleep going into Sunday and I was just like I'm fucking holding that

fucking trophy up I don't give a fuck what it takes and yeah yeah I mean that's just that was just kind of my mindset the whole time and yeah

I mean we got to done. Hell yeah. That was like the one event that like, I don't know, that should have meant a lot to me to be honest. You could tell. Just because like that listening on rewind, like it sounds like you sound like you broke down for like a quick second. Yeah, that shit was awesome. But it was awesome. Like to hear that emotion like you go back and then Kyle is just like, oh my God. You're like oh my God. You're like, oh my God. And you just hear Kyler at the very end. He's like, oh my God. Well, I also feel like that. Yeah, yeah. I feel like for you like you also got like, like you also got like. like a brunt of the backlash this year too.

Like when things weren't going well, like a lot of the talk was about how you're the problem and all this shit, you guys go 0 and 18. And then like there's no bigger, fuck you and shove it up your ass than going back to back and winning the biggest tournament that every player wants to win.

Like some people are debating like, oh, this team won two, this team won two. Any player that won two majors would trade it for a champs ring in this like current format. Not even close. Yeah, I'd agree. Would you rather win two majors?

Like what? with champs. So I feel like for you you just heard how much it meant to you because I feel like you dealt with so much shit and just like just like the bullshit delusional crap that people say when things aren't going well that you just have

to just let roll off your shoulder. I'm happy for you bro. To see that happen was like it was just special. Yeah, I mean it's not easy doing team changes every and that's the thing is that like bro we didn't want to do any of this shit this year like ideally in a different world we're with Ken and AG

and we figure out just shit endgame. You know what I'm saying? Everything for the most part started from like outside the game and then obviously it trickled into the game which is like kind of unfortunate but I mean they fucking ended up working it out of the end so fuck it. Yeah the butterfly effect of this year is actually insane like for beans like this whole year is insanely different if beans this literally gets to Miami no problem right? Was it my that's life bro opportunities come at random times you got to capitalize It's the saying luck, when luck and opportunity. Meat or some shit.

Luck is when opportunity and hard work. Something like that. I don't know the quote, but. We're on the right track. Everyone knows something like that. I'm probably butchering it, but. But it's true because, bro, think about it. If Mason didn't go out there and perform.

That's what I said too to Mace. It would have been like... It's one thing that you just had the opportunity to play, but it's another thing too that you like fried. You know what I'm saying? You made the most of the opportunity and then like... What the fuck is it? Is that a horse?

Luck is when hard work meets opportunity. I was talking about it. We were baked on the 4th of July. Fucking ripping the gorilla finger. Me and Mark. And I was like, bro, I don't think you realize. You changed my life. Because you said yes for me to come back to Optic.

Imagine he said no. How different would everything be? That one decision. That's what happened? No, yeah, that is actually true. Yeah, Mark was like, Matt was like, eh. But Mark was like, bro, are you? Crazy.

Yeah, Mark was like, bro, it's Seth. We gotta let him back. Fourth of July was fun. Yeah. And I was like, bro, imagine, imagine if you, imagine if you would have said no. And then. One of those crazy? That would have been crazy.

I actually saw that clip last night. You should have came, bro. We were baked. Yeah, you should have came. No bullshit, I would have pulled up if I wasn't just, I'm not going on. I was off of a CS Bender. So like, I've been on the benders. I saw that clip on.

That's the time. Dude, the past two years, I let the moment get to me, bro. I'm like, I'm ripping fucking games. There you go. Bind skin. Oh, yeah, no, I saw it. But now I'm back. I saw you been grinding.

CWC. I just got locked back in. I saw it clip last night. Yeah, oh, yeah, after EWC. It's demon time. You know where I'm going to be. It's not going to be a shot. Just 6 a.m., just fucking bitching.

Do you like CS more than Val? You like CS more than Val? Right now, yeah. That's a good question. Or no, in general. And it's Prime? Fuck no. And it's Prime.

Vow? I've never been that addicted to a game in my life. Dallas. and its prime was kind of nuts. Like, 2021, 2022, Val, like, is in our Cold War team towards the end. Like, that off season, I've never had, that was the fastest off season I've ever played.

I'm like, fuck, dude, new college coming out already. Was the game this better or just, like, because Val was, like, newer. It was just, like, elite. I don't know. I think the community also wasn't as, like, bro, Val is just straight AIs now. And the game has just got a lot worse.

It's like, yeah. And it's so U-Till dump heavy now. Like, before it was kind of just, like, guny, like, maybe a couple of util spams. But now it's just, like, you play against, like if you get into a radiant lobby, it's just people just literally alt stacking. It's like you're not even shooting your gun. You're just fucking flash.

Like there's a bird flying in the sky. Like you just smoke, smoke, dash in. Now it's a mix. Now it's just no chance. What the fuck's going on? And your teammates also AI as fuck and he's being a robot. And now that he leaves the game. I'm like, what the fuck is now?

You know what some of those guys are creatures, bro. Literally. League kids. Riot kids. I think is what it is. Are creatures. Apparently you can't talk. You can only text?

Only type. And they get me heated. They're all freaks I swear to God I'll literally gank their lane Off the start of the game Get them a kill And then they'll be like

Dude you didn't gank my lane once And I'm like do you have fucking CTE brother I literally ganked your lane What the fuck does that mean Gank your lane So jungles like If you're if you're getting like Pushed under your turret

They're like winning the lane They're just if you're pushed under turret You can't farm CSs effectively So your jungle is supposed to come From the jungle like through the river and try to gang the lane and like kill you 2V1 their top mid 80 carry I got to play this game bro I feel like I'm on LSD trying to understand what the hell you're saying right now I've played it a couple of times like it's actually like it's actually like I tried playing

it on my boy's group because he loves TFT and he's like you got to get it to league it's so fun bro and bro it is so it's just so challenging and I love like a challenging game it's like you have to actually like learn because it's so different from God it's not not an FPS obviously You know what I heard too is like bro What rank are you probably like About to be gold So like if you're like bro I heard that that rank silver is like

Seemly hard to just get out of it like Even if you're like pretty decent Yeah because like I'll be in silver But like everyone whenever you're like joining into the game You can see like a little gem at the top of their thing And it's like their last season rank And I'll be playing against like diamonds But I'm like why the fuck are you in silver?

Damn And it's like I'll be playing three diamonds and I'm silver Is this skill gap crazy? And then I'll have a platt of gold I heard the skill gap's insane Like, you're getting dominated by diamonds, like when you're playing them? Not at all. Well, it's so dependent on, like, the start of the game, too,

because if you get snowballed, like, you just lose so fast. Because, like, now they have four kills and Drake, and they have, like, items and shit. And now you're like, I can't even fight them. Gris. He heard Drake. Champagne poppy. Drizzy.

But, yeah, now I can't even fight them. So now you have to, like, farm and not scam, and it's, like, so hard not to scam because you want to fight. It's like, see. I wish you. Do you need discipline in that game? Yeah. You do?

Yeah. Yeah. If you're down four kills, their jungle has four kills, you have none. He's got an item already. You're like, okay. Yeah. Also, it's one of those games that like, I guess it's like this in every game, but like once like, you're like the snowball is insane. Like the effect he has everything like full momentum, full confidence. And he's got every utility.

And he has items. Yeah, yeah. So now you're just, and you're like fucking starting from zero. And there's like champs that are annoying as fuck to play against like Rammis. He's a little turtle. And he literally has a shield on him. And then he builds. So if you're an AD, you literally can't attack him or he just kills you.

because he's like every time you attack him you're taking damage oh it's one of those so you can't even look at him you're like all right hopefully my AP like player just blows him up that's sure you're probably gonna love watching now like the fact that you can now watch high-level league and that's probably amazing to watch oh yeah it's gonna be awesome I'm sorry I keep talking about league I'm just heavily addicted that's cool man bad bad you're addicted to league you guys are back-to-back world champion starting scrims I'm in fucking hell I have no idea what I have no idea I have no idea I have no I have no idea what to do. I'm just doing random shit.

I play some rebirth with us, bro. Rebirth, man. It's fun for a couple hours. And then, like, obviously, I mean, even with, like, multiplayer rank, like, couple hours is fine. After you get to, like, five, six, and you start getting, like, you know. They're getting brain rock. Yeah, you start just running it down. You're not even thinking. I will say in 10 days, I'm back on GTA RP. That's a game I can lose myself in and, like, you don't even feel like you're streaming.

Because Tommy's new server comes out in 10 days. Oh, really? Prestige RP, too, yeah. So I'm excited because I'm like the whole community is going to play that in the off season because what else is there to do in the off season Can anybody play that? Like can anybody or is it just like people that are invited? Like how does that show work? So obviously we could just like get whitelisted and get in.

I don't you have to like apply to be in the server, I think. And then sometimes you probably have to wait into a queue. But I think the server is probably capped at like 150 people at a time depending on the size of the server. But I will say like my peak GTA RP days. But like, the way you're addicted to CS was the way I was addicted to... I was talking like Fat Tony 24-7. Like, late-night league? Bye-bye, go ahead.

No, I feel like... I need people to play with. I was playing with Dylan a little bit, and then he stopped before champs. You should try streaming it. He's good, right? He's in, like, Platt. Why don't you try streaming it? You wouldn't want to play it on stream?

I've been thinking, like, play Warzone, like, rebirth for, like, four or five hours, then play, like, couple hours of league to end my streams? Because I love it. I would have so much fun doing it. I'm just so like, you know how it is. You're going to fake it off too? Like, I'm going to get off, Chad. They're just playing more off.

Yeah, it's so bad. I'm like, all right, guys. I have something to do. I'm just lying. I'm in the jungle again. I'm in the worst part is. There's people that are like, they know my account. They're like, dude, you're dirty grinding.

Because you could look at all my games played. I have eight games played after I get off. They're like, I used to hate that with about. They're like, did he still grinding? Dude, you just played four hours? Each game is like, what, minimum 20, 30, 40 minutes? Damn. The commitment.

So like you'll play three games and it'll be 3 a.m. And I'm like, holy shit. And I'll run out of. Yeah, you're like, lookie time for one more. I come downstairs. Isis asleep. She fell asleep on the couch last night at midnight. I snuck up stairs.

Literally tiptoeing to go play league. So I don't wake her up. That's like, you know you love a game, bro. It's like the opposite of Christmas morning. You're going up the stairs to play league. That's hilarious. I might start playing league though. No bullshit.

It's so fun. It's been flirting with my mind, man. You got to get in because then we'll do OQ. I like that. And you have to teach me because I don't know what the I'm doing sometimes because I know you're supposed to just click shit on your mouse and that's where your character goes. You're not going to play, but it's fun to talk about. Wait, look at that. It's a lot to learn.

Look at that. Neurlink unveiled demo that allows people to play cod with their minds. We're entering, like, unfortunately, the territory where I think it might be the beginning of the end, because some of the shit that I'm seeing is, like, unacceptable. Like, what do you mean you could call duty with your mind? When I'm about to show you, and I think this is for the first time someone playing a first person shooter game with a brain computer interface. This is Alex and R. Playing Call of Duty, controlling one joystick to move

and then the other joystick to like point your gun and then shooting people as a button. Here's Alex shooting another person. Looks like that he has delay though. I'm chowling that. I swear. I'm chowling that. So they're just playing with their minds.

They're not actually shooting. They're actually got over controlling. Yeah, play with your minds, buddy. You're getting chowling. Bro, what? I'm shawing that. Good luck against this. Wait, so they're literally...

Let's just a start. Think about that. Like, that was just the beginning of... This whole new... Okay, this might be... I'm not going to be... This might be really dumb. Well, I'm actually just curious.

Go ahead. This might be a dumb question, but, like, if that show was in my brain, right? And, like, it knew the way that I wanted to play the game. Could it mimic that? I mean, right now, based on how new it is, Probably not, but I mean, maybe in like 20 years, you can move and play like Shotsie. Could you imagine there's a call duty league where there's no one holding a controller?

It's just like Professor X just fucking Magneto. They all have helmets on. Eight players just... It's like playing with the force. It's like Star Wars, man. That is kind of crazy. Could you imagine? That would be kind of crazy.

That's insane, dude. That is crazy. That's crazy. But yeah, it's like technology is like starting to get to that point where it's, I don't really follow much about technology so I don't want to like speak about something I don't know about but the AI shit and all of that everyone that like I talked to is like dude it's getting insane well I mean I was I saw a clip of like Aiden Ross talking to Lacey and Aiden Ross was just changing his face one second he was Lacey the next he was Rinaldo was it like pretty like it was good it wasn't

like crystal perfect but it was like I saw like clip that was fucking but I'm just like dude it's like it's close enough to her like this is unacceptable yeah We were talking before we started the podcast. It's like, this is, could you imagine being an eighth grade and like this is your life? Like you have chat, GPT, AI and all this stuff from like grade eight. Like this stuff didn't exist until a few years ago. Like now it's like you don't need to, you don't need like retention. You can look up whatever you want on a win.

You literally can find the answer to anything you want. TikTok is frying your brain. Like the brain matter is just seeping out of years at this point. That's why I feel like pretty blessed to have like grown. up on both in like both generations because like my adolescent years when I was like you know five to 13 was like normal you know there was the iPhone wasn't out yet going outside playing sports which I'm sure people still do right when they're done with their sports they're right on their phone me I would come home you know it was just different I'd watch SpongeBob or

exactly but now it's like people are straight to their phone or social media we were like gradually introduced. Nowadays, if you get a phone, it's like a completely different world opens up. Like social media for us just started as like, you got to talk to your friends more because Facebook, okay, like, I'm talking to my friends from school just more. So it wasn't like this crazy new, it was new, but it was like, it was just more of the same in the sense of like just more communication. It was cool. I mean, your Twitter came along. You're 26 now, 27? 26. You're 23, 24? So like, did you guys? Like, were you guys in high school?

Like, did everyone have phones and shit already? Yeah, in high school, even in middle school people had phones, but it was like the blackberries. Oh, okay, so same. That's like everyone had like a Motorola razor, like the little flip phones and shit. If shit looked cool as fuck though at the time, it had a worry. I can't lie.

The razor? The blackberry? Oh, shit. I had the razor. You know, being a parent's got to be tough now, man. I was like the sleek, like, mine was black, but it was like. Pull it up, pull it up. But it's just a flip phone.

And that shit was fine. I had like, yeah, whatever you flip it? I sort of got the shit in the orange. gives you dope. Oh, this shit. Yeah. This shit had aura back then, though, bro. Like, if you pulled this shit up today, you'd get roasted by the fucking little...

Yeah, 100%. Look up the envy phone, man. Like, imagine, that's what I had in high school. Now they have iPhone 16. Yeah, and then they're like, dude, it's so slow. The camera's better than fucking... Bro, did you guys have this? Cameras...

This is what I had. I had this. Oh, yeah, I remember people had this. I had the orange LG envy. And I felt like the top dog when I was using that thing. Wow. But it's just so crazy. It's like it's only going to get crazier too.

Well, dude, I just, I genuinely worry about what the future looks like. Because it's like not only like it's just frying brains. Like now you're 18 and you go on TikTok and you see like another 18 year old on a yacht who made millions off crypto and you just feel like a loser. Like I can't imagine. Or it motivates you depending on how your brain works. You got to use this motivation. It's so, I don't know.

I feel like everyone's like rushed now. It's kind of scary. And then being a parent... Comparison is the thief of joy Is that it out of this? Yeah, but see... One man's gain is not your loss. Comparison is the thief of joy

but these things... But these things are like designed for you to compare for what you have, gratitude. You're comparing follower numbers, you're watching dream lives, kids on private jets. Like, it's so hard to not compare even though you're not supposed to.

You know what I'm saying? It's like nearly impossible. But imagine being a parent these days too because the kids, it's crazy but then like if you don't let your eight-girl get an iPhone, you're the ass all. Oh yeah. All their friends have...

All their friends have... have iPhones, so then you're the asshole. When we eventually do have a kid, me and is, I mean, we've already talked about it. We're going to try our best to, like, not have an iPad kid, but again, like you said, at a certain point, they're going to be like, what the fuck? Yeah.

What the fuck, dad? They're going to see your room. League of Legends. This guy's got an iPad. I got nothing. I'm going to say, you've got a baseball bat. Go hit a dinger. Yeah, yeah. Let's see if he's going to be

like, fucker. Proud. Let's see if he's going to be a little. See an athlete first. Times have changed, though, too. Because back when I was young, I could be like, hey, dad, can I play with your phone? And I'm playing, like, some stupid game on his Blackberry.

Nowadays, if my kid asked for my phone, I'm like, you can't have that. It's TikTok. But there's shit on there you can't see. TikTok rules. But then you've got those 10 years where they're just resentful and they're mad at you. But then 10 years later, like, if that would have happened to me,

if I was eight and I got denied, like, all that shit, I would have been mad at the time. I'm going to have 10 years later, I'd probably have been like, thank you. I'm going to have two phones like a drug dealer. That's my plan. have my nefarious phone with all my stuff. You got two phones like Kevin Gates.

And then my other phone is going to be like orchestrated to build a happy, perfect child. The phone's only going to have viby colors and Mario and Miss Rachel. No social media. Miss Rachel's going to be up. I'm going to have, that's it. Smart. Two phones.

Smart. This convos going way off the rails, but I'm loving it. That's funny. What time are we at, dude? We're talking about fucking. Blackberries. Oh, good. Back to back champions

The fucking boys Mr. Buckets in the building Mr. Mountain Valley Mr. Mountain buckets Mountain buckets, man Mountain buckets Mountain buckets is Brucey from now on Yeah seriously boys

Congrats though Yeah that shit was insane bro Real quick couple callouts The championship white jersey is available For purchase right now Link in the bio We have Inter Miami night This weekend July 12th

There's a meet and greet with Hex and Hitch And also you can cop that Optic X Inter Miami Pink Jersey On July 12th and that's going to do it. Big company guy over there, Zinn. That's going to do it. Big company guy.

We don't like you. We love you. Thanks for watching. Thanks for watching. Peace.