The Flycast - How The OpTic Halo God Squad Was Formed | The Flycast Ep. 134

Episode Date: January 25, 2025

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 How The OpTic Halo God Squad Was Formed | The Flycast Ep. 134 00:00 Introducing Renegade / Playing other games 09:20 Renegade Almost Went Pro in CoD 23:00 Is Renegade a tweaker? 26:20 Renegade moving to Texas 36:25 Renegade early life 46:20 Does working out affect gameplay? 50:00 First competitive Halo

We, Yeah, the world championship. Yeah, he was, he was our coach. I know we had his jersey on backwards. You got to make sure he locks in this year. We'll get him locked this year.

You can't be on the Sunday championship Sunday jersey on backwards. Jersey backwards. Come on, man. It's a Tusk 13 in the front of luggage. Back to the Flycast, episode 132. We got a special guest today. Our Halo hard carry. We got the boy.

Renegade joining. Just me today. Hitch is on his fifth vacation with his lovely fiance in Arizona. So I was telling Renegade before we started these. I hate doing podcasts by myself. I don't know why. Because whenever I do one with Hitch, it's like I feel like I do more of the talking anyway. But it's like just having him there,

it's like it eases me and maybe that's why me and Hitch we're such close friends but we got uh I'm solo today but we got Renegade on the flag cast we're gonna so pretty much we're just gonna end up talking about I'm just gonna ask you questions

about your entire life your Halo career fucking who knows where this could go I think we got Twitter questions at the end but um they're asking some insane questions oh did you look at them Yeah, I looked at a few.

Like, why? I'm not answering you. I mean, we can take it. Look, Matt, if you want to look at my Twitter, if you get bored over there and want to look at my Twitter and look at the question, see if there's, I liked a few. So we'll see, but we'll get to that at the end. What have you been up to recently just online qualified? First off, welcome to Optic. Welcome to the podcast.

Are you excited? I actually saw one of these questions. was or I saw this in one of the questions that someone asked was any of do you give a shit about the optic content

side of things uh yeah I feel that's a main reason why I wanted to be here really that's so I did not expect that yeah I mean I said of like winning like I've won before you know like I know how it feels

obviously I want to keep winning especially for this organization but also just want to like you know do content and just not necessarily grow my brand I'm not like focused on that but it's like kind of like doing stuff and like making it more interesting than just like

you're on every day and you're just like sweating in this gaming you know just kind of doing like fun stuff or just like more interesting stuff that's what I was really looking forward to yeah there's there's more to it than I feel like I mean what you've been doing is you sign on you scrim you chill and fucking

discord the same thing every what's uh what's actually i guess we'll do on season and then off season what's like a day in the life for you right now because i feel no one's screaming it's bad off season for me might be worse than on season like honestly as far as what like as of being like a degenerate like i just game i usually just game and then go to the gym and yeah just rinse repeat just game gym gym at least on season all like oh like i know i scream at this time so like maybe i'll get something in earlier and be a little bit more productive,

but off season's been interesting. Really? That's surprising. Are you playing anything other than Hela? I've been playing a lot of Call of Duty. Oh, my God. Yeah, I forgot. Yeah, I matched you. Yeah.

Bro, I matched you and ranked. I think it was like, it was, I was just solo. And then I match, I think it was like, you, boo-boo. Was it suppressed? I think it was suppressed and falcated. And then fucking, right before the game starts, diagram, who I've never supposed to. broken to in my entire life comes to my chat and was like dude these like these guys are about a

shit on you or something I was like what the fuck for one that just pissed me the fuck off but I honestly expect I was like we're about to get fucking demolished like I'm in like I don't even know what rank it was maybe like low crim yeah like shitty cram or whatever's right before that I haven't I haven't played it I probably that might have been my last game I don't know but I remember yeah you're or your boys with diagram right yeah because I'm like well the fuck is this guy in my chat saying we're about to get fucking shit on. You guys didn't shit on us too bad. I thought we were about to get World's stuff.

You guys were a winning majority. For some reason, I remember that game. I don't know why I remember that game. It was like a, it was Skyline. It was like a Skyline heart point. I don't know why I remember it. I don't remember it was a single other game. My teammate was fucking, be honest, were you guys trying?

Like, we can't lose the fucking mania. Yeah, we were trying really weird. No, at first it was just like, I knew you were so cute and you were playing by yourself, So we're just like, yeah, like whatever. Like, shoot, shit again. And then you guys started heating up. You guys got, you guys came up like, I think you guys came up like 100 points on us. I was like, whoa, whoa, we can't lose this.

My team and he was fucking bitching. I think he might have been bitching at me too. He's just like, someone getting the fucking hill. Do you like a cod ring to do? Oh, God. I'm outside of the cheaters, obviously. I, well, I never got, like, I was, what's before Crammed Diamond? I think it's

I'm the diamond The Crim. So I just I wasn't playing that much I don't really know why I just I feel like I've Fallen out of love

With like the grind Yeah And just And especially like All of my friends At this point in my life Is like top call duty pros And so when a new cod comes out

They got their fucking squads And I'm just shittniac over here. For sure, I'll just play fucking solos. But then, so there's just not like much of, uh, like, even if I didn't like the game, if I was playing me, Bose, scump, and fucking whoever, like, it'd be fun. Yeah. It'd be, it'd be worth the time.

Um, but I don't know. I, uh, I just don't, I just can't get. I, I, I almost want to go see a doctor because I feel like my brain's deteriorated or something. because I can't fuck I can't lock in man I just can I miss it so much when I watch formal play his fucking Marvel rivals 14 hour 15 hours I'm like god I miss this feeling I do like the game I never experienced hackers and shit that much because I was just a diamond then cram I played cram a little bit and then I kind of stopped playing once like everyone else was complaining about hackers and then I think people started playing like other games a little bit I'd never really

dealt with the hackers that much because I wasn't iridescent shit. You got blessed. That's why I stopped playing. Really? Honestly, it was so bad. Yoddison as that fucking squad, you and boo-boo-dubo.

Oh, dude, there's a good, like, month where we're just, like, dedicated for some reason, this grinding every shit day. I mean, that's fun, though. I used to do that sometimes. Yeah.

Me and some Halo guys just switched to another game and grind together. It was fucking fun. But what? The cheaters took you out as well? It was so bad. I was just trying to get top 250. I was just trying to get my top 250. I was like borderline so many times

And it was just like Cheater game, cheater game, cheater game Or I'm matching scump and havoc And it's like, all right, like Do you ever beat any of them? Yeah, I'd be, I don't think I've beaten scum I've been in havoc, havoc, Parasite Squad a few times, yeah With who?

The hell it was. Really? Yeah. I feel like Boo Boo Boo, would it be a good, that good of a cod player Because he's so, but I also thought this about formal Because formal was

Before formal Switch to Cod I kind of just looked at him like Not that he sits back Because he's not like a true sit back Like a boo boo doo doo doo boo or a fucking cloud Or a demon D or a I'm not sure who's that type of play style now

But I always thought formal was just like I always looked at Cod like fast-paced Especially when like jet packs and shit got introduced I just never didn't think formal would be like that fast pace be able to like I guess keep up or something so I guess whatever I because he was just never that fast of a player in Halo

so I guess when I think of boo-boo do-boo The fucking funniest gamer tag ever I kind of think it down he locks it down they are really I bet he fucking done like I bet he gets spots he gets early rotations I'm sure he fucking gets all that fucking I love boo-boo-d-d-boo Wait what did y'all get to just

iridescent? Yeah, I didn't hit top 250. I was close. I think I was like 100 points off a few times and just like one bad ring session. I'm down 500 now. And you just never signed only yet. I just play like S&D, you know?

Any, really? You do like wagers and shit? Yeah, like CMGs, I love that. I heard you're actually, like I only played against you once and it was kind of a close game, I guess, but I heard you're actually kind of nasty. Like, do you think you think you could make the switch?

I mean, to be honest, I think you could make the switch. And I don't even fucking know. I think you're just like that talented of a... I think I could. Has it ever crossed your mind? No, I've definitely wanted to a few times, but I never just fully dislike. Done with Halo, completely done. Now I'm going to Call the Duty.

It's been like, you know, kind of like an off season. Like I'm playing Cod. I'm like, oh, I like this. I like this. And then the Halo season starts and it's like, well, like, I'm not playing this anymore. So there was, when did, I'm trying to think when Frosty, when Frosty, when the fuck did Frosty come to Cod? Was that like 2019 when they were doing like the Halo 3? Yeah, he switched right after Halo 5.

You were, yeah, you just won Worlds or something. Yeah, yeah. So was there any thought around that point of time? Yeah, no. Like any serious consideration? Yeah. Or was it kind of just like, man, I think I'd be nasty. This might be worth it.

I think in like that time, 2018. I definitely played Like I think the Cod at that time was Black Ops 4 Or MW I don't know I remember I remember I got like a substitute offer From like Well I guess it wasn't a real offer because it didn't pan out the way I wanted to But like they offered me and I was like oh like this might be my shot

Wait who wasn't uh it was a sub-blinerge at the time Do you know who do you remember who your team would have been? I would have been the substitute on that roster because they did it back in MW weren't you weren't you? I was a substitute But, Oger 2 recruited me because he was like, yo, we're not going to use this fucking substitute spot. Yeah.

So he was like, you have a little bit of fucking clout or whatever from like optic and shit. We could at least like use you for a little bit of content, some war zone tournaments, whatever. And you just take the substitute spot. I'm like, now you're fucking thinking. Because I don't know what the fuck I would have been doing without that. I mean, it helps. But I mean, I didn't even have to touch God. There was never a thought.

Like, they even told me, I was like, I was like, by the way, like, you know I'm never actually going to, like, I was telling Tugra, I was like, I'm never actually playing. Like, if shit hits the fan, if someone's fucking arm breaks, like, y'all got to figure something else out. You never had like the itch or like, like, maybe? The only time I had the itch was like, it wasn't when I was a substitute. It was during like Cod Ghost and what, like Black Ops 3. Didn't a bunch of Halo boys try to, like, play at least? Yeah, I went to a Cod event. Me, Ogre 2, Goofy, B-Rbkew and Hines.

That's an insane roster. No, that's actually the most insane roster I've ever heard. What did you guys end up playing? For one, we didn't, none of us played Cod before. And then I think Ghost came out and then I think the tournament, all I know is we play I played the game for like a week. Yeah. And then we went to the event.

And we ended up getting like losers round four. Like I don't even know what that is. Like top 128 or some shit. That's better than me. I remember we beat a team of girls. Yeah. You sent it up over the oneers? Fucking we beat.

Oh my God, you found it? Top 72. Ogre 2. B.T.H. competed in cod holy shit how did you find this ogre two maniac goofy and hines

yeah we I don't I guess I'm guessing it was like losers round four or something but I swear I was playing good like these motherfuckers were letting me down

where were you in here and I'm probably talking out of my yeah I was the air and I might be talking out of my ass right now but wait what is some of this other shit Pomage maniac

reconjukeen 9 to 12 some of that 9 to 12 I don't really know what the fuck these are. There could have been 16 teams. But I played, um, Jesus,

is there actually a thing of me? CDL Warzone Weekend 1. Uh, he has mutineers. We got second. I was so mad. What? You got second with that?

Yeah. We actually should have won that. I remember fucking raging, because I like got caught such off guard. Oh, you're looking in the war zone. What's second six, four?

Yeah, they were just throwing me. Or, I don't know fucking how I was in any of this shit Where's the GGCS? Is that up here? You're goddamn right Oh, okay First place.

Did you watch any of that? The GGCS, hitch throws like a tournament. It was me, Pomage, Blast, and then Mike P use like a battle rapper. Oh, what that? But that was just some random. Blass is pretty good. I played Blass.

Yeah, Blass is like, I don't understand how someone like that is so good, not pro yeah he really he's a he's a mystery to me because every time I played against that guy he's just like when I'm boring

when I'm watching he's shitting when I'm playing against him he's shitting when I'm playing with him he's shitting like that motherfucker was making plays for us to win this shit did you take over in this or fuck no I played average I held my own Pomage played pretty good

blast played pretty good I did better than me Maybe I think if I would have actually played, I don't know why I do this. I think I like, like the game came out and I just, I didn't even play pubs at all. My like first games were practice were like our first match. Wait, so what tournament was that? Was that a regular?

It was like a hitch drafts, but there's one pro. Our pro was blast. We also had skies on the team. We played with scrap once. Like the pros were like, they would have to go. a scrim or something so they would just like not play but it was one of those hitch tournaments where like he he has like a shitty person like Mike P the battle rapper

no offense to Mike Pt HBTH then there's like me who's like kind of a shitter or just average player Pomage who's like decent and then Blass who's really good it was kind of all the yeah you can see the list of the teams there like scumnade shot doll two shroped method Zembos so there was some uh Aiden yeah Clayster Aiden Falco believe.

That's like, that's okay. Like, what happened there? I don't, dude, I don't, we won probably like seven best of fives to win this tournament. We were, we would go down, uh, two O and then just come back three five and go to like round 11 fucking Matt five. Just, yeah. We literally like, I remember after the tournament, Hitch was like, bro, thank you guys so fucking much.

Like, you guys made this interesting because it was like, we'd win three to, win three to, win three two have to come back we're down oh two win three two and then there was this team who had like two people not be able to play yeah and it was like two shitters and then they picked up two decent people so they were just right they they went i think their record during the season because there was like a season and then there was like the playoffs and during the season their record was like they won four matches lost 10 like something shit and then once they made this switch they they never lost the match again. Like, they were just running through everyone.

And somehow, some fucking way, we beat them. We lost one three in, what would that be? Well, it was the first round or whatever of finals, but they had to beat us twice. Oh, so you were in the winner's side, and then went game five in the reset? Yeah. I don't know how we fucking did this, bro.

I remember, and I never admitted this, I don't think publicly, but I'm pretty sure I was drinking every time we played. because it was so I was so new to the game and it was so fucking nerve-wracking that I would like and it was I think it was like

the end of the summer or something I was drinking too much but no I wasn't a fucking alcoholic but I remember drinking during this tournament and just fucking that was some fun times man that was some fun times right there that was actually one of the only

not one of the only fun times I've had in Cod but so back to you I guess you never truly or wait you were you got offered to be a substitute but that really wouldn't have like meant anything right like you got it would have just no but it would have gave me like excuse to like kind of like dedicate my life to do it

yeah what year was that uh I think was yeah it was like 2019 did you not play in the movie for those who don't know Halo 5 HCS stopped running tournaments and then someone

started running Halo 3 tournaments in like 2019 did you compete in those? I was getting bodied in those dude Really? It was so bad I was getting roasted by everyone I was like really? I'm like just running shit in Halo 5 5 and then you go to Halo 3 and Gilkees just fucking shitting on me I'm just getting

destroyed I'm like oh my god they're just like shit talking me I'm like damn maybe I'm not meant for this It is because I remember seeing Frost or I think Frosty like tried to play in some of them And he was just like not frosty. Yeah. Like it is different.

That's very different. I don't know what the... It was like so many people too. Like, I mean, I'll just take like Tusk, like our coach, for example. Like, he was like the best player I've ever played in HIL3 Online. Really? At that time, he was literally just God and I was like, okay. Who was your team when you played in these?

Um, I played... I played with Eco, Stellar, and Penguin, and a few. so like that like C-9 team going into it seems like a good fucking squad and then ECO dropped us to play with like old edge like gilky goofy or something at that point I was like how's it like this might not meant it is it is weird like going because you would think just like even with like new cod pros you would assume like if they just go back to old cods they're fucking shitting on these old heads and you would think it's like that for Halo 3 3. Like, I bet

if Halo Infinite Pros practiced Halo 1 for like a month and then tried to play the ogres, they would still just get fucking obliterate. Dude, no, I think so, too. There's just such a skill gap you learn with certain games. Yeah. Like, Halo 3,

at least on PC, I don't think the skill gap was at high. I think back on the game, yeah. I did. Yeah. At least you can lead your shots and stuff, it was a little bit better. I agree. But, no, it was like, dude, Ryan he was taking over every game. I was playing.

He was dropping like 20 every game. I was like. Lethal was really good. Yeah. At Halo 3 online. Fucking. I hated it online because you could like shoot so much further across the map. You didn't really have to lead.

The shots connected so good. There was no. I missed the original just shitty-ass feeling fucking. Yeah, you're just on three cents. Yeah, just three cents. There's no F-O-V sliders and changes. Did you, um, No, I remember recently I was, I was playing Halo 2 classic on those, like, big TVs on, like, the old Xbox.

And, like, that, like, shitty feelings. CRTs, SRTs, I forget. No, that shitty feeling how the game feels, like, the FPS is super low, but it's just so fun. Like, no, like, no one has any awareness. Like, I feel like, there's no, no, no headsets, you can't really hear anything. It's just, like, straight, like. Where were you playing that? I was playing that at, um, it was in, I think a Swiftco's house.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Isn't that in Texas? Like, no, it was, it was in Salt Lake. It was at the Salt Lake event. It was after. Uh. But yeah, he was like, he was just running them for, uh, that Vegas land they had.

Right. But like, that was like, that kind of opened my eyes. I was like, like, I was like getting gun by like people I'd never even heard of my life. And I was like, these guys are like, they're like quad-shotting me. And I was like, holy shit. Have you heard of? Have you heard of? Have you heard of?

Hey, Lord. Halo 2 cartographer. Yeah. It's like the modded version of... It's like the original Halo 2, but they like modded it to where now it fits in fucking 2024 or whatever. Yeah. I remember in 2020, I tried playing that shit.

And it was just like it was so much different than just like Halo 2 MCC. I'm shitting on all these kids. Halo 2 cartographer to where it's like the original Xbox Live version Halo 2. It took like a month just to be able to keep. keep up with these absolute shit stains. And they had the, I hated that fucking discord. And like, I did end up becoming friends with like a few of them. But it was just like, bro, I, that discord, these fucking, this little halo community, they

just had like egos and like, we're trying to get eights. Motherfuckers would like join the lobby for eights, but then they disappear and don't respond. But then they, they're not, it's never like a yo my bad. I'm just like, what? I fucking hated it. What was the difference, you think? For the game?

Yeah. The feel, it felt shittier. It definitely wasn't just like super, like, it felt like more wonky to aim. The dead, there wasn't no, like, you couldn't, like, change dead zones and shit, I don't think. Yeah, it was just a... Was the FOV a thing? I think the FOVs, it was a... couldn't change that and i like that shit man i don't what do you think about what's would you rather

it just be like three four five six cents everyone plays the same fov or do you like the are you a tweaker no do you i would prefer do you just pick something and stay on it i mean that's something where i can't like it's over for me like i can't aim for another start changing settings and shit yeah like i just try to stick exactly what i've been on that i think i'm good at and i just like just do that what's your what's your what's your Dead zones right now? 0-03. Okay.

That's sort of like the default, I feel like a lot of people went to. I've been on that since the game dropped. Bro, some people, I think Gilki might be one of them. That just changes their dead zones all the fucking time. And I was one of them. But it's weird because Halo Infinite feels like a game. It feels different every game. Like different servers, you're like, oh, if I lower my dead,

different, some servers will feel heavy, so you're like, well, let me, lower my dead zones but then other servers will feel like what you're used to so you put them back it's like that's that's kind of why i see people like changing it all the time but i feel like you just have to just accept that you're getting shit on that game and just go next yeah that's the only possible way because you'll just get bodied yeah it's what i tried to i was like are you are you like a settings like uh i tried not to be honestly when i was on a xbox controller i was When I switched to a PlayStation controller, overclocked it. Yeah.

I just, like, stayed on the same shit. But with Xbox, I definitely, like, it was like a thing in my chat. Like, motherfuckers would keep tallies of how many times I changed my dead zones. And it was, the Halo Infinite Matchmaking experience was fun for a little bit. But it just got to the point where I would play so inconsistently to where, like, I'd not play for a month. And I'd try to get back on. and you're just getting demolished. I disappear.

I play for a little bit, get kind of good, start matching snake bitey shit knowing me. I got King Jay fucking tee bagging me. I'm like, I'm not fucking dealing with this shit, so I leave again, come back.

And I almost want to come back, I think once the season starts, so I'm going to start playing again just to like, you know, ain't nothing, ain't nothing better than match an elamite at 10. At 10 a year.

He's there every day. Every day. He's there every day just locked, like calling out a game chat. I fucking, I think when I tried playing again, like, Elymite wasn't playing, Hunter JJX was playing at a different time. I was like, this is fucking boring now. Like, I'm the only streamer. And, like, everyone's just coming after me.

Teabagging me, Maniac Your Trash, get shit, like talking to my chat after again. I'm like, I thought you played in the mornings, right? Yeah, I would play like, I mean, it got to, like, I mean, it got to, the point where I was playing like, I would try to start my stream by like seven and then by like 8 a.m. I'm playing with the fucking trunks, Hunter, JJ, X. Yeah, that's a point. Do you ever play at that time? Never. I'm never up at that time. Um, let's, uh, I mean, shit, we can go through your whole life. Let's go. Where are you from? From, uh, San Bernardino, California, to Soco. Born and raised? Your whole life? My whole life, yep. Then when'd you move here?

I moved to Dallas two years ago. Is that your only move? I moved in California a few times. I moved to San Diego. I was in there for a year. I love San Diego, by the way. Shout out of San Diego. One of the most beautiful places is on earth.

It's like cool, like crazy. Yeah, I've heard. I feel like I've maybe been there once, but I've never been to San Diego? I think so. But probably like a decade ago. And to a point where it's like I didn't, appreciated. I was just like there for some reason left. What do you like better? Well, you're going to say

San Diego or California. Yeah, what do you like better? Dallas or San Diego? Did you live in San Diego? Yeah. Okay. So I moved from San Diego to here. Probably San Diego, but like the internet, like the area. This is what we're getting to next. Why'd you move to Dallas? Literally. So, the internet. Is it?

And Texas. Yeah. But it's not, um, trying to think if there's a way you could explain to people why people move to Dallas. It's not, it's not just like the gig internet. Is it the location for the servers? Uh,

is it everything? I feel like it's like everything combined. I feel like the main actual reason I moved is because I feel like everyone started moving here. Yeah. So it was just like, like, Like, I remember the first year, Infinite, I was, like, playing Optic, like, the old Optic team, and they're all in Texas. And it's like, I can't even, like, I can't fight back.

It's not possible. And it's like, you can either just deal with that from somewhere else or I was like, you know what? Like, I think, you know, it's smart for me to just move here and just like play from here online. So I have a better experience. But, I mean, I started just pure internet. Like, I like the area I live for sure. Like, it's a very, like, suburb. I mean, it's like kind of out in the.

Out of nowhere, I think, uh... The middle of nowhere. Yeah, I think I, I think my time is coming to an end there. I think I'm a move, but, um, definitely like the, you know, suburban area, like, nice, like, nice neighborhood, you know, parking nearby and stuff. It was very nice. How did you find that area? Or how did you know...

What was the research before coming to, did you know people already here, ask around? You just pick a random fucking house? We just picked a random house. Really? Yeah, we just gunned it. We were just looking at houses, like, near the area we came. Who, like, you and your girlfriend? Yeah, me and my girlfriend.

We came, like, probably, like, six months before, just looking at places, and we're just like, you know, like, there you. Fuck it. Yeah. Pulled the chicken. Never regrets, though? No, never regrets at all.

Where do you want to move? I want to move in Friscoe. Like, more downtown. Or just more, like, just in the city. Like, I need a more, like, in the city vibe. More towards Friscoe or more downtown? Which one are you leaning towards? I'm still, I'm still indecisive.

I'm thinking Friscoe because, you know, Or I'm on optic now, but downtown, I'm not really fan of downtown Dallas. Yeah. What do you think of downtown Dallas? I like it because I feel like it gives me, I don't know if motivation would be the fucking word, but there's just more life. You see nicer cars, good looking girls, cool dudes, fucking money. Like, I feel like it just, and I say this after, I've lived.

downtown then I moved out of downtown and I went to Garland which is middle of nowhere. Yeah I don't know And I felt once I did that move And I know what I just said earlier was fucking cringe But when I did the move From living downtown I wasn't in like a high rise I was like

There's downtown and then I was like Right across like the Katie Trail So I wasn't in bump I wasn't in the shit show but I'm at the shit show Um So I'm moved from there, moved to Garland, got a house. And I just, at first

I was all excited. We got a yard for the dogs. It was me and my girlfriend. We've broken up since. But it's trying to sell the fucking house. That's a whole other pod. But just living in what I always just say, bum fuck, it was like, there was just no, what's the word?

Like, my brain was never stimulated by anything. It was so mundane. It was so boring. It was so, like, if I want, like, there would be nights. And to be honest, I think it, like, hindered our relationship a little bit. Because there would be nights where it's like, let's go out to eat with, like, Zinnie and his girlfriend or something.

And I'm like, okay, well, we're definitely drinking. So we got to take an Uber. The Uber, it's going to be traffic. It's fucking what. That's going to be 40 minutes, probably $50. Then we eat. Then we drink a little more than another 40 minute Uber. back and I'm just like, so I'm just like, I don't feel like going through all that, all that.

So we like would just end up not doing anything. So I would say that's probably the main thing of like wanting to do something small. Like even just, I've only been downtown now for a month, but it's like, yo, Bose, let's go eat here. Or Zinie, yo, let's do an IRL stream tomorrow. Let's go eat at this place. It's just so much more convenient. Yeah. There's so much, I think the people are different too.

It depends on, because I don't even consider, I definitely consider myself to have like social anxiety. I don't know if you feel the same way for yourself, but I feel like I definitely have social anxiety, especially in a new area. But like people down there are just more social. And I just feel like it's good for my fucking soul to be in that sort of environment right now in my early. 30s. Yeah. So, and I always wanted to experience, so I always wanted to experience, like, the high-rise downtown fucking vibes.

But some people are the opposite. I don't know what, I know Hitch refused to move downtown because, like, he doesn't give a fuck about going out to eat. He doesn't give a fuck about the city or, like, he just wants to be in his room, be creative, think of video ideas, work on his craft. Like, so I don't. know where do you fall so i would like you want to experience it but it is like a it's a big decision yeah i would say i'm pretty bored of the like mundane life like where you're kind of like

saying like i i feel that like i'm like it's kind of the same thing i wake up it's like well like what am i like you know i can order food i can make food i don't know like same thing like that's the decision of the day this is like basic i mean i'm more of like in my room anyways type of person but i i definitely just want to kind of like back to where you're saying like you know this experience like in the city like vibe like even for a year like I also I was like kind of leaning towards I was like just like like being in the city for like a year and you know see if I like it if I don't then I can always just you know move back or you know go somewhere else but uh yeah I think uh the suburban like maybe if I have like a kid and like a family and like maybe like then but I feel like as of right now

my life. I want to experience like, you know, the city more. Right. Yeah. Even if you don't end up liking it, you're just, your rent for a year.

Yeah. You're like, you know what? This was too much. Fuck this shit. Because I even think, like formal did not want to move down there. Yeah. But he also didn't want to make the,

especially in traffic, the anywhere from 30 to 50 minute drive down there. But the optic office moved to downtown. So formal was basically forced to move there they were like hey we'll help we'll help you fucking move let's we just need you downtown so we can have you in content and at first i know formal he fucking hated it like he he liked his little walk from like those apartments over there to hear like no one bothers him no one knows it's formal like and it's not like people are out in downtown dallas him yo formal but like he's a very

he's a social person but he's like not a social person like he just wants to put his head down get to his fucking Uber whatever and just like make it where he has to be But I've asked about it now and he says like You know what I actually kind of like enjoy my place It says he likes it Especially like at least from I've never been Which was surprising

It's like he did not want to move there But then he did Now he kind of likes it Yeah that's another reason And yeah if you move down there You got formal me Bose any You guys all live down there

Yeah I'm trying to think of that might be it me be bo's zini formal I gotta be Sebas you probably definitely haven't met him yet um

who else lives downtown am I forgetting anyone Matt yeah everyone yeah once it moved back here everyone pretty much moved up there like Roger used to live down there Paige used to live down there James used to live down there

jp our old production guy used to live down here but since we moved back to Frisco it everyone just kind of came this way but yeah I think you should try it out hey doc

thanks for uh seeing me on such short notice no worries nicholas you know he's here for you what's been going on um where do I start yesterday I ran for the first time in forever fell scrape my knee

rage quit my run went home gotten the cold plunge dog instantly bites the plunge while I'm inside of it water starts leaking My whole yard starts flooding. And then I've been playing rank lately. My teammates are so bad. They're flipping spawns.

And I've been chat band, so I can't even plug in my mic and just verbally annihilate them like I want to. Okay, Nick. Well, I can't... Dude, in Hitch lately, he comes to the fly cast late. We have guests. The guests are waiting on us.

Yesterday, he didn't even shower. Nicholas! I can't help you with any of that. Maybe the rotented stuff? The high key, he's got to stop being a little baby. Tough it up. Okay, damn. Wait, today's the last day to file taxes?

Nick, please tell me you have cash-app. Damn, asking for the session money already? Dude, Nick, no. Well, cash-it is simple, safe, and free to file your taxes. Really? And I know you legit have no patience, but it's only going to take a few minutes. I have patience. You could even snap a picker of your W-2 and add it automatically.

Oh, well, that actually does sound nice. Thank you for at least helping me with one thing, but that still doesn't help the fact that it shows up late every single time. And when it's just my session, on the fly, I see 30 minutes. all right let's go back this is what I meant to start the pod with but it's all good

let's go back to fucking what'd you do as a child when did you let's say middle school were you fucking gaming already did you play sports uh

you have some tragic trauma life story you can tell tragic life story no life's been you know pretty good

not too bad I'd say in middle school though I played like Halo 4 I was like the first game Halo 4

I know I know I'm gonna get crucified for that that was the first competitive Halo game I got into for some odd reason

I don't know why Was it like the first competitive game you got into competitive competitive yeah just not even just Halo

competitive yeah just competitive at all because I would play like Halo 3 but I would only play, like, fun customs and, like, Halo 4. I don't know why, really, like, that one just got me, but it was just, like, I felt like I had, like, a small community in that game that, like, we all knew each other,

and we'd just all get on every day. What, in Halo 5? In Halo 5? In Halo 4. There was literally eight of us playing the game. Was there a name that I would know? Um, I feel like Rob, Rob the Turtle. You would know Rob.

Uh, he played V-Tech. I don't know if you know a V-Tec. Is it, like, V-Tec 09? Yeah, yeah. Yeah. He played a lot, and then some, like, of my friends, like, I was, like, playing with that time and growing up with. But, yeah, I got into that. But, I mean, outside of just gaming in middle school, it's kind of, like, I was kind of, like, I was kind of, like, I felt like I was, like a different person in middle school, like, completely.

I thought I was, like, way more outgoing and way more just, like, social. You were cool? I was a cool kid. Really? Yeah. We don't find that around here too often. And then, I mean, yeah, in high school, I played, I played three sports in high school. until like junior year

What did you play? Played football And then I wrestled And then I did track For freshman year Yeah it was my best word Damn So if we wrestled

You'd fuck me up I don't know You're pretty big Because wrestlers I've always said If I ever get in a fight With someone I hope it's not a wrestler

Because they just fucking Mangle you And you just can't do shit About it Yeah You just get like They just shoot a double on you like it's over like if someone might look at like oh renegade fucking halo nerd try you

you feel like it's like is wrestling one of those things that have that is like stuck with you to where like if you need to pull it out you could pull it out uh like if someone tried you hit you yeah no i think if i got it yeah i think if i had to get into a fight i think that's my good too for sure like i'm into like wrestling yeah like if someone starts punching me or something i think i'm just shooting like a double where you're you're gonna you're gonna be like You're getting an ankle pick or just single leg or something. See, that just, that fucking scares me already. But yeah.

Getting in a fight with a fucking wrestler is just my worst. I don't want to say worst nightmare, but the way I just see them just fucking manhandle. I'll see street fights where a wrestler. And I'm just like, I just know that's going to be, someone's going to try me, touch my girl's ass or something. And it's going to be a fucking D1 wrestler or something. And there's just nothing I can do. So you play, what was it, wrestling football? In track.

In track? What'd you run in track? I did the 200 and the 400. Are you fast? I don't think I'm that fast anymore, but yeah, I was pretty fast. Damn. I wasn't too bad. I would not expect.

I was in like a 100, you know, the 100? I ran the 200, but that was like, I mean, that was like early middle school. Do you remember your times? Fuck now. Okay. No, but yeah, I did that. I thought I was fast, though. I thought you'd be pretty fast.

I was just, I think, I'm trying to think of when I, no, I got into basketball. I actually was pretty fast. Like, I was usually always first or second fastest on whatever team I was on. Yeah. But no, I got into basketball in fifth, sixth grade. And then once I got heavy into that, I kind of stopped. And then 10th grade, I stopped basketball. But did you play all those sports?

like your whole life up until you say 10th grade uh yeah 10th grade and then uh that's when like 11th grade is when i started getting into like gaming super heavy yeah but no it was just like a like late middle school high school thing honestly right what was your what was your game to play before halo were you even a game like did you see your because i knew that i was a fucking gamer like i just i just wanted to fucking play. I wanted to play all the fucking time. Yeah, I feel like I've been a gamer,

but I'm trying to think of a game before Halo. Nah, I feel like to start with Halo. Like, I think that was the first game. Like, I truly like fell in love with. Halo 4. What was that even on, though? Xbox 360. 360. Xbox 360. I played a lot of reach.

That's your first fucking console? Like, my first sweat fest. Wait, how old are you? 24. Oh. God There's no way Your first console was the Xbox

360 No, okay, so I had the original Xbox But like I guess the first game I played Or competitive Because I thought it was like two different things Because the first game I played was like Halo 2

And like casual games I would just say like first casual game That you couldn't wait To get off the fucking bus And go home and play Zombies Blackops zombies Blackops

By far Like I used to be at the Midnight Reg releases And like waiting for the news Just for zombies? Yes, I love zombies. Shit. I was like, I would like play for the higher rounds.

I wouldn't really get far when I was younger, but I would like play for the higher rounds and like sweat that. Look at YouTube videos. How old were you around that time? Harvey like 10, 11. Damn. Yeah. So I, was there anything besides Cod or Halo that you were into? You kind of got thrown into the competitive scene.

First games are just Halo and Kod? I'm trying to think. I mean, I played, like, when I was, like, super young, like, Pokemon and stuff like that. Yeah. I played a lot of, like, the old Pokemon games. I don't know if you ever played those. Those are super fun. I played, like, I mean, I played, what was it, red, blue, yellow, gold. And then I think I sort of stopped after that.

But I fucking love that shit. Yeah, those games are a dick thing. I got into some, like, Pokemon game recently, like, probably a year ago. I, like, couldn't get off. I was like, dude, like, like, He was like sucking me in. Where were you playing it on? The Switch.

Okay. Yeah. Yeah. I see formal. Formal will like randomly get into games like that and like not even tell people. He'll just like be off stream just grinding something. Like he's always in some like game and he's like all in. Is he like he's just all in like being?

Since I've known him, he is always grinding something. He's just always locked in on something like even it's like last year of competing in cod, I think. he he would scrim whatever play the CDL matches they lose whatever get off and then it's just like boom on world of Warcraft or something like that like he's always fucking grinding something

um all right so let's get into your halo career a little bit you start off actually fuck man i need a piss so bad do you mind if I go piss three minutes yeah no problem I hate doing that that's a grind dude my fucking schedule is wake up

take the dog out chug wake up piss take dog out chug water come back shower drink protein drink drink water on the way here and then when I get here it's just You uh you hit the gym like Early in the day normally or late? No I'm gonna go right after this

Lately I've been hitting it at like One What gym do you go to? I go to my local one Okay And bum fuck Yeah and bum fuck nowhere like a local like It's just like some like small

24 hour I can go like DJ your time. I mean shit man you get it done whatever yeah do you uh all right before we get into all the hayl shit do you

think there was always a discussion with skump he seemed to place better when he wasn't working out do you think working out has helped you like play better

or is it just like that doesn't really make a difference are you one like a bro bodybuilding no I mean I do like I wouldn't say I do like a bodybuilding like workout if I could do more like a power lifting workout

than a bar bodybuilding but you lift heavy shit I mean I tried to I wouldn't say lift that heavy but yeah I just got to 225 on the bench like we you know god damn right that's a goddamn awesome you know bro I did that I just did that I think two summers ago or something

but it felt fucking good felt fucking yeah I've been I've been trying to work my bench up a lot and I finally did 225 I was like Nice. Feeling good. But I don't really lift

like that heavy I would say but I do I don't know I feel like I think there's been times where I'm just peer degenerate

I'm just gaming every day and I go to the tournament and I play pretty good but I feel like the gym at this point is more of like mental than like physical honestly

yeah like it just helps me like carries myself throughout the day and like that's how I feel like less of like a piece of shit honestly

I'm just like I feel like I'm like you know getting better at something yeah that's exactly how I feel. I feel just like,

if I'm going to be a piece of shit, at least like, let me go to the gym. I'll feel like less of a piece of shit. On like tourney days, are you working out or no? At events, are you hitting the hotel gym

to move your body a little bit or no? I got inspired. So I see, dude, I see stellar. I'll see him. Like, sometimes I'll go to the hotel gym because my schedule's all messed up and I see him just going like,

like 6 a.m. I was like... Really? Dude, Stellar? I was like, he's there every day. Like, Friday, Saturday, every Sunday I'm like damn dude he's different yeah so it kind of inspired me but

I don't really go hard if I do I usually just like walk or maybe it's like a stretch or something get the blood flow and move motherfuckers don't know stellar stellar steller go so hard I wouldn't say the gym I think he does more so like hippie no he definitely does like I went to the gym with him and he he would do

like heavy squats like he weighs 60 some pounds less than me and he's like squatting more than me like the dude's kind of jacked and he puts in so much work he's so consistent one of the best uh halo infinite players for for sure and like he just never talks about it and it's like like i feel like if i put in that much work like motherfuckers need to see this shit like if i'm stellar he could make a i think stellar could make it get some brand deals off of him just like being shredded yeah if he just took some cringy, like, shirt off fucking Instagram picks and, like, found some kind of supplement company.

I think he could get some deals. Motherfuckers don't know about seller. He's got a sleeper build. Yeah. He's actually appreciated. All right. So Halo 4. You got your group of friends.

What was your first tourney, I guess? What sort of introduced you into competing? Were you watching the competitive HALO scene? Were you watching Ace win the Halo 4 1V1 championship versus Pistola? Was actually crazy. Like were you competing then? Or were you just watching and playing for fun with Rob the Turtle? I started watching towards like HALER REACH.

I knew Imlogen HAL-G and HALER REACH, but I didn't like take it seriously. I thought like what inspired me is like watching that Instinct Squad and Reach. Yeah. The Oval T-T-Ly. Roy Luntch and Ola. That team is just so dominant. I just saw that team and I was like, damn. Like they just made it for me, for some reason,

it's made it interesting for me to watch. And I kind of started getting to that. I think my first tournament was in Halo 5 though. I don't think I really played any tournaments in Halo 4. First tournament was like the first like open series of Halo 5. Right. I played with this like my group of friends. And I'm trying to remember the team.

It was so long ago. I think it was like Ares carries his team, like back in the day, like in Halo 5. Yeah. Like I don't remember like the rest of his team. I knew that guy since 2006. Okay. So there's, yeah, there's that one. That was probably the second tourney I played.

So I played this tourney with Trippy Brainstorm and Musa. You and Trippie go way back. Yeah, I mean Trippie go way back. I just remember like we were just a bunch of like, you know, kids and like I would always like one v. win trippy for some reason like in like gbs and stuff i just remember one day i was like yo you want to play this like open cup i feel like me and you can actually just win it and uh it took some convincing but yeah we ended up teaming and we won the first open cup we beat i think it was like elevy at the time it was like hinds his team oh really you guys were like hey you want to play in this shit

and then you fucking won yeah no it was it was really like that for some reason like who is it Renegate Trippy Brainstorm Moosa Ares Cloud Hysteria tire iron Yeah So none of like the pro teams No this was the M

The M Cup Or whatever Swift killed an oxide Randa Randa Fucking Randa Randa Shut out Randa

Yeah shout out Randa Blaz Cipher Tizoxic Wait Cipher That's not is that was it lucid that changed his name oh no that's the original cipher

wait who who's lucid there was like another cipher was that lucid someone else had cipher but there was already saying that's what it was

okay okay yeah yeah no I'm an idiot damn so your first open you just come in to this was Halo 5 right yeah Halo 5 You win an open tourney.

Where does it go from here? Who do you team with? Did you dominate? Were you and Trippy? Like, holy shit, we're a duo. That's fine, too. Do you keep the same team? No, I think my ego just, like, blew up from this.

And then I think the few other tourneys I just started getting destroyed. I think I got, like, top 12 the next one. I think I won the first one. I was like, oh, my God. Like, everyone was horrible. Like, I'm going to just, like, win worlds. And then I think the next couple of tourneys I just started, I didn't do too hot. And then, um, and then, you know,

I don't know if you know this, but someone retired and I got a spot in the league. So, thank you. Wait, who wasn't? You. Wait. It was on the L-O-O squad, if you remember. Wait, was it me, Heinz, AP, and Ace?

Yeah. Really? And you retired. No. And I got the offer right after you retired. That was my entry to the league. I fucking made you? Yeah.

Hold up. Yeah, I was teaming. It was me. First off, Motsker, Rami, Renegade. We'll get to that soon enough. Yeah, we'll get to that. Okay, so if anyone knows anything about my career, or you don't know. In Halo 5, I went through shit team after shit team,

and I always felt like I was decent. I don't want to play it off. Like, I was, like, better than what I was. But I just felt like, I felt like if I could leave Optic, I could get a good team and get, like, a top six, a top four. and because we were getting top 12 maybe had a top, like it was just bad but then I finally got

this, my best team that I was so hype for, Ace APG and Heinz, that's a fucking solid squad. I mean, just look like you guys team for the next four events. Six events. Six events, yeah. But yeah, that was supposed to be the team.

It was me, Ace APG and Heinz, but I decided to stay with Optic and just retire and they pick up Renegade man look how this look how the fucking universe works that's that's actually funny so you team with them

okay this is a good place to start then you team with them this is 2017 um what do you guys get hold up skull up a little bit you got fifth through eighth then you got a third

are these all in line yeah I think I think we've gone then a top 64 what's going on there I don't think we responded into that one. I think we got in like fourth, sixth, fourth.

We got fourth at worlds. Oh shit, you guys got the fourth at world. Damn. Do you feel like you were playing the renegade we know now? Was he showing up like that then? I was showing up on that team. On that team I showed up. Okay.

I had to. See, because I think like you had to. Not like that, but I mean like it was my opportunity. Like I could does not show up. Oh, that makes me think I was thinking like, damn, so I could have got fourth. but I probably was not I probably was not showing up the way you would have showed up.

I don't know if you remember the way you retired but I just remember like you like it was like a league match and like you just like straight retired and they're just like you want to play this league match I was like yeah like

and I just like ended up playing the league match we played like Liquid and Envy and we beat them both like on some insane like I don't know this is insane honestly that whole situation kind of pisses me off

because it was like 9 p.m. Oh no The optic team got Snake buying them, right? Yeah Weren't you guys supposed to be the optic team though? Yeah, we were going to be optic

But Hex was in the midst of talking to them He was like, hey man, if I can get them I'm gonna get them I don't know, you can Maybe we can figure something out with you for like a shittier Halo team

Like an optic nation type of thing Or he was like I mean, whatever you decide to do but like if I can get them I'm gonna get them and I would ask him about it because then like a month and a half would pass and I was like yo what's going on with this shit like I need to know he's like don't worry about it man

just play your game you know do what you do and if you know shit happens shit happens so I was like all right and then one day I'm just like randomly told it might have been after like a cup or something I don't know or I don't even know if I played anything with them I think we just like form the team

then I was like all right we're ready to go and then Hex To be honest He could have told me earlier I think Like he, I feel like he waited a little bit to tell Or maybe he didn't

Maybe he was insid I really don't remember But I just remember Finding out And then I'm getting texts Like team texts Of like I think like screaming tonight Or like yo this cup is coming up

Or let's play this cup Or And I was just like Fuck man I gotta tell him And I just I think I just like, I don't know if we got in a call or I just sent a text. And I pretty much just told them I'm going to be retiring.

I'm going to make a video tonight. And, yeah, they were just like, all right, man, well, we understand. And I mean, they got you. So really it was fucking better for them. But yeah, I was, I was kind of disappointed because I finally felt like I had a team that I wanted to play with. Yeah, no, that team was. Because my whole Halo 5 career was just fucking. It was a cute, damn time of your first team.

Me, Flamed. Flame sword assault. Then we had Stellar. Only played with him and online shit. And then he got picked up by like Spartan the dog. Oh yeah. I remember. So we missed out on that.

And then it's just me, Flame Sword and Assault trying to find someone in Halo 5. I think assault just fucking quits because we were just shit. And then I think me and Flame, this is what I don't know when I always talk about. And I don't even know if shots he

members. But Flame brought up Shotsie and falcated. And I was like, maybe Falcated. I was like, I don't fucking know who Shotsie is. Like I've never, I don't even know if I've seen him in matchmaking. He's like, no, he's like a 14 year old. Like, he's super good. I'm like, bro, 14. Like, come on. Let's pick

up lifestyle and chaser. So that's that. Like, we didn't even, we didn't talk to them or anything. I just kind of like shut it down. And who, I'm assuming they would have said, yeah, because we were optic. But I was just...

I'd have been in the same team. I think you guys would have got pretty... I think we would have did decent. Once I found out... Once we randomly assemble that squad and we start winning some games, I'm like, hold the fuck up. What's...

Like, once I start getting hyped that I realize my teammates might be fucking nasty, like, it might have been decent. Then Flame Sword retires, we pick you up. Shit. That's a dinosaur thing.

Um, yeah, I had some... Had some weird teams. It was like me, Nated Ace and Straight Sick. You Nated Ace and Straight Sick. Me, Nated Aeson, straight, were shitting on people for, like, three weeks. Didn't, like, weren't dropping a map.

And then we played CLG, lost, like, 12-0. Yeah, those guys, dude. And then we fell apart from there. Me and Nade had beef. Fucking, he was texting me. I was shit. I was, like, calling him a freak, like, or some shit. I was like, you're just a fucking idiot.

Like, you destroy every team you're on. Like, it was, like, that kind of. And he just, like, I don't know. just after we got 12-0 or whatever by CLG. Our whole team just fell down the shitter. But anyways, enough about me. All right, so you get on my X team, you do decent. And you got fourth, that was your first season, fourth of worlds?

Yeah, fourth of worlds. And then you go from them to, what was it, like, boo-boo, shotsie. Shooter. Shuder nasty? I feel like I don't know nothing about shooter. He was a low-key hitter I like the Ryan Sandi a lot

Shout out of Sandy too How's my guy He's a really cool dude Yeah so I joined that team I remember we were We were playing That Splice team

It was with Falcate instead of me And for like that season Where I was playing with Ace and APG In the Heinz We were just going back and forth Like I just remember we played that Spice team It was game five game five Game five

And it was just like Neck and neck And I was like I was thinking like after the season I was like dude if I can get on that team like I could like I could win a tournament and I was just like my mentality

and I just remember like trying to this team with aunt at that point I was like dude if me and aunt like me and Shalti you could team like dude we can actually win fuck who was on the so wait you who was the Splice team

I'm trying to look here the Splice team it was Shotsi Falcated Shooter Boo Boo Boo Satsi Falcated Shooter Boo Boo, and then who was your team? It was the, uh, your, the old team, the ACBG-Hine team. Oh, and you guys would be playing them. Yeah, and it was some of some crazy games.

Like, those are probably some of the craziest games I've ever played in Halo. Like, like, it was like game five, like, double O-T, like, kind of like on some, like, like, noble black, like, uh, stuff. Was that for, like, finals and shit? Or was that just, like, random, like, to make it to top four. But, like, I don't know. It was just always a tough. Yeah, it was always just, like, insanely tough.

And it's like, I don't even know how we're winning these games, to be honest. So then eventually you get the opportunity. Is that how it would happen? You leave that team and join this team? Yeah, I kind of had to, like, finesse it, though. I was kind of like in their ear, like, you know, pick me up, like. They dropped. It dropped falcated.

Oh, shit. So then it was you, who was the team then? You, Shotsie, Eco. Shooter. Shooter and Jesse. Oh shit. They dropped falcated over shooter. Yeah, Shooter's low-key pretty good.

Really? He had good comms. He was like, he was like a good idea. I liked a shooter. Yeah, I remember Shotsie telling me about this team. So then you get this team and then what happens? I'm trying to like,

where do we get to the world championship? Okay, so we get this team. We get fourth at Daytona. I don't remember Daytona. to be honest. But then we go to Atlanta and that's the, we win Atlanta with this team.

Me, Boo Boo Shooter and win it, win Atlanta. That was like crazy at the time for me. Damn. It was like no, no, uh, no four of us have won an event prior to that. Yeah, that's crazy. And we beat, uh, like, optic at the time. Damn, shooter won an event?

Yeah. All right. You got his event win. All right. And, uh, yeah. And we were kind of, we're kind of actually, I thought we were like, Loki the best team.

And then like, I just remember after we won. After we won that event, like, I feel like we're like getting like, we were talking to like, uh, eco and stellar a little bit. We were talking to like this,

the snite down and the olas and like trying to like, form some team like that. But, I don't know, we just had to stick it out. And then after that, after the second, we got at,

I don't remember the event. I think it was Denver. That's when we kind of like, me and it. We were like, yeah, we should team. with the e-gun solar.

That's when we made the switch. Yeah. Yeah, sometimes sticking it out, I liked how Legend said this. Legend didn't want to... He saw... They won, what, four out of five events? Yeah, which is crazy.

And then they win worlds, and then they don't stick together. That has never happened in history, really. No. I mean... I was surprised. BTH-9, Cloud left after we won, but it just made sense.

Like, he could go team with the... Roy in fucking lunch. Like our shit was a fucking, I don't want to say fluke, but, you know, I wasn't a fluke. But, uh, it wasn't as like consists as four out of five, like dominant. Yeah, this is fucking domination. And he still has, I like this mindset out of him because he still had the, I mean, we'll see how it pans out, I guess. But he didn't want to be the team that, like, forces themselves to stick together while

all these other teams make the perfect move for their teams. And like, Optic gets better. This team gets better And then suddenly SSG struggling For top three Top four this other team And then they don't win

Like he didn't want to beat that team Because it has happened time and time again To where like Happen to my team This year Yeah the world The world championship team Decides to stick together

And then they get through a whole season And then like yeah like your team You guys got like what A top six Top six top four A third Oh we got a win though You got to win

You got a win At least one to see Not a horrible season but you want you want to fucking dominate the season you want to you want to be if you would have made a change then I mean who knows you got to might have dominated the season more I don't know I mean it's really hard to tell but I do like how legend had the balls to be like I don't want to be in that situation where all these other teams get better and we stay the same so let's just form the fucking God squad insane mentality to be honest.

I can't believe like so to this day that they actually did it but I mean especially like here I am especially because I don't think

legend is doing it for the content shit like sure it's a cool little switch up but that reminds me Bose was supposed

to be here today and I was like on the call sheet it was me renegade Bose and he was like which one's renegade

don't that dude not speak English and I'm like bro don't even come don't even come to the fucking pod man like I'll I'm just going to be asking Halo questions.

I don't know why they're throwing you on the call sheet. I love Bose, but I was like, you don't even. It's all right, man. We'll all meet each other and it'll be cool, but I just thought that was fucking funny. But no, that's legend. And I don't think legend wants to. I don't know, man. They were so.

Bound was even like, Bound's always been cool with me. I mean, sometimes that events will be weird and he'll see me and he'll just be like, fuck you. I'm not just thinking what the fuck is wrong with you I'm just saying all right Yeah But I did always kind of feel like bound What did it come to optic

Yeah but like I don't know Let's just say Where we're at right now How excited Is this the fucking team you wanted? Well Not really kind of No it's just like

It's hard to say because I've said that a lot But I know for sure Me and Bound I've wanted to team with each other for years Y'all have never teamed with each other Never teamed with each other But we'd play like online stuff together And we'd never lose

Like me and Bound Like I mean Well I feel like I'd knock on some wood But me and like two V2s I've never lost Bro and even me being outside of the scene I didn't give a fuck about Halo 5

And all I'd hear about Would be like you and Bound Playing 2V2s and fucking Halo 5 But like man no one ever knew what Bound Look like They never knew if he'd show up to an event That's the main reason I didn't team with them going into Infinite

Because he wouldn't show his face I'd like ask him for a picture I don't get it He was he was very interesting He would never show his face I was like dude like if you just showed your face Maybe you know turn your stream on with your face cam Like we could probably be teaming in the beginning of this game

He just wouldn't do it And I don't know I don't Because like sometimes I think that does happen with some people But it's like Bounds not an ugly guy I mean we could work on the haircut But like besides that bounce not a an ugly guy. I don't know why he did that. But yeah, we'll have bound on the flycast soon enough. But yeah, if you guys don't know anything about him, and during Halo 5, like, none of his friends knew what he looked like.

No. It's not like you got to fucking know, but it's just somehow something you join a Skype. I remember me, lethal, fucking formal APG, like skeptical, maybe even like Frosty Snake. But, like, we'd all have this Skype call. all. I think it was Skype still. But like we'd all just turn our camps on and just like chill. And it was just so it's like, I don't know. You just kind of fucking learn what they look like. And it was, I can't agree.

Like I'd be scared if I'm like, this motherfucker ain't showing up to an event. That's, that's, no, there was actually some like insane opportunity. I remember back on this team, this splice team, right? I think it was like Columbus and like bounce from Ohio, right? Stellar got sick at the event. Like he had like some like insane stomach issue. And he was thinking like he can't play. And I remember like we're messaging bound.

We're like, yo, you want to show to this event and play? And he wouldn't show his face. He was like, no, I don't want to do it. I don't want to show my face. So I was like, what the fuck? I was like, all right. Maybe he had some. I was like, this guy just, I don't know.

When I ask him, like, if he's telling him, he's going to be like, no, like they weren't serious. But like, we were pretty serious. And like, he just, yeah, he just wouldn't show his face for the longest. I've known bound for a while. Like, I've known him for a long time. And he didn't start showing his face until like Infinite dropped. Yeah, we'll get his take on that when he comes on in the next few. Yeah, I'm sure you have a different dig.

All right, before we, I guess, get into our current squad, U-Shotzy, eco-stellar fucking God squad. Who were you teaming with? In the beginning of Halo Infinite was not Shotsie, obviously. It was them three plus penguin? And you guys were still getting like, back in and shit. We won two events back to back.

One two events. So it's still a good squad. Yeah. But obviously you're fucking dominating. And then the, I was hyping this squad up so much. Because I always thought, like, Royal 2 Snakebite and Frosty, those three players just always, I mean, bro, since Halo 5, they were just, it just seemed like the best fucking trio formed in, like, such a long time.

And they had lethal, but lethal fucking, for the first time, I was like, I think lethal's falling off a little bit. And lethal is my boy. I love him. I hope he's doing well. Maybe have him on soon. We've had him on the podcast before. But I would just never see lethal going like positive. And maybe I'm wrong.

Maybe it could just be unlucky. And I'm seeing searching matches, but I was like, damn, I think this is the lethal falloff. And like, it's, I'm not trying to be safe fall off. some negative shit, but it's just like, the more you play, the order you get, you're not getting first place forever. Lethal was fucking dominating for the longest.

But I was like, I think the next person up right now is, I was thinking Renegate or Lucid, are like the two best players in the game. So to see you join Faze, Frosty, Renegade, Rorow 2, Snakebite, did you go into that team

thinking you were about to win every fucking event? Uh, yeah. I mean, so I guess we'll just go back a little bit. Uh, we were, we were supposed to team year one after Kansas. So they beat us at Kansas. And I remember, uh, Brad was like messaging me. He's like, we, we should team. And I was like, I mean, at this time, I was like, dude, like, this team has been so dominant for so long. Like, I, I was, like, under the intention that was like, dude, if I can go on that team, I feel like we would never lose, right? So obviously, that was. my mentality going into it but um yeah no we you know we we actually played pretty we played pretty good when we first team like I felt like I was like oh like we're about to be like we're about to be running shit like I really did feel it like in scrimms and yeah screams like our first like initial like we loaded in I was like whoa like no one was like taking maps off us and stuff uh yeah I felt I feel super confident in that team but yeah unfortunately I wish I I still says they wish we teamed year one.

I mean, shout out to like my other phase squad, you know, we, you know, we still did all right, but I did wish I teamed with these guys year one because I think we could have, Royal Two Snake Bayer. I think we could have won one of Halo Infinite. Yeah. Instead of sticking with SSG.

No, so I left that C-9 SSG squad and I ended up teaming with falcated, snipe down, and Sparty because of just contractual stuff. And, uh, yeah, that kind of we played pretty good

I mean we got fourth third I mean it wasn't horrible but I just wish I had that roster like riot year one yeah I think we could have won a long more what do you think went I mean it's this is a hard question

but like what do you think what do you think went wrong with the team even though it's hard to even like answer that because sometimes it just at tournaments it just might not play it like obviously you said you're dominating in scrims

is there anything you think that sort of stood out as far as why. Because I'm telling you, when you, when this team formed, like, I had to pretend like I had optics back. But I was like, these motherfuckers are going to win every single event. Yeah. Do you think, is there something you think went wrong? Is there? I personally feel like the main reason, at least this last year, because year two or the year we won Worlds and we won a few events.

We lost like, we lost like two or three events to that year, which was like I thought it was just like, flukes or just weird losses. I was like, I don't know. I didn't really take it that serious, but this year, I feel like we just had a lot of, like, internal, like, not, like, conflict, but, like, it was very, I think, I feel like them three teaming together that long had,

I don't know, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe, you know, if they ever, like, bring this up. But I feel like they had, like, internal conflict that they never really wanted to talk about from them three, from over the years, even team with TJ. And, like, when you team with people for that long, Like, there's stuff that builds up, you know? Like, no one, like, everyone's human.

So I feel like that was part of it. And it was also just like a play style, like, I don't know. I wanted to play a certain way. I feel like some people on the team wanted to play a certain way. And I feel like that was like a weird conflict too that we started having. Yeah, I can see that. Once you're teaming with people for so long, you start getting comfortable. You start saying maybe some slick shit.

Yeah. You start, like, instead of like going hard in the scrim anymore. more you're like you just have a kind of a little attitude or something you you just get comfortable with the team and you don't you don't treat it how it really should be sometimes seeing a team with people for a certain amount of length is it can be a little you would think it'd be good and to be honest I think for a long time it was good yeah like they knew how exactly how each other played but I mean it is what it is and then at least from there what did you guys get it worlds this past year

third third so it was SSG topic y'all yeah so I mean we're still in that top you know three conversation I mean it's not we completely like fell off but obviously to our standards like we want to win I mean it's fucking tough man

the team the top three teams are it's fucking tough even now where we're at okay so you go from these guys was it sort of like a yo we're all just going to go our own ways or did you you knew immediately like i'm going to see what my options are yeah i i just remember like like sunday or i might have have been monday morning or sunday like i just get a dm from formal and he's like yo we need

to run it or something and i was like yeah i'm teaming with formal like you know like wait how soon is this like monday so it was sunday the turning like monday morning like monday like Like, NTC messages me, and I was like, yeah, I'm a team of formal, so I don't know, from there we'll figure it out. Yeah, formal is, at least like in last year, I think he was this most consistent player on the optic team, in my opinion. Right. And then from there, it was just like, bound and legend were just down. Did you even think that was an option? So, yeah.

So, like, I don't want to expose too much because I feel kind of bad. but kind of going into worlds like mean Bowner messaging each other like yo if you win we win like whatever I like it's kind of like if whoever wins like it doesn't matter I think we should team after this

type type stuff and me and Bounder like really talking about that and uh that's crazy yeah that is really crazy because like I guarantee my team is still know that I guarantee us and she doesn't know that so that no I mean that gives a fuck at this point yeah I mean it is what it is but yeah me and Bounder talking like doing that but like I didn't really take him that serious because I was like

dude like he's a four out of five event wins like yeah let's see if you actually pulled the trigger and yeah and they they were down and did you think it would just be a bound or did like did you have any okay were you thinking in your head okay it could be me formal bound who the fuck would we want as a fourth or was it like yo try to get fucking legend you know it's try to get legend for sure that was like your one and only option we need that motherfucker. I mean, if that's on the table, yeah. Legend's insane at this game.

So, and I think Bown knows that too. So he's just kind of like, yeah, I'm down a team, but like, we got to get legend. Yeah. And, yeah, I mean, it worked out in this way. Did you all have to do any convincing or did Bound kind of do the talking with legend and bring him over here? No, legend was down right away too. Like, they were both down.

So it just happened that way, I guess. I don't know. I guess it's a little unfortunate for, you know, SSG or whatever, but, uh, that's just the way stuff goes. So,

you got your squad, man. Renegade, formal, legend, bound. Coach Tusk. Uh,

shout out to us. Has, was he, he was competing, right? Yeah. Now he's retired. He coached,

uh, he coached me on, uh, phase like year one, though. Okay. He's been my coach before. I,

I've had experience with Tusk. I feel like this is the team. I know we... Yeah, the World Championship. Yeah, he was our coach. I know we... He had his jersey on backwards. We got to make sure he locks in this year.

We'll get him locked this year. You can't be on the Sunday championship Sunday jersey on backwards. Jersey backwards. Come on, man. It said Tusk 13 in the front. Well, now people kind of do that. It's like a trend for people to put their shit on backwards. But you got your fucking squad.

You're happy with your squad. When do you guys plan on? When do scrim start? Whenever they announce... Hold on. The roadmap. Yeah, whenever they announced a roadmap, I think they said they're going to announce it maybe early February,

so we'll figure it out, but... We got to get form off rivals. You guys, 10 hours deep every day on rivals, so we're going to have to... What are you going to be doing until then? Just streaming, gaming Halo, probably gaming cod, just doing kind of whatever. Just staying warm, staying ready.

goddamn right so you can really do um all right well i think we learned enough the twitter community the optic twitter community has matt if you have any that you picked out we can look at i liked a few let me uh let me go to my likes or some shit how does this work gonna see what the twitter community set and see if there's any decent questions Um, while we answered this, Jay asked, How soon after Worlds did you know you'd be playing with formal and optic? The day after. Um, this is a question.

Some of the questions I think are newbie, but I'm like, so are like, so is our audience. So I'll just ask it anyway. Because like, this is really how they be thinking. Who will be slaying the most out of your squad and how much teaming, and how much of teaming with formal helped? your decision to come to Optic. So who will be slaying the most out of your squad? Damn.

Hopefully anyone's certain. Yeah. That's what you can really hope for it. Hopefully it's everyone. Hopefully it's not just one person. I mean, I think you look at this squad and it's, bro, fucking anyone at any time. Yeah, that's how you want it. You want it to be anyone at any time and whoever's going off, if it's not you, then you need to be doing something else.

Yeah. Let's see. what is your favorite game outside of halo uh outside of says cesar season i got to start remembering their names matt if you find a decent one let me know i mean as of right now i've been i've been playing a lot of black up six so i would just say uh yeah black up six cod right now

what's your favorite cod favorite cod black ups too probably damn right black ups two is here um here's a little um here's a little different one who's your dream blunt rotation i don't know if you smoke or not but if you did i indulge a ted just a little bit if you did well since you do who's your dream blunt rotation who do you want to get high with me dashy dashy me you i actually actually you you would throw me in the dream blunt rotation oh my god be a nightmare

I think that would be hilarious I mean shit we might be able to make it happen what was your first ever gamer tag uh flame dragon fuck yeah no numbers no numbers like I don't remember the numbers Dashie sorry what was your first

gamer tag Fotel Dashy's first Gamer tag was Fotel Mac Craig what was your first Gamer tag It was a Matt C. Spartan 117. Oh.

Okay. How does it feel being on... Just Fading Now, asked. He said, how does it feel being on an optic after competing against them all these years? Which new teammate? You can just answer this last part. Which new teammate are you most excited to play with and why?

Damn. That's a hard question. I would definitely say formal, because I've played with Bown and Legend, at least like in, you know, friendly, like money to's aides and stuff. Right. I rarely ever play with formal, so I'm excited to play with formal, like, on land, especially. What would you be doing if you didn't play Halo? It's the worst question. Because I have no idea, dude.

Like, shit, I'd be, who knows? Who knows what I'd be doing? Do you know what you'd be doing? I would like to think I would be in some sort of field of nutrition, maybe a personal trainer, maybe a psychiatrist, which I wouldn't have been too much school, maybe a therapist.

That's sort of it. So I don't know. But there was, I had some, like, ideas. I think I would just be in the military or something. Really? No idea.

You ever think about going to, like, college or anything? I have a funny story in college So I remember I Like senior year I tried super hard My grades I got like

Not I'm gonna say I got straight A's But I got like eight Mostly A's and Bs I tried super hard Try to get into a four year college You know do the whole thing And I just remember Going first day in college

First day right I go there I do like my assignments and stuff And I'm like I just remember leaving the day And I was like I'm not coming back here And I just never went

Really? I just left I literally was like dude I'm not doing this shit. Like, it tried to give me like a whole homework package like day one.

I'm like, nah, I got to make it out. I got to make it out doing something else, dude. Where in this was your Halo career?

Or where in your Halo career were you during this time? This was like, like, last year, Hilo 5. So it was like,

yeah, fuck this shit. Like, I just won whirl. I was like, dude, like, nah,

I'm not doing this. But looking back at it, I probably would have, I probably would have, but I like hindsight, I probably would have just stayed, you know, at least do like a year or something get some credits but not it said the military yeah all right man

well renegade thank you so much for joining me on the flycast man thank you for having me yeah we'll get your we'll get your teammate bound up here soon enough and see see if he can defend himself for whatever the hell we were talking about uh but yeah that's gonna do it thank you guys so much for watching matt gregg play that outro music