The Flycast - Huke Picks His Favorite Teammate | The Flycast Ep. 158

Episode Date: August 16, 2025

OpTic Gaming Merch: https://shop.opticgaming.com/Check out the OpTic SCUF collection and use code “OpTic” for a discount: https://scuf.co/OpTicCheck out the OpTic Podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/optic-podcast/id1542810047https://open.spotify.com/show/25iPKftrl0akOZKqS0wHQGHuke Picks His Favorite Teammate | The Flycast Ep. 15800:00 Intro 01:00 Huke offseason 29:30 Who was Hukes favorite teammate? 39:23 Huke joining back & picking up Merc

I think that's what it is so. We're surprised when we hear you get shit talked because we're like, hey, man. Be nice. What the fuck? He didn't say shit to you. He didn't say anything. I feel like you really just mind your business. I've never heard you talk crazy about someone.

I've never seen some. It's all good vibes over here. All good vibes. I feel like you put your head down and I feel like there could be a lesson to be fucking learned here. Is that like, welcome back. Welcome back to another episode of the vlogcast today. Episode. Episode who gives it fun today.

You like that one? Yeah, that's it. We got Hook in the building. Is this the third time we've done it? Second. Second time. No, we've done it three times, I think. I don't think so.

I think we did it. I can't remember. Before he was dropped. After he got picked up again. And now this time. And now he has a world. championship again congratulations to you

yeah congratulations to you yeah a big finish the season strong man appreciate it appreciate it back to back on the nope only one no we have definitely done too there's no way on the scenes of picking up hook maybe that one what the fuck am i doing this where are we

why am i sitting the indians okay so this is the second one this is only the second there's no fucking way that's what i remember that's what I remember right but you're our favorite guest no way yeah yeah well actually let's think about it you don't have to lie to me it's definitely a top three yeah it has to be okay because every time you come on here it's good vibes good convo okay okay I feel like you

you're kind of on the quiet side but when you sit down and just like get asked questions like you will spit some shit and people I feel like people aren't used to hearing that you just There's a lot of gas in the morning. Yeah, it is. I guess it's the afternoon. Damn. Oh, you just woke up. I just woke up.

From this legacy. Yeah, we're doing it. Yeah, how is that? What? The streaming thing. Yeah, so we're doing the legacy matches every night this week. And then also, TST just started like a sub-a-thon where we have to get Diamond in like seven games and then get 15K and counterstrike. beat Eldon Ring beat Minecraft.

So we are constantly on, we are constantly streaming until we complete all those. Diamond is like what rank? That's like pretty good, right? Yeah, it's like, I think Diamond is like the first like respectable rank in most games. Okay, okay. Unless it's Halo. Yeah, but like.

Because they're going for Diamond and Halo Infinite and like you just get that in placement, I think. That's kind of how. That's kind of how. But it's still a challenge, man. It's still a challenge. Went to the Hooke Marathon. If you were to choose a game.

Yeah. You know what you should do? Yeah. Is an Eldon Ring. DLC. And I kind of want to talk to you about Eldon Ring a little bit. Okay. Like a marathon or something.

Would you ever do a marathon? Would you ever sit there and just, I'm talking be on camera, 24-7. You eat on camera. You sleep on camera. You can go shit. But besides that, everything's on camera. If I wasn't competing, absolutely. Yeah.

Yes. That sound like something that would entice you? At the moment, no. Not right now, hell no. You're in the off season, though. There's plenty of time. There's plenty of time, but, like, I still prepare in the off season. Like, this is what motherfuckers are.

You know what other motherfuckers are doing? Probably. Eldon ring. Eldon ring marathons, probably. Yeah, pizza, probably. I had pizza in Italy. I'm not going to. I had pizza in Italy.

I thought you got really locked in. No, I'm like locked, but I'm not like locked locks. Wait, how are you playing Black Ops 3-8s in Italy? How does that even come about? Okay. So, yeah, my parents live there. Oh, oh, there you go. Both parents live there.

And it's just an old setup of mine. So it's like, you know, they brought it from here back over there. Bro, the way people were talking about it made it seem like you visited the Luffy Coast and you, like, went and grabbed an Xbox. But I'm bitching. No, no, no, we got an Xbox set up a lot. It's not as crazy. They're set up like, it's basically like I was at home. Like, when I was younger, I would go to the,

I live with my parents. It's the same type of vibe, except they're in Italy. So I was going to the beach instead, and then I would play games. So did you ever, like, live full time in Italy? No, no, no. Oh, oh, okay. They moved there like three years ago. Oh, okay, this was after, okay.

I was like, damn, you speak Italian? Nah, no. Was it like a, when they lived here, or how long did you all live here together? Until I was 18. Well, we didn't live only here, but I lived in Arizona from like... Or just the states, I guess. The states, like 10 years. And then they moved back to Italy three years ago?

Yep. Was it kind of like you're a grown man now, you don't need us no more, and we're just going to go live our life that we want to live. Good luck. Well, so I'm the youngest. I have an older brother, older sister. We're all six years apart. Okay.

And I mean, yeah, I guess we're all, like, chilling. But also, like, it's not only because they want to go do their own thing, they also, or my dad specifically works out there. Oh, okay. He's got shit going on. Are you an uncle? No, I'm not an uncle. Oh.

Yeah, none of us have kids. So how old are you? 25. Okay. Yeah. It didn't piss me off this time. I feel like when I, who did I talk to the other day? And they were like, who was it?

Someone was like 24 or 22. And I'm just like, it's just insane. You get to be 22? 2025. That's Mason. I know. And actually, we'll get into that. What's, you know, obviously one back to back, no big deal, whatever.

Now you're living in the off season and you mentioned you still prepare in the off season. What does that look like for you? Just making sure, like, for me, this off season, I feel like it's different every year. But like right now it's just making sure I'd continue. you to do the stuff that I was doing this year, like, mainly outside a game, not too much inside. You know, good habits, keeping the good habits I worked on. And what does that entail? Yeah, I did have some pizza, but, no, just making sure I somewhat eat pretty good, making sure I work out a little bit every day, even if it's nothing crazy, stuff like that.

Nothing too crazy. Do you go to a gym? I go on walks and shit, stuff like that. Do you go to a gym? Earlier this year I was going to the gym a lot But not recently No, I've been doing

I'm in the gym now I know he's grinding He's been waiting He's been talking about this I had a He wants to come on the pod And talk about it We can get it

I don't know if he does But he was Yeah I don't know If Ant's been in a gym before Like I don't know if he's ran But I don't know if he's like Hit the weights So it's actually kind of funny

But it also worries me a little bit Because if you His hands are just so precious and soft and they move so fluently you start lifting weights and shit yeah you get some calluses on it's like is it gonna be the same

plus he's gonna keep getting older but now I was talking to this dude he works out with Boo Boo and this dude Kramer yeah I know I know that and they hit me up they were like yo wanna come get in a workout with me aunt me aunt and Boo Boo I was like what

like Shotsie's at the gym with you and he was like yeah man come through next time I was like, all right. I was like, I don't really believe you that I asked him. He was in, he just like sparked right up. He was like, yeah, man, just like trying to hit the weights now. I'm a hybrid athlete now. I'm like, slow the fuck down.

Dude, he loves it. He got all excited. He was like, yeah, bro, just like run in the morning, weights afternoon, cold plunge every, or like cold plunge every morning as well. I'm like, God, damn. He's going to pass you up. You're going to get so pissed. Dude, if so, if Aunt gets, I mean,

It probably would happen. I was to say, don't say if he's got his brain. If Shotsie, when Shotsie get shredded before I do, I'm just gonna. It's probably be depressed again, I guess. There's really, I mean, it doesn't, yep, I'll just start back on DoorDash. Shit like that. You grab the pizza, you dunk it in the syrancha. Yes.

I was hoping you said serrancha. Tarantia. This pizza your go-to food? For me? Yeah. Nah What's your go-to food What's your

I don't give a I've heard pizza Three times Yeah yeah Yeah I was used it as a bit You're stuck on an island You take one meal

One meal Or death row Like okay Okay okay That's a good question Like if you're asking me Like the island question Alright

If it's just a singular food I would pick shrimp Shrimp But if it's like a genre of food Like you know You got Chinese food You got Mexican You got a meal.

A meal. Okay, like an overall meal? Your favorite meal to sit down with. First off, shrimp's crazy. I feel like you're going like... You want to know why? Well, I feel like you're going... I love shrimps.

Like, is that your favorite meat? I feel like you're thinking about the island and ways to survive and you can preserve the shrimp and then you can catch more. It's been my favorite food. Okay. Like shrimp's your favorite food? You said there's a reason why?

I don't know if it's a good reason, but like... It's going to get weird. No, it's not that weird. I just think because like shrimp you can eat like a lot of shrimp and feel pretty good. Right. Like at least for me like I can eat a shit ton of protein too. Exactly. I can eat so much shrimp and feel good afterwards.

Yeah. And that's why I like it. And it tastes good. Yeah. Yeah, you throw some hot sauce on there. I agree. That's true. So if your meal, what would your meal be?

Would it include shrimp? It'd just be like some shrimp pasta type of? No, I don't think I would, I don't know. I actually like, I've been asked this recently. I actually don't know what I would get. for just one meal. Like your death row meal. Yeah, it's so hard to know.

I actually don't know. What's one of them that? I love Mexican food, so probably like tacos. But that's not like a good meal. But I'm not going to lie, this like, there's some pasta out in Italy that I had. I mean, I might choose those. There's some really fucking. Yeah, that's just unfair though.

Why is it in time? Italy. Italian pasta, like real Italian pasta. I love this. It does hit a little different. Yeah. Going out there for Cess wedding experience some. No, that's nice.

It does, it's cleaner. Like, you don't feel, why is that? Why don't you feel like complete shit after, like, true Italian pasta? I don't know. I think they just use, I think they just use fresher stuff, bro. Like, they're using fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, all that type of stuff. Less, like, preservatives and shit. You know, I've witnessed, like, the Italian grandmas, like, at one of this, like, bar or something like that.

They're literally, like, whipping up. fresh pasta. They're like professionals over there. Yeah, we don't get that. Do you miss Italy? Uh. Would you ever live there? No. I don't think so. Why not? You just got too much going on

over here? Yeah, that... I mean, like, say when you get older, when I'm retired in four years, but you won every single event, so you're set for life. I wouldn't move to Italy. I would move somewhere else, though. Where would you move? You know what? I'm just asked random that shit for the first 30 minutes. I don't want to talk about... worlds i don't want to talk about eWC go ahead go ahead um

i don't know i kind of love i love Amsterdam I would move there brothels yes yes I don't think that's the reason what the hell that no what the hell no I just

that's I'm half Dutch I'm half Dutch bro I love Amsterdam I've been going there since I was a kid you're half Dutch yeah my mom's Dutch I never been to Amsterdam

you been? No. What am I thinking of Red Light District? Yeah. Is that like the Sext Street? That's a thing. That's kind of...

I didn't even knew that existed though until I was like 18. No, I believe you, to be honest. You don't seem like that type of fucking freak. I don't know what freaks be going to the Red Light District.

Wouldn't it be me though. I can't speak on that, but... It is a thing. I know that. But other than that, I promise you, if you didn't,

even know about that this place is awesome i promise in my opinion obviously obviously obviously i'm biased obviously i'm biased but any any city with like uh water running through it i think is always like it's fire so sick and then like if you guys didn't know like there's more bikes than people basically it's like you could bike anywhere there and that's another thing like bikes than cars or bikes than people both like like they just have a fuck ton of bikes everywhere just in case Because everyone rides bikes and I don't know. It's just like a random statistic. But like yeah.

Really? Yeah. It's pretty wild. I'm not going to lie. Like if you even like there's like videos of like them like scooping out like just bikes in the bottom of the water. Yeah, out of the river right? Google Amsterdam bike riding. Like there's just herds of people on bikes.

Like is there is it? So there's road like basically there's obviously the roads for the car right? But next to that there's roads for the bike. So like they literally built in like a whole bike city essentially. Yeah. Where in, um, oh, they really be doing it. Amsterdam bicycle rush hour. Yeah, it's like legit like you're driving in a sense.

Like there's so many people next to you. Like are roads like made for bicycles? Yeah. Look at either. Like you want to be a part of this culture? Like would, would you like this? I enjoy it. Yeah.

It's kind of fun. Hell yeah, man. Like you can bike anywhere. Man, that's what we need on the flycats. Oh my God. I mean, imagine, like, how healthy you are, too. Like, I have, like, an aunt. Like, you know, she's a bit older, but, like, she's, you know, like, she's biking every day.

She's moving. She's in good. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, that's good. What about a place in the U.S. you would pick to live? If you could pick anywhere. I fuck with Texas. Really?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Dallas specifically? Dallas, Austin. Those two. Yeah. I actually do, like, Austin. That's where my parents lived for a little bit. What else is some random shit I can ask before we start getting in the call of Dedi?

Are there more kangaroos than people in Australia? Yes, there are more kangaroos than people in Australia. Damn, that's wild. Wait, that's insane. There's more kangaroos than people? That's insane. 50 million? What?

Kangaroos. How? Like twice as many? Wait, so it's insane, dude. All they have to do is learn how to fight. Kangaroo Jack. Some of them do know how to fight. Have you seen the video of a dude?

actually fighting one of boxing the kangaroo it's kind of scary those things are like insane man all right we can get into some cod man um where do we want to start i wish i could remember like where our last pods fucking went wait i kind of i kind of want to ask you a general question yeah it seems like you're you're a guy that's like keeps to himself you you play games and you stay out of trouble and you help the team. But I've seen twice this year people have their name in your mouth for some reason. Wait. And how do you deal with the LA?

Why is that happening? His name in their mouth. Yeah. It's happened twice. How do I deal with it? Or why is it happening? Who is it both? You pissing people off behind the scenes, sending DMs?

No, no. I don't have a good answer for you. I have no idea why it's happening. Can you say a name so I feel like I know what's going on? For some reason, I don't know. I didn't see the clip, but I saw the Reddit account talking about how like Sibb said that. Sib said Kyler was getting carried or something. And then like when they won champs, for some reason, Maven was bringing them up.

And I was just like, what's going on? Like, what's going on? I don't know. I was like, maybe there's something behind the scenes that I don't know about. No. You're not shit-talking people behind the scenes? No. Okay.

Not at all. But, yeah, I don't have an answer for you on that one. Well, I think when Kyler was on the team, there was just like, there were times where there wasn't great moments, I guess. The team wasn't performing, but then, but you got Shotsie and Dashie, so it can't be them. Yeah. So it just has to fall on someone.

So they were saying it was. And Hooke was just kind of always, at least that's what I would assume, you know. I feel, I feel like. I don't mind people talking. you don't that no that was to your answer you said how do I handle I don't mind it I mean can't you know can't control someone saying something but when when that happens when you see it happening are you like more surprised than anything or do you just immediately take it as like motivation uh I like motivation but also like I find it funny I don't know if I'm weird

yeah I find stuff like that funny because it's like what I do exactly what the fucking What'd you say fuck me for? Exactly. Were they like really going in or were they, was it just like optics getting shit on? I don't know. I think this hook is, does who really belong in this position? I also didn't see any of the, I didn't see any of the clips. So I don't know if it was.

People just talking shit. If it was backhanded or if it was. Well, I mean, you're an off. Direct. It's just going to, that's just going to happen. I think, I don't think there was a player who didn't get. I don't know if I saw dashy. this is what?

This was early this year. Sibbs, since Shots at Hooke, then got picked up by Optic in one chair. Yeah. He was getting fucking verbaled for a while, so if he's getting it, everyone's good.

This one makes more sense, though. This was because I obviously, like, basically I was frying in the beginning of the game. Yeah. Just, it's not online. Don't have the number one seed.

No, before I joined Optic, in 8s, you know, I wasn't even on a pro team. You know, I'm shitting on people. But, yeah, Basically, I was really good at the game and I wasn't that good as good last year. So, you know, he's just saying stuff.

He's just saying that. Yeah. Well, he was just saying like yada, yada, like, oh, blah, blah, blah. He's not going to play this good. Like, whatever, you know? Normal shit talk. But I've experienced this before. That's why it also doesn't bother me.

I was called an online warrior when I was 15 years old. You know? This guy's the best, bro. He's literally the best. Somebody. Somebody. No, that's ghosty. Look at the other team.

Look at the other team. Oh, you're talking about Kyle? Oh, okay. Yeah. That was Sid? Yeah. I mean, it's not that great, dude. Yeah, that's not bad.

I've said shit like that. You think when they scream he's like fucking just annihilating everyone too? Just running. Yeah, 100% because Changers know how to fucking play against that type of play style of this. Oh my God, he's on my face again, dude. Fuck, man. Cuke, man. What are you saying?

I think people are just surprised. when they hear you get like us I think that's what is so we're surprised when we hear you get shit talked because we're like hey man be nice what the fuck

he didn't say shit to you didn't say anything I feel like you really just like mind your business I've never I've never heard you talk crazy about someone I've never seen some it's all good vibes over here all good vibes

I feel like you put your head down and I feel like there could be a lesson to be fucking learned here is that like in the past year or two you've done nothing when we had you on before you were kind of saying the same thing like you do nothing but just like

put your head down stay focus wake up with a positive attitude control what you can control and just do your best yeah try I try to do that and then we got motherfuckers like so how do you not does it ever come across like your you know brain whenever you're

playing the people that are talking shit yeah And you don't get up and talk shit back? No. After a win? No satisfaction. They feel enough with the loss. It's also like how I've been since I was younger, like, I'm playing the game.

Like, I'm not playing because you, in a sense, right? If he's talking, I'm telling to the shit talker. Yeah, yeah. I'm playing because I want to play the game. So, like, that's just how I've always been. So, like, I don't take anything personal. It's kind of like, I'm not here for you. you bro in a sense yeah it's like you're here to play as good as you can exactly you're not here to

play against to beat this guy and prove that your skills are better and you're here to play as good as you can fucking play everyone is different I don't think like that's like the way to do it for everybody but that's how I've been since I was a kid yeah like do you do you like teaming with shit talkers and and actually yes you do yes and no I love so like Like, for example, I team with Cratos, I love team of a Cratos. I don't know if you know who that is. Yeah, he's like the best Halo 3 player of all time. You know what?

I'm a clap to that. I haven't heard that sentence before. No, one thing I'll say about Cratos is... Because Cretos doesn't talk shit to his teammates. It's everyone else. So I don't mind that. He's like... He talks shit, but he's gassing you up.

But he's also a very... And correct me if I'm wrong. I never really got along with Cratos. I don't know if anyone really did besides his teammates. And I'm sure you can... Yeah. Being on his team is fun. Yeah, he has beef for everyone.

But he's talking shit to everyone. But what I can respect about it is after the game, he can still say GGs, but he can also... Where is I going with this? He's a respectable... The one thing I liked about Cratos. Oh, the one thing I liked about Cratos slipped my mind for a second. He'll talk out of shit. Dude.

Take your time. Dude, holy shit. I just lost again. Hold on. But he's a selfless player That's what I was getting to I got caught I just kept I was getting flashbacks

I kept forgetting where I was going to watch I kept forgetting where I was going with that He he would talk so much shit And it was like you would almost like those kind of players Who talk a lot of shit I feel like they almost try to make sure They do good And because you can't talk that much shit and get shit on

But like he would do he would talk that much shit and he's just pulling the flag. He didn't, and maybe, maybe I'm wrong. I never team with him, but I thought he was such a selfless player. I would see him pull flags. He would literally run in front of you. Like, he did not give a fuck, bro. Yeah.

Yeah. And that's one thing. Didn't he go on an interview and say he was the best player of all time? He did. See, like he does that and like, I know it's jokes. But it's so triggering. It's got to be. It is.

That was jokes, right? I saw a clip of you watching the, the interview and then you paused it and went no no no but he was like to be honest at a certain oh yeah here it is here it is at a certain point he he was kind of tough in halo 5 he was tough to beat like he'd be quick self in the beginning of the game he was actually pretty good picks all he's a unique competitor I'm not gonna look yeah why am I wishing you the best so I'm no I don't know it's just me and my team always see like what he said there is actually facts up I'm top 10 in every category.

No other player can say that. What do you just say? There's really good players, players better than me at certain things. I'm a top. I'm top 10 in every category. No other player can say that. Slang? There's really good players and players better than me at certain things.

But when you put it all together, I think I'm just simply the best player to have ever played. There it is. This guy. There it is. I can love that guy. I'll tell you what, Maylor 5, he was tough to play against. I do think he had really good teammates. I mean, I've played against him in other halos

And I never even thought of the guy But in Halo 5 He did find something there And he was very annoying Like he'd just be pulling the We have like we'd be one dead He just pulls the flag I almost kill him

But he gets around the corner They end up capping because of that Like then I hear he screams Because he's capping Jumping in thrust So it was tough How the fuck did we talk about him? I was asking him

So do you Like trash talkers Yeah, so. And I mentioned... Look, he loves it all. It just brought him. That was like nostalgia for him. Yeah, it's so funny.

So you, that like get... Are you like, I'm glad he's talking shit, so I don't... I don't... Because I, you want it to get out, but it's not going to come from you? No, I just like whenever someone's, like, using like that, how do I put it? Like, you know, every... We're in a... How do I say it?

Like, if someone's going to get mad and all that type of shit, get mad at the other team. Don't get mad at your teammates. that's what I've always believed in. So that's why I've enjoyed that. There's nothing worse than a teammate, especially in a tournament. That'll be like, what the fuck are we doing? Or like he'll get, I remember one time,

do you remember Blaze? It was like Blaze, Ryanube, ABG, who was at 4th? But they won the event. I remember our team with them in Halo 4. And I think we were like losing a series, maybe like down 2-0 or something.

and like we just couldn't fucking get it together and I think we were losing game three by a little bit and he just goes like this just starts playing like that and I was like well that's the last time I'm teaming with teaming with you that's fucking insane this dude Blaze to APG won an event with

it was oh it was lethal lethal Blaise Ryan Nubin APG they ended up upsetting like instinct or something and Blaze went the fuck off do you remember this one Halo 5 moment You told me you came down from the scuff house like and you were like shake shack And then we went to shake shack at 2 a.m. And you were like dude I have to like what just happened in the scrim today is insane and you said that native started calling out like blah but da ba ba ba like he was like one top pink one top pink and then all of a sudden he was like one top pink one day and he just started calling out like that for the rest of the scrim

Yeah you were like you're like dude I don't know yeah That was the beginning of the downfall. That was the beginning of our downfall. One top peak, one shot. He was shields. We got to a point in our scrimms where I could not go positive. And Naded was making sure of it. I swear he was trying to not help get kills.

He was trying not to, that's mine. Riley's showing off the Halo 3 trophy. Okay, okay. I swear that motherfucker was not like trying to make me worse. But I was also just such in my head. What do you think about him as a player? Like outside of that. I think he's good as fuck.

Right? I thought he was good as fuck. Bro, when we first started, when we first started team with Nated, it was like insane. Like, I wish I knew like the maps on Halo 5 because that's when I team with him. But he'd just be like,

two or three of us would die. He's up in some tower with a sniping unit to hear. Oh. Oh. Oh my God. And we're just like, what the fuck just happened? Then like game ends.

He's like 20 and 8. and then he shows us later that night in theater what we did and we're like, what the fuck? Like he would do some insane shit. He actually did. He's a good teammate. He's a good teammate. But like once a little bit of like beef, for lack of better terms, starts on the team.

Like, then it just, I don't know, just it's never the same. And it happened with our team. And I think it's happened with a bunch of teams with him. You know, I think he was just a different type of player, I guess, different type of person. He was very strongly opinionated, and he was willing to argue. And I mean, I think that's just kind of what it was. I do think it hurt his Halo career. Because he was, I mean, bro, from 2005 to 2005, I think he played to like 2016 or so.

Or maybe 2017. Like he was always one of the best slayers in the game. There were times where he fell off a little bit. he was dirty like from what I was playing against the watch. Maybe like a halo reach or like the end of Halo 3 where he was getting like a top 12 and it was kind of just like an easy win but yeah

no he was always he was always super good. You never team with him right? No no no no. Who was your favorite teammate? And we can talk about Halo a little bit before we will get into God I promise a little bit. We do have the Halo 3 legacy optic legacy matches today today's Halo 3, you're playing in it, right?

I am. Who was, were there players? First off, when did you start playing Halo? Maybe not start playing Halo, but when did you start learning of MLG? Okay. And I've probably asked you this before. I don't think so. Maybe you have, but, I mean, Halo is my first FPS.

Halo 3. Okay. MLG, I mean, I think the first thing I heard about it was the ESPN. top 10 thingies that Chris Bucket did when I was like eight years old. Damn. Yeah. So I knew about it from then, but I wasn't I was more focused on the game. I didn't really pay attention. I didn't

watch any tournaments. I would watch some people's montages. Oh, okay. So you weren't, yeah, at fucking like eight or nine, you're not really sitting there with a favorite team. No, no, no, no, but I knew some people, like you, what's funny, because I've mentioned this to someone before and they were like, really? because I think I remember watching Tizoxix montage

and like for some reason when I was young I would look at that and I would be like oh like this guy's gross but you know I didn't know too much about too many people obviously the straight ripin montage you know so I guess if there's one team that I was like yo these guys are gross

probably them did you start getting into competitive halo first or call of duty first? Competitive wise competitive wise technically call a duty so when you had to stop playing Call of Duty because of like the age restriction or whatever

you just hopped right in like were you did you play Halo? You said you played Halo 3 I played a lot of reach were you just playing on the I played more Halo growing up even though I did play Cod competitive it's kind of

honestly I could go into the story a little bit I played more Halo when I was growing up than Cod I only played Cod like I would obviously buy the game so I didn't really play them, but I only mainly played Cod because my brother went to college and his roommate was Pluto, which was an MW2 national champ. Yeah.

And obviously at the time, I was just a big gamer and I'm like 13, 14 at the time. And my brother mentioned that to me and then he was like, hey, maybe you should try and see what's good with it. So that's when I hopped on, Cod. It's like I saw that and then I actually like looked up. Yeah, I looked up a little bit about that. you yeah you said you told me who the best players were and stuff like that and then from there yeah just grinded so when you found out the age restriction you just knew immediately i'm going to go play halo and this was halo five so it was really weird like i yeah i couldn't play cod but like

i think black ops three the idea was for me to continue playing cod i was never like i'm gonna go play Halo. So I was on like an underage team. Halo 5 came out and I remember a bunch of cop players were playing it. I was playing it for fun and then like a month into Blockops 3 I think our underage team got dropped because like we weren't taking it like as a collective I wouldn't say I wasn't taking it serious. I think I was showing up to everything. Obviously I was playing other games and stuff but I think as a collective we weren't all like showing up to what we needed to show up to. What were y'all? What was what was the underage team even like able to play?

Oh, I mean, we were like scrim, we would scrimmed pro teams sometimes, and that's what we were mainly meant to do. Because it was like tournaments or anything? Online tournaments, but no pro tournaments. So it was kind of like, it was me, TJ and Temp and we were all pros. Oh, shit.

Yeah. In general. General is leather. Okay. Our teammate, yeah. So then what kind of made you just be like, all right, I'm going to go play A-Lo, though, where I can actually compete?

Yeah, once we got, like, drop from that, like a month in a block up three, I was already kind of playing Halo 5. I went to, or like, I don't know, I think I was just kind of frying. And then I remember I had an opportunity to play like a 2K with, uh, somehow, I don't even know how this happened. I was playing with Cloudy Cloud, Victory X, and Ares. So I got to play one 2K with them.

And after I played with them, they were like, holy shit. After I played with them, no, we actually didn't even do that good. We got like top 12. Holy shit, we're bad. Yeah, so we didn't even do that well. Then after that, I didn't play with them. but then I got another opportunity to play with, like, Contra and Dev. I knew you were going to say that.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah, that was your... I think there was one other team in the mixer there with, like, juicy fruit or something like that. Do you know who that is? It sounds familiar. I'm not... It sounds familiar, but I'm not familiar. Who was the other guy?

Posey. Posey, yeah, yeah. So I think in between some time frame, I don't remember when I was with them, but then, yeah, Dev, Contra and Jesse. Was there just, like, hype behind your name? Like, how did you get on a team? Like, how do you get him with a victory in a cloud so quick? I was just playing matchmaking, and I was really good at advanced warfare, and I was 15.

So I was playing matchmaking. Yeah, exactly. And I was actually playing good in matchmaking. So, like, you know, some, I guess they were like, fuck it, we'll play with this guy. Yeah. Well, they're also at that old head age where they like, wait a second. How old this guy? This might work out for us.

Yeah. Could slide and jump at the same time. One of my, one of my questions was going to be, was there anyone? from Halo 3 or I guess did you look up to anyone in Halo as far as like I'd like how this guy plays I want to implement his play style into how I play or do you just go in like I don't give a fuck I don't know these guys hardly even watch them OG I think Ola a little bit in Halo 3 like whenever I watch like his montages and stuff like I think there's some

influence there for sure a little bit yeah Ola was the goat yeah and then I would say that yeah for sure who's who's who's the Halo goat Halo goat yeah if you're asking me I mean I team with Ola I'm gonna say Ola Ola

yeah I was thinking I thought you were gonna say Tuger or lethal so you team with Ola how long do you team with him for like a year and a half a year like a year how was that it was cool was it like a when you got that opportunity to team with them? What was the team? Was it you, Ola?

I was hype. I was hype. Yeah, it was me, Ola, snipe down Mcwin. Oh, that is a pretty good team. Yeah. Like, in my mind, I was, like, team with Legends. Yeah. I was like, what the fuck?

You were like hype about it? Hell yeah. Okay. Y'all won an event with that team, right? We won a few, like two or three. Damn. Yeah, I remember one time Shotsie's rockets glitched. Frosty.

Frosty. Yeah, yeah. That was the first. One time Frosty's Rockets glitched and they lost like the last layer. It was game seven Second Series. Like reload, go to shoot and then it made him

reload again or something? He got a reload glitch. Yeah, you got a reload glitch with the fuel cannon and then like I ended up like killing him because of it and then like I go on like a I don't know like a 10 spree or something after that. So yeah, okay I don't know what answer you could come up with this but Ola is such a mysterious

fucking like legend in the Eilo community. What? Was it like teaming with him? Especially kind of still during his, like he was still at his sort of peak. It wasn't no Halo 3, Halo Reach Ola, Halo 4 Ola, but like, he was still good as fuck.

I don't know. I just thought, I mean, I loved his, like, personality-wise, he was cool. Like, I thought he was a bit weird, but, like, in a good way, like, weird people are good. I mean, that's what, that's everyone's thoughts about Pistola. Yeah, yeah, like.

A little weird, but, like, well, weird, but. Yeah, no, like, he knew something about everything, bro. Like, literally. everything but like yeah and also like being at a tournament with him like he was always like super calm like that's what i always liked about him like he was always like yeah because you don't really see that out of ola he's usually not calm like remember we'd have him here for videos dude i hadn't seen he's like brand new on camera and he's just like taking over yeah as far as how much

like energy he had i hadn't seen ola in four years whenever we merged and then ola comes up to me like the first thing he says to me is like i wish i was bisexual Because then I'm I feel like I'm only Fucking half the potential right now And I was like He's a troll dude Just starts making you think like Wait actually

Like hey man I've seen you in so long He might be right I hope he's good man He's one of the people that like Kind of vanished right Yeah He's tweeted

I think a few people He always said like positive things That's what I always liked about Ola Always said positive things Yeah Like In the moment I probably didn't appreciate as much

But looking back at it for sure never appreciate what we got until it's gone man then olivertired he disappeared off twitter and honestly a lot of times people in my chat or something be like where's ola how's ola yeah i'm like i don't know but i hope he's doing good i think there's a few people that like reach out to him and see how he's doing but good that's good hope he's hope you're doing good olah if you're somehow listen to this we hope you're doing good all right should we talk a little call of duty let's do it All right, so I wanted to start off. Let's see.

I feel like it's been so long at this point. All right, so when you went to the event, I think it was you, Skies, dashy, shotsy. And this was the event where Merck ended up being on Toronto, right? Yep. Yeah. I feel like an idiot talking about this stuff. What did you guys place at that event?

Merck got like third. We got... Was it top eight? either top A or top six. Okay. I think we won one series, so top six. Yeah, top six. Yeah, you guys won.

Or no, top eight. Even with winning one series, we got top eight. Top eight. Yeah, I think it was a top eight. Yep, yep, yep. So after that event, did you guys, first off, did you know who Merck was? Like, when he got picked up, like, did you know the name?

You know, he was, like, doing good in challengers and all that? Yep. New Merck. Like, in your head, were you like, yeah, that's a good pickup? up? Or were you like... Dude, I don't know what's going to happen here. And around the bar with dashing?

You know how like you get memories whenever you hear someone's name and like it's usually like the first time you like heard about him? First time I heard about him was like Black Ups 4 off season or something like that. He was like, I don't know, like maybe like 17, 15 or something like that. So when I first heard it, I instantly thought to that and I was thinking like, this kid was shit talking us every single day. Really? Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. So like, obviously a completely different person today. Yeah. But that's what I was initially thinking, yeah. Whenever you saw him come into the tournament, get top three, play as good as he did. Yeah. Was it something like, say you're in your hotel, I don't know if you, like, sit at the arena and, like, continue watching.

But are you sitting back watching him? like this guy's kind of fucking good. Yeah. Like, is there, like, did thoughts start entering your head of like, is there some sort of, do we need this guy? Bruce told me this story. Bruce told me a story that him and, uh, that there was like a lot of hype around Merck, like after that major.

And him and Forma were in a Discord call watching his stream, just shit talking him. Like, oh, this guy thinks he could be in the league. Like having no idea what's about to happen. Wait, after he just got third? Yeah, yeah. So like. they got in a discord call watch merch stream and they're just shit talking out because obviously it's formal and bruce they just should talk any other they're they don't know how else to communicate

yeah it was like we we talk shit about people and so they're sitting there like yeah this guy's gonna go to land and break and then he said he said and then he went to land and didn't break and then he got and then uh he joined our team and he was like oh well you know we got we had to try something so he joined our team he said then in scrims uh murk is frying so he's like oh shit like this guy might be the fucking truth but like can he do it on land goes to land then he's frying at dream hacking land then Bruce Bruce said that that first uh that first scrim that you guys did like with Merck and you guys 30 point club somebody yeah yeah yeah he was like that was like a piece of hope that like hadn't existed for we yeah now I want to hear that from from your

POV like yeah that's what I was first off did you hear did you did you want to make a team change? I was thinking, like, I remember thinking a lot about, like, just, like, the overall team, and I was just thinking, like, these guys, like, have fucking made a team change every year, or not every year, every event. Maybe that's not the best idea. But that's all I was thinking. In the moment, that's literally all I was saying.

I was like, maybe not because it's kind of, you know, like, as someone who's been competing for a long time, I know how hard it is to, like. Restarting sucks. Exactly. You know, like, you just, that's all I was thinking. Okay. And then was it kind of just popped on you like, hey, we're picking up merch? Yeah.

Yeah, yeah. But like, like, at the same time, though, at the same time, though, I was always, like, very, like, what's the word? Optimistic? Yeah, I guess. About just in general, like this year. So whatever was going to happen. Okay. So they hit you with the, I don't know if it was a phone call or something.

Merk gets picked up on the team. Are you like, is it like an exciting thing? Are you still worried because the season wasn't going your way? You're still a little unfamiliar. Honestly. Or is it just the hook mentality with this is what I got and I'm going to make the best of it? I was under the, I was under the opinion of like the whole year. I was under the opinion of I'm one, I'm teaming with Dashie and Shati.

So I think we'll be good with whoever. That's just how I was looking at the whole year. Yeah. Yeah. And then obviously, by surprise, we received the best fucking teammate possible. Fell from the heavens into the gaming chair. Okay, so going off that, he gets picked up to the team. Y'all do your first scrim.

Obviously, we've heard from like a few people, the first scrim went great. What was that, I don't know, what was that feeling like? Like to go from, because weren't your scrims going well anyways? Or maybe not so? With Kenny, well, honestly. In the beginning of the year they were. In the beginning of the year they were. And in the mid-year, they were like okay.

You know, like, they weren't like, it was never, how do I? Like, we never thought that we couldn't win. At least I didn't, like, with base off the results. You know what I mean? But with him was, they were like insane. More of like a in the weeds, like call a duty question. Yeah. Can you notice the map open up immediately when you get a teammate like that?

Like who's slaying to that ability? Yeah, then you 100%. And then it's like almost one of those things where it's like, okay, now that it feels this free, you almost have to like try and do less a little bit sometimes. You know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah, because it's almost, yeah. Especially when your team, especially when your partner in crime SMG duo is doing the most all the time.

you have to learn how to do a little less yeah so on that on that's like a learning process it's good on that first scrim is it kind of just like holy shit we might have something here like i feel like i've been on a few teams to where maybe not necessarily rate when we start but it's just like you know something's there and then i've been on teams where it's just like you know something's not there like with murk on that first day of screaming it was it just like yeah we got 100% it was like just pure flow with him on the map that's how it felt so bruce and bruce and anne have both said that like they almost wanted to just like ride it out chalked chalk the year they didn't want to make any more team changes they actually didn't yeah yeah and they were just kind of content with like we're just going to write it out go next basically did you ever have that too no because you how you didn't want to ride it out no no you're like nah man well well yeah I'm not going to use their words too deep, but I was like all in.

Yeah. That's the mindset for me this year. I was like, whatever gets thrown my way, I guess in a sense, whatever. I'm making sure something good comes out of this. Did this year like,

did you have a moment where it like hit you? Like I wasn't on a team. I got picked up on a team. Then I got dropped for some reason. I'm sure in your head you're like, why the fuck they're dropping me? And then you come back and then, and then there's that 0 and 18 or whatever

and then Merk gets picked up and then bam bam two biggest years and now you're known as like a yeah one of the top players to play this game does that ever all hit you at once or you just kind of go day by day process it

each each moment at a time day by day oh and two oh and three just one at a time I think after I won champs it hit me like very hard but yeah you cry you cry yeah no shame I cry all the time

TikTok dog I may have shed a couple tears as you should bro it's a fucking huge moment in your life this is something that you've given

your life up for this and it is your life and it's you know these moments are fucking huge especially after the year y'all had like whatever you're feeling

just let it out even right now man it fits on you fits on we just turn to a therapy session we record it and we just trying to get a clip I was just really proud after champs.

Like, that's the main feeling. Good, man. You should have been. It was crazy. Not to get, not to, and I'm trying to think when we had you on last. I don't know if we had you on last after like the O and 18 part. Yeah. But I kind of wanted to, okay, O and 18, excuse my shit memory, my brain doesn't work.

It was huge. How many of those? I was not on the O'N 18. Yeah, I was going to say. I was wondering how much, how much. much of that you was that it was a OG team it was a team from last year just Kenny and Fred yeah oh damn but then there was two so it's two roster changes at one time basically when you're witnessing that are you like no I think I

mentioned it on like one of the things we did earlier like this month no I mean I can't focus on that I would have to like you know what I mean you just focus on yourself exactly yeah I was just like bro I got to grind do you believe in karma to where like if you were to bash them for being 0 and 18 like that's not good energy to put out into the world and you need to just focus on yourself or it could come back to you like you that I believe something like that

I believe something like that I don't know I mean I just always feel like I should just focus on myself yeah yeah like when it comes all that was there was there any thought when I don't like to take things out on anything else that's best way I like to put it when they were 0-18 and they were trying to get you back, was there any thoughts like, I don't know?

Or was it just like, yep, I'm there? No, I actually, it was, that was a big decision for me, actually, yeah. Because what was the other way you would have went instead of joining back? Just try and will, like, just trying. Like, did you have a team at the time? Or was it challenges? No, no, no, I could have joined a team, but. It was just like a lot for me initially.

But then after, yeah, I had a couple choices, but, um, no, they, they, basically, it was a big decision because I wasn't sure what to do. Yeah. That, that, that's what it was. I just didn't know what to do. Was there 0.18 influence on like, fuck, I don't know what's going on. It might not be the right move to, like, can I really save them out of that?

Like, it's Shotsie and Dashie. How are they own 18? Something's going on. Nah, bro, they're insane. I actually didn't think, like, I knew that every, they're obviously going to bounce back. Yeah. It was just more the decision between, like, I mean, yeah. Look at them.

Yeah, yeah. But it was just between, like, what I wanted. Like, do I want to try and join back a team that dropped me a few times or do I want to try something new? You know, that's basically all it was. Was there any vendetta against them? No, no, not at all. Truthfully, no. Like what is it was it?

I've been playing for so long like the times where I had Vendetta, it just like didn't feel good. Like wasted energy? Exactly. Yeah, it didn't feel good doing that. So I choose not to these days. Well, shit. It all worked out the moment Merck joins you guys start scrimming. Was it like every, because no one could ever talk about it publicly.

Like was it pretty much every single scrim you guys are just slamming? Yeah. After, yeah, especially like going into champs. Was there a scrimm you lost? Going into champs, no. But we have lost a couple, yeah. To who? I think going into EWC, we lost one to maybe surge.

Okay. Then maybe like a tight one versus thieves. Okay. Yeah, yeah. They're all tight, though. Like, it was never, maybe we lost those to ourselves. I don't know. But yeah, it's just a scrim at the end of the day.

During this whole time, who did you think was the best team in the game? besides yourselves. Going into champs or EWC? Champs. Champs. Like, at champs, are you looking at like, I was looking at thieves. I was looking at thieves.

They just went back to back. Okay. No matter how, like, that's how I was looking at. Because I think the whole year we were like either beating them in scrims or they were close. But, you know, I didn't take that too head. Like, they won back to back events.

That's what I was looking at. Going into champs, I wasn't really thinking about their performance in scrums. I was thinking they're winning. So. Right. I was watching their Vod and shit. In the last flight cast, Nick was talking about,

he was like, I just can't wait to talk to Hooke. Like, I want to pick his brain about some stuff. He was like, because I remember one time, I don't know if you remember who you were talking to. He was like, I saw Hook walking, and then all of a sudden he turned and walked in the woods. Someone. Okay, no way, that was not,

there's no context around what he just said. I think it might have been around the time and I actually kind of wanted I had this in my notes to talk to you about and if you don't want to we don't have to but it was about like the Adderall stuff Okay And I think people started thinking

You were like an Adderall head And like maybe you know Not that you were like getting a little weird But it was like people start taking Adderall They start getting a little more quiet And I remember someone texted me I'm not gonna say who it is I can text you off camera if you want

Yeah, yeah. But they were like, bro, I just saw Hooke walk into the woods. And I think this is like... Where was I? In the woods, dogs. Somewhere around here. No, not around here. Somewhere downtown, I think, when you live downtown.

Okay. So I think it was around like the 2020 Adderall era. So I don't know if like people thought you were going crazy for a little. I couldn't tell you. There were talks about like Addy and... You couldn't tell us if you were going to be going to be going to be going to going crazy or if you walked into the woods? Oh, well, I definitely wasn't going

crazy. I mean, if I walked outside and... The woods looked in... God forbid a game or gives in nature. Yeah, yeah, exactly. I don't think there's woods around here, though. That's the confusing part to me, but... Might have been like, I don't know, Katie Trail.

The Katie Trail, yeah, I'm sure you saw me. I mean, that's okay. I was probably on the Katie Trail, yeah. That's fine. The visual is so funny. I know, but that sounds legendary. I almost wish I did. Maybe I did. But no.

Yeah, I think from my perspective, I don't know if people, I haven't seen, actually yes, a little bit, but I think people misunderstood some of the things I was saying with all of that. Like I think people thought you were being

like, crackhead. Yeah, I think people thought that. No. No. Like taking absurd amounts, you know. No. You weren't really talking or out. out there. I stated, I'm pretty sure, correct me, maybe I didn't, but I thought I stated that I only

took it for like one year. So when I first started, I didn't at all. And it was just one year. And it wasn't, it was only for events. Right. Yeah. It was. Like you never took it to practice?

No, no, no, no. If I did, it's like, if I did, it was like one time. Nick took it to play Halo three pubs. Yeah. Offstream. It's just big team battle. Maybe a couple times I did that year, but like. Maybe an online tournament or something.

Maybe right now isn't the time to talk about that all, but I'm extremely open to talk about whatever when it comes to that because it's not as big of a deal to me as it is to everyone else. I feel like you're a good voice because it's like everyone dabbles into it. And you have an honest opinion of like you did dabble into it. and you won a fucking championship. And afterwards, you still felt like the life was sucked out of you. It's like you didn't even get to enjoy it because your brain chemistry was just... So when you're crying after this year, does that, do those feelings come back? Or has that, is that chapter already gone?

That, yeah, that's gone for me. Yeah, okay. Yeah. Did you just feel, what would you say to someone who thinks? Because there is a lot of talk that like, bro, these motherfuckers are all natty. and I can't that's the reason they're every pro is do you have like advice of

someone who's tried it doesn't work for them and that's let them know it's not the fucking way I'm sure everyone's different I haven't thought about this in a long time yeah sorry to bring it up no it's okay advice that's just all I know so I just yeah it's cool it's all I know

I'm not a professional so I don't really know what to say like I think there's people who probably need it and that's why I'm not I'm like hands off nowadays I'm hands off when it comes to it because I don't yeah you don't want to be saying don't take it when there's a motherfucker who it might be maybe they do need it to take it exactly it's not maybe they do need to take it yeah I'm just a gamer I don't know

but okay yeah yeah I was trying to get on your opinion on that because I do remember after you won you said you had like no feeling, no emotion. It was like, and that's kind of how I felt through a lot of my later years of competing. I think I was very raw. I think I was very raw at the time when it came to all that.

But yeah. Yeah. That's it. Really, but. Shit, man. Feel good about everything now, though. Yeah. I'm glad everyone's... Walks in the woods.

That'll fix it all. I'm glad everyone just decided to walk in, start playing streams. Fuck the podcast going on. Doesn't matter. It's all good. We can wrap it up. Well, Hook, we got a Halo 3 legacy.

This I'm excited for. Are you excited for, are you more excited for this than some of the other legacy matches, legacy games? Yeah, this is my childhood game. Today we got Halo 3, man. It's going to be fun. It's going to be exciting. What's the last time you played Halo 3? You weren't into like the 20, no, you were winning championships.

in 2020. The last time I played this was probably 2018. Okay. Yeah, that's when people like kind of started playing again. I played it for like literally like a couple days. Oh, I was going to say. But since then, obviously since the game was out. But I did play this game until like 2012. All right. We're going to see, man.

We're going to see. We're going to find out. Oh, we're going to find out, man. You look at this and it's just nothing but good game modes. Except for construct. That map is kind of ass. There better be a narrow slag in here. Hit CTF. Narrow. Oh, man. Well, who, thank you so much for joining.

us man i wish we could have win a little longer i still feel like there's like some champ shit that we could talk about but we literally have 15 people behind the tv not shutting the fuck up now so we're going to wrap this up man legacy week i'm be here all offseason so maybe we can do something like halo three match but uh yeah appreciate you bro that's gonna do it for the fly guys thank you all so much for watching hooke the legend thanks for joining us and see you guys on the next one video you guys it's james play the outro music