Wednesday 9:30 EST – GOTN

Vibes and UP face off to see who punches the last ticket out of Group B and into a playoff match against Plus Forward, Group A’s top seed. After Awakening, Group B’s #2 seed, lost to Nemesis, any speculation about group strength mostly evaporated. Group B’s been the better group. This match is its final statement.

UP came in GOTN season 1 as a projected top-three team. Instead, they opened the season like they’d rather be anywhere else. They barely scrimmed, match-logged, and acted like Call of Duty 2 was a court-mandated activity. But somehow, that was enough. They clawed their way back into the fourth seed, and just last week they took Check 6 out on Matmata. Sixxer nearly dropped 50 on Nemesis on Burgundy that week also. The ayahuasca team-building retreat in Mexico apparently kick-started this team right back to being a competitive group of good-hearted fellas.

Caseman is still on the loose. He’s UP’s walking embodiment of disorder, a depraved human being with a play style built entirely on questionable decisions. He’ll be lined up against Loose, Vibes’ shotgun player, and his polar opposite. Loose, also known as The Goose, is all discipline and control. The projected bodyguard of LAN 2 has a strong fan base and although the old man’s reflexes are dwindling, no one can question the brain on this man.

Vibes had a slow season but saved it just in time as they crushed fAMILY in two maps last week. Loose was key, but they also have Broa, their barefoot messiah. Broa might hard carry a map. He’s done it before. If Vibes win, it’ll likely be in his backpack, while he carries them into the promise land.

UP’s emotional centre, for better or for worse, is Trump. When the team is on the verge of spiralling, which can be often, it’s usually the pisslord trumpiss holding the mood together with duct tape. Team Vibes, by contrast, looked emotionally stable all season even when times were tough and any normal team might start questioning their sanity.

The map pool is awkward for UP. They hate Vallente. They’re questionable on Breakout. Vibes are strong on both. Up only gets one ban, so unless they roll the dice, Breakout’s probably coming through. Up will likely pick Matmata, where they just beat Check 6 and feel confident chucking 4 set nades at top mid. If it goes the distance, and it probably will, the decider is likely to be Burgundy or Carentan.

Prediction: Vibes take Breakout. Up wins Matmata and makes it look easy. The third map’s a toss-up, but UP has the experience, the firepower, and more depth. Assuming they show up. Whatever happens, The Goose is Loose, Caseman is unchained, and someone’s about to crash out.

THE STORY – UNKNOWN PLAYERS

UP formed as one of the OG teams from the first revival, and have kept relatively the same core over the years. Of course, a few names like zyk, tox, and shell have come and gone, but the boys have always been able to compete at the top level of the scene. It was hard to gauge their exact level leading up to LAN, since in most of the nightcups UP played with ringers, or even as a pug entirely. Nevertheless, they were constantly making cup playoffs, finals, and taking down big names. Their results earned them a 3 or 4 seed (depending on who you ask) at LAN1 in Plano, TX. In the group stage they took down powerhouse highnoon, as well as M80 & Party to sail through second in the group 3-1. Unfortunately due to timing and bracket luck, the playoffs ended a little early after losses to the two finalists sent them home in 5/6th place.

In Nightcup 10, the group fought well as a pug, but ended up 3rd in group A after falling to 4th place +forward, and winners Bricked Up in the group stage. The group of talented shooters were given another blow when they returned from LAN, with the news of star ethix stepping back from the team for the time being. The news may have dampened some of the expectations for GOTN S1, but the team were not to be deterred. Picking up OG nova`, UP were back to 5 and ready to rumble. Regardless, with topfragger sixxer capable to put up insane games against anyone, and an in-form trump, this team has the firepower needed to make a run.

Coming into GOTN S1 as the 3rd seed in Group B, the season started off well with wins over their opponent next week, +vibe, and a close victory over 3rd place finishers in NightCup 10, Wizards. What happened in the middle of the season was tough, as some of the teams weaknesses on their less-faveored maps began to show. UP fell to 3-5 after losses to Nemesis, +vibe, and Old School. The reports of UP being gone began to swirl, but they preoved them wrong, finishing the season on a 5-1 run, including a big win over x6 on matmata to close the season. The team has started rolling on their better maps and if they can find their top form, can show that they have never left.

THE STORY – +VIBE

Large Throbbing Positive Vibes, or +VIBE for short, was spun off from former farmers and APEX team members at the last second for GOTN S1. Many will remember that these boys were the 16th and final team cemented to give us even groups. Formed by captain broaconstrictor, the boys came into the season with expectations to just have a good time, hence the name. But they’ve done a bit more than just have a good time, they’ve put together some solid performances and fun games.

In what ended up being the first match to kick off GOTN S1, the team took down That seems to have sparked some confidence and belief for them, as they followed it up with more impressive performances and wins in the middle of the season, including one over their oponents next week, UP on breakout. Still, why is there so much promise for a 4-10 team you ask? Well, +VIBE has been getting better as the season goes on, and they’ve showed they have what it takes to win. The group is still new, but clear improvements have been shown, and if they can put it all together in a bo3 performance, an upset is possible. Given what’s already happened to the start to these playoffs, we will not write them off.

The other reason is well, broa. In their Play-In round 1 match vs fAMILY, Doug correctly pointed out on stream that broa has what it takes to play at the highest level. He proved it to us on LAN, and he continues to prove it over the course of the season.