The Call of Duty League crowned its Stage 2 champions, the Toronto Ultra, and now moves toward Stage 3. The Reverse Sweep crew, Enable, Pacman, and Katie Bedford, preview how crazy the CDL’s groups and rosters are about to be.
After reviewing all of the Stage 2 Major’s madness, Ian ‘Enable’ Wyatt, Jonathan ‘Pacman’ Tucker and Katie Bedford are ready for a wild Stage 3. The Ultra shocked everyone by demolishing the Atlanta FaZe in the Major, but things should get even spicier in Stage 3.
The first thing on the Reverse Sweep’s communal mind? Stacked groups. The crew broke down just how nasty the groups can be after Toronto makes its first choice: throwing the Dallas Empire into FaZe’s group.
Then, after looking into what caliber of groups might be in play for Stage 3, the group also dove into official and rumored roster shakeups. All things considered, the CDL could be a different world in its third stage.
The Group of Death
“This is terrifying,” Pacman said about the groups that are about to get wild. Toronto can put Dallas in Atlanta’s group, then FaZe can put the Minnesota ROKKR in Toronto’s group. Next, they predict Minnesota puts OpTic Chicago in FaZe’s group — and you can sense how frightening things can get.
“The top three would be FaZe, Empire, OpTic in one group. I don’t even have words to explain…” As evidenced by Enable’s inability to elaborate, in all likelihood there will be a very intimidating ‘group of death’ in Stage 3.
The roster moves: Mutineers, Legion, and Guerrillas?
Touching on the LA Thieves’ decision to bench Austin ‘SlasheR’ Liddicoat, Pacman explains the mantra of all CDL teams: “Sometimes you just have to take a risk and act.”
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As such, the crew agrees that three teams need to make changes: the Florida Mutineers, Paris Legion, and Los Angeles Guerrillas. While the Legion have already picked up Donovan ‘Temp’ Laroda, the other two rosters have some serious candidates to consider in the midseason Rostermania.
“There’s players that are waiting for their opportunity. They’re on the sidelines right now, hungry. Saints, Temp, Havoc, Sib, Decemate. There is a lot of talent that are ready to come and take your spot.” As Enable explains, should the Mutineers and Guerrillas elect to make a change — there are some intriguing prospects lying in wait.
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OpTic can’t make a change, but the Subliners should
Speaking of teams that could make changes, both OpTic and the New York Subliners had disappointing performances in the Stage 2 Major. The group agrees that OpTic can’t make a change unless a player decides to retire, as there are no reasonable replacements for the team’s talent and stardom.
Pacman explains OpTic’s position succinctly with regards to making a roster change: “Could they? Of course they could. Will they? No.”
As for the Subliners, pointing out that rookie Paco ‘HyDra’ Rusiewiez’s English is good enough for his team to dominate in Challengers, the Reverse Sweep gang agrees it’s time to give him a chance.
“Mack and Diamondcon are great. So is Asim and Clay. They’re all great players, but is it enough firepower? And you have this generational talent, that everyone’s telling me, on the bench.” With Enable touching on HyDra’s growing reputation, the group thinks it’s time for New York to give their “generational talent” a chance.
Stage 3’s X-Factors: Temp, iLLeY, and Octane
As for established players who need to be watched in Stage 3, the group each broke down one player who they think is in must-watch territory. For Pacman, it’s Temp, who he believes can form a dangerous tandem with Nicholas ‘Classic’ DiCostanzo.
“For whatever reason, him and Nick have this really good duo chemistry thing going — and they could really, really make a team that’s been on the cusp be really scary.”
In Enable’s eyes, the most interesting player in Stage 3 is the underperforming Indervir ‘iLLeY’ Dhaliwal, who “needs to become [Empire’s] SND superstar. That’s what he’s there for. Because if he doesn’t … he would be the scapegoat if they ever decided to make a roster move.”
And, finally, Bedford kept it simple and went with the infamous Sam ‘Octane’ Larew because she’s ready to see him return to his ceiling: “I want him to prove that he deserves the paycheck that he’s getting from Seattle. Where’s Black Ops 4 Octane? Where is that Octane that wins those sub-range gunfights with his AR?” Enable and Pacman weren’t so sure BO4 Octane could resurrect in Black Ops Cold War, but their argument is best understood in the full preview show!
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