Hello, and welcome to CS-Nation's CAL-invite Week 3 coverage on de_clan2_fire. As you may have heard, CAL was originally postponing matches a week due to the release of CS 1.5; however, given that the changes were miniscule, they've made the decision to go ahead with match play. Click below for tonight's matches along with predictions from myself and spiffman. Be forewarned, however; some of my predictions are....daring. I also encourage all of you out there in rizzuhland to make your own predictions in this post's comments.[break]I've yet to recieve predictions from spiffman, but when I do I'll be updating this post.
Sublyme: zEx > Pinnacle 22-2
zEx has been nothing short of on fire lately. Despite the problems a normal clan faces of losing members and gaining new ones, zEx still seems to be out of control. Pinnacle is being hyped as a great clan, but after their 20-4 loss to iwa (who has been in a bit of a slump lately), I've got to give the match to zEx.
Sublyme: e7 > iwa 17-7
What can I say? e7 has been pretty consistant lately while iwa has stepped into a bit of a hole. I'm not sure whether they lost some members or are having inner-clan struggles, but this is just another check on the loss row for iwa.
Sublyme: SB > 1st 16-8
SteelBreeze...I can't even begin to say how impressed I am with this growth over the off-season. Last season of CAL-invite, it was a given that SB would lose to iwa. This season, however, SB has returned with a vengeance and destroyed all the competition, most notably iwa. 1st has lost several key members this season and is on a losing streak it appears, so I'll hand this match to SB.
Sublyme: 2c > TAF 13-11
TAF and 2c both fit the role of the clan which is good enough to be in invite but not duke it out with the top dogs...not yet, anyways. 2c has had a string of losses this season, and while TAF hasn't been so hot themselves, 2c seems to me like they have the determination to step it up a notch and pick up their first win of the season.
Sublyme: 3D > Solid 19-5
Solid is currently in a bit of a bad fix. During the RGL playoffs vs DoP, Team Solid starter Daniel was caught using a wallhack. Suffice to say, Solid defeated DoP 26-4. Upon discovery of this, however, Solid will be replaying DoP. Daniel, meanwhile, was released from Solid. So what does this say for this match? Not only is 3D currently one of the bigger powerhouses in CAL-i, but Solid is without one of their starters. I can only give my prediction to 3D in this situation.
Sublyme: DoP > TSG 16-8
Something that surprised me was that TSG (Team Stomping Grounds) defeated DoP during the CAL-i preseason 13-11. I later found out from spiffman that DoP wasn't playing their starters; despite TSG having grown immensely since 1.4's release, I'd have to say that DoP has a monster skill level over TSG.
Sublyme: eminence > RC 17-7
Reality Check was just moved to CAL-invite this week after a string of CAL-i clan breakups. Reality Check is a great group of guys from what I hear, and they also have a nice record. They are, however, currently much lower on the cs foodchain than eminence. Welcome to CAL-invite, RC - sorry, but I can't root for you in this match.
Sublyme: [rs] > d|s 15-9
Riot Squad and Darkside battled it out to close matches last CAL-invite season, but this season both teams are very different - riot squad has lost several starters, and darkside completely reformed when Jaden and Da_Bears left to help form 3D. Both teams have skill, no doubt about it, but I've got to hand the win to CAL-i runnerups from last season, riot squad. Personally the **match of the night** in my opinion, but we won't know until the fat lady sings.
Sublyme: ExS > dx 16-8
Wow, this prediction is probably my least educated one - dx I know not much about except that they had a good amount of wins in CAL-main last season. Asian sensation team ExS has already been in CAL-invite for a full season over dx. So I'm leaning with experience here when predicting ExS.
Sublyme: TAU > Playboy 18-6
Ever since Beavis007 stepped up to take TAU leadership, the clan has been nothing short of top of the rung. TAU is still at that level, despite losing to zEx last week in the RGL playoffs. Playboy still has room to grow, so I'll pass my vote to a TAU victory.
Sublyme: CK3 > RJ45 14-10
Both CK3 and RJ45 are new teams this season, and I fully expect CK3 to prove their worthiness. They only need some time; they're still getting themselves to the right level. RJ45 is in the same situation as Reality Check; nice guys, but not quite ready for the top dogs. While CK3 is in my opinion way above RJ45, I expect RJ45 to put up a fight and make this a close match in CK3's favor.
Sublyme: SYB > 187 23-1
The Short Yellow Bus. Need I say more? One could make this prediction on name alone; 187 has been around for a loooong time, yet their name is so horribly cliche. I don't see the OGL champs putting up much of a fight though, and so I lean heavily in SYB's favor.
Sublyme: TSO > Rival 15-9
Team Rival, formerly known as Precision Faction, is a clan that has deserved to be in CAL-i but has never gotten there until this week. With wins over several CAL-i clans, I expect Rival to put up a nice fight against TSO. TSO, CAL-i's champions, will end up with the win.
Sublyme: osx > wew 18-6
WEW has been on a neverending downward spiral. While I like the guys, they've been losing to lower class teams too much, where WEW used to be a powerhouse. osx has shown they can hang with some of the higher-up clans, and they'll prove it again this week.
Sublyme: sW > TEC 14-10
TEC is an excellent team, but simply Wicked is rolling after just picking up a CPL autoberth not long ago. I've got to hand the win to sW in a closer match than most will expect.
Sublyme: gX > TuF 21-3
Final match of the night, and it appears CAL just wants to bring the lambs to slaughter. I truly do like and respect TuF, but gamers-X will tear into them like no tomorrow. TuF, unfortunately, just isn't tough enough. I made a funny.
Sublyme: zEx > Pinnacle 22-2
zEx has been nothing short of on fire lately. Despite the problems a normal clan faces of losing members and gaining new ones, zEx still seems to be out of control. Pinnacle is being hyped as a great clan, but after their 20-4 loss to iwa (who has been in a bit of a slump lately), I've got to give the match to zEx.
Sublyme: e7 > iwa 17-7
What can I say? e7 has been pretty consistant lately while iwa has stepped into a bit of a hole. I'm not sure whether they lost some members or are having inner-clan struggles, but this is just another check on the loss row for iwa.
Sublyme: SB > 1st 16-8
SteelBreeze...I can't even begin to say how impressed I am with this growth over the off-season. Last season of CAL-invite, it was a given that SB would lose to iwa. This season, however, SB has returned with a vengeance and destroyed all the competition, most notably iwa. 1st has lost several key members this season and is on a losing streak it appears, so I'll hand this match to SB.
Sublyme: 2c > TAF 13-11
TAF and 2c both fit the role of the clan which is good enough to be in invite but not duke it out with the top dogs...not yet, anyways. 2c has had a string of losses this season, and while TAF hasn't been so hot themselves, 2c seems to me like they have the determination to step it up a notch and pick up their first win of the season.
Sublyme: 3D > Solid 19-5
Solid is currently in a bit of a bad fix. During the RGL playoffs vs DoP, Team Solid starter Daniel was caught using a wallhack. Suffice to say, Solid defeated DoP 26-4. Upon discovery of this, however, Solid will be replaying DoP. Daniel, meanwhile, was released from Solid. So what does this say for this match? Not only is 3D currently one of the bigger powerhouses in CAL-i, but Solid is without one of their starters. I can only give my prediction to 3D in this situation.
Sublyme: DoP > TSG 16-8
Something that surprised me was that TSG (Team Stomping Grounds) defeated DoP during the CAL-i preseason 13-11. I later found out from spiffman that DoP wasn't playing their starters; despite TSG having grown immensely since 1.4's release, I'd have to say that DoP has a monster skill level over TSG.
Sublyme: eminence > RC 17-7
Reality Check was just moved to CAL-invite this week after a string of CAL-i clan breakups. Reality Check is a great group of guys from what I hear, and they also have a nice record. They are, however, currently much lower on the cs foodchain than eminence. Welcome to CAL-invite, RC - sorry, but I can't root for you in this match.
Sublyme: [rs] > d|s 15-9
Riot Squad and Darkside battled it out to close matches last CAL-invite season, but this season both teams are very different - riot squad has lost several starters, and darkside completely reformed when Jaden and Da_Bears left to help form 3D. Both teams have skill, no doubt about it, but I've got to hand the win to CAL-i runnerups from last season, riot squad. Personally the **match of the night** in my opinion, but we won't know until the fat lady sings.
Sublyme: ExS > dx 16-8
Wow, this prediction is probably my least educated one - dx I know not much about except that they had a good amount of wins in CAL-main last season. Asian sensation team ExS has already been in CAL-invite for a full season over dx. So I'm leaning with experience here when predicting ExS.
Sublyme: TAU > Playboy 18-6
Ever since Beavis007 stepped up to take TAU leadership, the clan has been nothing short of top of the rung. TAU is still at that level, despite losing to zEx last week in the RGL playoffs. Playboy still has room to grow, so I'll pass my vote to a TAU victory.
Sublyme: CK3 > RJ45 14-10
Both CK3 and RJ45 are new teams this season, and I fully expect CK3 to prove their worthiness. They only need some time; they're still getting themselves to the right level. RJ45 is in the same situation as Reality Check; nice guys, but not quite ready for the top dogs. While CK3 is in my opinion way above RJ45, I expect RJ45 to put up a fight and make this a close match in CK3's favor.
Sublyme: SYB > 187 23-1
The Short Yellow Bus. Need I say more? One could make this prediction on name alone; 187 has been around for a loooong time, yet their name is so horribly cliche. I don't see the OGL champs putting up much of a fight though, and so I lean heavily in SYB's favor.
Sublyme: TSO > Rival 15-9
Team Rival, formerly known as Precision Faction, is a clan that has deserved to be in CAL-i but has never gotten there until this week. With wins over several CAL-i clans, I expect Rival to put up a nice fight against TSO. TSO, CAL-i's champions, will end up with the win.
Sublyme: osx > wew 18-6
WEW has been on a neverending downward spiral. While I like the guys, they've been losing to lower class teams too much, where WEW used to be a powerhouse. osx has shown they can hang with some of the higher-up clans, and they'll prove it again this week.
Sublyme: sW > TEC 14-10
TEC is an excellent team, but simply Wicked is rolling after just picking up a CPL autoberth not long ago. I've got to hand the win to sW in a closer match than most will expect.
Sublyme: gX > TuF 21-3
Final match of the night, and it appears CAL just wants to bring the lambs to slaughter. I truly do like and respect TuF, but gamers-X will tear into them like no tomorrow. TuF, unfortunately, just isn't tough enough. I made a funny.
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