Obii Gives His Predictions for Vegas
By Lies | Published: November 17, 2008 10:32pm EST
Welcome to our Pro Player Predictions series. Just in time for Vegas, some of MLG's pro players who did not manage to qualify for the National Championships will be giving their predictions on the outcome of Vegas! Be sure to check out Obii's predictions below, and tune in later this week for more Pro Player Predictions! 
Obii (far left) at Toronto with the rest of Active Rush.
1) Triggers Down - This team is one of the most talented teams on the circuit at this point. Each one of them has tons of experience in high-pressure situations, and they can all come up clutch at the right times. Karma was the perfect pickup for them. He keeps their attitudes in check and makes sure they are having fun. They have to make sure not to become too confident and keep practicing hard until Vegas. With a LAN against Instinct already complete, it seems as though they are doing just that. As long as they keep having fun and playing the same way they did in Dallas, I do not see them losing Vegas. 2) Str8 Rippin - As skilled as this team is, they have shown that they are beatable. Tsquared's determination will keep Str8 Rippin motivated throughout the tournament, and Elamite's in-game leadership will keep the team making clutch plays. Snip3down has proven time and time again that he can be clutch when it matters, and he will not disappoint in Vegas. This team has the drive to win, and they have everything to prove. If they catch fire during Vegas, they will be unstoppable. 3) Instinct - Instinct can safely be put down as one of the most consistent teams this year. They did not place outside of Top 3 until the last regular season event, Dallas, even with all of their roster changes. The core of this team are the twins, Roy and Lunchbox. They placed consistently in the Top 5 last year and have stepped it up even more in Halo 3. With no tournament victories under their belts, it is easy to see how motivated they will be to prove the doubters wrong and win a tournament. Walshy is the perfect leader for them. He encourages them during the game and keeps everyone organized while Soviet flanks and puts up huge numbers. If they can get in a good groove, they can come out of Vegas with a Top 3 placing. They appeared to do well at the Triggers Down LAN, so placing higher isn't out of the question. 4) Final Boss - As much as I would like to see the Ogres continue to dominate, it does not seem like this team has the "X" factor they once had. Final Boss is capable of outslaying any team currently on the circuit, but for now, it does not seem like they are on the same page with Neighbor. One thing that StrongSide said in an interview was that they are all working to adjust that problem. To me, not being on the same page and still getting Top 3 is extremely impressive. The good thing about the Ogres, is that if they see something wrong, they fix it. They have LAN'ed against Legendz and Instinct for Vegas, so it is possible that this problem has been adjusted. For now though, I do not see them taking Vegas after watching them play in Toronto and Dallas. 5) Ambush - It's a shame for me to predict these guys out of the Top 4. They have placed Top 4 twice this year and they have such amazing talent. The problem with them is that they do not LAN against teams before events, and they barely practice online. It's amazing what they have done without much practice, but with them going into this event with the same practice schedule, I do not see them placing higher than they have previously. 6) Classic - This team has had an up and down year, from placing 2nd at Meadowlands to placing Top 12 at Orlando. Their current roster of Mackeo, Victory X, Soldier, and Ant is extremely solid. Mackeo is a great leader and communicator, and Victory X has teamed with Mackeo for years, so the chemistry is there. Ant is a great slayer, and is a good compliment to Mackeo's leadership role. These guys managed to pull off a crushing win on Construct TS against Str8 Rippin at Dallas, proving that they could still hang with the league's best. They LAN'ed with Str8 before Vegas, which can only help them improve their game. 7) Carbon - Carbon has placed consistently in 7th/8th place after dropping Gandhi, and I do not see any reason for them to place higher. They did have a LAN against Str8 Rippin, but they have done this before previous events also. I know that there are some extremely talented players on their team. We all know Naded can pull off ridiculous plays in clutch moments, and Ghostayame has one of the best shots in the league. Shockwave provides good leadership and Anarchy does a good job supporting. If they might have LAN'ed more I would put them higher, but seeing how their practice regimen has remained the same, I do not see them placing higher than 7th. 8) Legendz - It's a shame for me to put Legendz this low, because I have been Best Man's local for years. I watched him play and dominate way before I could even play Halo. He is heavily underestimated and I hope he proves everyone wrong in Vegas. However, they have not been practicing for this event. They did LAN against Final Boss and had a few good series with them, but they are not practicing online at all. Individually, they are an extremely talented team. They do have the abilities to upset top teams, but with their lack of practice, I don't think this is their tournament to do so. Good luck to every team attending Vegas, I cannot wait to watch. Each and every series will be epic. There is a LAN center nearby, and tons of my friends and I will be there all weekend, watching VoD on a big screen TV. I'm extremely excited and can't wait to see the results. Be sure to watch for the next edition of the Pro Player Predictions to hit sometime tomorrow! |
