Welcome to the first episode of SELL ME THIS PRO. It's a show where @BDogCS and I discuss up-and-coming players in the competitive Counter-Strike scene and evaluate their potential. In the first episode we focus on two players: Ultimate, recently picked up by Team Liquid, and ICY, who gained attention at the PGL Copehagen Major before signing to Cloud9. We chat about the strengths and weaknesses of Ultimate, highlighting his aggressive playstyle and lack of experience against top-tier teams. We ...
Jul 22, 2024•45 min•Season 1Ep. 1
In this episode of Feed the Trolls, Sam and @Thooorin are joined by vENdetta to discuss the new Cloud09 roster. vENdetta does not rate the lineup. We discuss the potential trajectory of the team and what the addition of HeavyGod and ICY could bring. We then jump into the history of C9 and the troubles the CS team has faced since winning the Boston Major in 2018. The recent departure of key players like ElectroNic and Perfecto aise questions about player buy-in and team dynamics but maybe now fin...
Jul 22, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 13
hooXi is out and.. Snax is in? WTF. G2 announced Snax as IGL for their CS team, joining new signing malbsMd. In this episode of Feed The Trolls @vooCSGO joins @Thooorin and I to try figure out what the hell the G2 management were thinking. We chat about Snax and his impressive past playing career, the potential of malbs and how it might all fall to pieces in this new roster. We touch on the role overlaps, fantasize about how this might work and turn the spotlight on Tax. Here's links to some of ...
Jul 11, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 12
We're not talking about Snax, G2 or HooXi for this one. Instead we're taking about MOUZ! @KingDempz joins @Thooorin and I to discuss the performance of MOUZ in 2024 so far. Despite their success and consistent performance MOUZ are often overlooked in conversations about the best teams in Counter-Strike. The team is young and talented but seem to struggle on the big stage and have a reputation for choking in arena match ups. We explore MOUZ's approach to developing young talent through their acad...
Jul 05, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 11
At the start of 2024 Team Liquid's lineup of YEKINDAR, NAF, skullz, Twistzz and cadiaN seemed to be a winner. A few months in rumblings began that IGL cadiaN was on his way out and fans were surprised... and a little bit shocked. Fast forward to the player break: cadiaN is gone, skullz is heading to FURIA and coach zews has been let go as well. YNk joins @Thooorin and I to talk about what went wrong at Liquid and how (more like if) they can fix this before the next Major... or if fans need to wa...
Jun 27, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 10
NAVI's decision to form an international roster around a year ago was met with some concern. The team faced language barriers and cultural differences. With the move to CS2 NAVI also saw super star S1mple take a break which raised concerns about the future. However, despite most people labelling it a "fluke" NAVI's CS team would go on to win the 2024 PGL Copenhagen Major. In this episode of Feed The Trolls @Thooorin and I are joined by @PimpCS2 to discuss this line up, the expectations movin...
Jun 25, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 9
Complexity wins the whole damn thing. Du Preeh pops off for Falcons. The Aurora manager shouts insults at ELiGE... @Darfmike and I have got together to chat about all the best bits of ESL Challenger Jönköping 2024 and to see how our predictions panned out from the BEFORE video we did. We'd love to hear if your predictions panned out as well so be sure to let us know in the comments. 0:00 Introduction 02:19 Behind the Scenes at ESL Challenger & broadcast team dynamics 04:02 Complexity's victo...
Jun 20, 2024•50 min
At the end of May 2024 Valve announced some changes to the qualification and regional slot distribution for the Shanghai Major being hosted by Perfect World at the end of the year. The trolls were not impressed with the European, North American and South American open qualifiers for the RMRs being done away with... but it made little sense because the changes seemed... positive maybe? Complexity's CS General Manager & well known scene figure messioso joins @Thooorin & myself to chat abou...
Jun 14, 2024•56 min•Ep. 8
This is a new Counter-Strike series called CHALLENGED. DarfMike and I realised we work the same events but never get to work together, so we made a thing so we could. CHALLENGED is a series focused around the ESL Challenger Events for 2024. We’ll do a pre and post event video showcasing what to expect from the teams competing and then what we got wrong about those expectations. The first episode is ESL Challenger Jönköping Part 1. In it we share some war… we mean work, stories and give our opini...
Jun 12, 2024•38 min
After months of question marks concerning their performance, G2 beat Vitality in the finals of IEM Dallas 2024, with a stand in. HooXi is attending his sister’s wedding, Major winner Stewie2K who hasn’t competed in ages, stands in. The final is arguably the best CS2 final of the year. So where to go for G2 now? Were the pundits like Kassad who called for HooXi’s head correct? Should the IGL be removed from the lineup? Is Niko’s career about to shift towards IGLing much like Dev1ce? Can m0NESY co...
Jun 09, 2024•58 min•Ep. 7
Team Falcons was meant to be the incredible Counter-Strike super team. Rumours flowed as Falcons was touted as the Saudi Arabian CS2 team with deep pockets and a list of legendary players were linked with signing to the organisation after they announced Major winning coach Zonic had agreed to move to Falcons from Team Vitality. However, the lineup never materialised and now the team consisting of Snappi, Magisk, maden, du Preeh and Sunpayus appears to be struggling. So what is wrong with Team Fa...
May 28, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 6
The Heroic Astralis drama that dominated social media and HLTV forums started a soap opera in competitive counter-strike. Stavn and Jabbi joined Astralis to create a “super team” which never got off the starting line. Recently, the Danish move was to drop IGL BlameF and announced that multiple Major winning MVP dev1ce would take up IGL duties. The announcement was met with shock and concern by the CS trolls. However, a few top tournaments in the small sample size would point towards this… workin...
May 21, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 5
This is a special short series dissecting the Business of Gaming and Esports in South Africa. Hosted by Sam “Tech Girl” Wright , an esports broadcaster and desk host who was raised in South Africa but now works primarily in Europe on Counter-Strike events, the series targets agencies and business people looking to enter the gaming and esports space in South Africa. It is a unique and developing market littered with potholes - which Sam attempts to showcase and also help your business avoid. Meet...
May 13, 2024•28 min•Season 1Ep. 5
This is a special short series dissecting the Business of Gaming and Esports in South Africa. Hosted by Sam “Tech Girl” Wright , an esports broadcaster and desk host who was raised in South Africa but now works primarily in Europe on Counter-Strike events, the series targets agencies and business people looking to enter the gaming and esports space in South Africa. It is a unique and developing market littered with potholes - which Sam attempts to showcase and also help your business avoid. This...
May 13, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 4
This is a special short series dissecting the Business of Gaming and Esports in South Africa. Hosted by Sam “Tech Girl” Wright , an esports broadcaster and desk host who was raised in South Africa but now works primarily in Europe on Counter-Strike events, the series targets agencies and business people looking to enter the gaming and esports space in South Africa. It is a unique and developing market littered with potholes - which Sam attempts to showcase and also help your business avoid. In t...
May 13, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 3
This is a special short series dissecting the Business of Gaming and Esports in South Africa. Hosted by Sam “Tech Girl” Wright , an esports broadcaster and desk host who was raised in South Africa but now works primarily in Europe on Counter-Strike events, the series targets agencies and business people looking to enter the gaming and esports space in South Africa. It is a unique and developing market littered with potholes - which Sam attempts to showcase and also help your business avoid. Epis...
May 13, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 2
This is a special short series dissecting the Business of Gaming and Esports in South Africa. Hosted by Sam “Tech Girl” Wright , an esports broadcaster and desk host who was raised in South Africa but now works primarily in Europe on Counter-Strike events, the series targets agencies and business people looking to enter the gaming and esports space in South Africa. It is a unique and developing market littered with potholes - which Sam attempts to showcase and also help your business avoid. For ...
May 13, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 1
There was once a time when FURIA’s Counter-Strike team was the best of the best when it came to Brazilian CS. But since the transition to CS2 it has been a bit of a hot mess. The benching of IGL arT led to a tell all live stream spilling tea on the general operations and management without the team and FURIA co-owner Akkari has been adding his own voice to discussions around the team and what is going on, doing an interview on Gaules stream and suggesting the idea of an international coach. From...
May 10, 2024•57 min•Ep. 4
Valve announced that Dust2 is now back in the competitive map pool for CS2 with Overpass being removed. @STYKO joins @Thooorin & Sam to hate on Vertigo (lies, he's positive the whole way through) and discuss the impact Dust2 will have on pro level CS2 moving forward. 0:00 Intro 00:51 Dust2 & powdered eggs 02:18 STYKO's reaction to Dust2 inclusion in the map pool 03:14 Thorin's take on Dust2's return 06:55 Why would Valve drop Overpass? 11:54 Will Dust2 bring more viewers to competi...
May 03, 2024•51 min•Ep. 3
On the second episode of Feed The Trolls @launders joins @Thooorin and myself to get to the bottom of the m0NESY vs donk debate. m0NESY is arguably one of the best players in Counter-Strike but donk's rookie performance at IEM Katowice 2024 was exceptional and he has the potential to be one of the greatest riflers in Counter-Strike history. Both players face pressure and high expectations and we discuss their potential to become the best in the world as well as their roles as AWPer and entry fra...
Apr 26, 2024•56 min•Ep. 2
On this episode of Feed The Trolls, Sam & @Thooorin are joined by HLTV's NER0 to discuss whether HooXi is the right IGL for G2. G2's consistent playoff appearances are not enough for this team and a lot of the internet likes to blame HooXi as IGL. Will replacing HooXi solve G2's problems? And if he remains what needs to change in the team? 00:00 Feed The Trolls 01:05 G2's current performance 06:10 What makes a good IGL? 12:24 Good vibes 13:56 Who are you replacing HooXi with? 22:04 What does...
Apr 19, 2024•52 min•Ep. 1
I had a chance to interview esports organisation NAVI's Performance Coach Urszula "Xirreth" Kimczak about the organisation's Counter-Strike team's win at the first ever CS2 Major. Talking points include: 01:46 The moment NAVI won 01:46 the feeling in the moment that NAVI won the Major - reactions from the team & backroom staff. 03:30 not being the favourites for the Major. Was it easier or harder on the team? 07:11 jL's social media personality and how it impacts his game as well as how Alek...
Apr 12, 2024•30 min
Azin Alikhani was born and raised in Iran. She has gone on to become the Country Head for Africa for ASUS Open Platform Business Group and is also the ASUS Regional Marketing Director for the Middle East and Africa region. The tenacity and drive it takes for a woman to rise up the corporate ranks in an IT company is something impressive but more so when you consider the country of Azin’s birth. In this episode we chat a bit about the corporate nature of her job, her love for gaming and esports a...
Oct 05, 2023•49 min
I really wanted to have Niklas on the podcast this season because not only is he able to give some valuable insight into work behind the cameras for esports broadcasts, but he has also built a successful esports business from the ground up. Black Molly Entertainment is a Swedish and European esports staple and has had a hand in some incredible broadcasts. I wanted him to share his knowledge not only about the inner workings of esports productions but also what it takes to build a scalable and su...
Sep 28, 2023•47 min
What exactly is a talent manager? I speak to freelance talent manager Mosawer Tokhi, better known as Mo, to find out what exactly is required when it comes to looking after and assisting esports broadcast talent. Mo breaks down what his job looks like, how he explains it to his friends and what a normal day on broadcast looks like for the talent manager, who has to ensure the broadcast team you see on camera is able to give you the best possible show if you’re watching your favourite esports at ...
Sep 21, 2023•39 min
When you watch the Grand Finals of your favourite esports event, what you’ll see whether in the stadium or watching at home - is an incredible showcase of the best players. It isn’t only a competitive game but a show that celebrates the beauty of the game we’ve all loved. In order to make sure that show looks the way it needs to, someone needs to be in charge of the moving parts that ensure people, players and broadcast talent are where they need to be at any given time. Which is where Oliver ER...
Sep 14, 2023•33 min
As an esports player, organisation, tournament operator or broadcast talent do you need a specialised esports lawyer? In this episode I chat to Nick Williams, a barrister who represents a host of esports players and broadcast talent while also heading up esports and gaming talent agency DotX Talent. He chats about the specific legal needs in the esports industry. It’s a really insightful chat about legal representation as a whole and how it pertains to esports specifically. You can find Nick on ...
Aug 17, 2023•33 min
Photography is art. Esports Photography is art with a bunch of hurdles thrown into the mix. You need to try to deal with various lighting headaches, understand the complexities of the game because emotional moments are limited and make someone sitting in front of a computer or console playing video games competitively interesting enough to catch attention. One of the best esports photographers in the world is Stephanie “Vexanie” Lindgren. She explains what her job entails, how she didn’t really ...
Aug 10, 2023•44 min
Being an analyst for an esports title is not nearly as simple as you might think. It takes a level of knowledge and game understanding that comes from hundreds of hours poured into the server. It also requires a presentability and knack for broadcast. Alex “Mauisnake” Ellenberg has risen up to be one of the top tier analysts for Counter-Strike. In this episode we discuss the nuances of the broadcast role he has chosen as well as how he tries to set himself apart from other broadcast talent in th...
Aug 03, 2023•46 min
Wilton “Zews” Prado is a living legend in the competitive Counter-Strike community. However, the Brazilian esports coach should be recorded as a legend within the esports industry as a whole. His story is the one they write movies about: how a band of brothers left Brazil to try to take on the best in the world… before becoming one of the greatest CSGO teams the world has ever seen. A multiple major winning coach with a resume longer than your arm, Zews has a plethora of insight around coaching ...
Jul 27, 2023•46 min
