Counter Logic Gaming Dethrones Team Solo Mid at MSG.

“Dank Memes Can’t Melt Playoff Dreams”.

For the most part of the League of Legends Championship Series, Counter Logic Gaming has evolved from a well-respected organization into the biggest meme of the tournament. Being a fan of CLG is not easy; people know that the team has a lot of potential but that potential always never performs when it matters. The lowest point of the org came when CLG decided to pull out their starting lineup at the last week of LCS and send them to Korea to boot camp for the playoffs. This was followed by an embarrassing sweep by Team Curse (now Team Liquid) in the quarter finals and another series defeat to Team Dignitas at PAX to send CLG to relegations. To add insult to injury they will then fall into a 2-0 hole in a best of 5 series against Curse Academy (now Team Gravity) in their relegation matches. Everyone that was watching thought it was over but then CLG pulled a reverse sweep against Curse Academy to hold on to their NA LCS spot.

A year later, CLG was introduced to a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden as the finalist of the NA LCS Summer Split. A fit that was never achieved before by CLG. This was the Org’s first trip to the finals and the one standing in their way? Their rival, Team Solo Mid. A rivalry that existed even before the LCS format started. For TSM this was their chance to prove that they are still the kings of NA but for CLG this was more than that. This was their shot at redemption. As TSM chants drowns CLG chants; Zionspartan, Xmithie, Pobelter, Doublelift & Aphromoo took everything they got to the rift.

After years and years of bowing down to TSM and being one of the biggest jokes in the NA LCS. Every relegation matches that they had to go through that Zion, Xmithie and Pobelter have a chance of losing and seeing their pro-gaming career hanging in the balance back to the challenger series, this was their time to finally wake up from those nightmares and move forward, way past the definition of potential. As CLG and their minion waves penetrates the last line of defense onto the enemy’s nexus. Everyone in the team knows this was it… this was the moment that they all have been waiting for their whole life. As TSM’s nexus waits for the final blow, the crowd erupted. The fans at MSG and all over the world that was watching that have stayed with CLG even when it seems like there was no hope. The drought for Counter Logic Gaming was finally over.

The confetti falls from the rafters and the cheers explodes around the most famous arena in the world. The whole CLG squad along with their coaches, analyst, team owner and CEO all gather around the stage and celebrate. After splits of disappointments, constant defeats, jokes about them choking in the playoffs or when it matters were finally behind them. They have defeated history and created a new one and in a way that was truly counter logic.

Most people do not believe in fairytales but CLG’s story this year was more than that. At the beginning it may have seem that the team was built around a Top laner that switched teams so often, a washed-up Jungler, unproven mid laner, an all talk ADC and a choking artist support. The team still had a lot of potential but they were more inclined towards disaster. The summer split continued and everyone saw CLG’s strengths and their weaknesses; everyone saw their rise to the top of the standings only to go down again as history repeats itself. But this year it was finally different, they recovered after their mid-season slump and for the first time ever locked themselves into their first playoff bye. People still dismissed this accomplishment as most people still predicted Team Impulse sweeping them in the semifinals, but to everyone’s surprise it was them giving TIP the broom to move on to their first ever LCS final. CLG was still the underdog going into the split’s finals but against all odds, at the most famous arena in the world they have pushed through and finally ended the curse as they call themselves the Summer Split Champions. A clean sweep against TSM and a perfect 6-0 in the playoffs.

CLG’s run in the summer split was all sorts of magical. It was the most unexpected outcome in the history of LCS. One of the most inspiring runs of a team that turned a team of memes to champions. As time winds down for TSM’s nexus, the members of CLG knew one thing. You can try to delay them, you can try to distract them but you can never stop a team that has a date with destiny at MSG.