Intel Extreme Masters Sydney 2019

Chiefs zewsy & ofnu: "We wanted to to start new, start something different" Chiefs zewsy & ofnu: "We wanted to to start new, start something different"

Chiefs zewsy & ofnu: "We wanted to to start new, start something different"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
From the Vault - IEM Sydney 2019. Back when the dynamic Kiwi duo of zewsy & ofnu were both on Chiefs, Grady got some time to sit down and talk to both of them about what happened with Tainted Minds/ICON, how horrible the Australian internet infrastructure is, and the dream of once walking out onto the stage.
counter-strike character
Grayhound sico: "We are confident going into all our games in Oz" Grayhound sico: "We are confident going into all our games in Oz"

Grayhound sico: "We are confident going into all our games in Oz"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
Grayhound Gaming were 1 map win away from making the playoffs at IEM Sydney 2019, but unfortunately they fell short against Fnatic. This was one of the things Grady talked to sico about, they also touched on what happened to the ICON team and being so close to the playoffs.
counter-strike character
eUnited moose: "They can play majors, we get a revamped team" eUnited moose: "They can play majors, we get a revamped team"

eUnited moose: "They can play majors, we get a revamped team"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
At IEM Sydney, Grady got talk to moose from eUnited. Together they talked about the controversial shake-up between themselves and Swole Patrol, how important qualifiers are to a newer team, and their playstyles within the team.
counter-strike character
Liquid Twistzz: "They’re not going to stay the best forever" Liquid Twistzz: "They’re not going to stay the best forever"

Liquid Twistzz: "They’re not going to stay the best forever"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
While they were still the number 2 team in the world, Grady had a chat to Twistzz from Team Liquid. They talked about what is happening in the North American scene, having a bye in the middle of a tournament and how long it takes him to do his hair.
counter-strike character
BIG tiziaN: "[LEGIJA] took a last minute flight to Sydney" BIG tiziaN: "[LEGIJA] took a last minute flight to Sydney"

BIG tiziaN: "[LEGIJA] took a last minute flight to Sydney"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
Back in May, before the BIG shuffle - pun intended - Grady got the chance to talk to tiziaN about how XANTARES is slotting into the team and group, what they had to do when he couldn't make it to Sydney, and how he got into Counter-Strike.
counter-strike character
NiP Lekr0: "I don’t think you play the major for the prize pool" NiP Lekr0: "I don’t think you play the major for the prize pool"

NiP Lekr0: "I don’t think you play the major for the prize pool"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
Straight after losing the 115 round war against Fnatic at IEM Sydney, Grady got to talk with Lekr0 from Ninjas in Pyjamas. They chatted about the mentality of a long series, what it means to play in a major and how some players like to whine on Twitter.
counter-strike character
ViCi Freeman: "We didn’t prepare a lot" ViCi Freeman: "We didn’t prepare a lot"

ViCi Freeman: "We didn’t prepare a lot"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
Before he joined TyLoo, Grady sat down with ViCi Gaming's Freeman at IEM Sydney 2019 and via a translator they talked about how the different regions play Counter-Strike differently, the team's mentality heading into the tournament and Vertigo.
counter-strike character
Heroic blameF: "I think every team needs a friberg" Heroic blameF: "I think every team needs a friberg"

Heroic blameF: "I think every team needs a friberg"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
Back at IEM Sydney 2019, Grady had the chance to talk to the in-game leader of Heroic, blameF, about a number of things including; playing with friberg, events having third-party qualifying spots and how he got into Heroic via a phone call from peacemaker.
counter-strike character
Renegades Gratisfaction: "Maybe I can hang ornaments from my mustache" Renegades Gratisfaction: "Maybe I can hang ornaments from my mustache"

Renegades Gratisfaction: "Maybe I can hang ornaments from my mustache"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
Grady had a quick chat to fellow Kiwi, Gratisfaction from Renegades at IEM Sydney this year. They talked about what it was like transitioning from Grayhound Gaming to Renegades as well as their miracle run at the Katowice Major.
counter-strike character
NRG Ethan: "I feel like I’ve definitely matured more as a player over the years" NRG Ethan: "I feel like I’ve definitely matured more as a player over the years"

NRG Ethan: "I feel like I’ve definitely matured more as a player over the years"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
Grady had a quick chat with the young-gun from NRG Esports, Ethan. They hit all of the hard topics including; starting off as a young player and maturing, what it was like to add tarik to the roster, and what it is like to play in front of a loud crowd.
counter-strike character
mousesports chrisJ: "I still tried to see it as a job in situations like that" mousesports chrisJ: "I still tried to see it as a job in situations like that"

mousesports chrisJ: "I still tried to see it as a job in situations like that"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
Back at IEM Sydney this year Grady got the chance to sit down with chrisJ from mousesports, just as that lineup was beginning. They talked about always being the villains with the crowd, seeing the numerous mousesports rosters grow and the importance of the player break.
counter-strike character
FaZe AdreN: "[The travel] is affecting my body and my mental health" FaZe AdreN: "[The travel] is affecting my body and my mental health"

FaZe AdreN: "[The travel] is affecting my body and my mental health"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
Grady got a chance to talk to AdreN during IEM Sydney when he was still with FaZe Clan about the intensive travel schedule, which teams they are targeting at the next tournament, and what the inside of his hotel room is like.
counter-strike character
BOOT Benkai: "Our issues lie within our bad habits" BOOT Benkai: "Our issues lie within our bad habits"

BOOT Benkai: "Our issues lie within our bad habits"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
At IEM Sydney, up in the media room, Grady sat down to have a chat with B.O.O.T-dream[S]cape’s Benkai about the Asian Counter-Strike scene, how he got into esports and which other players he would like to play with.
counter-strike character
MIBR FalleN: "The [IEM Sydney] crowd is kind of having its own show" MIBR FalleN: "The [IEM Sydney] crowd is kind of having its own show"

MIBR FalleN: "The [IEM Sydney] crowd is kind of having its own show"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
Although they didn’t make the grand finals, falling just short against Team Liquid, MIBR’s FalleN was happy to sit down with Grady and have a chat about the crowd and the country in Australia, the recent roster shuffles that failed and playing in the showmatch as ‘Bad FalleN’.
counter-strike character
Blank Roro: "[ORDER] turned up and they played better than us" Blank Roro: "[ORDER] turned up and they played better than us"

Blank Roro: "[ORDER] turned up and they played better than us"

Overwatch
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
It wasn’t just Counter-Strike at IEM Sydney, as Grady got to sit down with fellow Kiwi and Overwatch Contenders semifinalist, Roro from Blank Esports. They talk about how he got into esports, Blank’s performance in the tournament and living in a team house.
overwatch character
Liquid EliGE: "I felt confident that we were going to win the whole time" Liquid EliGE: "I felt confident that we were going to win the whole time"

Liquid EliGE: "I felt confident that we were going to win the whole time"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
After their win against Fnatic in the grand final of IEM Sydney, Team Liquid sat down with the press and we got the chance to talk to EliGE about feeling the glory of winning, the long best-of-five and the first thing he did after winning and lifting the trophy.
counter-strike character