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The Call of Duty League crowned a new champion this weekend as the Los Angeles Thieves dominated the Atlanta Faze in a 5-2 victory.
Despite winning back-to-back tournaments to end the 2022 season, things weren’t always so great for the LA Thieves. The team started the first two major tournaments in the elimination bracket, only placing top 6 and top 8 respectively.
But unlike the majority of other teams in the franchised league, the Thieves opted not to make any roster changes. And it worked! The team improved their placements with each tournament, leading to back-to-back wins at Major 4 and Champs.
Following Sunday’s momentous win, LA Thieves founder Matthew “Nadeshot” Haag didn’t hold back in calling out all the haters and doubters.
“Normally I take the route of humility, at least I try to,” Nadeshot explained. “But for everybody that doubted Eric ‘Muddawg’, JKap, Drazah, Envoy, Kenny, Octane… 90% of y’all told us to drop every single one of them. You called us a friendship org.”
During the LA Thieves’ early season struggles, many in the CoD community were calling for the team to “blow it up” by way of major roster changes. And clearly, all that talk was still fresh in Nadeshot’s mind.
But as evidenced by their recent run of performance, those major changes weren’t needed. Instead, the LA Thieves added Shane as an assistant coach, switched Kenny to the SMG role, and the rest is history.
“When you believe in people, you’ve got to trust them, give them time. And that’s exactly what they did,” Nadeshot said onstage. “So I’m not trying to sound like an a**hole, but you need to give them their flowers. Because they deserve it!”
FIRST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR 100 THIEVES & LA THIEVES!
Easily will go down as the greatest championship I’ve ever had the pleasure of being a part of.
Thank you to everyone for supporting us through thick and thin.
WHAT A MOMENT! https://t.co/PIOAVO9mWG
— 100T Nadeshot (@Nadeshot) August 7, 2022
The Los Angeles Thieves defeated the Boston Breach, OpTic Texas, and Atlanta Faze (twice) to win their first-ever Call of Duty world championship.
It was an unbelievably impressive run, so Nadeshot is absolutely right that the team deserves the utmost respect. And after his fiery message, hopefully, fans will be less likely to doubt the LA Thieves going into next year.