The Dallas Empire haven’t been on the same page, and that’s prompted plenty of talking.
It’s had something to do with the Empire’s recent losses to the Minnesota Rokkr and OpTic Chicago. And nothing significant can change about the upcoming Call of Duty League Major matchup against the New York Subliners at 2 p.m. CT Thursday.
But the Empire can still get better in a few days time, and that’s enough to try.
The Empire (9-5, 3-2 Group B) worked plenty on their game this week, because if they do get on the right track, they don’t think there’s a CDL team outside of Atlanta FaZe that can compete.
In their eyes, their losses have been their own doing. Silly mistakes. Mental lapses.
Empire head coach Ray “Rambo” Lussier said this week included mostly discussion and less playing, which he liked. Dallas is repeating mistakes in matches, and that’s prompted hard conversations.
Team bonding was encouraged.
“Obviously we go through a lot of hardships and it’s hard to get out of those ruts,” Lussier said. “It’s based on discussion and having heart-to-hearts and really dumbing down the mistakes we are doing so we can find easy fixes that lead to bigger fixes later on. It’s not a one-day process.”
Dallas hasn’t been its dominant self and the talent pool of CDL teams is improving. There aren’t any pushover teams, Lussier said. Any team can win on any given day, and that was cemented this season when the Los Angeles Guerillas topped the previously unbeaten FaZe last weekend.
While the Empire were a buzz saw toward the latter half of the inaugural CDL season, they lost plenty at the beginning. So much so that their rookies at the time, especially Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro, had league followers skeptical.
But Dallas caught up to a similarly hot Atlanta team and Shotzzy earned league MVP honors before the team claimed a world title.
Lussier remembers that process and doesn’t mind it.
“FaZe last year learned the game incredibly fast and were a force,” Lussier said. “But as the year went on, they still improved but they let other teams catch up to them. If that’s our play and what we are going to be as a team, then so be it. As a GM and as a coach I really want us to win CoD champs.”
A Stage II title run wouldn’t be easy by any stretch, especially since the Empire didn’t get the top seed out of pool play. Dallas would need four wins this weekend, starting against former Empire star James “Clayster” Eubanks and New York before playing a Minnesota team that is 2-0 against Dallas this season.
Then possibly Chicago or Atlanta, unless Toronto were to make a miraculous run. What would a run like this require? Far fewer mistakes, and clean team synergy.
“There are no pushovers anymore. You can’t afford to lack at any moment in a game,” Lussier said. “Everything needs to be flowing freely and the decision-making needs to be crisp so you don’t allow a team to get back into the game.”
The Empire want to win this tournament, but keep the grand picture in perspective. Because winning Champs would mean more.
Lussier made his point with an answer to a question he also posed.
“Last year, do you remember who won the Atlanta FaZe home series? I don’t,” Lussier said.
For the record, it was FaZe. They stomped Florida in the tournament final and Dallas wasn’t in that field.
They’ll both be in every tournament this year, so for Dallas to reach the pinnacle again, it’ll have to take down Atlanta or any other scorching team that rises to the occasion.
Find more Empire coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
