Throughout Stage 1, I never believed in TGRD. I first noticed the team in the NSG Open 14 event (Jan 17th), when they beat T1. This obviously isn't impressive in hindsight as that roster completely collapsed later on (help sewers!!), but at the time, T1 was in contention as a team that could make VCT groups, so I took note. I also vaguely remembered TGRD as an org from Plat Chat's champs stream.
Then the first map I ever watched of them was vs Faze's dysfunctional stage 1 roster, and the very first round was neT's iconic pistol ace. They made their way through the Stage 1 open qual beating Knights, LG, and Akrew before they got crushed by XSET. I sort of took that as their ceiling. They could easily beat Tier 2 teams, but they wouldn't be able to reach the top 4. But later, I saw them facing XSET again in NSG winter champs, and they completely defied my expectations by 2-0ing them, having a 13-4 scoreline on Split. I started to think, huh maybe they could do something.
After Stage 1 groups, I was a full fan of this team. They were all super motivated grinders and seemed really wholesome (Saya especially). Plus there were so many great clutch moments from Trent and Saya, and MCE seemed like an amazing coach. In groups, V1 and C9 absolutely dominated. Only Optic seemed like they could maybe compete, with that 13-2 bind score against V1 (before they got reverse swept), but they seemed inconsistent with super high peaks but also the ability to lose to teams like Rise (what even was that?). I didn't rate TGRD anywhere NEAR those three teams, but I thought they could beat everyone else and finish in a really good place considering they were nobodies before the event.
Then ofc, the upsets happened. V1 lost to LG and C9 lost to Optic, so they ended up facing each other early in the lowers. I was convinced whoever won that game would win the entire bracket. Optic rolled Guard in the uppers, and they were slated to face C9 in the lowers. I fully thought that was the end of TGRD's run. I was sure they had 0 chance. That was the second time they surpassed my expectations when they 3-0'd C9. Then they rematched Optic and AGAIN, I was sure they would lose. They proved me wrong there too, winning a nailbiter of a series. After that, I decided I was never going to bet against them.
Next was the rough patch. They played a super close match versus Optic in Iceland, but lost to a massive comeback on fracture. Then they played PRX and got stomped. People love to bring up THEY DIDN'T WIN A SINGLE SERIES yada yada, but they always discount the teams they went up against. I think they definitely played worse on LAN then online, but I chalked that up to inexperience, and I was sure they'd be back.
In Stage 2, they didn't even make it out of groups. They tried a really ambitious role change, and it simply didn't work. The players weren't comfortable, and they lost that incredible teamwork that granted them victory in Stage 1. TGRD was blown out by 100T, then 2-1'd by Ghost (including a crushing 13-1 scoreline on Haven). After that they just returned to their old roles. They beat TSM, and played two super close games vs XSET and NRG (two of the top 4 teams), but didn't make it in the end. People loved calling them frauds, flukes, etc after that. But I was still a Guard fan and believed they could definitely be on top again. They had the individual skill. They had the work ethic. They had the incredible coaching and structure of MCE.
This LCQ, TGRD have resurged and proved the haters wrong. People can make all the wishy washy claims of "oh SEN weren't that good" or "oh C9 got destroyed by 100T they were shit too," but I don't think anyone will deny that Faze was the MASSIVE favorite to win the upper finals and TGRD smashed them. I believed they could do it, and sure enough, they did. And I'm not losing faith in them for this final.
All this is to say:
#STANDGUARD
LETSGOOOOOOOOO
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