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Rock Bottom is Just a Detour for the Uprising

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If there’s one constant with Boston Sports throughout the years, it’s that you can never count out the Bean Town boys. The Red Sox did it in 2004 when they came back from an 0-3 deficit to win the ALCS. In 2011 the Bruins roared back after going down 2 games to 0, by scoring 8 goals and winning at home. Then there’s my personal favorite, the Patriots coming back from a 28-3 deficit against the Falcons in 2017.

The Uprising were following the footsteps of its older siblings by becoming the first team to perform 3 reverse sweeps in a row. But the second half of Stage 2 became quite the rough patch for Boston. Tough losses against London, Hangzhou, and Washington left fans and players with a bad taste in their mouth. Not to worry though, because this is what Boston does – we get down and beaten up, but never give up.

What people weren’t expecting was how far the Uprising would fall. After 2 weeks and their most recent loss to San Francisco, Boston is 0-5, going 2-17 in overall map wins in Stage 3 . In fact, since beating Toronto in week 1 of Stage 2, Boston has won just 7 of 26 maps in that span including two map 5 losses.

It’s one thing to be frustrated as a fan watching your favorite team lose over and over (we feel you Florida),. But it is completely different to be a player on that team. Putting your heart and soul in each match, it’s only a matter of time before emotions get to you. Watching Fusions slam his desk was heartbreaking, and his thoughts on the stage so far are just as saddening.

Rock bottom is certainly where a lot of fans feel right now. Losing sucks for any team, but the constant shifting of lineups and stale meta have made things rough for Boston fans.

The Spiral

How did we get here?

The week following our incredible back to back reverse sweep, Boston lost an absolute heart breaker to the Hangzhou Spark in Stage 2. The Spark at the time were ranked quite poorly, as it was clear they needed more time to practice on stage in Stage 1. Unfortunately for Boston, it was their match when the Spark cashed in their “scrim bucks” and transformed into a top-tier team. In hindsight, it was more surprising that Boston took the Spark to five maps, but at the time it was a shocking upset.

Morale took a pretty big hit after that match, and the rough streak continued as Boston got stomped by both London and Vancouver. The following game Boston upset the LA Gladiators in an impressive 3-1 match.

Out of all games, the loss against the Washington Justice that initiated the spiral towards rock bottom. Getting reverse swept themselves Boston left Stage 2 without a playoff spot and plenty of film to watch in the All-Star Break.

People saw the Washington game as fluke, and the Los Angeles game as a true testament as to who the Uprising were as a team. There was a lot of conversation about how “Boston only planned against LAG because they knew they were going to stomp the Justice”. It looked to be the case anyway, and Boston only lost that game after getting too cocky and let a worse team stick around. The outlook for Stage 3 remained mostly positive, even I thought it would pan out as a positive stage for Boston.

Instead of going up the ladder, Boston fell straight to rock bottom.

The Rock Bottom Pit Stop

Courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment
Fusions visibly upset after the loss against Houston

The Lineup Shakeup

At the start of Stage 3 we saw Boston go into the game against London with a completely new support lineup of Persia and Alemao. This was an incredibly shocking move on Boston’s part, as both Kellex and Aimgod had played very well this season. On top of that, playing two green players against a team like London during a pivotal stage seemed truly out of character for the Boston coaching staff. To the surprise of very few viewers, Boston was easily 4-0’d by London to start the stage.

Next up was the match against Paris, and Boston again shook up the lineup a second time. Boston decided to play Alemao over Kellex again, but swap back AimGod in over Persia. Another strange move as most support duos perform much stronger when playing against a common partner. Constant support switching can hurt a team, as they have to relearn the play styles of the new player. After winning Illios in convincing fashion, fans thought Boston was back in form. But the Eternal had other plans, and proceeded to roll Boston three maps in the row to take the win.

The Houston Game

As Boston faced off against Houston they wanted to try out one more iteration – Persia and Kellex. As the longest standing member of the Uprising, it was extremely apparent his leadership was missing in the games he sat out. Back on stage with the team, he was the only one to record an elimination on Nepal-Sanctum against the Outlaws. It would proceed to be another very long game for the Uprising as they go on to lose 4-0. Again.

The Houston game also brought us a swap in roles, as blase and Colourhex traded Brig and Zarya. I personally think this was the switch that truly hurt Boston against Houston. Colourhex looked incredibly passive on Brig, and blase’s bubble management on Zarya was atrocious. The two players that are necessary to keep Fusions alive were failing to do their job. It wasn’t 100% their fault however. Houston’s Danteh was an absolute terror on the Boston support line, specifically targeting Persia in order to deny his ultimates.

It was this game where Boston found themselves on the brink. They had made it to rock bottom and it sucks. There’s no wifi and nothing to do.

The Long Road Back

The Promising Hackfist

Despite being smacked around by various teams, Boston still used each game to experiment with new compositions and strategies. In the match against Houston, Boston wasted no time trying out new triple-DPS comps. On Nepal-Village Boston came out firing with Pharah, Sombra, and Tracer. Their game plan here is to outplay the Outlaws DPS players. While they lost the map – and eventually the map – Boston saw the immediate difference between playing GOATs and playing DPS. There was a spark of hope in the pit of despair.

Then came the Philadelphia game, where Boston’s new strategy really shined – for a moment at least.

I discuss this before in a previous article, but what fueled Boston’s rise was their use of the Hackfist comp. Boston again came out strong, utilizing more DPS characters against Philly on Ilios. Boston cruised to a 2-0 victory to start the match. As the match went on, Boston began to lose steam and decided to run GOATs just one more time. They lost terribly, and thus made their findings clear. Boston should move on from jamming GOATs into every map.

Rocket Punch out of the Pit

Finally the week was upon Boston, where they must face the Stage 2 champions, the San Francisco Shock. Everyone already knew the outcome of the match but no one expected Boston to play so well. Boston started with the Hackfist comp to less than ideal success. rCk seemed to be telegraphing his routes and San Fran seemed to know where he was at all times. It’s one thing to smash lesser teams with an experimental comp, but its a completely different game when facing a top tier GOATs squad.

Fast forward to Hollywood where Boston again busts out the triple DPS comp. This time it is Colourhex’s show. His Pharah was incredible, bringing Boston almost to cap two points against the San Fran defense. Again Boston comes up just short to lose the map, but the improvement and progress was noticed by casters and fans.

That brings us to the Paris Eternal rematch. Now confident in their new comps, Boston started playing DPS comps and never looked back. With the original support line of AimGod and Kellex back together, Boston looked like a new team. At least, in the second half.

The first half Boston looked extremely shaky. Missed opportunities, sloppy mistakes, and a whole lot of dying early caused Boston to go down 2 maps to none. Don’t forget though, this is a Boston team through and through. They aren’t done till the clock says 00:00. Or in this case, till the screen says Victory.

Paris Reverse Sweep

On Boston’s second attack at Eichenwalde they had only a minute to take a tick. When push comes to shove, expect someone on Boston to make a hero play. This is the moment we viewers were blessed by one of the craziest Doomfist plays in OWL. I also talked about this one here, but please watch it again because the play is just that good.

Then of course was the insane shatter from Fusions, and a massive 3k from Colourhex to stop the Eternal at 3.37m. Dorado was more excellent DPS highlights from Boston as Colourhex puts on a clinic for aspiring Pharah players. On Nepal Boston looked near unstoppable. rCk played out of his mind on Nepal-Sanctuary, actually hitting a Kruise with a hack before EMP’ing the rest of the Eternal. Every single player stepped up and it absolutely warmed my heart and inspired hope moving forward.

The Thriller Against Philly

In the last match of the stage, Boston faced Philly once again. With a win under their belt and the support line settled, Boston was ready to even out the series. Hell, the entire fan base was ready for a sort of Phoenix-like renewal from the Uprising. What we really got was a spark of hope that slowly fizzled out.

After a truly awful Nepal start, Boston took back Horizon Lunar Colony to go into half time. These first two maps were so important because they set the tone for the rest of the series.

No one knew who was going to win when DPS were involved.

On Nepal we saw an absolutely vintage Carpe performance with Widowmaker. On Lunar Colony we saw Boston’s DPS overwhelm the Philly defense, and then thwart the attack with a bunker comp. Sadly, Boston was then let down by that same bunker comp, as they failed to even take the first point on Numbani.

Stage 4 and Beyond

I’ve been saying it for a while but I’ll mention it one last time – Boston’s DPS palyers shine when they are playing DPS. This match highlights that even with a slow start, Boston is a team very much in hunt for season playoffs.

Stage 4 is looking to be a very weak schedule for Boston, and I hope this momentum carries them forward. Boston looks to be out of rock bottom, and inching closer to the promise land of Wells Fargo Center.

Be sure to follow Brock on twitter for more breakdowns and analysis #BostonUp

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BOSTON UPRISING MAIN TANK ALL-STAR CAMERON “FUSIONS” BOSWORTH

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New to Overwatch? Get caught up on everything Overwatch League by reading our introduction.

Boston entered the 2019 Overwatch League with a retooled roster of both new and returning players. Several of these new players came from across the globe, among them British main tank Cameron ‘Fusions’ Bosworth. Riding his energetic shotcalling, aggression, and leadership, the Uprising snuck into the Stage 1 playoffs. Receiving league-wide acclaim, the rookie has been named to the All-Star game as a starter for the Atlantic Division.

Excitement followed the team as they started Stage 2 with two reverse-sweeps against Atlanta and Toronto. Unfortunately, the Uprising would go 0-3 in their next games, including an 0-8 map score against London and Vancouver. A win against the then-undefeated Stage 2 LA Gladiators would lift the team’s spirits before getting reverse swept by the then 1-win Washington Justice. Now the Uprising are on the outside looking in on the Stage 2 playoffs.

We were fortunate to have Fusions answer a few of our questions about how Stage 1 went, the roster changes throughout the season so far, and how far this team can go.

Note: This interview was conducted just before Stage 2 week 5’s matchup against the LA Gladiators.

Boston Sports Extra’s LoadScr33n: There were a lot of questions about the Uprising headed into the 2019 season considering all the turnover with the roster. Looking back, how would you evaluate the team’s performance in Stage 1?

Cameron “Fusions” Bosworth: First I think our performance in stage 1 was really good overall, we absolutely smashed our expectations and performed really well against some good opponents, the only match I was unhappy with was the 0-4 loss against defiant because I felt like we didn’t really give our all to that match.

LoadScr33n: Boston’s Stage 1 success has been widely attributed to your addition to the roster. What are some of the influential experiences in your amateur career that have helped you perform so well at the professional level?

Fusions: Prior to being in OWL I had a lot of experience as a shotcaller in multiple teams and lots of experienced players so that helped me adjust really fast, also I’ve had plenty of LAN and match experience prior to the Overwatch League so I wasn’t that overwhelmed coming into OWL.

https://twitter.com/BostonUprising/status/1124091950695682048

LoadScr33n: Let’s talk about the Note trade. You two seemed to have a great partnership both in and out of the game. What do you think makes Note a special player?

Fusions: I think the thing that makes Note so special as a player is the fact that he’s so consistent. I’ve never played with a player who does his job as consistently as Note did and still does with the Fuel and that’s something that we will greatly miss in our team.

LoadScr33n: Where were you and what was your reaction when you heard Note was traded to Dallas? What were some of your first thoughts about having rCk as a teammate?

Fusions: I was obviously sad when I heard Note was leaving but also optimistic about the rCk trade since I knew him from playing against him and knew he was a really good player, as well as meeting him personally in Poland during contenders LAN, so I was definitely excited to have him.

2019-02-14 / Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment

LoadScr33n: Everyone knows rCk adds flexibility to the team with his Sombra play. What are some things he brings to the team that fans may not know about?

Fusions: As well as his flexibility and Sombra play, rCk also adds another layer to our comms as well as being a smart player than can come up with ideas on the fly, it’s always good to have players that think outside the box in certain situations.

LoadScr33n: Three straight reverse sweeps. What are the coaches and players saying at halftime that helped the most with you guys pulling it off against Dallas, Atlanta, and Toronto?

Fusions: During halftime on the days of our reverse sweeps most of what was being said was about how to adapt to our opponents, but also a lot of everyone hyping each other up and motivating one another, I personally always try to keep my energy high and keep my team in high spirits because I know that if I ever show that I’m upset the team will immediately notice and worry.

LoadScr33n: The meta in Stage 2 is much more fluid than it was in Stage 1. We’ve seen you flex off Rein to play Winston, Orissa, and Hammond at different times. Which of those three do you feel strongest and weakest on and why?

Fusions: I think out of the 3 main tanks other than Rein I feel like I’m definitely strongest on Winston overall and weakest on Orisa probably since I play her the least of any of the main tanks, however I’d say I’m comfortable on every main tank now, if we were talking comparatively to the rest of the league I think my Hammond would rank as my highest of the 3 since I’ve practiced him a lot more than other tanks and my Winston would be my worst since the level of Winston in OWL is so high.

LoadScr33n: Boston has leaned into the DPS compositions, particularly when you played Vancouver this past week. Generally speaking, do you think the Uprising are a better GOATs or DPS team?

Fusions: I think we’re a strong team in either meta but I think we have more potential in a dps meta, Colourhex and Blase in particular shine when they’re on their dps heroes particularly Colours’ Widow and Blase’s Pharah/Doomfist/Junkrat so given time to practice in that I think we’ll be a team to be scared of.

Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment

LoadScr33n: Speaking of Vancouver, they beat you in the Stage 1 playoffs when Boston played GOATs and this past weekend when the team played more DPS. What do you think it will take for the Uprising or anybody to stop the Titans?

Fusions: I think Titans are an extremely good goats team and beating them will be tough for anyone, but I think when the meta changes and they have to adapt at the same pace as other teams, coaching and player mentality/flexibility will determine the best teams in the league so we’ll see how they can adapt.

LoadScr33n: Stage 2 playoffs are going to be difficult for the Uprising to reach. What are some things the team need to work on to keep in playoff contention both this stage and for the rest of the season?

Fusions: In order to make stage 2 playoffs at this point we’d probably have to pull a miracle so I’m more focused on overall playoffs, the 2 matches this week are really important ones for our season overall so I really want to win them both. DC have improved a lot so are not to be underestimated and Gladiators are obviously a very tough opponent, hoping we can pull off 2 wins.

We’d like to thank Fusions for taking the time to answer our questions and give fans a view behind the curtain. Though eliminated from Stage 2 playoffs, you can see Fusions as a starter on the Atlantic Division in this year’s All-Star game, May 15-16. From there, he and the rest of the team will get a midseason break before reassembling on Friday, June 7th when they open Stage 3 against the London Spitfire. We wish him and the entire Boston Uprising organization good luck on the rest of the season. #BostonUp

All photos are by Robert Paul and courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment

For more Boston Uprising content and gameday banter, follow Loadscr33n on Twitter #BostonUp

Exclusive Interview with Boston Uprising Main Tank Cameron “Fusions” Bosworth

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After releasing star players Neko and Striker in the offseason, the Boston Uprising came into the 2019 Overwatch League season with several question marks. Surprisingly, unofficial team captain and main tank Gamsu was traded to the Shanghai Dragon just days before opening night. With no time to spare, Boston called up main tank Cameron “Fusions” Bosworth from their Contenders team to fill in. Critics and observers were shocked when the Uprising nearly defeated expected champion NYXL. What followed has been an up and down Stage 1 that has many believing Boston can be a playoffs team and a force to be reckoned with in the league.

Fusions first came onto the scene with London Spitfire’s Contenders team the British Hurricane. They won the 2018 Contenders Season 1: Europe Championship in his first season with the team. From there, he was selected to be a part of the UK’s Overwatch World Cup team as their main tank. His standout performance on Reinhardt caught everyone’s eyes, and many anticipated a future Overwatch League debut.

We were fortunate enough to get to speak to Fusions about what it was like as he prepared for the 2019 season. As part of the Uprising Academy, he was set to play in Contenders until the Gamsu trade. We talk to him about how it all went down, what being a part of the Uprising has been like, and how far he thinks the team will go.

Boston Sports Extra’s LoadScr33n: Fusions – just a few weeks ago you’re on the Uprising Academy and I imagine you’re preparing for the new season of Contenders. Where were you and how did you find out you were getting called up to the main roster?

Cameron “Fusions” Bosworth: I was busy preparing for the upcoming contenders season with Uprising Academy when Huk called me when I was at home to tell me that I would be called up to the main team in order to play. It was about a week and a half before the first match so I had to prepare fast to make sure I was ready to move.

LoadScr33n: What was that moment like? What were your first thoughts and who was the first person you told?

Fusions: When I was told I was really excited. It came as quite a shock since I really had no idea I would be brought up. I told my family that same night and my closest friends a little after. 

Fusions was playing the same type of aggressive Reinhardt all the way back in Contenders

LoadScr33n: Could you walk me through those few days between when you got the call and touching down in LA? What was that like for you and your family and what was the biggest hurdle to get to the states?

Fusions: To be honest there wasn’t really any big hurdles into leaving for or getting to the US. I was prepared with my visa already for about a month before that so all I really had to do was pack and be ready to go. My family was upset to see me go, especially my mum, but they were expecting that I would have to move at short notice for a while before that so they understood.

LoadScr33n: You land in LA and you have a day or two to prepare to play against the NYXL – currently the top team in the standings and widely expected to win the championship this year. Can you give me an idea of what those days were like?

Fusions: I just did my best to fit in and help out the team. Realistically we couldn’t make any other huge changes right before the game, so I went in giving 100% and we put on a pretty good performance.

LoadScr33n: We know what the expectations for the Uprising were from outside the team (not good). What was the feeling from the players and management about how you stacked up against the rest of the league before the start of the season?

Fusions: Obviously we had an idea of who the stronger and weaker competition was going into the season but to be honest everyone knows not to focus on what people think of us on the outside. They don’t see our scrims or how we perform and hadn’t seen a large majority of our players play at this level, so we knew we could easily beat their expectations, the challenge is how much we could beat those expectations by.

2019-03-10 / Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment

LoadScr33n: The team sent out a video at the start of the season with the theme “Prove. Them. Wrong.” What are the expectations within the team and what goals have you set for yourself this stage and the year overall?

Fusions: The general goal of the team is to polish ourselves as the season goes on and become a team that can compete at the top level and with any team. The potential in our roster is huge so we want to keep focusing and improving the more the season progresses. My personal goal is to by the end of the year be talked about as one of the top tank players in the game. It’s a tall order but I think with the help and resources I have, I can reach that goal, and I really want to push myself to be the best I can be.

LoadScr33n: Now that things may be settling down into a routine a bit, how are you finding life in the states, playing on the team, the daily scrim and vod grind, and just a complete change to your life than where you were just two weeks ago?

Fusions: I’ve gotten used to the routine by now, everything we need is prepared in advance so all I have to focus on is how to push myself in my free time. I really enjoy this lifestyle and living with the team because it really makes me feel like I’m competing at the top level and can invest every bit of time I have into being the best player I can be.

LoadScr33n: You didn’t get to come to Boston in the preseason visit with the rest of the team. Assuming you make it to Boston by the end of the season, anything specific you want to see in the city? Anything the other guys have talked about that gets you hyped for a trip down the line?

Fusions: My parents have visited Boston before and they really enjoyed it so I really want to visit at some point. My teammates talked a lot about stuff they did there and the things that really stood out was they mentioned an Escape Room they did in Boston that was a lot of fun and also how the sports culture in the city makes it a great place to be during matches across different sports.

2019-02-28 / Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment

We want to thank Fusions for taking the time to speak to us. At 3-3, the Uprising have a great chance of making the Stage 1 playoffs if they can defeat the Dallas Fuel this Saturday (although there are some complicated scenarios at play). Tune into Twitch this Saturday at 6pm to see how the Uprising do!

All photos are by Robert Paul and courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment

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Uprising Stage 1 Week 3 Preview: Dynasty & Defiant

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Thursday, February 27th @ 8:30 P.M. – Boston Uprising vs. Seoul Dynasty Sunday, March 3rd @ 3 P.M. – Boston Uprising vs. Toronto Defiant

What a long week for the Boston Uprising. It’s not a typical one when you consider they just became the first team to lose to the Shanghai Dragons. On top of that, many wondered if Fusions could get a full OWL contract negotiated before Thursday’s game. Boston’s schedule isn’t giving them a breather, either. Let’s check in with where this week’s opponents, Seoul and Toronto, are in the standings:

Seoul and Toronto, at 5th and 6th respectively, have been good this season. Additionally, Toronto will be playing former Uprising support Neko on Sunday for the first time all season. Getting shut out this weekend will most likely knock Boston out of the Stage 1 playoffs and force some serious questions about the team. Is there a legitimate cause for concern for Uprising fans?

Good news

Fortunately the Uprising have done a lot to prepare for the two games this weekend. First, they’ve settled the Fusions contract situation:

With the team’s stud young main tank secured and ready to go, one of the main excuses I and many others gave to Boston from Friday won’t be available. Second, the boys will have had another week of scrims, practice, and VOD review to prepare. Third, Colourhex has gotten his first Blizzard Arena match over with and can now settle down going into the week. Also, the GOATS meta has made parity across the league the rule rather than the exception. Seoul and Toronto’s records mean nothing. Lastly, if you need a new hype video, the Uprising have you covered:

https://twitter.com/BostonUprising/status/1100917309391069184

Taken together, Boston seems to have put the devastating loss against the Dragons behind them. They know what they need to work on (counter Sombra), where they’re good (Fusion’s shot calling) and where they’re going (big matches against Seoul and Toronto). What are their chances? Let’s break down the matches.

Boston Uprising vs. Seoul Dynasty

One of the questions the Uprising need to answer right away is who will play Lucio. Kellex was put in last Friday in place of Alemao and it’s anyone’s guess who will get the call Thursday. We saw at the end of the match against Shanghai that the supports became the key to countering Sombra. Kellex made several great plays wall riding around the team, dropping in after the EMP hit, and hitting his Sound Barrier. Blasé got a few nice stuns on Sombra to stop the ultimate hitting. It will be key for Boston to use this and other strategies to counter Sombra.

Match Preview

As a matter of fact, the Sombra fight will be the focus of this match. Both Sang-beom “Munchkin” Byun and Min-hyuk “Michelle” Choi of the Dynasty played Sombra more than competently in their last match against Chengdu. They are a big part of why Seoul had a clean 4-0 that night. I would expect to see a lot of Sombra this match, as it has been the thorn in Boston’s side all season. And the whole league knows it.

Thursday’s match will be played on Nepal, Numbani, Temple of Anubis, and Route 66

Then again, this is the same Seoul that lost to the 2-2 Dallas Fuel. Three weeks into the season, there have been very few teams able to distinguish themselves from the pack. Minus the loss-less NYXL, Vancouver Titans, or Paris Eternal, all teams are down in the mud with each other slugging it out for relevance. Still operating under a small sample size, we’re not yet able to tell where any of these teams are. After watching the hype video, you have to believe that Boston is focusing on the Sombra counters. If they are to stand any chance, they can’t keep getting hit with the 5 or 6 player EMPs.

Also – do we see some crazy comps come out again? Note’s turn on Reaper was one of the most unique team comps we saw league-wide last week. That type of boldness to counter the meta means you never know exactly what Boston will do. Huk likely has something cooking in his lab that his team will deploy. There’ll be some map or stage-specific scenario where I expect us to see an atypical hero get some play time. Here’s hoping it’s Soldier or Symmetra!

Prediction

Strap yourselves in Uprising fans, we’ve got us a slobber-knocker! I just don’t see Boston falling for the EMP for a third week straight. Assistant Coach Gunba and all the players mentioned Sombra in the hype video. The team is too focused to fall prey to it again. Maybe they change up the team comp, or just spread out more. Perhaps they swap in the Moira to hang back and toss Biotic Orbs out after the EMP drops. Kellex runs laps around wall riding as Lucio with his ultimate ready to launch. Who knows. I just don’t see them doing the same against a hero they know they’ll be seeing plenty of.

Losing to Shanghai had to have put a chip on Boston’s shoulder. Scratch that. A whole damn bag of Doritos strewn over all their heads. These guys must be itching for their chance at redemption. With Fusions back in the lineup, the British rookie has given us no reason not to believe in him. Taken together, I expect a close match, maybe stretching out to five maps. But in the end, I give the edge to Boston.

Boston Uprising vs. Toronto Defiant

After last week’s drama surrounding the matchup against our former captain and main tank Gamsu, Boston finds themselves playing against another former player. Neko, an obscure and unknown player when Boston picked him up, joined Toronto in the offseason after a successful rookie campaign. As mentioned earlier, this will be his first game of the season after serving a three game suspension for selling an account and obstructing an investigation. Last year, Neko made a name for himself for being the under appreciated Zenyatta of the league. He may not be NYXL’s regular season MVP JJonak, but the South Korean could make his presence felt. Given that the Defiant barely squeezed by with a 2-1 victory against the winless LA Valiant last week, the team and Neko come into the match with plenty to prove.

Match Preview

Just as Boston has had growing pains this season by incorporating new players, Toronto will get a taste of the transition game in this match. Can Neko come in as a starter and set the tone for the team? All eyes will be on his Zen and ability to gel with his teammates. If he’s anything like other former Uprising players Gamsu and Striker, who have each flourished on new teams, Boston will have their hands full.

Of course Toronto has their own fleet of competent Sombra players they’re likely to deploy. Besides Neko, both Kang-Jae “Envy” Lee and Do-hyung “Stellar” Lee both have seen playing time as Sombra this season. If Boston doesn’t figure out the counter strat for Sombra against Seoul, they’re in for a long match against Toronto.

Sunday’s match will be played on Busan, Hollywood, Temple of Anubis, and Rialto

Don’t sleep on seeing Colourhex pull out a non-GOATs DPS. Hollywood and Point A on Anubis have all seen some DPS usage. Do we get a Phar-Mercy, Bastion, Hanzo, or Junkrat? Not outside of the realm of possibility. Or maybe we just get more GOATs than we ever wanted.

Prediction

I watched the Atlanta and Toronto match last week. One of the only matches I’ve seen without Boston. What a match that was – two teams that could coordinate, make counter picks, manage ult economy, and get picks. After seeing that, I started to believe in this Toronto team. Selfishly, I’d like to see Neko drop egg on his face here, but I don’t see that either. Unfortunately, I think this is where Boston stumbles. Hopefully, like the NYXL match, the Uprising show up and push Toronto to the limit. While I don’t expect Boston to win this one, I do hope we’ll see a close match. Another possible 5th map match that reminds everyone across the league that Boston is a legitimate contender. And forget about that loss last week to Shanghai.

Outlook

Boston has two tough matches this week. After setting the league on fire after week 1, Boston hit as big a road bump as anyone could week 2. If they’re going to make stage 1 playoffs, there is no time like the present to make a push. Even more important, the Uprising need to show exactly what type of team they are. If they want to show that the Shanghai match was a fluke, they have a golden opportunity to do it now. Are middle of the road teams like the Dynasty and Defiant going to be the ones to put them away? Or can they take care of business and put the league back on notice? Here’s hoping we don’t look like Fusions when he saw us loose to Shanghai:

Same season. Same goal. PROVE. THEM. WRONG.

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Uprising Stage 1 Week 2 Preview: Shanghai Dragons

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Friday, February 22nd @ 10 P.M. – Boston Uprising vs. Shanghai Dragons

​​​After opening week the Boston Uprising see themselves having scaled from bottom tier in most preseason rankings to tenth in the league standings. With only a Friday game on the docket, Boston has had a week to prepare for their one opponent – the Shanghai Dragons. Winless in the inaugural Overwatch League season and already 0-2 this year, can the fan favorite Dragons break through for their first win?

It’s High Noon

Most of the drama surrounding this matchup will center around Noh ‘Gamsu’ Yeong-Jin, the South Korean former main tank and captain of the Boston Uprising. Traded to Shanghai just two days before the season, Gamsu will play a critical role in the match’s outcome. One has to assume that he has a chip on his shoulder being passed over for Uprising’s current main tanks Axxiom and Fusions. Given Boston’s performance without him in week 1 he likely will be playing with an axe to grind. As a result, expect the broadcast and casters to focus attention on Gamsu. Lastly, he will have had a full week to prepare and integrate with his team. Look for his signature Winston to try to pop off and disrupt the Uprising in this match

Observant fans, however, will see the addition of Colourhex to the Uprising as the more impactful roster move. Coming off his 2 game suspension, the dps player adds flexibility the team sorely lacked week 1. As a result, the New Zealander likely would play either Zarya or Sombra. Colourhex’s ability to flex between the two gives Boston a better chance to not get rolled as they did last week. Shanghai may mimic the NYXL and Outlaws Sombra comp that consistently devastated Boston. Armed with a dps that can flex to a Sombra of their own, expect Boston to come out better prepared than they’ve been all season.

Boston and Shanghai will play on Ilios, King’s Row, Horizon Lunar Colony, and Rialto

With Colourhex in the match someone has to hit the bench. With Note on off tank and Colourhex on Zarya the choice falls to Fusions or Axxiom. Given his breakthrough performance in his Contenders call up and first OWL match (with two days notice!) it’s unlikely the Brit will be pulled. As a result, expect Axxiom to only see stage time if Boston runs a Winston comp. If Colourhex can adapt to his first OWL match and quickly integrate with the team there’s no reason to think the Uprising can’t beat their week 1 performance.

Justice Rains From Above

This is not to say Shanghai doesn’t have a lot to prove. Their current winless streak has brought them near universal admiration from the OWL community. Boston should expect to receive the full ire of of the audience. In their matches during the opening week, Shanghai stood out by playing unique comps. Playing dive and a 3 support, 2 dps, 1 tank comp, the Dragons aren’t afraid to play unconventionally. Boston will need to prepare for several possible comps.

Lastly, Shanghai’s off tank Geguri deserves a lot of credit. Not just the only female player in the league, but already a top Hammond player. Her play on Horizon Lunar Colony against the Spark was easily their brightest moment in the match. If her and Gamsu can get on the same page and get something from their support line, they could finally get their elusive first victory.

Match Preview

After being thrown in the trash heap by every talking head, the Uprising already put those hot takes into the freezer. Barely falling to the NYXL and enduring a 5 map match to the Outlaws, Boston is playing with purpose. They are a much better team than everyone (except us Uprising fans) expected. I love the passion that’s coming out of these guys. They have a chip on their shoulder and they want to prove people wrong.

Motivation and talent are all great but in a league with as much parity as this, Boston can’t take anything for granted. Fusions has to keep improving. Coaches are going to have to balance a stacked tank line to optimize for the GOATS meta. Colourhex will have no time to adjust and needs to prove himself straight away. Everyone has to fill their role.

Prediction

All that said, Boston should roll Shanghai. There won’t be any miracle happening in L.A. For a team that has language barriers, new players, and hasn’t sniffed a win in over a season, Shanghai isn’t ready for what Boston will be bringing. Expect this to be a statement game for the Uprising where they put everyone on notice. They’re coming for the stage 1 playoffs and no winless Dragons team or anyone else is going to stop them. 
This season’s goal remains the same. PROVE. THEM. WRONG.

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