Hey there, sports fans. It’s the first ever Counter-Strike Report on theCGS.com. Let me just get a few things out of the way. The Counter-Strike Report is dependent on YOU. The Counter-Strike community and the Counter-Strike fans. We can only report on things that happen, so get active. Start a team, sign up for the Pro-Am, keep the community alive. If you're a fan, let us know what kind of things you want to see in the future. Be vocal. Your opinion is just as important as mine. Well... sometimes. I'm kidding... sorta.

CEVO Thermaltake 'em Down II Tournament

Even though we're in the bridge between CEVO Season 6 and Season 7, they're holding the community together with a massive 'mini' tournament during the off season, and it's well underway. Teams are competing under CEVO rules in a double elimination bracket for a chance to win some pretty solid computer hardware, as well as a chance to play in the CEVO Professional Placement tournament.

This is an event you're going to want to keep your eye on. Chances are, you could see the first and second place winners at the 2009 Combine. CEVO Professional tends to be the breeding ground for potential Championship Gaming Series Counter-Strike: Source talent. If someone is performing in the CEVO Professional league, it’s likely that they'll be performing well in the Pro-Am and subsequently, the Combine qualifiers.

There aren't many huge names in the tournament, but a few familiar teams are competing. Ballistics, who ran a route on LA COMPLEXITY at the 2008 Combine, eventually losing 10-7, has already moved their way into the second round of upper bracket play. Rebels Gaming, who had lost to SAN FRANCISCO OPTX at the Combine 10-6, edged out a decent Amped Gaming team. A new Hyper lineup, a team name that has housed a number of CGS talents over the years, made short work of their first round opponents. Last but not least, Aladar1, formerly of the FURIA, is playing with the new Nexus Gaming lineup, also moving their way easily through the upper bracket. We'll keep an eye on the Thermaltake 'em Down tournament in the coming weeks.

Showdown LAN 2008

Yazan "Clown" Ammari often competes at Bay Area events.

Finally, some Counter-Strike :Source LAN tournament action! Showdown LAN 2008 will be featuring tournaments for two CGS Pro-Am titles, Counter-Strike :Source and Team Fortress 2. You're likely to see a good portion of the West Coast Counter-Strike: Source competition at the tournament, as LAN events are few and far between these days. The tournament will be in San Mateo, California, in the Bay Area, so you can likely expect Kat Hunter to get some of the OPTX players out there for the event, as Clown and moE are usually West Coast LAN regulars.

Prizes have yet to be announced, but Showdown LAN 2008 boasts to be bringing thousands of dollars worth of goodies. The event will run from September 19th to the 21st -- be sure to make it out there if you're anywhere near the area to support the community. The only thing that will get more Counter-Strike: Source tournaments up and running is outstanding attendance at the few there currently are.

CGS Pro-Am Sign-ups

Chances are, if you're reading this Counter-Strike Report, then you've seen the Pro-Am banners and buttons all around the website, but still, let me reiterate, SIGN UP! Registration closes September 3rd, and has been open since August 1st, so you have no excuses! If you want to see the CGS help supplement the community with events, then overwhelm them with teams for the Counter-Strike: Source, Counter-Strike 1.6, and Team Fortress 2 Online Pro-Am league. You can play against all six of the CGS Counter-Strike Source teams, as well as some surprise talent...

Look out Pro-Am, CSS has a new threat in town.

That's right, if you've been keeping up with the CGS player blogs, you would know that Dead or Alive 4 BFF's Phoenix and NinjaCW are playing in the Counter-Strike: Source Pro-Am with deceitful racers SACKAMONJARO and ComeBackDan, as well as my colleague, H20 Evil, staff writer for CAROLINA CORE. I'm sure that won't be the only surprising roster you'll see in the Pro-Am leagues.

LA COMPLEXITY Struggles in 1.6

Now for something with a more serious tone. LA COMPLEXITY, the first of the CGS teams to take advantage of the CGS's sanction to play in Counter-Strike 1.6 competition, has been struggling throughout their return in CEVO 1.6 Professional Season 9. COMPLEXITY seems to really have trouble with the top teams of 1.6, such as Team EG, x3o, and MoB Gaming, teams that many people expected COMPLEXITY to roll over, myself included.

So, I got to thinking. Has the 1.6 competition really surpassed the old guard? If teams like 3D.NY and CHICAGO CHIMERA played in Counter-Strike 1.6 competition, would they be met with equally mixed results? I think so. It's tough to jump back and forth between the two games. While they're similar, their differences speak volumes. They are also teams that have made major changes since their Counter-Strike 1.6 dominance, which makes more of a difference than many people realize. A team like 3D.NY, which has been given a boost of destructive skill by Counter-Strike: Source mainstays such as Juan and nickn0it, would more than likely have a tough time making the jump as well.

Most importantly, LA COMPLEXITY achieved similarly mixed results in the CGS 2008 Season in Counter-Strike Source. It isn't as if we had the 2007 World Championship COMPLEXITY team storming back into Counter-Strike 1.6 with their squad's success and confidence. We have a wounded team venturing into territory that has been largely unwelcoming. The team was still learning to crawl, and they decided to try to walk upside down on their hands.

Above all, I believe that with enough practice and dedication, a team comprised of the COMPLEXITY core (note: small “c”) could dominate the Counter-Strike 1.6 competition. The problem is, would they be able to commit to that, when their primary concern, their career, is to repair their Counter-Strike: Source team. I guess only time will tell. We won't really know the outcome of this experiment until after the CGS 2009 Season.

Well, that is just about it for the Counter-Strike Report. Remember, if you have any requests or ideas, let us know, we're always listening. You can look forward to some special attention to the Counter-Strike: Source details in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.