Jacob M. · @fugly
15th Jan 2020 from TwitLonger
Benched.
As you are all aware now, I am being moved to the bench of Team Envy. It only came to my attention on the 14th of Jan. I just want to share this story to show what I was dealing with for over a month, whether it was intentional or last minute changes that couldn't be seen which led to this, I was still ignored and kept in the dark for ALL of the off-season which is my issue. Don't care in the slightest that I was moved to the bench, I just care how it happened. So just know all this was happening during the most important time for a lot of players.
Also, when I say I am talking to Team Envy, I mean the GM, not hastr0.
August:
I'll start off with the whole Sonic situation that led to him being cut in late August. We were struggling a ton in practice/officials and it was obvious we just weren't getting better. People started to get frustrated in the team including myself. I was already thinking that our foundation, everything we built just isn't right and we need a change. We felt the best approach would be to get rid of Nifty (IGL - was not awping at the time, Sonic was). I will not say who approached who but eventually after 2-3 days of talking, we decide to make a WhatsApp group with everyone besides Nifty (Group chat was made at night). Everyone but one person felt it was a good idea, which is why the group was made. We needed everyone to feel this was the right move to make so that we can go to Envy and let them know. The next day after the WhatsApp group chat was made, somehow Nifty found out about it and immediately cut Sonic. No hesitation, no talking to anyone about it, just went to practice and heard he was cut and now we need to look for another player (everyone else was just as surprised). There was no discussion about it, that was final. I know that if we ever did go to Envy about this, it would not have ended well for anyone but Nifty.
Little backstory: A big reason why I chose Team Envy over the two other offers I had back in March was because I was straight up told by Envy that I did not need to move. I have a place in AZ and told them up front. They were cool with it and I had no issues at all.
Now, Sept 4th. comes along and they slowly start hinting that I might need to move come January-Febuary 2020 as the new Facility was being built and they wanted all teams over in Dallas. I told them I will have to think about it and that if they can help me past the minimal stipend amount. No answer or response about moving until December. From Sept to December, I didn't think much about moving, was being reassured by players on the team that no way I need to move to Dallas. I already pay a mortgage and utilities over in AZ. Moving to Dallas would mean I pay Rent + utilities on top of what I pay in AZ. This is why I was hesitant at the start and was really waiting to hear back from Envy.
Now December 9th comes along, we are on break now. I get another call about moving and now its official. I either move to Dallas or I be kicked off the team. I told them that I am willing to move, I would just need a bit of help (which a certain amount was already a guarantee). All is good, I was told I would hear back from them soon! Now, I get a call from Nifty (Dec. 11th) asking what my plans were and what my ideas were for the team. We talked about ryannn who I felt we should keep. We talked about ANDROID, who I LOVE, but we were on the fence about. I said, OK talk to ryannn and see what he thinks as you know...he is a part of the team after all. Then we can hop in TS or a call together and discuss.
This is around the same time that Eley/Tailored were cut from the Coach and CS Manager positions. Again, had no idea about this beforehand.
December 20th, I get another call from Nifty. No news about ANDROID yet, ryannn has not been contacted from Nifty. We just talk about me moving and that if I am ready/not ready to commit to Dallas. I just said I was waiting to hear back from Envy. I messaged Envy the same day asking for an update and was told I will hop in a call with them over the weekend. December 23rd comes along (not the weekend btw, Monday) and I get a message from ANDROID that he has been cut. Weird...I message ryannn and ask if he knew about this because I told Nifty to talk to ryannn first. Nope. He just found about it as he got cut. I get a call the same day from Envy. They say "It's the holidays now, we won't know about your stipend until early next year". Ok...January comes along, I message Nifty on the 3rd of January about potential players which he responds and agrees that "that" player might be a good option. Even names another potential pickup we get get.
Now to the 8th of January, I ask for another update from Envy which they replied that they are working on getting the team sorted out this weekend and to hang tight. I think at this point, it is just a bunch of bullshit so I message Nifty saying that I am committed to going 100% now. Lets just get this going. I ask if the plan is still the same, me/Nifty/ryannn +2. And he ASSURES me that everything is still going to plan and there's nothing to worry about. We then start discussing options and talk about how EU is the way to go here. Now, I am thinking Envy are just busy with new Facility and that I wasn't at the top of their priority list. After all, Nifty did confirm everything is going nicely and that the plan was still the same.
On the 9th of January, I get a message from a number I did not recognize asking "When are you looking to move?". I message the number back but no reply. I message Nifty asking who this is, obviously he would know as he was the only one I told that I am 100% ready to move now. No reply for 5 days. I wait for the weekend to get an update from Envy. Weekend passes and nothing. Then on the 13th I see an artcle about Calyx joining Envy and ask ryannn if he knew about it. Which he did, and he also thought that I knew about it. That's when I messaged Envy again and asked for a real update this time. That is when I got the call saying that I have been moved to the Bench. And also ryannn, who is still part of the starting roster, had no idea about me being cut nor about ANDROID getting cut.
So all in all, I was jebaited for over a month, lied to, left on the backburner and after all that, it ends like this. Sucks but it is what it is, I felt I was still very naive even after the whole Sonic situation where everyone on the team knew it was fucked and it was not a team but one person making every decision for himself and no one else mattered, which the org is OK with. They want him running the show as Nifty and Envy are very close. (CoD org)
Update from 1/15: It was brought to my attention that I was a part of the team up until the 13th when new options came to light. Yet, I had no clue about any player releases and player signings before 1/13...and I was being ignored since the 9th.