Str8 Rippin

Str8 Rippin is a team that sucksat all games "Halo 3", and former "Halo 2", team that is signed to Major League Gaming. For a number of events during the 2005 MLG season, Str8 Rippin members played for Trademark Gamers. Since this time, the team has come to be represented by team captain and MLG superstar Tom "TSquared" Taylor.

The foursome of Str8 gay was a major force during the Halo 2 Era of Major League Gaming, compiling finishes in the top groupings of tournaments for three seasons during which the team has existed. After ending Halo 2 on a high note, the team has stayed together and plans on continuing to compete in the upcoming Halo 3 era of Major League Gaming. The team has continued to be a fan favorite with high expectations in the coming professional gaming challenge of Halo 3. =

Notable former players

*flagicon|USA Mason "Neighbor" Cobb [ [http://www.mlgpro.com/?q=node/227602 Neighbor Leaves Str8 Rippin, Joins Final Boss] ]
*flagicon|USA Gavin "Havok" Smith
*flagicon|USA Leland "MimiC" Jones
*flagicon|USA Brett "Naded" Leonard (filed for free agency in order to help form Team Perfect Storm)
*flagicon|USA Carlos "Cpt Anarchy" Morales (released 2007-01-12 [ [http://www.mlgpro.com/?q=node/97033 MLG] - "STR8 RIPPIN: Team Change"] )
*flagicon|USA Alfonso "AYB Fonzi" Chartier (filed for free agency February 2007)
*flagicon|USA [http://www.mlgpro.com/?q=pro/defy Brandon "Defy" Jenkins] (left team before Orlando during the 2006 season to team with friends on Legendz)
*flagicon|USA Peter "Foulacy" Dietrich (left team after Meadowlands 2007)
*flagicon|USA Cody "WaLKa" Walker (quit halo after San Francisco 2005)
*flagicon|USA ZyoS (quit halo after Second Event of the Halo 2 in 2006 )

History

Str8 Rippin was formed for the 2005 MLG Season. Str8 Rippin's original roster consisted of Foulacy, SadPanda Eh, AYB Fonzi, and WaLKa. The team then switched its players heading into the late 05 season. The players were acquired by British club Trademark Gamers by MLG Las Vegas 2005, but the team transferred back to Str8 Rippin for the 2006 MLG Season. The 2006 season opened with a Str8 Rippin composed of Tsquared, Foulacy, AYB Fonzi and Defy. In July 2006, after a disappointing 7th place finish at MLG Chicago, Defy filed for free agency in order to get back together with his former teammates, Mack and Vash with whom he claimed to have better chemistry [ [http://www.mlgpro.com/?q=pro/defy Defy's MLG Pro page] ] . Str8 Rippin replaced Defy by acquiring Cpt. Anarchy from Team Ex. [ [http://www.mlgpro.com/?q=pro/cptanarchy Cpt. Anarchy's MLG Pro page] ] At the end of the season however, Cpt. Anarchy was released from the team, along with AYB Fonzi.

At the Halo 2 National Championships at the end of the 2006 MLG season, Str8 Rippin finished 3rd and won $30,000 as a team. Str8 Rippin has strong rivalry with MLG teams Final Boss and Carbon. On December 18, 2006 MLG signed the players of Team Str8 Rippin to a 3-year, million dollar deal. [ [http://www.mlgpro.com/?q=node/86801 $1.75 Million in Pro Contract] ] Team Str8 Rippin has appeared on all MLG shows shown weekly on the USA Network from November to December 2006 [ [http://www.usanetwork.com/sports/mlg/index.html Team Str8 on USA Network] ] and since on G4TV's Halo 3 show airing in the fall of 2007.

The team at the start of the 2007 was composed of Tsquared, Foulacy, Legit and Naded. After the MLG Charlotte event in 2007, where the team placed 5th after losing to first place finishers Final Boss and second place finishers Carbon, team members Legit and Naded left Str8 Rippin to join Perfect Storm. They were replaced by Neighbor from Team Make It Rain and BigTimer. After MLG Meadowlands, Tsquared's longtime teammate Foulacy left Str8 Rippin, along with BigTimer. Tsquared recruited highly touted players Havok and MimiC for the MLG Dallas tournament. After the MLG Dallas event, Legit (who had left to join Perfect Storm) rejoined Str8 Rippin along with Tsquared's good personal friend, ElamiteWarrior (formerly of FBI The Agency) to replace MimiC and Havok. The team, composed of Tsquared, Neighbor, Legit, and ElamiteWarrior made a breakthrough at MLG Chicago by becoming the first team other than Carbon and Final Boss to make it to a tournament's Championship match in approximately one year (MLG Chicago 2006 was the last time that this had occurred).

In the following MLG event in Orlando, Str8 Rippin took the final step and won the tournament, defeating juggernauts Final Boss 6-2 in the Championship match in one of the upsets of the season, becoming the first team other than Final Boss and Carbon to win an event in two seasons [ [http://www.mlgpro.com/?q=node/159332 MLG Orlando Halo 2 Finals Game-by-Game Description] ] . As a result, Str8 drew a lot of support heading into the MLG Championships in Las Vegas, with MLG front-man Sundance DiGiovanni going so far as to pick them to win the tournament and the $100,000 1st place prize [ [http://www.mlgpro.com/?q=node/161302 Sound Arguments 23 - National Championships Preview] ] . MLG Las Vegas proved to be a slight disappointment for the team, as they lost to Team Carbon in the Losers Bracket Finals in finishing 3rd for the tournament. All in all, Str8 Rippin finished out the Halo 2 Era as one of the Elite teams on the MLG Circuit, and one that was a fan favorite throughout.

Str8 continued with their lineup of Tsquared, Neighbor, Legit and ElamiteWarrior coming into MLG Meadowlands 08, the first event of Halo 3's competitive life. The team had a disappointing 5th place finish after narrowly losing to rivals Carbon in Winners Bracket Round 3 and Final Boss in the losers bracket. Not to be discouraged, Str8 absolutely dominated MLG Orlando, losing only one gametype the entire tournament. After a second place finish behind Triggers Down, Neighbor helped initiate a roller coaster of team changes that would resonate throughout the league.

Unpleased with Walshy's performance after barely making top 8 two events in a row, rivals Final Boss released him and began shopping for a new teammate. Neighbor was offered $30,000 from Final Boss sponsor 'Gilbert Arenas' to join the team. The money, along with the idea of making Final Boss his personal project finally tempted Neighbor who had previously accepted the offer only to decline and rejoin Str8 Rippin. With Neighbor gone, Str8 Rippin found themselves in desperate need for a strong slayer to fill Neighbor's shoes. What's more, Str8 Rippin had come together not only as a team but as a group of best friends, and Neighbor had strong friendships with each member of Str8. After what was certainly the most turbulent week in MLG history, Triggers Down's young superstar Snipedown joined Str8, which was one change among many teams including Instict, Triggers Down, Classic, Carbon and Final Boss.

With their new lineup of Tsquared, Legit, ElamiteWarrior and Snipedown, Str8 proceeded to defeat Instinct in the finals to take MLG Toronto. Notable during that tournament was Str8 and Final Boss's second round winners bracket match where Str8, after being down 2-0 to former teammate Neighbor's new team, rallied back to win the series 3-2. As a gesture of good will, Tsquared patted Neighbor on the head after the match, remarking that Neighbor had been similar to a younger brother to him. After coming into the Winners Finals undefeated in Dallas, they lost two series in a row to rivals Triggers Down (which included two close slayer games, 50-49 on Construct and 50-47 on The Pit (both wins for TD)) to finish 2nd in Dallas.

Str8 is currently practicing hard in preparation for the 2008 National Championships in Las Vegas, NV.

Notable accomplishments

* 2nd Place MLG Dallas 2008
* 1st Place MLG Toronto 2008
* 2nd place MLG Orlando 2008
* 1st place MLG San Diego 2008
* 5th place MLG Meadowlands 2008
* 1st place MLG Orlando 2007
* 2nd place MLG Chicago 2007
* 7th place MLG Dallas 2007
* 10th place MLG Meadowlands 2007
* 5th place MLG Charlotte 2007
* 2nd place MLG New York 2006
* 2nd place MLG Dallas 2006
* 3rd place MLG Anaheim 2006
* 3rd place MLG Orlando 2006
* 3rd place MLG NYC Playoffs 2006
* 3rd place MLG Las Vegas National Championships 2006
* 1st place WSVG National Championships 2006
* 3rd place MLG San Francisco 2005
* 3rd place MLG Houston 2005
* 3rd place MLG Orlando 2005
* 3rd place MLG St. Louis 2005
* 1st place MLG Philadelphia 2005 [ [http://www.mlgpro.com/?q=video/videoOnDemand&pagenumber=0&page=59&pagenumber=0&query=video/videoOnDemand Team Str8 Rippin's last game (at Philadelphia) before changing to TmG] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.mlgpro.com/teams/str8-rippin/ Official Website]
* [http://www.gamedaily.com/major-league-gaming MLG Pro Circuit on USA Network]
* [http://www.mlgpro.com/?q=node/43933 Team TmG interview]
* [http://www.mlgpro.com/?q=node/94384 Q1 2007 Team Str8 Rippin interview]
* [http://www.mlgpro.com/?q=node/134481 Halo 2 New Pro Roster Analysis]