...and there we were, on the stage in the grand final of the rAge 2005 counter-strike:source event. As I was setting up, I knew this would probably be one of the biggest achievements in my counter-strike gaming career that I had ever achieved (other than WCG).

What you don't understand are the prizes that were up for grabs for first place.
We decided to have a team chat before we played our final match against evolve. One of the most inspiring team meetings you need to have in this situation

I remember sitting in silence next to Incin, and just glazing away at the amazing prizes that were up for grabs.
R50 000 cash for the team
5x Top-end Computers
Sponsorship
Peripherals
..and a lot more.
But most importantly...PRIDE and the satisfaction of beating evolve who were undefeated for 2 years.








As nice as everything seemed and looked, I knew it was going to take hard work to beat evolve which consisted of :
Clayton "Destroyer"
Jannie "Hellhound"
Riaan "Style"
Kevin "Stryfe"
CP "L1ght"


...I began to take my seat, closed my eyes and imagined the feeling of victory. At this time I wasn't a very experienced player either, so I had the shakes, sweat tears dropping off my forehead and quite a bit of anxiety.

After opening my eyes again I only then realized that we had commentating, and a lot of spectators sitting on the stands right in front of us, just looking deeply into our eyes trying to express their support for us, or trying to intimidate us as they were evolve fans. The atmosphere was something else...
It felt like right then, right now I could show South Africa what I can really do. The guy that started off playing counter-strike at an internet cafe. The guy who messaged every top South African player every night to ask for advice.
..the guy who had a vision.

The game began. I stayed calm and realized that nothing is impossible. I started shouting and made it clear to my team mates : FRAG BY FRAG. ROUND BY ROUND. SIDE BY SIDE. MAP BY MAP.

We lost the first map in the FINAL, taking us onto the second map de_train where we played CT's first.

...first sides ended 13-2 and at this point i believed there was no way that we could loose. Not with a 13-2 LEAD

This is where the story really begins...

All of a sudden, my machine started freezing up, my game started jerking and my frames per second dropped to a constant 20-30 frames per second.
As the team sniper, it was very important to make sure I would take the picks off on that specific map. AS TERRORISTS.

There was nothing better than getting a pick on de_train as a Terrorist. You gain so much advantage...

I couldn't do anything, I couldn't play. My computer just gave up for me. It was as if it was trying to say to me "Andreas, Im going to make you go into overtime, so that you can tell this story one day"
The story I'm telling right now.
...it honestly felt like that.

How can my computer start overheating when we are so close to winning a competition with so much value and prizes?
I could not believe what was happening.
I could not kill a single person and I started complaining. At the time there was nothing I could do so I needed to stay calm and not panic (I did panic as we started loosing rounds)

...as the problems continued and the game went on, we began to loose. Evolve taking a 13-1 lead. I thought this was going to be at the end of it. The game we could always say "WE WON, BECAUSE WE WORKED SO HARD" was just fading away.

BEFORE WE KNEW IT. EXPLICIT popped out of nowhere, taking some amazing shots and pulling of some crazy stunts. My head on the table.. I looked up...

WE WON THE ROUND. THERE WAS STILL HOPE. WE TOOK IT TO OVERTIME (by the way i got goosebumps as I'm writing this right now)

We roared with joy and pleasure, believed we could still finish this as a success.
IT WAS TIME FOR OVERTIME

Immediately I unplugged my computer, one of my closest friends brother came up to me with my brother, as they knew what was going on. They came up to me with a new box. A computer I could play on. Something that would enable us to play an overtime with 5 players.

THAT WAS IT. I was IN GOD MODE. I SET THE THING UP, ENTERED COUNTER-STRIKE. AND MADE SURE THERE WAS NO WAYS WE WERE LOOSING THIS. I COULD FINALLY PLAY MY GAME. I LOOKED AT THE TEAM AND SMILED.

....first round began. an Inside breach was called. Immediately (and I will never forget this) I shifted, with my big bad boy. MY AWP. Dropping 1. 2. 3.
I just took 3 out, screaming in excitement.

guys...we won that first round and i knew it was all uphill from there.

The game ended. we had won.
There is nothing else to say.

I ENCOURAGE you to please watch this clip. As this is what I spoke about. You will see exactly what I have been talking about. These words, in vision right here : http://www.youtube.com/user/bravadogaming#p/a/u/0/XE4CIrlrygw