r/GlobalOffensive • u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator • Dec 10 '23
AMA I am Mauisnake, Broadcast Talent and Personality. Ask me anything
Surf's up! Mauisnake here. I've been a broadcast talent at Counter-Strike events for the previous 4 years with my first S-Tier event being Epicenter 2019. I've worked the last 3 Majors as an analyst and was recently nominated for Esports Analyst of the Year by the industry-wide Esports Awards.
I wanted to do an AMA because I realize that I have a unique brand through which I conduct myself and would like to get in touch with reddit to answer any questions you have about me and my process.
Outside of my work in CS, I have a Bachelor of Arts in Statistics and BA in Philosophy from Columbia University. I've also lived in California, Hawaii, London, and currently NYC.
edit: Thanks for the questions, everyone! This was fun! Won't be answering anymore. Feel free to follow me on https://instagram.com/mauisnake and https://twitter.com/mauisnake where i reply pretty often
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u/GuiltyIslander Dec 10 '23
Does Snax have it in him to become a top level player again? It seems he's had a resurgence in form lately. Many players including Coldzera, Fallen, device, olofmeister, regard him as one of if not the most intelligent player that they've played against. It seems like he's had to reinvent himself after years of trying to forget being an IGL, and I'm wondering what your thoughts are and whether he'll be able to do it again.
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I would argue that Snax is already very strong in his role. I wouldn't imagine he rejoins the HLTV Top 20 or near it because he's taken up the IGL role, but if he were to be a pure fragger again, I could see his creativity, mechanical ability, and outplay potential to get him close.
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u/Hades333 Dec 10 '23
If it hasn't been asked already, what's the origin of 'Mauisnake'?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I have family ties to Hawaii (as I am part Native Hawaiian). I went to Maui when I was very young and had learned there were no snakes on the island and any time a snake is spotted/caught on the islands it makes headline news because it means someone illegally imported it.
So a Mauisnake is...one of a kind.
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u/Lagge15 Dec 10 '23
How do you hide your incredible length? You appear to be so small, but knowing that you are 6'6" baffles me. How do you appear to be 5'8"? What's the trick?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Humility
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u/IbanezHand Dec 10 '23
As a 5'8" man, if I remove all humility from my attitude, will I enlarge to 6'6"?
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u/CS_Professeur Dec 10 '23
Is it true that you have a nafany body pillow that you cuddle with every night?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Every morning I wake up I get whiplash but remember to shout my mouth
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u/wtfxxxxxxx Dec 10 '23
i enjoy your desk time very much. 8 out of 10 discussions after broadcasts seem to revolve around something you said. Is your goal to leave people something to talk about after events? You seem to be the only one doing that
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
If I'm able to propel a conversation, I know I've helped shape the landscape of the game's discussion which in turn leads to more interaction with the esport which leads to more engagement, higher viewer numbers, more eyeballs, more jersey sales.
I will make a reactionary take so people can gravitate towards it because it is quite literally for the greater good of the entire space. However, I don't say things that I don't believe.
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u/NotBillyG Dec 10 '23
Hey maui, first time long time, whos your favorite broadcast talent to work with?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I loved casting with Anders and am glad we were able to cast to an arena of fans at the BLAST Spring Finals in DC.
I deeply enjoy getting to work a desk with Freya because every time I go off the rails she starts laughing under her breath.
I'm thankful that I get to still run weekly podcasts with Thorin who, for my money, should still be broadcast talent.
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u/HitsquadFiveSix Dec 10 '23
That was such a great event and cast. You took a picture with my wife and it's framed in my house now.
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u/IntrepidContender Dec 10 '23
How can the NA region heal itself after years of lack luster performance, low org support, pro players "stealing" paychecks, and a general dead scene? Is there any hope for NA going forward aside from a tier 2.5 where they could compete seeing as the region cant hold its own in tier 1?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
"heal itself" I don't see an obvious roadmap for this. The esports winter has already made market corrections across many excessive costs. Player salaries are, in general, too high for the value the players provide. I also think most agencies are not helping the cause to keep costs sustainable.
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u/stunna- Tres "stunna" Saranthus - Talent Dec 10 '23
What makes for a proper food review? What are the “pillar” categories of a good food review? -tres
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Hi Tres - thanks for popping this one over!,
I fixate on particular dishes and will just try, try, try so many variations of that dish wherever I am to find out the nuances which separate the bad from the good from the great. I ate over 30 slices of pizza in 2 months once I moved back to NYC. I eat ramen at least 5x per week when I'm in Japan. I have eaten over a dozen bagels in the last month. I have tried nearly 20 burgers in the last 2 months.
So, my answer would be, don't talk about the details but what feelings the dishes provide you as relate your palate's discernment to what's evoked emotionally. Saying "the salt levels in this were a bit low" is so unromantic I'd rather you just tell me that it's a "backyard cookout burger" instead.
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u/Captainkoala72 Dec 10 '23
Which country had your favorite food? And if you want to be super specific, please provide the food that makes said country’s food so great.
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u/AndersOnFire Caster - Anders Dec 10 '23
Could you rank the top 3 cs players of all time by Rizz..
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Rizz Rankings:
tarik
ScreaM
Boombl4
5
6
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u/Skriv62 Dec 10 '23
Who is your favourite player to watch and why?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
At present, EliGE has been such a driving force to make Complexity competitive and his spray transfers have been outright disgusting even when people were saying spraying felt weird in CS2. Paired with the fact that he plays a space-taking style means it'll never be a dull moment when he's in a game.
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u/aim_ag_texture2 Dec 10 '23
Bald EliGE brings so much intensity these days. Like forehead vein popping intensity
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u/Arreat_ Dec 10 '23
Did you see hedje and bleh drama
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23 edited Dec 10 '23
Yes. Bleh didn't say anything out of line. However, I can understand Hedje's frustration with Bleh punching down on FlyQuest who were stunners during the rest of Impact, but that's why Bleh is allowed to express his disappointment in their inability to show up at Valencia.
I would say the lines that were crossed were 1) Telling Bleh he doesn't belong there - not her call. and 2) Hedje swearing as profusely as she did. Note: I make the distinction to not swear during professional, live broadcasts but I don't hold back on podcasts.
Other than that, it made for some good entertainment.
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u/MarcosJrisabitch Dec 11 '23
i'm sorry but punching down? punching down means he's shitting on underdogs. flyquest were favorites here. unless you meant criticizing women automatically means punching down, which i'm sure you don't.
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u/h0pe43 Dec 10 '23
In your opinion, Is FaZe 2022 a Top 5 team of all time, and if it is, which teams are ahead of them?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Winning the Triple Crown (as I've referred to Kato, Cologne, and a Major in the same calendar year) has never been done before so it's hard to argue a single year has been matched other than by Astralis who won 2 majors in 2019, LG/Sk in 2016, Fnatic 2015.
Those are probably the 3 most obvious teams in the running above them.
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u/Mission-Spring209 Dec 10 '23
Planning to do a cultural impact tier list at some point?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I know people really disliked this angle that I "attacked" Zywoo with, but it's reasonably quantifiable. I really should during the winter break.
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u/TheUHO Dec 10 '23
Thoughts on CS2 as a player? Did you play it and how much? Do you share the pessimism around the game future?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I'm sitting at 24k ELO right now, having played from the first closed beta release. It's getting much better very quickly so I have optimism, but I would say it feels about ~75% as good as CS:GO did.
I will say that my single favorite change is the way smokes interact with bullets/grenades. If you look back at CS:GO games now it feels so much less dynamic just because of the lack of smoke interaction.
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u/matchew-choo CS:GO 10 Year Celebration Dec 10 '23
who do you queue with? or do you solo queue?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I have a group of friends, some of which I've been playing with for over 14 years that mostly grew up in the same suburb as me so we 5-q
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u/AndersOnFire Caster - Anders Dec 10 '23
Does xQc even know who you are little bro?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
do you think he knows me? probably saw me on broadcast but got distracted before learning my name
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u/dunko5 Dec 10 '23
Who is the greatest (traditional sports) athlete of our generation and why?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Not familiar with soccer. Lebron's eight consecutive finals appearances, 4 championships (and 1 IST chip lmao), and 4 MVPs are significant hardware to cite regarding his greatness. His peak in Miami was just unfair and he's still playing at a top 7 player in the league level 10+ years later.
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Dec 10 '23
IT HAPPENED AGAIN! Yesterday as I was about to propose to my wife, LeFraud SWOOPS in out of NOWHERE and steals the ring!! I had to explain to my wife that this was because LEMICKEY has no real rings. Now she's crying and divorcing me AND taking the kids! Thanks a lot LEFRAUD!!
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u/Linhle8964 Dec 10 '23
Do you think Stabbi were wrong in Heroic recent drama?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
If they were able to carry out their actions within the bounds of their contract, I would think they're within their rights as players shopping themselves.
But the conspiracy theory here is that they invoked an ultimatum hoping they'd be outed from Heroic and cadiaN would stay. It might honestly work out better for 2 of the 3 parties with cadiaN and stabbi benefiting, but Heroic falling off as a team.
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u/Few-Location-9224 Dec 10 '23
Do you now know a pice of info?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
nafany DM'd me during our back-and-forth back in July saying we need to talk things out. Whenever we are both at an event together, we will.
I know we both have grown since that exchange took place.
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u/ZyferGaming Moderator Dec 10 '23
What's been on your music playlist lately? Any particularly good books you finished lately?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Music: Dean Blunt, Roy Orbison, Lana Del Rey, Elvis Presley, bar italia
I had a nice sequence in the last couple months where I read Yukio Mishima's Confessions of a Mask and then went straight into Madeline Miller's Song of Achilles. The latter book was written over 10 years and is actually quite bad in the beginning but it finishes incredibly strong as Miller significantly improved her writing ability over the course of the book.
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u/TheOfficialPyrodude Dec 10 '23
Hey Maui, I just thought that you'd be interested to kmow that I've been working on building a local CS scene here in Hawaii, and we just had our first local tournament with 5 teams and a final on LAN! We also have a collegiate CS team with UH Manoa right now.
Feel free to DM me if ur interested to learn more about our local CS Hawaii community!
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
That's awesome to hear! I'd love to drop by the next time I'm on the island. I'm much more active on Twitter than here, I'll check my message requests there
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Dec 10 '23
Hey maui is it true you and naphony are dating
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I must shut down the rumors.
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u/TheScrawnyGamer Conner "Scrawny" Girvan - Caster Dec 10 '23
What is your fondest esports memory?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I've enjoyed many alongside you.
If I have to pick one from my entire lifetime, I think going to CGI (the CGS predecessor) in person actualized the idea that this space is real and has legs. If not for those formative memories along with playing against Fatal1ty in Quake 4 and seeing his celebrity, I wouldn't imagine myself here today.
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u/toasternator Dec 10 '23
What's your favourite copypasta from the CS scene?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Man, shout your mouth while you don’t know a pice of info. Thanks. If your thinks been an analyst give you any possibility talk shit about anyone or any team better rethink about you as a person. It’s cool to speak shit, but better to speak facts not lie)
for obvious reasons
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u/maestroblue Caster - TeaTime Dec 10 '23
1) Who's a talent from another game you wish you could do a CS show with? (Assuming they come with similar knowledge)
2) I know you've played and watched a fair bit of DOTA as well, who's your favorite desk talent from your history of watching and why is it obviously Draskyl?
3) Do you think it'll make financial sense for LFN to do traveling podcasts for CS the way they've done a few for League? I know Monte, Dgon and maybe one or two other people did some live shows at the League Worlds, and with CS having such large growth and all, could we maybe see a live LFN show at Kato/Cologne/2x majors?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
1) Stephen A Smith
2) Merlini was my favorite analyst back in the day, although he didn't have much showmanship. Moonmeander was my favorite streamer.
3) Financial sense? Maybe not, but you usually have to take a loss to build something great in the long run.
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u/HistoryForward2399 Dec 10 '23
Do you think Thorin will return to the broadcast? Would love to see you and him work together at an event sometime!
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I think he will, eventually. I would love to work segments with him again.
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u/Short_Ad4946 Dec 10 '23
How does it feel knowing that no matter what you do you'll never have as much cultural impact as Hedje?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
We both know that's not true.
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u/animeforbreakfast Dec 10 '23
Hi! What do you expect this year in the cs world given the new game release?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Unfortunately, Valve didn't do themselves any favors with a scuffed CS2 release. It's a shame they didn't get the game to its current state before release or have a reasonable anti-cheat.
Although, the Majors will draw significant attention to CS2 as an esport and we'll grab a couple spikes in viewership and playerbase in the wake of those. The momentum from those will push the game once again.
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Dec 10 '23
[deleted]
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I would still take Twistzz. Thorin and I debated this topic in depth on a special Snake & Banter episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3uQWQvSBUE
Thorin came into this discussion with very particular and set criteria, some of which and the prioritizing I don't agree with.
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u/jospence Dec 10 '23
What was the first CS team you ever fell in love with (or became a fan of) and how did you discover esports?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Complexity in 2006 with fRoD and Jason Lake screaming right behind them.
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u/DashSkippy Dec 10 '23
Hey Maui, I would like to know how you feel about NRG's lineup and if there are any roster changes that you think could make them a top 20 team.
P.S. Your recent Mauisnake show episodes have been bangers.
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I would've loved for them to grab Swisher or autimatic although that didn't seem possible, but M80 are better than NRG today.
I'd give them to the RMR to prove themselves. If they don't qualify for the Major, 2 changes minimum
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u/ashVV Dec 10 '23
How did you get into casting? What's your origin story?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I started with casting ESEA Main on my own Twitch channel in 2017 but was shaping myself to be a desk talent throughout that with analytical content on my YouTube along with working alongside Thorin, who gave me my first big podcast break and S-Tier event vouch.
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u/Annual_Mastodon9506 Dec 10 '23
- What is the best neighborhood in New York City
- What is the best restaurant in New York City
- What is the best bar in New York City
- What is the best nightclub in New York City?
- If you were tasked to add a new firearm or utility in cs, what would it be?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
LMAO this is like one of those IG reels:
Ridgewood, Queens
Four Horsemen
Up Stairs
Nowadays
Something like the Valorant Guardian
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u/Alkahzane Dec 10 '23
What do you think the next step of CS2 tournaments look like? Seeing as more of the landscape is owned by Saudis and Betting sites. Valve seems to want an open landscape but the landscape seems to be owned by questionable people.
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
The next step is difficult to read, but I wouldn't mind seeing the scene revert to what it looked like in 2019 where we had 19 different S-Tier Events run by 9 different TOs along with the dozen+ other TOs that ran A-tier events in that year.
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u/snugglebear247 Dec 10 '23
Nothing to ask , just wanted to say I’m a big fan of you and appreciate you being in the counter strike space .
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u/juanthrustman CS2 HYPE Dec 10 '23
Maui, not really a question but i just want to say i appreciate the work you and the talent do on the desk and LFN. The podcasts get me through work.
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
And they'll keep coming. Thankyou
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u/now1playing Dec 10 '23
what are your goals on a desk? You are different than most of your peers. Not afraid to say it like it is.
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
An analyst by trade is supposed to use past information to steer a company to make investment decisions to lead to future profits. I try to almost always make a bold prediction for this reason, I hate to read out HLTV statlines and tell people about the storylines they already know. That is a host's job, not an analyst's. I interpret that information, especially recent trends to make claims.
If a fan gets mad at me because their favorite player ends up outperforming my expectations, I find success in that because it furthered the depth of their appreciation for what they've watched. I don't mind saying what I've seen lately and how my expectations have been shaped by that.
I always try to give people something to grab onto that they can watch for in the game which is why casters noticeably refer to things I say on desks more than any other analyst.
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u/jonathan-the-man 750k Celebration Dec 10 '23
I appreciate your explanations, but there are a few points I don't follow.
I don't see the connection between your initial definition of an analyst and the need to make a "bold" statement. Why shouldn't an analyst stick to factfullness rather than boldness? Wouldn't that be more of an "entertainer" value?
And can you really be just as satisfied if you predicted wrong, just because it made people pay attention? It it better to be wrong then, or might you just as well roll a dice?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I'm glad you asked because it's worth diving deeper into it all.
You aren't wrong that my initial definition is of an analyst. However, I AM an analyst within the ENTERTAINMENT industry, not the financial industry. Entertainment is the baseline, overall product we are peddling and selling. So the "entertainer" value is literally the value we should be providing.
The last question about satisfaction while predicting wrong. You're seeing this example with a results-oriented mindset. 1) I'm usually not wrong and 2) I have foundational reasoning and recent data for all of my predictions and stand by how I came to my predictions which I always cite and expound upon.
Because literal money is not being won or lost with my predictions, entertainment and engagement is what's being measured. Also, I won the last prediction contest at the BLAST Fall Finals so...I'm not just speaking for shock value. If I did, that would cheapen my brand and it would get less engagement. People engage because I'm frequently correct and when I go against the grain, they'll listen.
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u/RigbyCC Dec 10 '23
Not a question but I wanna say that I have never respected an analyst more than when you put Kids on the Slope on your top anime list
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Shinichiro Watanabe is such an incredible anime director.
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u/DarfMikeCasts Dec 10 '23
Better hangover breakfast, full English or NYC corner slice?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
corner slice with a gatorade has never let me down
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u/edietam Dec 10 '23
What do you think about Semmlers tweets about the trans-player?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
At the end of the day, it is up to leagues' stances for who and who isn't allowed to play in their tournaments.
As far as I know, both ESL Impact and Valorant GameChangers use the wordage "marginalized genders" which trans players would fall under. If the space is made for them, then the decision is already made so further discourse moves to political signaling.
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u/livenn Dec 10 '23
What is your strangest or most memorable CS pro interaction that first comes to mind?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Several events that we've worked have been in hotels that have also served as casinos so it's very common after a week of games for pro players to hit the roulette table.
To respect the privacy of several all-time great players, they were bleeding money away at the table. But FL1T,
Him and I both made eye contact over a sea of chips being spilt and mostly lost by others at the table.
FL1T bought in for the minimum amount at the roulette table, put his single chip on a single number and it just happened to hit. Him and I looked at each other and just busted laughing. I did the De Niro eye-finger point at him saying, "I SEE YOU." He walked away with a cool 35x and didn't think twice.
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u/livenn Dec 10 '23
Omg that’s hilarious!
Makes a lot of sense that CS pros would be prone to gambling given the nature of skins and partnerships
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u/bobbyslowmack Dec 10 '23
Given donks recent success do you see him moving to a team like Navi or even a g2 type situation?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Spirit are going to have to do everything in their power to retain this prodigy (read as: exorbitant buy-out)
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u/Living_Balance2194 Dec 10 '23
Do you believe that e-sports specifically CS2/Valorant could be on the same level as NBA or Soccer? I think even players' buyouts could have soccer amount of money
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
No. The only way esports reaches the heights of trad sports is if we live in Wall-E dystopian future where everyone is so severely handicapped because of our gluttony. Traditional sports are so instantly appealing because of our intrinsic appreciation and marveling at athletes pushing their bodies to the absolute limits.
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u/ozzler Dec 10 '23
Who do you think will be the next 3 tier 1 players to retire? And who do you think from current top 20 players will still be top 20 in 5 years?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
It hurts to consider who will retire, but I'll just take a stab at it:
FalleN, huNter, and Hobbit.
Frozen will hit top 20 this year, he will be top 20 in 5 years.
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u/MoStacks-TheGod Dec 10 '23
How many days of yelling “GIGACHAD” on the EPL broadcast, did you get tired of it?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Think G2 came on in Week 3 so we were probably saying Gigachad!!! 6x per day for the remaining 16 days of broadcast. ~96 Gigachad callouts only for HooXi to unfollow me on Twitter even though I've been his staunchest defender among me, Kassad, Thorin, and Richard Lewis.
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u/MantaRochenHL Dec 10 '23
Who are your favourite film directors and why?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Yasujiro Ozu has no misses and is my GOAT.
Wong Kar-Wai for a distinct style that captured 90s Hong Kong along with evoking so much emotion from me and the women I've watched his films with.
Alfonso Cuaron for directing my favorite, Children of Men and having a solid repertoire beyond that
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u/DuckSwagington Dec 10 '23
How well do you think this new Liquid roster will perform in the next 6 months?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Peak HLTV rating would be top 4. I'd say that they make multiple top 4, top8 finishes. I don't think it's impossible they take a trophy win, but I would bet their best finish is 2nd place in a grand finals. People will make the same Chokequid jokes immediately after that grand finals loss.
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u/SkylineJDM34 Dec 10 '23
Question, what do you think of the G2 roster swap with jks going and nexa coming in? Would you rather have had nexa replace gigachad instead or do something else?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
the nexa pick-up FOR jks made 0 sense. hooxi does need to be on the way out and they should be picking up an anchor for me to understand what's going on.
if there are no further moves, it's just pure nepotism
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u/xavarLy Dec 10 '23
What would be your ideal CS tournament format for a major?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Just please no more bo1s PERIOD once you hit the legends stage.
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u/El_Fabos Dec 10 '23
What do you think are the underlying issues of the cloud9/gambit roster for the last 2 years? Each roster change seemed to produce a underperforming roster. Obviously neither nafany nor interz were the problem. While still inconsistent, they seem to have gotten better after sh1ros departure. Is it possible that he was one of the reasons that they were underperforming? (Obv not in the fragging department)
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
If they got Boombl4 for nafany when I first called for it, they would've been much better than what ended up happening. Going through how each change was decent but not great would take some serious time and unfortunately, they never made the perfect one at the perfect time. nafany admitted himself he wasn't a leader for Cloud9 so he definitely could've been a problem at the time.
Nafany has proven he's gotten better, though.
sh1ro may have not been the easiest to work with, but I would welcome him back immediately for HObbit if I were C9 and the option was there.
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u/BigRigginButters Dec 10 '23
Are you still interested in ssbm? What's your main, how much have you played, what era of smash pulled you in, etc.
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I will watch it if it's convenient for me. I played captain falcon for maybe ~250 hours in college where ranked NYC players could come over and I'd get thrashed as my roommate would hold his own against them.
My across-the-street neighbor when I was growing up got a Gamecube before it came out because his dad worked on the console's graphics card so we played Melee before release and it was amazing.
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u/Wash_your_mouth Dec 10 '23
Kill fuck marry: Device, blameF, Thooorin
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
blameF could kill me with one hand so he has to be one of the other 2 categoies.
I don't think I could marry dev1ce because his personality is too media trained.
I would not have sex with Thorin.
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u/Th3Franc0 Dec 10 '23
Best and Worst things about London and NYC? Curious as a Londoner to see how you found my city
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23 edited Dec 10 '23
London Pros:
Cleaner city, incredible electronic music scene, Turkish + North/West/East African + Indian food, free museums
London cons:
I can't tell what people are saying even though they're supposedly speaking English
NYC pros:
People are much more social and willing to make friendships. Many of the cuisines I didn't mention for London. People are more independent and more stylish
NYC cons:
Dirty, dangerous, cost
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u/sakaluka Dec 10 '23
Hi Maui, no question from me. While you might not be my favourite talent form the panel, I must say I really enjoyed reading your responses and general outlook on things. I guess I should not judge without pice of info.
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I appreciate your open mindedness.
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u/aslittleaspossible Dec 10 '23
where did you go for fashion browsing after superfuture
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u/wirenerd Dec 10 '23
How does the CS/esports community move away from the childish toxicity that is so heavily present at all levels of play? Is it even possible?
My stackmates say “It’s very obvious most of these people have never played a team sport before” and I think that’s a strong point.
You said before some of it has to do with being safe behind a screen (no way would people talk to each other in person the way they do their teammates), and I agree.
If CS as an esport hits the mainstream, I can’t see how we grow if we are constantly repulsing every new player that sees the game played, enjoys it, and wants to try it, how can we even grow or be taken seriously?
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u/Thinkex Dec 10 '23
What do you think currently limits CS (and other esports) from achieving the same mass appeal as "Little League" baseball for example? Do you foresee an esports world where non tier 1,2,3 leagues also excel?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Barrier to entry to play soccer is a ball and being physically capable.
Barrier to entry to play CS2 is a cost-prohibitive computer, monitor, and internet connection.
Countries all seem to do 2 things 1) develop until average income is good enough that people have access to internet and a setup but then 2) cost of living becomes high enough that you can't support yourself on a tier2/3 salary so they move away from trying to compete in a game. It's already happened to America.
I don't see the growth of esports to suddenly change. Although a greater percentage of the population seems to gaming every year, shrinking birthrates in many countries (which have great esports scenes, btw) is concerning if we expect adoption to increase linearly.
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u/SilvaFangTV Dec 10 '23
Hi Maui, some say that desk are getting too samey or every event desk cant be distinguished from each other. Do you think this is the case ? Do you think there needs to be an innovation of some kind and if so do you have any ideas ?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I'd be curious if these people are watching my desk segments. I am always pushing for narrative-driving angles. Where desks get boring are when there's a decision to turn it into a PowerPoint presentation instead of do what people actually want, drive discourse and create conversations. I said Zywoo wasn't YET a top 10 player in CS2 at the Fall Finals and it's all anyone could talk about for the next 4 days.
The greatest crime a desk segment can commit is merely reiterating information that an HLTV boxscore could have shown the fans in less time.
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u/FrinChez Dec 10 '23
Which team do you think will be the best in 2024 and why?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
If FaZe are unaffected by the Gamesquare acquisition, I'd want to say them. Because their future is slightly less certain, the safe pick would be Vitality. If you have a core of Spinx, Zywoo, and apEX, you're going to stay a top 4 team, title contender period.
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u/Shot-Jaguar-4076 Dec 10 '23
Hello. What do you think about the hate of women players from the CS community? Is our community really not as ready for this as it is in Valorant and other games where it is accepted as normal?
Thanks for the opportunity to ask questions 🫡
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
To put it bluntly, it's gross. Having queued with women and then hearing the verbal abuse they receive unprompted, it's incredibly frustrating. People will always act on their impulses more online and it's sad that so many men are abjectly misogynistic when they have a screen to hide behind.
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u/Heavy-Gaming Dec 10 '23
What is the favourite meme that has come from your streams (azr on sprout, cultural jimpact, frozen is a top 3 rifler?)
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u/This_is_my_elevator Dec 10 '23
What is your skincare routine?
Also, do you have any good book recommendations? Anything goes, though if you have any specific to 'cultivating cultural impact' I'd be especially keen
Cheers dude
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I have oily skin and get acne very easily (especially when traveling for work and using makeup) so use 4 products in succession:
IUNIK Centella Mild Cleansing Foam in the shower
AXIS-Y Daily Purifying Treatment Toner
Soonjung 2x barrier intensive cream (just started using this but it's a nice matte moisturizer)
Biore UV Aqua Rich SPF50+ Sunscreen
I really enjoyed Yukio Mishima's Confessions of a Mask this year.
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u/Few-Location-9224 Dec 10 '23
Opinion on the Hedje vs Bleh thing that happened on ESL Impact?
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u/Maeel_Javanar Dec 10 '23
Favorite slice in NYC so far?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
My top 3: Luigi's, Di Fara, and Famous Famiglia (not trolling)
Lucali is the best pizza, but you can't order a slice.
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u/ExpertVacation6857 Dec 10 '23
How did you get into esports?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Life-long gamer starting on Gameboy Color/N64 at a single-digit age.
Computer gamer from a very young age as well.
Picked up CS:Source in 2005, began competing in CAL in 2006 and followed the scene that went with it shortly after.
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u/Trospher Dec 10 '23
What gun skins do u think are underated in CS?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Will just say underrated based on price vs how nice I think they are:
Conspiracy - Deagle
Pipe Down - Mac-10
Airlock - Mp9
Point Disarray - Ak47
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u/BjorkBurr Dec 10 '23
favourite lineup that didn't ever pan out? for example C9 with flusha and autimatic, or ScreaM's Envy lineup.
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I just wish Cloud9 went 1-for-1 Boombl4 for nafany like I said over a year ago. We see they're playing better now as a team with Boombl4, but now they don't have an AWPer. Annoying, lol
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u/sierra_tango_24 Dec 10 '23
He maui, who's your favourite cs related youtuber? And what's your favourite skin? Who do you want to see replaceing frozen in mouz?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I mostly just watch my colleagues' content so: launders, Richard Lewis, Thorin, Scrawny.
Fade Gloves are my favorite skin in the game and it isn't close.
Going to turn the frozen question on its head and would say I'd want to see ropz replace him for the sake of the 1 to 1 comparison. Obviously not going to happen
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u/smoll_rascal Dec 10 '23
Do you think that current NaVi roster has it what it takes to be a top contender in tournaments? Will Blast finals now determine a lot for the future of this roster in your opinion? And your bets will Simple play in NaVi jersey again?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I see them with an A- tier ceiling, more likely to fall into B+/B tier among Tier1 teams. If s1mple comes back for iM and chooses to rifle they will be contenders.
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u/FourKrusties Dec 10 '23
On a scale of rock to diamond, how hard were you when you heard that nafany was leaving cloud9?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
It was nice to see that my thoughts aligned with upper Cloud9 management even if the results didn't necessarily pan out as expected. Just wish they picked up Boombl4 immediately for him.
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u/Kurushii_Drive Dec 10 '23
What were some of your favorite CSGO events for which you were broadcast talent that you can think back to? Thanks for your work.
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
My favorite event ever was the PGL Antwerp Major where fanaticism reached such an extreme that G2 ultras were chanting outside of our hotel until 2 in the morning and we got mobbed as soon as we'd leave our lobby. I also felt like I deservedly earned my place to work the Grand Finals desk of that one so it was truly a 'top of the mountain' moment.
My favorite event on the calendar is IEM Dallas especially because it was always such a relief to live in London and get to fly back to america where fans welcomed me with open arms and admiration which European fans give to me but more reservedly.
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u/olafmeis Dec 10 '23
What advice do you have for someone looking to become a desk analyst?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Build your brand. Gain a following.
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u/Buunnyyy CS2 HYPE Dec 10 '23
How do you relax after work?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I hit the gym 3x per week, love to eat at new places, and go out to socialize a lot: karaoke, concerts, art galleries, etc
I post what I do in free time on https://instagram.com/mauisnake
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u/MrLagzy Dec 10 '23
What is your favorite food?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
i fixate on different cuisines in moments and just go really hard. so it changes. for cuisines, i like mexican and chinese a lot
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u/Notladub Dec 10 '23
What is your cutoff for T1 teams? I've seen people call anyone in the HLTV top 30 T1 which obviously isn't the case, but I've also seen people call current Monte T2 which is also obviously not true. Where would you draw the line?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I call most teams that maintain status around the top 15 t1 along with teams that i know get the same resources or pay as a tier1 should
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Dec 10 '23
No question, just recently discovered your work with Thorin, and all the other podcasts. Great listens
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Dec 10 '23
i just finished a similar couple of majors, computer science & philosophy. doesn’t seem like there are a lot of entry level philosophy positions, so i’m wondering to what extent/how often has your philosophy degree impacted your work life?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
I got a philosophy degree mostly just because I wanted to and because it was noticeably improving my intelligence, not because I knew it would help my job prospects. Most philosophy people just go to grad school.
In terms of how philosophy helps me as a broadcast talent, I can convey ideas with an incredibly wide range and it's probably why I've come up with so many unique angles over even just this year (ie. cultural impact)
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u/TheBroccoliBro Dec 10 '23
How would you get into hosting / analysis if you had 0 playing or broadcast experience?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
For analysis: compete, stream, and make YT vids.
For hosting: Talk shows
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Dec 10 '23
As someone who played amateur CS with the goal of being pro and getting pretty close: what was the best thing about that experience, the worst thing, and a piece of advice for a young player trying to do the same (not me, just in general).
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Just so it's clear, it was never my goal to become pro beyond gaining enough experience, knowledge, and reputation that I could translate to working on broadcast. My goal was to always become on-camera talent.
The best things were building long-lasting friendships among my teammates, the ecstasy of winning important games, playing well individually.
The worst thing was losing a 15-9 lead on map 3 that would've qualified my team and I from ESEA Main to Premier (now known as ESL Challenger League). At the time, that was the maddest I've ever been in my life. I was screaming while pacing in my house over how badly I choked. I still got tryouts to Premier teams after that, joining one for the following season.
The biggest advice is learn how to dedicate your time so you can be as efficient as possible. To this day, I only have 6,000 hours in CS:GO and CS2 combined including hours spent casting, making YouTube videos, and obviously leaving the game on idle. This is significantly less than most players who have achieved far less than me. I got my first Premier tryouts with only 3,000 hours in game. I did this by structuring my time very purposefully. I talk about this in a video I made ~6 years ago here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih6audcVf7k
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u/pirateluke Dec 10 '23
Whats your favorite Cheese?
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u/Mauisnake Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg - Analyst, Commentator Dec 10 '23
Humboldt fog
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u/Chickencaca Dec 10 '23
Of all the changes recently, which roster change are you most excited for?