G2 Esports CEO cries, cusses in emotional interview after LoL Worlds
G2 Esports was the clear favorite to win the Summoner's Cup heading into this weekend. Instead, FunPlus Phoenix overcame a tumultuous start to their run in the 2019 League of Legends World Championship and upset G2 to become the season nine champions.
They didn't just beat G2 to earn the title, either. They thrashed the Europeans in their own backyard.
While it was surely an overwhelming moment for FPX, it was an even more emotional time for G2 Esports. Not only did they see the title slip through their grasp, but they were completely outclassed by the Chinese team, buckling under FPX's pace and aggression.
G2 CEO, Carlos "Ocelote" Rodriguez, took to the stage after the defeat to address his team's fans. Once the awards ceremony was complete, Rodriguez thanked G2's fans for supporting the team throughout Worlds.
If G2 won, they would have been the first European team to claim the Worlds title since Fnatic won in the inagural World Championship season.
“I'm very proud of all the fans that came here or supported online, the players, the support staff, and management...Everybody worked so hard to get here, it was an unbelievable year," he began.
But as the camera panned to G2 making their way off the stage, Rodriguez lost his composure. Overwhelmed with emotion, the CEO could be heard saying "fuck" multiple times with the mic pulled slightly away from his face.
The Twitch chat went crazy, bombarding the stream with chants of "F" and "fined." Still, it was easy to see how much the series meant to Rodriguez. He soon collected himself and continued the speech.
“Today FunPlux Phoenix played better. They deserved it. The winner has to be the better team and they were the better team," he stated.
The images of the G2 squad waving began to fade, and the camera focused on Rodriguez once again. The pain was still very visible in his eyes, but he was able to get a few more sentences in.
"I’m very proud of everything we’ve done this year. We just got started. It's hard to see it right now because we just lost but we should be proud. You guys should be proud of all the players," he said.
Soon, Rodriguez was unable to hold back his tears and began to wince in a genuine moment. He wiped at his tears and yelled "fuck" again, the frustration on his face quite clear. The camera soon faded to shots of the arena.
"Don't worry, Carlos. We completely understand your reaction. I'm going to let you go because I see how hard this is for you," Sjokz's voice echoed throughout the room, ending the interview.
The respect shown to Rodriguez stands in harsh contrast to a similar moment seen in Overwatch League earlier this year. Casters and interviewers were criticized by the OWL community for continuing an interview with Seoul Dynasty's Jehong "ryujehong" Ryu as he cried uncontrollably.
The Overwatch League received even more flak when they decided to use a screenshot of ryujehong's crying face for an poorly received meme later in the season.
Getting emotional after a loss at a major event like the World Championship is quite normal. There's not only a lot on the line, but it's often a long, difficult, stressful process to even qualify for the tournament.
It's unclear if Rodriguez will be fined by Riot Games for swearing, but an LEC penalty tracker can be found here. G2 Esports received multiple warnings and fines throughout the LEC season, including two active ones for a violation of content policy and a commercial violation. Earlier in the season, Marcin "Jankos" Jankowski was fined for "conduct unbecoming of an LCS member."
Fire alarm, costumed animal attack highlight Overwatch World Cup
ryujehong may leave Seoul Dynasty, discusses new team offers
Seoul Dynasty fans mad at Watchpoint for mocking crying ryujehong
Surefour claps back at OWL casters after criticism, Bren responds
Lee Sin master InSec officially retires from pro League of Legends
Markiplier calls out YouTube after hundreds of fans are banned
Legends of Runeterra progression, loot system revealed by Riot
True Damage Little Legends arrive in Teamfight Tactics
Astralis demolish 100 Thieves, win IEM XIV Beijing
LoL Worlds 2020 finals headed to Shanghai Stadium
FunPlus Phoenix's Tian wins LoL World Championship MVP
True Damage debuts during LoL Worlds opening ceremony
FunPlus Phoenix trounce G2 Esports, win LoL Worlds 2019 finals
Big Overwatch 1 updates to come after Overwatch 2 release
G2 Esports and FunPlus Phoenix prepare for final at Worlds 2019
Jeff Kaplan says Blizzard should eliminate blitzchung's ban entirely
G2 Esports is three games from making history at Worlds 2019
Svenskeren and Zeyzal to transfer to Evil Geniuses for LCS 2020
The International 2020 is headed to Sweden's Ericsson Globe