Bad News Eagles are one of the favourites in the Challenger Stage

Just three months ago, this team didn’t exist.

Now, they’re going into the Challenger Stage with a real, genuine hope of getting out.

And you would be a fool to bet against them, given what we’ve seen from them.

The underdogs become the big dogs

While the underdog story is a captivating one, at some point, one has to understand that this team is just pretty damn good.

They’re yet to lose a full series, and are going into a group where at least five of the teams are definitely worse than them, and a few others are questionable. Renegades, IHC, 9z, MIBR and Imperial are definitely worse, and there’s two NA teams, Spirit and forZe who could be.

That’s nine teams they could comfortably finish above, and that’s only if they don’t upset one of the big boys again. In a BO1 they can do that, and in a BO3 they are reliable at beating weaker teams.

Their seeding should be pretty good – after all, they came out of Europe and have a high ranking – and I’m starting to believe that they shouldn’t be considered an outside shot for top 16.

HISTORY https://t.co/8hImVlBoDz

— BAD NEWS EAGLES @ PGL RMR (@_badnewseagles) April 24, 2022

Can you think of one good reason we should believe forZe or Complexity are a better team?

Seriously, Complexity and Liquid don’t win many series’ against European teams, and that’s all BNE do. They’re yet to find their ceiling, they’re yet to find a team they can’t beat, a hurdle they can’t jump over. Why would this one be any different?

They might be better than Eternal Fire, too. Nothing we’ve seen from them so far suggests any of these mediocre teams are better. Absolutely nothing.

Even if it turns out that BNE fall flat, that some of these teams turn out to be better at the event, it’s impossible to point to the evidence and suggest it made sense. BNE look to the eye, to the data and to the results to be one of the best eight teams in the Challenger Stage.

Dealing with the pressure of expectancy instead of hope, however, is a different kettle of fish. But you’re the birds of prey; I’m sure you’ll find a way to deal with fish.