Potential Excitement: Speculations high for Toast-backed organization involving former Knights-core and Steel
Remnants of North America
In a strange twist of fate, rumors have begun swirling that former T1 and 100 Thieves In-Game Leader Joshua “Steel” Nissan has been spotted scrimming with a new teammates. The players spotted include Drake “Exalt” Branly, Amgalan “Genghsta” Nemekhbayar, Damion “XXiF” Cook and rising rookie Joseph “Clear” Allen. Long-standing Counter-Strike figure Kyle “OCEAN” O’Brien has also been spotted and has been rumored as the coach for the new roster.
“Steel” especially has been linked repeatedly to speculations on Jeremy “Disguised Toast” Wang’s rumored Valorant roster. Back in late October and early November, Jeremy released a tweet poking around for North American Valorant talent interested in competing. Now two months later, rumors have only grown larger as reputable leaker and data analyst Flynn has released a new table for the NA Challengers teams that include the speculated yet unconfirmed Toast roster.
Return of Steel
“Steel” personally has received plenty of doubts and question marks on his career following the debacle of the T1 roster that imploded over time. The repeated failure to achieve anything notable for a year with the roster has impacted “Steel’s” credibility within the community. Moreover, many questions still surround his sudden departure from the 100 Thieves roster in late 2021 shortly after a deep Masters run.
A large portion of the issue comes from the mythology surrounding his alleged demeanor and reputation. Whispers speak of “Steel” as a difficult person to work with, which only feeds the flames of rumors. However, a recent interview with Duncan “Thorin” Shields has had Joshua attempt to dispel such rumors. Moreover, there are many in the scene and fans who still see “Steel” as one of the best tactical IGLs the region has ever produced.
Contending Team or Stream Team?
With “Steel” at the helm, this team has a stable brain. “OCEAN” most recently coached for Knights and led them to relative success, with multiple 2nd place finishes at B-tier events such as NSG Winter Championship. The three core members, “Exalt” “Genghsta,” and “XXiF” are all ex-Knights members, and bring a powerful synergy. Knights were a consistent top Tier 2 talent that served as a good benchmark for teams entering the scene. Lastly, there is “Clear.” A new, up and coming talent that has seen explosive interest surrounding him.
“Clear” primarily plays Duelist, and he plays it well. With a 255 ACS and 1.13 rating across 20 games (according to vlr), “Clear” most recently played in the Nerd Street Valorant Lockdown Open 3 with the other four noted members. Whether this is a pickup team designed for a single tournament, or the beginnings of an actual roster as according to rumors, remains to be seen.
However, the team as it stands has serious potential in Challengers. As mentioned, with the inclusion of an experienced coach, a proven In-Game Leader, proven talent, and a young gun eager to prove himself, it all adds into a recipe for something interesting. While "Disguised Toast" does have a history of trolling, sources close to him have stated there is an actual chance Jeremy is serious. And should he be, there are examples of other content creators branching into esports as available blueprints for him to follow.
Image credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games