5:00 PM. Philadelphia, PA.
This sounds like the title card to an episode It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. But yesterday evening, things were anything but sunny for the Vancouver Titans. Because at a little past five in the evening, their fate was all but sealed by the San Francisco Shock at the 2019 Overwatch League Grand Finals at the Wells Fargo Arena.
One could argue, though, that the Titans' crushing 4-0 loss was sealed long before the final match. Because from the very outset, on Lijiang Tower, one things was clear: the Shock was out for blood.
In the first team fight, the team decimated the opposition with relative ease. Jay "Sinatraa" Won, in particular, seized the day with his devastating Doomfist, unleashing a stunning Meteor Strike during this first initial struggle. After this, there was no recovering for the Titans - the first match belonged to San Francisco.
When Rascal And Architect Subbed In
Things looked even bleaker in the second round, where Kim "Rascal" Dong-Jun and Park "Architect" Min-ho subbed in with a devastating combination of Mei and Bastion, respectively. While the Titans managed to swat down the Shock for an attack round, it wasn't enough - San Francisco pushed the payload through with the aid of Rascal hotswapping to Pharah for some aerial devastation.
There was a glimmer of hope on Temple of Anubis, with both teams going toe-to-toe in a fiery, chaotic brawl with no decisive winner until the dying gasps of the match. However, in overtime, Sinatraa brought out a crushing Mei on defense, which sealed the Titans' fate for good.
On Watchpoint: Gibraltar, the Shock made it clear they wouldn't back down until the Grand Final was theirs. Architect brought out Bastion for more rapid-fire slaughter, laying down an oppressive offensive front that seemed nigh impossible to overcome. Despite an admirable push upfront, it was a hopeless effort. The Shock had come ready to feast, and it was clear they wouldn't let up until they'd finish the last bite of their final course.
The Shock emerged victorious and entirely undefeated, stealing the OWL Grand Finals all for themselves. But between a punishing Mei/Bastion combo, a stellar opening gambit with Doomfist, and a choice Pharah coming in for the occasional volley of tactical strikes, when was it clear that San Francisco had this in the bag?
What Did Subbing In Mean?
To us, we need only take a glance at the second match. Rascal and Architect's subbing in represented two things - confidence and strategy. The Shock were confident enough in the first round to sub in two players for a bold strategy that more than certainly paid off. The Mei/Bastion combo not only represented a willingness to experiment but a degree of certainty that the Shock had this final in their clutches - it was only a matter of time.
With this round, another season of Overwatch League drew to a close. Next year's season will see a massive shake-up, with more focus placed on home games, and rumors of Overwatch 2 swirling around Blizzard HQ. Only time will tell what the future holds for the sport, but for the time being, San Francisco Shock can rest on its laurels for a little while - they've more than earned it.