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Counter-Strike: shaGuar joins EG, Royle to sixth man

By: Mark Cheben - Published January 14, 2007 at 3:31 PM EST - Writer Archive
Griffin “shaGuar” Benger joins Team EG a day after being released from Team 3D and Ian Royle becomes the team's sixth man.
After just adding Corey "tr1p" Dodd and Garett "Grt" Bambrough, EG has made another major roster change with the addition of Griffin “shaGuar” Benger, the team's long time WCG stand-in. EG has had previous success with Benger when the team placed second at CPL Summer 2005 and third at WCG 2005. This addition, according to EG's manager Alex Garfield, will be a significant boost to EG.

“I mean, I won't lie to you; it's a long time coming,” said Garfield. “Given the circumstances, making this decision wasn't easy. Rather, it was pretty much the hardest decision I've had to make as a manager. But still, bringing on Griff was a long time coming. He's obviously a great player, and speaks for himself in that category, but what I'm really excited about is his experience and personality. Bringing Griff on, and having two separate players that have won international championships - that'll give EG a certain swagger.”

Benger was removed from the Team 3D lineup as the organization added Jimmy Lin, recently of EG, and re-added Kyle “Ksharp” Miller, who had been inactive in 2006. This combined with a focus on CS:Source left both Benger and Josh “Dominator” Sievers without a team. Craig Levine, 3D's manager, explained that these players do not fit with 3D's '07 plans.

"Both Griffin and Josh are amazing players and great teammates," said Levine. "We're looking to create to a new culture moving forward in 2007 and unfortunately we don't feel that Josh and Griffin fit that mold.”

To make way for EG's new addition, Ian Royle will become the team's sixth man. Royle, who at the time played for JMC, was a stand-in for EG at the WCG Pan American Games and joined the team shortly there after to replace Erik “ da_bears” Stromberg. EG will not be using a six man rotation and Royle will become a back up player according to Garfield.

“I don't believe in six-man rotations. I think they always create odd-man-out situations, and are therefore unstable to begin with,” said Garfield. “Ian Royle will step out of the starting lineup and become the team's sixth man.”

This brings EG's roster to the following:

Canada Pasha "Red Dragon" Lari
Canada Matt "bl00dsh0t" Stevenson
Canada Garett "Grt" Bambrough
Canada Griffin “shaGuar” Benger
United States Corey "tr1p" Dodd
Canada Ian Royle (back up)
Canada Robert "blackpanther" Tyndale (inactive)

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