Pacman: I was blindsided by OpTic Gaming Los Angeles release

He said he's interested in staying in Call of Duty esports.

Photo via MLG

Former OpTic Gaming Los Angeles coach Pacman was not pleased with how his release on May 11 was handled.

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Pacman said on the latest episode of the The Codcast that OGLA general manager Muddawg gave him no warning he would be fired, and Pacman even fulfilled coaching duties before Muddawg informed him of his release.

“In this situation, Muddawg—who’s supposed to be my friend—didn’t tell me shit,” Pacman said. “He texted me earlier in the day [of his firing] and was like ‘I got to talk to you later.’ … He lets me schedule scrims in this coaches’ meeting and talk to all the coaches, and then he calls me two hours after he said he was going to call me and goes, ‘Yeah, we’re going a different direction. Blah, blah, blah. You have a month to vacate the premises’ and get the fuck out.”

Pacman said he never knew his job was in danger despite’s the team’s struggles this season. He said he was very aware of the team’s struggles, but he felt they weren’t his fault, although he said he does still feel like he could’ve done better as the team’s coach.

Unlike some other coaches throughout the league, Pacman had no input on the team’s initial roster construction. He said he began working with the team in November, at which time the roster, which consisted of JKap, SlasheR, Dashy, TJHaLy, and Kuavo, already were losing maps and “not enjoying playing together.”

Related: Pacman named head coach of OpTic Gaming Los Angeles

Co-host Nameless said Pacman expressed worry before the season began that as the coach, he’d be the first and easiest person to blame if the team didn’t meet expectations. And while OGLA did reach their first grand final of the season a day before Pacman was fired, they’re still tied for seventh place.

Pacman said he’s interested in staying in Call of Duty esports, with his first preference being rejoining the Call of Duty League’s talent lineup. He worked alongside Nameless as an analyst on CoD broadcasts last season.

Author
Image of Preston Byers
Preston Byers
Dot Esports associate editor. Co-host of the Ego Chall Podcast. Since discovering esports through the 2013 Call of Duty Championship, Preston has pursued a career in esports and gaming. He graduated from Youngstown State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 2021.