Christopher “MonteCristo” Mykles and Erik “DoA“ Lonnquist are no longer casting the LCK.
Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of what might have made these two leave, I’d like to explain why I think these two are the best casters that League of Legends has seen thus far.
Bold Beginnings
Many people, myself included, were not sure what to expect from the casters when OGN began broadcasting League of Legends back in Season 2. Top level production was expected, and we had seen Monte at some of the MLG events of 2012, but fan favorites back then were casters such as Joe “Joe Miller” Miller, Leigh “Deman” Smith, David “Phreak” Turley, and Rivington Bisland III. For the 2012-2013 Winter season of OGN, Monte and DoA immediately displayed what seemed like a natural synergy. The pair set forth the standard for English commentators within the game, with Monte’s unparallelled knowledge and DoA’s ability to get you emotionally invested in what you were watching. While Korean teams began to showcase a level of dominance, Monte and DoA seemed a bit ahead of their peers as well.
No Sugarcoating
Early on, many of the western casters were commonly criticized for being a bit too soft on players and teams that were not performing well. Aside from the occassional (maybe not so occassional) “What the hell are you doing?” from Deman, most mistakes were often cited as unfortunate, or even just praise for the opponent. This is where Monte and DoA took a different route from the other casters. They showed us that you can fully point out vital mistakes and bad play without it coming off as just bashing the player. This was a very important step, because League often revolves around capitalizing on the opposing team’s errors, rather than creating the opportunity for yourself. Something that still happens far too often in the LCS is the casters making it seem like both teams have a fighting chance in every single game. Aside from often being done in an outright dishonest manner, this can be detrimental to the viewing experience especially when upsets happen. Phoenix1 taking down Team SoloMid is not some miracle if viewers are led to believe that Phoenix1 always stood a chance. Najin White Shield blazing through both of the KT Rolster teams, then taking down SKT T1 K to make it to the 2014 World Championship was an incredible show to watch. I can still remember the excitement in DoA’s voice during the final push that showed this was truly a run to remember. The duo showed us that you can still deliver an entertaining experience during one-sided matches without living in the fairytale land where everyone always has a chance.
Diving Into Korea
Despite being foreigners, Monte and DoA have always had a blast with culture, which is a joy to watch. The show they put on as the two Shens, along with the joy they always had while Korean hype men got the crowd going, showed showed us that they were right where they belonged. Often times, the English broadcast would have a bit of downtime for the two while the players and teams were introduced and hyped up in Korean, but Monte and DoA kept it entertaining for the foreign viewers. Whether it just be DoA chuckling at the presentation, or some over-analysis of a player’s outfit and how that may effect their performance, the show was never boring.
A Legacy To Remember
When it comes to casting, Montecristo and DoA were really the full package. They brought the hype levels, the in-depth game knowledge, and consistent high levels of entertainment.
Thank you Montecristo and DoA for the great memories, and best of luck in the future!
What is your favorite Monte/DoA moment? Has there even been a better casting duo in League of Legends? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or tweet us @calvinbwitt and @GAMURScom.
Image via OGN
