Golden Guardians Have Acquired Licorice From FlyQuest
In a move that seemingly came out of nowhere, the Golden Guardians have acquired Eric “Licorice” Ritchie from FlyQuest. If you’re scratching your head right now, know that you’re not in the minority. How (and why) this came about is anyone’s guess. The move itself is generally okay, but it’s the timing that’s so vexing — there are just four weeks of regular season play left, and it’s hard to imagine that Licorice, talented though he is, will be a big enough upgrade over Colin “Solo” Earnest to warrant GGS a spot in the playoffs.
Are they better than FlyQuest and Counter Logic Gaming? Probably, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be able to reach Top 8. They were simply at too big of a disadvantage because of their Spring Split record, and even though they’ve done a lot better lately, their play still leaves a lot to be desired. With just five wins on the board (and ten losses), the Golden Guardians will face an uphill battle going forward — with Licorice or without him.
They’ve had a few brilliant moments here and there, but they were by no means enough to warrant a spot higher up the standings. For GGS to reach the playoffs, the stars would really need to align— but at least they have a shot.
A Strange Move, Given the Circumstances
It’s no secret that Licorice regressed performance-wise ever since 2021 began. Then again, it’s impossible to observe his play in a vacuum — FlyQuest, as a whole, has been one of the worst teams in the LCS, so it’s hard to blame this seasoned Cloud9 alumnus for not looking as good as most of us expected.
Join us in welcoming the newest addition to Golden Guardians, @Licorice.
— Golden Guardians (@GoldenGuardians) July 6, 2021
We’ve not only acquired Licorice, we’ve extended his contract through 2023, as we believe he will be a player worth building around in the coming years. pic.twitter.com/v498an4QWx
He’s a veteran through and through, but he also doesn’t have any synergy with the rest of GGS. Even if he is an upgrade over Solo at this point in time (which is heavily debatable), he will still need a couple of weeks to adjust and get on the same page with his teammates. Moreover, he’s been so darn bad at FlyQuest that it’s hard to imagine him bouncing back in such a short time frame.
He’s currently worst in KDA (1.2), second-worst in Kill Participation (54.7%) and Damage Per Minute (380). His laning also leaves a lot to be desired, with only his Creep Score Difference (at the 10 minute mark) being relatively acceptable. All in all, he’s been downright dreadful. Could he improve? Absolutely, but we doubt it’s going to happen in just a couple of weeks.
In the long-term, however, he’s definitely an upgrade over Solo and should, by all means, be able to lead GGS to victory come 2022. In fact, they’re aware of it as well, which is why they’ve extended his contract through 2023.
If they rebuild their roster around Licorice and Nicholas Antonio “Ablazeolive” Abbott next year, the Golden Guardians might stand a chance of breaking free from their seemingly inherent gatekeeper status, so fingers crossed!
Comments