NAME: Notorious
ROSTER:

• Tommy "Dispensa" Dispensa
• Kyle "Critical Kyle" Mason
• Nick "Red Icy" Cope
• Justin "Kenny Bounce" Kenny
• Coach: Ethan McMasters

Notorious, formerly Strictly Business, formed only a couple of months before the beginning of the Gears of War Season 2 Pro League by ESL, picking up Kenny Bounce after he was released from Team EnVyUs. The squad also includes Dispensa, who won third place with his team in the Season 1 Finals, as well as Critical Kyle, and Red Icy. After breaking away from Strictly Business, the newly created team does not belong to any official organization and has independently made its way to second place in the standings, inching ahead of returning champions Denial eSports.

The roster swaps forced players to go up against former teammates, creating some tense action that will come to a head when Notorious battles Team EnVyUs in the Season 2 Finals. “This team’s sole purpose is to not let EnVyUs win the Finals,” said commentator Guy “Blaze” Spencer. “They may care more about that than winning for themselves.”

“Notorious' current roster doesn't have a designated leader, which could be a great thing or could cause their demise,” commentator Jon “Falloutt” Kefaloukos said about the newly formed team. “Kenny is the one who mostly calls strats for their team, but due to their lack of a defined leader, NtR relies heavily on a run n' gun style of play, capitalizing on the high skill of each of the four players.”

Red Icy is known for his very aggressive high-risk, high-reward playstyle and Kyle and Icy are both remarkable snipers, but will Notorious be triumphant in the Season 2 Finals and prove that Team EnVyUs made a mistake in dropping Kenny?

ESL: How is your team preparing for the Season 2 Finals at PAX East?
Notorious: The game plan is simple, we just have to keep practicing and work out a few kinks. We believe that if we keep grinding and putting in solid time and effort, then we will be more than prepared.

ESL:  What part of your game does your team have to improve on most in order to win?
Notorious: The number one thing our team has to improve on is communication. If we slow the communication down and don't scream and shout callouts in high-pressure situations, then we will be fine. Our biggest thing is listening to each other, so it's very important to make sure everyone has room to speak.

ESL: What is your team most confident about coming into the Finals?
Notorious: We are most confident in our individual skill and our ability to dictate how slow or fast the game is played. If we work together and combine all the skill we have on this team, we will be very hard to beat. We just have to be on the same page.

ESL:  Which team are you most excited to play? Least excited?
Notorious: We are happy to play every team, but if we had to choose a team we're most excited to play it would be Team EnVyUs. We lost to them twice in the Pro League, both times by game 5. We would love a shot at revenge, and would love to prove them wrong for dropping Kenny.

The Gears of War Pro League Season 2 Finals will happen live at PAX East in Boston on Saturday, April 23. The top four teams will compete for the championship title and a share of the US$60,000 prize pool. Be sure to follow the ESL Gears of War Pro League on Facebook and Twitter for all the updates!