The Story Behind the Alias:

When I was 12 and first started playing CS, all the best players had 3 letter names (NEO, zet, GTR) so I wanted to be cool like them. I just mashed my keyboard a few times and “mds” came out so I stuck with it.

Real Name:

John

Location:

Military brat, born in Korea, raised all over the world.

Starting Counter-Strike:

2005

Inspiration for Competitive Play:

I played from 2005–2010 as a complete casual pugger. Always had the dream to play at the highest level but never pursued it. Quit the game for 7 years, spent 5 in the US Air Force. Got out and saw the Boston ELeague Major that Cloud9 won, decided to pursue my childhood dream.

Other Games Played:

I don’t play any other games than CS. If I’m not on the PC playing CS, I’m working out, spending time with my wife outdoors, or working.

Favorite Counter-Strike Map:

de_dust2. Old man’s map :).

Favorite Role in the Game:

Even though I am an entry IGL, my favorite role in the game is the lurker role. I think the players that can have high impact on the game through decision making and clutch ability are the most impressive in my opinion, probably because it’s the polar opposite of me as a player. It’s much more impressive to put up numbers and impact using your brain than just being able to aim really well.

Favorite Pro Player/Team:

ZywOo – insane skill combined with humility.

Role on Chicken Coop:

IGL. I provide leadership and structure to the team both in and out of game.

Favorite Moment with Chicken Coop:

We’ll come back to this one in a few months 🙂

How Teammates Describe Me:

Leader

Biggest Strength as a Player:

Entry dueling / first contact player

Area for Improvement:

Being more stable in game, sometimes I can be very inconsistent performing extremely well one game and then extremely poorly the next.

Pre-Game Rituals:

I always make sure to do something productive, hit the gym, get some sunlight, and then warm-up before all official matches so my mindset is clear.

Favorite Snack or Drink During Gaming:

Water

Relaxation and Recharging Outside of Gaming:

Hiking, spending time with wife and dogs, working out.

Fun Fact:

I’m a huge troll and not that serious about myself.

Gaming Setup or Lucky Charms:

None, normal boomer setup.

Dream Feature for Counter-Strike:

I would add de_cpl_mill back to the pool.

Favorite Gaming Memory:

Professionally, competing at IESF 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Overall, playing 1.6 with my buddies as a kid in all the public servers.

What Being Part of Chicken Coop Means to Me:

Being a part of Chicken Coop means a lot to me, as I’m excited to be able to represent an organization that can help support our goals and dreams of reaching the highest level we possibly can.

Advice for Aspiring Competitive Players:

Above all, check your attitude. Bad attitudes and egos, blaming everything but yourself, is the surefire way to stunt your growth in both CS and real life as a person.