Why LA Guerrillas’ controversial Cheen roster move shocked the CDL community
The Shocking Roster Decision
The Call of Duty League community was sent into shockwaves on June 21 when the Los Angeles Guerrillas made the unexpected decision to remove Martin ‘Cheen’ Chino from their starting lineup. This move came despite Cheen being widely regarded as one of the team’s most consistent performers.
The announcement sent shockwaves through the CDL community, with fans and professional players alike expressing disbelief at the organization’s decision to drop one of their most valuable assets mid-season.
Team Context and Season Performance
With their championship hopes effectively extinguished, the Guerrillas found themselves in an unusual position to experiment with their roster. While most teams would use this opportunity to test emerging talent, the decision to remove a proven performer has raised eyebrows across the league.
The team’s struggles this season extend far beyond individual player performance, suggesting systemic issues that won’t be solved by roster changes alone. Their current standing makes them one of the weakest contenders in the league.
The Unexpected Replacement
In a surprising twist, the Guerrillas turned to Billy ‘MentaL’ Putnam, a legendary Gears of War player transitioning to Call of Duty. While MentaL brings competitive experience, the move represents a significant gamble given his limited CDL track record.
Stage V roster update: pic.twitter.com/bvEZ09RX3V
— Los Angeles Guerrillas (@LAGuerrillas) June 21, 2021
Community Backlash and Expert Reactions
The decision sparked immediate backlash from prominent figures in the Call of Duty community. Former pro Thomas ‘ZooMaa’ Paparatto didn’t mince words during his Twitch stream, questioning the team’s management and overall competence.
100 Thieves content creator Ian ‘Enable’ Wyatt echoed these sentiments, bluntly stating that the decision appeared to be intentional sabotage rather than strategic planning.
Whoever runs the LAG camp gotta be trolling
— 100T Enable (@Enable) June 21, 2021
Strategic Analysis of the Move
From a competitive standpoint, the roster move raises serious questions. Cheen had established himself as a reliable assault rifle player since replacing Reece ‘Vivid’ Drost, consistently delivering strong performances despite the team’s struggles.
Former Guerrillas player Patrick ‘ACHES’ Price hinted at deeper organizational issues when responding to Cheen’s tweet about the team ‘refusing to see the real issue.’ This suggests problems that extend beyond roster decisions.
— PATTYP (@ACHES) June 21, 2021
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