Top 20 Players of Cold War: #5 Insight
The #5 player of the Cold War season, brought to you by Elgato, is the Rookie of the Year Jamie “Insight” Craven. The rookie Main AR came into the Toronto starting roster in Stage 2 and transformed the team into a contender for the rest of the season.
Insight has been a top prospect in the European region for multiple seasons. He was known as a slower main AR that had snappy aim and all the qualities that would make him a star. Jamie was a part of the Team Singularity roster in the Black Op 4 season with now teammate Tobias “CleanX” Juul JĆønsson. That squad would place highly in multiple AM events and finish top 12 at CoD Champs. That would be a breakout event for many on the roster and put their names in the minds of multiple franchise teams. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t find a starting roster spot in Modern Warfare, but he would continue placing well and showcasing his great talent. Finally, he’d earn a substitute spot for the Toronto Ultra going into the Cold War season.
Season Review
In the end, he wouldn’t be a substitute for long, as the team inserted him into the starting roster to start Stage 2. Coming in for Anthony “Methodz” Zinni, Insight quickly showed his high potential. He’d set the SnD kill record and damage record in his first professional series against LA Thieves. Jamie wouldn’t slow down from there as he continued putting in MVP numbers stage after stage. Here is his 2021 season review!
Stage 2
Insight made his way onto the starting roster at the beginning of Stage 2. Toronto made the decision to bench Methodz and to bring in Insight as their Main AR. This added a lot of firepower and rejuvenated the squad. With wins over London and LAG in the group stage, they’d lock in an Upper Bracket start at Major 2. Facing OpTic in the first round, they’d shock the Greenwall and win 3-1. The Ultra would fall to Atlanta 3-1 in the next round but they’d have chances to rebound. In the end, they’d beat LAT, Minnesota, and Dallas to make it to the Grand Finals. In the rematch against FaZe, Toronto was just too hot and won 5-3. It’d be the first championship victory for Toronto in Cold War in Insight’s very first professional event!
Insight came into the roster with a lot of criticism for taking Methodz’s spot. Many fans didn’t know how good Insight played in Challengers and Zinni was a fan favorite around the League. He’d quickly win over a lot of fans with his insane performances. Insight proved that he deserved to be in the League and had superstar potential. He had godly numbers in SnD during the stage. Jamie finished with a 1.56 KD in the mode with 0.86 kills per round and 179 ADR. Insight led the League in KD and KpR in the mode, as well as damage per 10 minutes in Hardpoint (4592). It was a fantastic first stage out of the rookie.
Stage 3
After winning Stage 2 in his first tournament, the pressure was on to continue that form in Stage 3. They were now a top team on the power rankings and their performance needed to match that. The group stage would go cleanly, finishing a perfect 5-0. Their 15-1 map count would match the record for the least amount of maps lost in a stage. This was domination in groups, but it wouldn’t be as clean at the Major. Atlanta would take down Toronto 3-2 to start the Major, but they’d rebound with victories over LAT & Chicago. But again, Atlanta blocked their way to the finals. After falling again 3-2, the Ultra finished in 3rd place.
Insight would have another strong showing in Stage 3. While his slaying and damage weren’t very high, he was positive in each mode and limited his deaths. He did his role of holding down the backline and staying alive very well. He had the highest hill time per 10 minutes in the League with 85.76 and was 2nd for deaths per 10 minutes in Control with 15.87. Insight would look to keep improving going into Stage 4.
Stage 4
After finishing 1st and 3rd in Insight’s first two stages, they’d try to carry that momentum into the first LAN back. Toronto found success again on the group stage, finishing 4-1 with a 14-3 map count. They were going into the Major red hot and with confidence. They would start off well, clutching a 3-2 victory over Dallas. In the Upper Bracket Finals, they’d have to go against the Atlanta FaZe. They’d end up falling to Atlanta 3-1 and couldn’t rebound against Dallas. Falling in a grueling map 5, Toronto finished in 3rd place.
Insight improved a decent amount from Stage 3 to Stage 4. He again finished with positive KDs in all three modes, including a 1.32 in Control and 1.13 in Hardpoint. His Control gameplay was electric, holding down the line and having multiple clutch moments to win rounds. He’d again finish with the lowest deaths per 10 minutes in the League with 15.34. Insight looked like a superstar in the making and would try to end the Regular Season on a high note.
Stage 5
Going into the final stage of the season, Toronto would look to lock in the #2 overall seed for CDL Playoffs. After winning Stage 2 and placing 3rd in back-to-back majors, they would try to get over that final hurdle. With strong victories over Florida & Minnesota, the Ultra would finish 4-1 and lock in an Upper Bracket start at the final Major. The team started great at Major 5, beating LAT & Chicago to make it to the Upper Bracket Finals. Sadly, the Ultra got shocked by the Rokkr. Losing 3-0 they would be knocked into the Lower Bracket but fought back to make it into the Finals. After going up 4-0 in the series, Toronto had a breakdown and lost 5 straight maps. The 2nd place finish was heartbreaking.
Insight had another phenomenal stage to end the season. He again finishes with positive KDs in all three modes, the third straight stage of doing that. Jamie played great in both Control & SnD, having great slaying and damage numbers in both. His Control gameplay has been extremely consistent over the course of the season. Would this form continue in the biggest tournament of the year?
CDL Playoffs
Due to the team making it to the Grand Finals in Stage 5, they were able to lock in the second overall seed in the League. With the Ultra having a bye in the Upper Bracket, they’d be one of the favorites to make the Grand Finals. Over the course of the season, Toronto was a consistent threat due to slaying and teamwork. They were regarded as one of the best Search & Destroy and Control teams in the CDL. This was the final tournament where they would have to put everything together. If they could beat Atlanta again, like in Stage 2, they would be primed to win the World Championship.
Toronto Ultra vs Dallas Empire
With Toronto waiting for their opponent, the Dallas Empire would win their opening match 3-0 to move up the bracket. Dallas was considered a darkhorse team going into the CDL Playoffs after they picked up Reece “Vivid” Drost and improving greatly in Stage 5. Dallas would have the advantage in the Hardpoints, so Toronto would have to take the SnDs and Control. It would be a back and forth affair, with Dallas winning both Hardpoints but Toronto took maps 2 and 3. It would all come down to the Map 5 Raid SnD. The map was closely contested all the way through but Dallas would get the edge late. In the end, Dallas would take the map 6-5 and the series 3-2. It was a heartbreaking loss for Toronto that would send them into the Lower Bracket.
Toronto Ultra vs OpTic Chicago
After losing to Dallas, Toronto would have to play Chicago very soon after. Chicago was coming in with a win over Florida and was building momentum. The Ultra would have to strike early and swing the momentum in their favor. They would do just that, winning the first two maps in convincing fashion to make it 2-0 in the series. Chicago fought back in the third map, taking the Control to bring the series 2-1. It wouldn’t be enough though, as Toronto would take the map 4 Raid Hardpoint to win the series. It was a major victory for the squad to help rebuild their confidence and to start their Lower Bracket on the right foot.
Toronto Ultra vs Minnesota Rokkr
The next opponent for Toronto would be the Minnesota Rokkr. This was the same Rokkr that won 5 straight maps to win the Stage 5 Major off of the Ultra. Toronto would want revenge for this defeat and against the team that put them in the wrong end of a 4-0 reverse sweep. The two teams traded maps to begin the series, heading into the Raid Control tied 1-1. Toronto would respond by taking the Raid Control, but Minnesota took the Raid Hardpoint to bring it to a map 5. After 10 hard-fought rounds, Toronto came out victorious on Moscow SnD. With this victory, the Ultra would have to win one more series to make the Finals.
Toronto Ultra vs Dallas Empire
After falling to Dallas to start the tournament, the Ultra would get a chance to get their revenge. It would be yet another long series for the Ultra, going all the way to the Map 5. Dallas won both Hardpoints again, with the Ultra taking the SnD and Control. While Dallas won the map 5 in the first series, Toronto came out hot in the Express SnD. With a 6-3 victory, Toronto won the series 3-2 and punched their ticket to the Grand Finals.
Toronto Ultra vs Atlanta FaZe
The Grand Finals matched up the top two teams in the CDL. After beating the Atlanta FaZe in the Finals of the Stage 2 Major, the Ultra had failed to beat them again. Atlanta matched their power in both Control and SnD, and was a great Hardpoint team as well. It’d be a tall task for Toronto to take them down, but not impossible. After winning the first map, the Ultra would lose the next three maps to fall in a 3-1 series defict. Bance & Co fought back to win the Miami SnD 6-2, but fell in the next maps to make the series 4-2 in Atlanta’s favor. Needing to win three straight maps, Toronto took the map 7 SnD to start their run. Ultimately, the run was cut short as Atlanta would take the Apocalypse Hardpoint to win the series 5-3. It was one of the best series of the year, as the Ultra had plenty of chances to take down the FaZe.
Overall
The 2021 season was a fantastic season for the rookie Insight. He came into a squad that struggled in Stage 1 and helped them become a contender. Jamie instantly made the team much better because his playstyle fit what the squad needed. He was a consistent force in the backline that limited errors and traded out his teammates. This could be seen mostly in Control, where he had incredibly low deaths each stage with a high KD. Insight was also great in SnD and Hardpoint, finishing with a positive KD in both modes in every single stage. While he was at his best in Stage 2 for SnD, he was consistent every stage. He’ll surely be a top Main AR again in Vanguard.
How good was Insight in 2021?
Hardpoint
Insight put in great numbers across the board in Hardpoint during 2021. He finished with a positive KD in every single map, including a 1.24 on Apocalypse and 1.20 on Checkmate. Jamie held up against the Top 3 Teams as well, having a 1.12 and 21.65 kills per 10 minutes against them. Insight did a terrific job of holding down hills and allowing his teammates to push out and exert map pressure. This is what allowed Toronto to be a top team in the mode.
The team had a good run in Hardpoint, finishing with a 47-43 record in the mode. They had a deep map pool, but their best map was Checkmate. Their ARs played phenomenally on the map, taking over multiple times. If they were able to develop one or two more maps in their map pool, they’d be extremely dangerous. It was overall an underrated mode for the Ultra.
Search & Destory
Insight started his season on a high, setting the record for most kills (18) and most damage (3831). He was a monster on so many maps this year. This included Miami (1.38 KD), Standoff (1.32 KD), Raid (1.29 KD), and Express (1.27). Insight also got better at LAN compared to online. He was a force on the map and was active at all times in the rounds. Jamie was a force on the map in SnD
The Ultra finished with one of the best records in the CDL in SnD with a 46-29 map count. They only had 1 map with a losing record, and had three maps with 10 wins or more. They had an elite level of teamwork that made them one of the hardest teams to beat.
Control
Control was Insight’s best mode of Cold War. He’d perform across the board, finishing with high KDs on every map and situation. His best map of the season was Checkmate, finishing with a 1.27 KD and 21.34 kills per 10 minutes. An underrated aspect of his game, he had a 1.16 KD on the attack on Checkmate and 1.04 KD on the attack on Raid. He was continuously putting in damage and netting kills for the Ultra. If Control is in Vanguard, Insight will surely continue being a top player in the mode.
The Ultra was clear-cut a top-two team in Control. Their teamwork alone won them multiple maps. Once their ARs really started to click, they were blowing out teams consistently. OnGarrison & Raid combined, they finished with a 31-18 record.
A look ahead to Vanguard
Looking ahead to Call of Duty Vanguard, the Toronto Ultra will be sticking together as a unit. One of only three teams not to make a roster change, this gives the Ultra an early advantage in the new game. Insight will continue to run the Main AR for the team and they will look to find more success in 2022. The only change to the organization is the addition of Charlie “Hicksy” Hicks. Hicksy will join the team as their substitute for Vanguard, taking the place of Methodz. This team will continue to have the advantage with their teamwork and will continue to be underrated with their slaying. With the likes of Cammy and Insight on the team, they’ll be able to slay with the best of them. The Ultra will continue to be a top team in Vanguard.
Stats Key
TES – True Engagement Success: (Kills+Assists)/(Kills+Assists+Deaths)
Slayer Rating –
Average Engagements: (Total Kills+Total Deaths+Total Assists)/Total Game Time(or Rounds for SnD)
Kp10M – Kills per 10 Minutes: (Total Kills/Total Game Time)*10
Dp10M – Deaths per 10 Minutes: (Total Deaths/Total Game Time)*10
DMGp10M – Damage per 10 Minutes: (Total Damage/Total Game Time)*10
HTp10M – Hill Time per 10 Minutes: (Total Hill Time/Total Game Time)*10
Sp10M – Score per 10 Minutes: (Total Score/Total Game Time)*10
ADR – Average Damage per Round: (Total Damage/Total Rounds Played)
OpDuel Won or Lost – First Blood or First Blooded
OpDuel W% – Opening Duel Win Percentage: (Total OpDuels Won)/(Total OpDuels Won+Total OpDuels Lost)
KpR, DpR – Kills per Round & Deaths per Round
K% – The % of rounds the player had at least 1 kill
MK% – The % of rounds the player had at least 2 kills
0K% – The % of rounds the player had 0 kills
Stats versus the top 3 teams in the league are the summed stats vs Atlanta, Dallas, & Toronto. If the player is on one of those teams, the stat is summed from the remaining two teams on the list.
