USA - Season 5 of CEVO Professional CS:Source has to be considered one of the, if not the most, exciting and competitive seasons of CS:S to date for CEVO. Forfeits were at an all time low with only United 5 dropping out before the season started. Matches were played on time, default day with very few exceptions. Teams could be seen practicing and scrimming more than ever and the matches themselves were some of the most competitive CS:Source has seen in its existence.

Season 5 was a season of upsets, a season of overcoming odds, a season of controversy and a season that allowed CS:Source fans more chances to see upsets, controversies and edge of the seat matches than ever before in online play. In this article we will take a look back at the highlights, lowlights, triumphs and tragedies that made CEVO Professional CS:Source Season 5 a truly great season to remember.

Predictable.

The season started off very predictable, with Complexity leading the pack, but that landscape quickly changed and the once perceived skill gap between Complexity and everyone else seemed to lessen as the season progressed. What would not be predictable was the fact that Complexity would finish the season in 6th place, barely making it into the playoffs in a controversial match the day before the playoffs were to start.

Complexity's placing and performance was not the only unpredictable occurrences this season. The Dallas Venom started the season on the heels of announcing the release of Kevin “azn” Wang and his replacement Eric “Brawwwr” Neer. Roster shakeups at the start of a season do not usually mean a championship season is at hand. The San Francisco Optx also raised a few eyebrows this season with an apparent upgrade in work ethic for online play. The Guardians were a big surprise this season with online dominance right up until the playoffs began.

The first week of play would see the debut of the Mexico City Furia, and that team's two losses would be a direct indication of how the season would go for the Latins. Complexity would start the season as expected, taking out a recently assembled core of cs 1.6 veterans in x3o and showing Team XFX the difference between an exhibition match and one that counts. Complexity's Danny “fRoD” Montaner ran away with stats that first week, giving what beginning to be a “normal” performance for him. Things were as they should be for Complexity.

Not so predictable.

The San Francisco Optx got off to a great start in week one with a win over the Furia and a win over 3D.NY. No one knew or expected at that time that 3D and Furia would be struggling to win just one match this season. Regardless of it being an “easy” week for the Optx, the team showed signs of things to come by stepping out of the gate with the determination to win online.

The first week of play would also start the Guardians run at a perfect season. Much like the NFL's Patriots this year, that perfect season would have to come another time. But for week one, Ben “sTRuK” Kaminski and the Canadian crew, then sporting the eGe tag, were kicking things off with the start of a five game winning streak and a one loss regular season.

3D.NY started the season off with a very tough schedule. 3D took losses from the Optx, the Core and Pandemic in the first two weeks of play and were on the start of a seven game losing streak. No one could have dreamed that 3D would perform so poorly.

Midway.

At the midway point of the season, the landscape started to change a bit as the Optx lose one in a controversial ending. An overtime round had to be played later in the week for that match due to the Optx mistakenly leaving the server before the match ended in a tie. The end result was that Optx lost the OT round and took their first loss of the season.

This is also the point at which things begun to unravel a bit for Complexity with a loss to Eximius in week four. 3D.NY continued to be winless through week five as well as Furia. The Guardians continued to roll with a 6-1 record at the halfway point. Still low on everyone's radar was the Dallas Venom.

The Venom had one of the first big pieces of news after the CGS World Finals with the announcement that aZn was being cut and would be replaced permanently by brawwwr. At 4-3 at the halfway point, the Venom were playing as good as could be expected with such a big roster change. Still, no one saw the Venom taking home the gold just quite yet.