Nicholas “nitr0” Cannella’s humble youth resembles many from Slidell, Louisiana. When I, a fellow resident of St. Tammany Parish’s largest city, discovered that a member of my favorite esports team was a local, I had what you might call a fangirl moment. But beyond embodying a real-life version of that Leo DiCaprio meme, pointing at the TV as I recognized local landmarks in Intel Gaming’s “Traces” mini-doc, I was truly inspired. 

I mean, here was an absolute esports icon and Tier-1 Counter-Strike professional, hailing from the very same mid-sized, Southern town across the lake from New Orleans. As someone who hoped to work in the esports industry myself, the whole revelation made these dreams seem more attainable. 

Cannella, who just recently retired and—as I like to say—put down his shield, met his future wife while both were attending Slidell Junior High. He’d hone his lucrative Counter-Strike skills after shifts at Lee’s Hamburgers on Gause Boulevard. Eventually, he’d attend (then drop out of) Louisiana State University, and for years after, Counter-Strike’s own “Captain America” served as a successful in-game leader for Team Liquid’s staple North American squad. 

As a fan of both Liquid and Nitr0, I’ve watched him play (and win) many times. But if I could sit down with the retired pro, maybe over some burgers at Lee’s, I’d like to simply ask what he thinks of Slidell. It’s undoubtedly special that a player as successful as Nitr0 still embraces his hometown and state. 

For folks like me, it’s truly inspiring. 

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