The Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) is holding its Grand Finals tonight in New York, with $250,000 on the line for the top two head-to-head Painkiller players. The event will be covered live by MTV, of all outlets, by way of the network's online Overdrive video streaming site. Highlights from the event will be broadcast Saturday on MTV (the actual TV channel, that is).

Speaking of pro gaming, the Associated Press has a story up on Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel, who is currently the most ubiquitous name in the sport/game/whatever. He is described rather ominously.

Johnathan Wendel's blue eyes stare raptly at the computer screen, his long, thin fingers gliding the mouse side to side as he moves through dark corridors of a video game where a lethal opponent lurks. Before long, seemingly without effort, he has annihilated his foe.

Time to punch out. Another hard day at work.

Wendel makes a six figure income for fragging people all day long, which may go some way towards explaining why MTV is suddenly interested in the whole competitive gaming thing.

In other related news, the United States took top honors at the World Cyber Games last weekend, narrowly beating out Korea. The United States won two gold medals and a silver--for Halo 2, Counter-Strike, and WarCraft III respectively--while Korea scored two golds and a bronze for Starcraft, Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War, and Dead or Alive Ultimate. The Netherlands, last year's overall winner, came away with only a bronze.