ComangliaSeriously let's consider how many Invite scouts actually have used the soda popper for more than an hour or so in the last 2 years.
The soda popper has completely different timing than Stock scatter gun and even the FaN this will automatically put every scout who's practiced with a scattergun for hundreds (if not thousands) of hours worse off if they've rarely/never used the soda popper. Don't get me wrong they'll still do well but they will definitely not be at PEAK performance.
The only thing a single night of pugs could do is prove that the soda-popper isn't immediately and obviously broken.
I guarantee a lot of the people who think the soda-popper has little to no effect on the game, will change their mind after a full season of use.
as an hl-only retard i came here pretty much just to post this. having played with and against soda popper scouts back in the dark ages i can say that it is a /completely/ different style than normal scout that requires different timings, movement, changes what fights you take and where. using it optimally has a fairly steep learning curve and playing scattergun-style scout (that hurt to type) with the soda popper in 3 pugs will naturally lead you to the conclusion that it's not banworthy. Players like Ibby, angryofficer, and sleepteiner (hey those are some old names) put the time in to learn the playstyle associated with it and punched waaaaaaay above their weight level.
that was back when you got the jumps from moving instead of damage, but the point still stands. if current top-invite level scouts put in the time to get really good with the weapon you're gonna see a soldier get dropped for an engineer since minisentries will be the only thing that can damage scouts.