This blog will contain spoilers for the TSL3 round of 16 day 1 matches, so if you haven't watched as of yet, please, stop reading
Today marked the fall of the mighty Liquid`Tyler from the TSL 3 falling 0-3 to ThorZaIN. The games were heartbreaking to watch, as I didn't feel Tyler played up to his potential, but what really upset me was the viewer reactions. Scores of people were quick to claim that Tyler's prime is long since past, and that he is no longer a top player. I couldn't disagree more.
*edit* - So, I'm editing this after reading the LR thread for NASL, I still feel all these things, and It's disappointing that Tyler is having problems, but I really think he's still one of the best and I really hope people think before they post and realize that player's go through rough periods, and will stop shitting on great professional players.
For me, since I entered the community, this has been the face of pro gaming in the west for me...
I like many of the current community came into Team Liquid with Starcraft II, so I never got to live the excitement of Tyler traveling to Korea, nearly winning courage on his first try, or his TSL 2 victory. I had heard all about the crazy world of Starcraft; about Korea, where you could make a living by playing this game, and where stadiums filled up to watch matches. Upon purchasing my copy of Starcraft II, I immediately set out to find the best of the best in brood war so I could follow them now and learn from their play. Immediately I found out about IdrA, the only Western Pro Gamer in Korea at the time. I started watching a bunch of his games in Brood War to find his secrets. Why was he the best? I was transfixed as I watched my first pro games. Gone were my perceptions of making 12 workers and trying to get out that "cool unit" I had always done in RTS's. This game was about economy, crisp execution, and far reaching strategy. My whole world had changed watching those VOD's. Here was a game that would test my mind as well as my fingers. Here was a game I could follow, not just play for two weeks then be done. I tore through a ton of IdrA VODs, and was amazed, and no place was I more amazed than watching this game...
I was floored. Wasn't anyone in Korea supposed to stomp all over anyone not in Korea? I have nothing but respect for IdrA, and he's probably one of the best players around and my favorite zerg, but this was the first time I was really excited about starcraft. I continued to watch NonY take the tournament, and I was so excited. I continued to watch Brood War games and made a short list of people to follow (western players) if they started with Starcraft II
NonY, IdrA, White-Ra, Mondragon, BratOK, Day9, SEn, Ret, ClouD, LefNaij, Draco, GOsia, Testie, and iNcontroL
I soon find out about Team Liquid, and all kinds of cool community content. I saw posts by the likes of some of the very people I just listed helping out lower level players, and giving out advice. I discovered the "State of the Game" podcast around this time as well. No longer were the gamers whose play I wanted to emulate just names, they were real people with real personalities. The sneaky iNcontroL who I had seen do magic with ling backstabs was an intelligent, brash personality that was always "on" and hilarious. Day9 whose hive tech defiler play and well thought out builds made me want to play zerg was an endlessly optimistic laugh track with a lot of game knowledge. IdrA, who made me love macro was a man with strong opinions and was endlessly passionate about the game.
Then there was Tyler. The player who first made me excited about Starcraft. He didn't disappoint. He didn't always speak up, but when he did, he had something intelligent to say.I was amazed at the depth of thinking he put into even the most mundane of details. This guy thought about the game. As I learned more and more, he inspired my play so much, even though I took after IdrA and started playing zerg, I always thought of myself as taking after Tyler's example. I started analysing every detail I could find that would give me a slight advantage. Tyler was quickly becoming one of my favorite names in esports. He, along with the rest of the cast members suddenly made it OK to be into this game, as well. Tyler and Geoff both had strong relationships, and everyone on the cast had friendships spanning the globe because of Starcraft. Day was getting his major in mathamatics, Geoff was a kindred spirit of my own and was a literature student and an affluent speaker, and Tyler was a student at Duke. This game wasn't just for kids and guys who lived in their mom's basement. Here was a group of sucessful men who were just passionate about this game.
I continued to watch and listen, and was never less than impressed with Tyler. I watched as he toppled IdrA yet again in a show match, and placed decently at MLG's. His analysis of Protoss tactics continues to grow more impressive as the game evolves. Tyler hadn't yet put out the kind of results I had been expecting, but was playing strong all the way through. Then we reached the show match recently between Tyler and Jinro. Watching those matches, I was so excited. Tyler looked A-MAZING. TSL was right around the corner, and I knew, we finally have Tyler back. He's hitting his stride, and he's goign to crush some Nerd's dreams. He came out looking so strong versus strelok, showing off his signature double forge build and looking amazing. Unfortunately, Tyler had some struggles at MLG and in the round of 16, but that's OK. Everyone has bad days. I encourage everyone who's writing Tyler off as past his prime, nay, I implore you to watch some of his recent games, because I can't look at the matches versus Jinro or Strelok and think to myself "Gee, this guy isn't that great of a player". When he's on, I think he can take out anyone. With NASL coming up and future MLG's, I think we'll see a strong showing from Tyler in the upcoming year, and everyone would do well to keep an eye on him. When I watch some recent games where he is playing up to his potential, I can't help but to think that this is the truley the player who first made me excited about starcraft, and his time is soon to come.No, he didn't win MLG Dallas, and no,he didn't win TSL3, but Tyler is the consumate professional. His strong play, quick mind, and cool demeanor are exactly what I think of when I think of a pro gamer. That is why Tyler has been and will always be the face of western esports for me.
On April 10 2011 07:02 Nyx wrote: Do we know if the games were played before or after dallas?
Maybe one contributed to the other, most likely his TSL loss contributed to his MLG loss.
I'm also a big fan of Tyler but I think you're over thinking as well. Just seemed like he was really thrown off by Thorzain's builds. Things don't always work out, and I'm sure he will come back from this. GL Tyler!
Tyler is my favorite foreigner, and I'm always rooting for him. But I think he needs to practice with other pros more. In a lot of his interviews, he says he just tests things out in single player and practices on ladder. I don't think ladder is really good practice for world-class tournaments because high masters players are just exponentially worse than the top pros. I might be totally wrong about this and he might already be doing what I suggested though.
I just feel like Tyler could benefit from talking with other pros about the current trends and different styles of play. It's just so much harder to figure everything out yourself, which is what I think Tyler has been trying to do. Tyler definitely has the mechanics and skills to be the best. That's why he's my favorite player. But I think he could benefit from a little more familiarity with SC2, as opposed to BW. Things in BW were so much further along and all you had to do was watch recent Korean reps to know what to do. But right now, in SC2, there are just so many varying styles of play.
An example of what I'm talking about would be Huk. I think he's learned so much about the trends and styles in SC2 by living in Korea and practicing with OGS and other Korean pros. I get the feeling Tyler just didn't know the exact response of what to do in today's games, and pros always need to be familiar with every scenario and how it could play out. Again, I could be totally wrong.
Hm, thats an interesting post. I have a lot of respect for Liquid'Tyler because of his broodwar accomplishments and his involvement with the community via state-of-the-game. And I gotta give him props for his solid professional playsyle.
However I've never really been "impressed" by his play. Theres really nothing I can point to in order to say "this is what sets him above other professional players". His SC2 accomplishments are pretty much limited to state of the game, his phoenix build in the beta, and also being a consistent MLG contender. I hear Day9 talk alot about how strong Liquid'Tyler's mechanics were in brood war, but in SC2 I dont see very much of a difference between himself and other professionals.
I guess now hes kinda known for his double forge PvT build, but it certainly isnt a playstyle unique to him.
I dont mean to bash the guy and say hes bad or anything like that. Im just saying that from what Ive seen of him thus far in sc2 I would put him in the low-mid tier of "foreign" professionals. ( which is still very damn good) In many ways hes kinda like a protoss version of EG.LZgamer.
I don't think anyone who has any clue about the BW/SC2 scene would doubt Nony's potential to be one of the very best players. Some of his recent games are already amazing, I hope he won't lose motivation now and have a good showing in the NASL.
Tyler is a good player. We ALL know that. Alots of players have their moments where the pieces don't quite fall the right way. Its just the will and determination that will get them back to that championship calibur. I have faith in Tyler and rest of the Liquid members. They are all good players. They'll all have their day.
This blog fully sums up all of my feelings and almost exactly what I did when I first started with SC2 without a BW background. And that very game of Nony vs Idra was what started me down the path of being a Nony fan. And his state of the game comments. And the way he commented on replays and other people's games on his stream.
All the props to Thorzaine, he played very very strongly, and was able to fend off Tyler's builds. But I have no doubt in my mind that Tyler has all the potential to go all the way. He's freaking Tyler!!
On April 10 2011 07:02 Nyx wrote: Do we know if the games were played before or after dallas?
Maybe one contributed to the other, most likely his TSL loss contributed to his MLG loss.
you're overthinking things
When you put it that way, its like saying he decided to stop practicing sometime after playing Strelok. At least let us hope that there are other factors, because I and many others have faith that with proper application Tyler can still beat anyone.
Edit: well I guess that's a bit offtopic - this blog really takes me back to discovering tl around the time of the tsl2
I get frustrated when Tyler loses. Every time he participates in something, I want him to win it, but in SC2, he never does; it's a hard life, being a Tyler fan nowadays. But in my veins is American blood, where it will remain forever, and forever will I support my countryman.
What attachment can a poor European emigrant have for a country where he had nothing? The knowledge of the language, the love of a few kindred as poor as himself, were the only cords that tied him: his country is now that which gives him land, bread, protection, and consequence: Ubi panis ibi patria, is the motto of all emigrants. What then is the American, this new man? He is either an European, or the descendant of an European, hence that strange mixture of blood, which you will find in no other country. I could point out to you a family whose grandfather was an Englishman, whose wife was Dutch, whose son married a French woman, and whose present four sons have now four wives of different nations. He is an American, who leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he obeys, and the new rank he holds.
He becomes an American by being received in the broad lap of our great Alma Mater. Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men, whose labours and posterity will one day cause great changes in the world. Americans are the western pilgrims, who are carrying along with them that great mass of arts, sciences, vigour, and industry which began long since in the east; they will finish the great circle.
Sitting on the couch with a good buddy screaming at a computer screen. i dont think Ive ever been so excited about starcraft as I was that fateful day.
Right now, I don't think it's fair or smart to write anybody off. The game is so young that any so-called "losing-streak" a player is on is hardly any time at all. People have begun writing Fruitdealer off as a 1-hit wonder because he hasn't done anything since the first gsl open. NaDa took over a year between his first and second win in the OSL. The game hasn't developed enough to the point where winning multiple tournaments consecutively makes you automatically the best player in the world. Note: I don't want to start any flame-war by disputing that MVP/MC are the best right now, I think they are. I just think there's so much more innovation and so many more cracks and corners of StarCraft II left to explore that there are no masters of the game. We are all still students of StarCraft II, we're all still learning more and more about it as time progresses.
Well... Fruit Dealer's definitely not the same situation because even his first GSL victory was by the skin of his teeth. Cheese and luck and baffling decisions by players who SHOULD, by all accounts, have beaten him, such as oGsTOP, got him through the day. It's hard to imagine Fruit Dealer somehow emerging as a top 5 player in the future. I think there's something to be said about somebody never winning anything or doing anything spectacular.
Who, really, has come out and become the best with no warning? NSH.San, you could argue, but wasn't his case only miraculous because it's rare?
Thanks everyone, glad to know some people like the blog entry. I figured it would be nice after a tough match for Tyler to be able to see something positive. I hate it when you see pages after pages of "fans" telling players they didn't play well, or some other negativity. The players are the only reason we have cool games to watch, but despite this you'll see nothing but negativity out of a big portion of viewers.I think it's important to stand back and say something positive at least every now and again. Good luck in NASL Tyler, Artosis, iNc, and all the players that make this game and community what it is. Cheers Team Liquid.
That was a great read. This type of content is what attracted me to this site and why I keep coming back.I agree with what you're saying and I'm looking forward to the day Tyler takes down NASL or a MLG.
First time I saw Tyler was during the beta, when he was messing around with phoenix builds at the time no one used them. I looked him up and read about TSL2, estro etc. Then SotG came, and I discovered he's a great guy as well, very smart and funny too (see quote in my signature below). Always auto-voting Tyler in every match ever.
EPT
Liquid`Tyler from the TSL 3 falling 0-3 to 
ThorZaIN. The games were heartbreaking to watch, as I didn't feel Tyler played up to his potential, but what really upset me was the viewer reactions. Scores of people were quick to claim that Tyler's prime is long since past, and that he is no longer a top player. I couldn't disagree more.![[image loading]](http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/162046_152259921498570_1902437_n.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/5175/tsl3.png)
