EPTNote: I don’t want to mar this thread with a response to the sc2community cups bush league antics. Instead please understand all of this was written after last night and before the drama. My most sincere apology to iNcontroL and Destiny for having to go through this BS You are both great players and deserve to be able to compete in a “fun” show match.
As I sit at my keyboard I must admit it is hard for me to find the words to properly articulate my feelings about the experiences this last week culminating with the amazing stim.tv show match (Destiny vs iNcontroL) / podcast yesterday. To have so many amazing experiences so early in my eSports career is quite literally a dream come true. It almost seems unfair. Only a few months ago I decided to commit to eSports full time. I never expected such a warm welcome.
I will never for as long as I live forget this last week. Everything from getting to cast MLG replays of SlayerS_BoxeR, Sheth, Liquid Tyler, and DRG to casting the player who unknowingly got me into Starcraft and then having him as an unexpected guest on our show. Of course, I am talking about iNcontroL.
Yesterday’s podcast had an amazing line up to begin with including: iGrok (MotM), FearGorm (CEO wellplayed.org), and Travis Hezel (Tt eSports community manager). To have Geoff “iNcontroL” Robinson join the line up last minute... well, I was not only touched, but humbled and inspired all at the same time. Here’s a guy that has been a wonderful ambassador and advocate of eSports for years showing up to a show match graciously waiting as we worked through delays and then after losing grants us an interview. As if that wasn't enough he decides to stay on as a guest for our entire podcast. Say what you want about him as a player, there is no better advocate for eSports than iNcontroL. With all the hats Geoff wears it has forced me to reevaluate my career goals and ask myself am I doing the best I can? Thank you Mr. Robinson.
I would like to take a second to say thanks all of the players, community leaders, and Stim.tv staff that are so professional, easy to work with, and inspiring. DDE, Cruncher, Vibe, Sheth, Tyler, Catz, Chill, Skew, Suitguy, Mr. Bitter, iGrok, Sundance DiGiovanni, Joshua Gray, Stephen Basile, Lee Chen, Sir Scoots, Kennigit, FearGorm, Vindexus, Seagnome, Adebisi, Jon Brdecka, Travis Hezel, Paul Ciotti, Diggity, Adama, NeebSAGA and all of Sagacity, NoobyMcNoob, Sleepercells, Darkenedlite, Ephialtes, Rajuncajun, Feelsbad, Moe, Vorapsak, and Sympatico. Each person listed whether it was getting back to a PM, a show match request, merely sending a tweet, or helping produce content you are an inspiration to me. You are the reason that eSports will continue to flourish and grow.
To the organizations: Teamliquid.net, MLG, IPL, Wellplayed.org, NASL, and GSL. You have the great responsibility of shaping eSports and fostering the community. Please keep putting eSprots first! You all do an amazing job and your efforts and sacrifices to ensure a great product are not un-appreciated. To every Mod, Admin, and staffer Thank You!
To some of the companies: Playhem.com, tt eSports, Razor, SteelSeries, Bigfoot Networks, and Kingston Hyper X. Thank you so much for supporting eSports!
Extra special shoutout to our Sponsors Playhem.com and Hotkeyit.com. Thank you to Tt eSports for allowing us to cover the Challenge Season Two and for donating the great prize giveaways.
To the trolls, thanks for providing me with cheap entertainment. Whether it’s bitching about the overlays, casting, or the score being incorrect after load in while casting live, rest assured I know without a shadow of a doubt you would fold like a cheap lawn chair if you took a stab not even at casting, but just trying to line up players for an event. You are more than welcome to come show your casting “skills” on Monday nights at Stim.tv for guest caster night. Remember trolls talk is cheap.
Finally to the fans not just of Stim.tv but eSports in general, thank you so much! Thank you to all the fans that send inspirational PM’s, tweets, and emails. They are all read and appreciated. Reading one great constructive criticism or atta boy makes the 100’s of negative troll comments inconsequential.
In closing to be honest, I must apologize. In almost 4 months of casting live games for stim.tv, I always preached to the team to have fun, but remain professional. Don’t get starstruck, act like you have been there before. I must admit emotion got the best of me during the iNcontroL vs. Destiny cast and I broke all of my own rules. It was a very selfish act to be so biased during a cast. It was quite literally my worst cast and to be honest I couldn’t have had more fun doing it. I would hope that my critics could put themselves in my shoes for a moment and understand why I got carried away. I must more specifically apologize to Desitny, a wonderful, gracious player that deserves recognition for his accomplishments in Starcraft. A true original and a sincerely great person. Finally, I must apologize to my co-caster and business partner Sympatico. I was the personification of hypocrite in my fanboyism and it must have made it hard for you to cast. I know you would never say it to me, but it must have been difficult. I promise the stim.tv fans I got all of the bias out of my system and here on out the casting will be the very best I can provide.
PC $2000, copy of SC2 $60, getting to quote Admiral Ackbars line “it’s a trap!” while Destiny has burrowed lings and iNcontroL was passing them on the map... PRICELESS.
