EPT
March 15th: "Flash-Bang" - Youngest Starleague Champion in History
Flash's 2008 Bacchus OSL Championship Story
Click here to view the complete VOD playlist
Flash's 2008 Bacchus OSL Championship Story
Click here to view the complete VOD playlist
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/Bacchus_OSL.jpg)
Reusing because this is one of the most bad-ass banners of my time as a denizen of TL
Why it is significant: Just one year from the day Flash (Lee Young Ho) qualified for his first OnGameNet StarLeague, he would find himself atop the progaming world. In overwhelming fashion Flash would sweep Stork (Song Byung Goo) 3-0 just two weeks after narrowly eking out a 3-2 victory in the GomTV Star Invitational. He did this at the fresh young age of 15 (16 in Korea), making himself the youngest ever to win the renowned tournament.
At the time Flash was not known as some unstoppable, infallible StarCraft machine. Just a few months prior to his GSI and OSL success he was a talented young Terran who was perhaps more often known and hated for cheesing Bisu out of the OSL than his merits as a progamer. Opinions and fan recognition truly couldn’t keep up with how quickly Flash entered the scene then became a dominating force in it. People were beginning to realize just how good he was, but no one knew quite what he had in store.
![[image loading]](http://www.esreality.com/files/inlineimages/2010/73505-The_Flash_Eye.JPG)
Before the memes, before the dominance, Flash was human. Or so we thought
Stork would be Flash’s vaunted opponent yet again, with the Dinosaur Toss getting the better of historic match-up before Flash blew everyone’s mind in the GSI. Twice Flash had fallen to Stork in major OSL series, losing the 2007 Daum OSL 3rd place match 0-3 (no inconsequential feat as that assured another berth into the next OSL), as well as falling 1-2 in the EVER OSL quarterfinals. Stork had also defeated Flash in the group stages, but that momentum and past dominance was shattered when Flash won on the first of March 3-2 in the GSI.
Stork’s story up until this point, despite being an excellent player was one of malaise and an unfortunate inability to come through in the clutch and win individual championships. Whenever he had come close he could not convert. In the 2007 Daum OSL he would stumble and lose 0-3 to Iris. In the 2nd GomTV MSL he would just lose by the narrowest of margins 2-3 to Bisu. In the previous OSL Stork had been crushed by an up-and-coming young Zerg, Lee Jae Dong, and finally two weeks prior to these finals he had of course lost to Flash. He had become the heir to the line of Kong, though he did not play the same race as YellOw (Hong Jing Ho, who was given the nickname “Kong,” which means pea, for his short stature) he surely struggled just as much to bring home the Gold.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/pachi/misc/stork5.jpg)
As Mani would write - Stork: "Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride." Credit pachi for image.
I’ve mentioned it numerous times already, but the GomTV Star Invitational will forever be linked with this OSL victory. It was there Flash had flipped the tables and defied expectations. The map pool looked to be tilted in Stork’s favor, with the first and last sets taking place on Katrina, a notoriously Protoss-favored map where Carriers reigned supreme. Flash came out with an astounding fast-upgrade, mass goliath style of play that broke Stork’s Carrier fleet and won him a hard fought victory. His ingenuity and efficiency sent waves though the community but the bigger prize still remained contested.
Surely Flash was favored by fans due to his particularly strong recent play, but he would proceed to absolutely dismantle Stork in 3 sets, needing less than 30 minutes in actual game play to dispatch of him. It would be the second championship in The Ultimate Weapons soon to be long list of achievements, and his first OSL victory. The youngest champion ever, he would not disappear from the limelight, always a threat in every league from that point forward.
Everyone should know how Flash would go on to eventually dominate the scene after a few years spent maturing and competing with Jaedong for the title of Bonjwa. Stork of course, would continue to languish for a few more seasons before he would finally get over the hump and shed the Kong curse. He won his OSL, and would continue on as a part of the "TaekBangLeeSsang" era of modern Brood War.
Enjoy the VOD playlist, including commentary by Klazart and Diggity. Highly recommended to go along with these is Tasteless’ live, on-site commentary for the GomTV Star Invitational Grand Finals. If you would like to read more about this finals and the Bacchus OSL, feel free to browse the TL news archives, including the finals recap and Top 10 Storylines by Manifesto7 (with contributions by Plexa).
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