Let me describe the scene, while it lies fresh in my memory.
The madness began early, long before Liquid was to play. Kaci interviewed me at random as I walked in the door to the venue, and though I gave bland answers, she struck media gold with the person who walked in after me. "Is... is that a horse?" she asked, reacting very matter-of-factly to a man in a painted blue horse mask and the American flag draped around his shoulders. My interview forgotten, Kaci chased down this man who clearly had fine taste in teams and countries, and this was the result. It was going to be a strange day.
The crowd was completely engaged from the time they sat down. Even during iG vs DK game 2, they made the best of a bad situation: doing the wave, cheering as ancients were cleared, booing the retreats and celebrating the slightest signs of aggression. When the game-ending fights finally happened, the crowd reacted as if Na`Vi and [A] were on stage, playing the finals.
That same enthusiasm carried through to Zenith vs VP because of a simple Invoker pick. All this crowd needed was the slightest spark to get itself going.
So what if someone poured gasoline on it?
It wasn't all timid nerds who walked into Benaroya this morning. There were a few men willing to take the lead in whipping the crowd to the heights of frenzy. The NADota guys were there with their banner (RIP Dignitas/LGD.int). The guys wearing the ixmike88 shirts were there with their "KOROK" signs near the front. And most important of all, there was a small group of dudes in the front right of the hall, in star-spangled redneck-wear, who kept the energy going for the good old USA. These Patriots of Benaroya whooped at the top of their lungs before, during, and after Liquid's games, dancing in the aisles and never giving the crowd time to breathe. We responded to their call; we were loud. When more creative chants than "USA USA" were attempted, they never got off the ground, but no matter -- the crowd was happy to return to that old staple time and time again.
LGD fans in the balcony tried to start an "LGD, LGD" chant, prompting a counter-chant from the rest of the hall. Both sides were into it, but home-field advantage is home-field advantage. The Chinese were quickly drowned out.
I was above the fray, sitting right next to the TL banner on the 2nd floor. You all saw the match, so I don't need to describe it. I will say that as TL got ahead bit by bit, and as the crowd grew louder with every Bulba hook, I sank further and further into my chair. LD and Lumi kept talking about how Liquid "weren't done yet," and they were absolutely right. Breaking the base against the Chinese is a game in and of itself. When Liquid started hitting the ancient, all my pent up worry let itself out. I jumped up; my hands were in the air; my hands were on my head, pulling my hair out; my throat was making strange (but loud) noises; my hands were wrapped around my back. Then the game was over, and there was nothing to do but watch the crowd, and the team, in its jubilation.
Fluff and Mike and TC made a curtain call from the booth below me. As they stood, hugging each other and basking in the cheers, Bulba (who was giving an interview on the big screen) struggled to describe what it meant to win this particular match.
He seemed to imply that there couldn't be a better feeling. I believed him.
On August 09 2013 20:15 See.Blue wrote: So worth staying up for those games even on europe time. Rock on Liquid
I woke up for this game... It was like ~6 AM already, and i'm used to work so i wake up at 5-6 AM by myslef :p (took friday and monday off work to watch TI, unfortunatelly sleep habits > coffe and energy drinks T.T)
absolutely insane, I didn't really expect to get that feeling from watching a game again after Na'Vi beat the undefeated LGD at TI2 but TL pulled it off!
Good description! I was sitting in my press box at the back of the hall. Every big play, everyone would stand and shout as each play went slightly to the side of Liquid. The DotaCinema guy next to me was cheering just as hard, I was scared he'd have an asthma attack. I dunno, my tweeting becomes less and less coherent, I think I just tweeted "LET'S GO" a bunch. It was pure bedlam.
EPT
