[Interview] OSL Prelim Night Groups

Jaedong


-This is your 8th time, and also your 5th consecutive time qualifying. (t/n: for ro36)
▲ It must have been almost a year since I last played in the prelim, it felt abit awkward. I was thinking about the prelim all night last night, it made me feel unusually nervous and I couldn't sleep well. At times when I thought I might lose I did not dare to become careless, and still hoped to win the game. Although I have merely fought through the prelim, I'm still pretty satisfied on qualifying today.

-It has been a year and a half since you last played in a prelim.
▲ Although I haven't played in prelim for a very very long time, I have gained alot this time. Having to qualify through the offline prelim like many other professional player here in order to make a challenge for the final stage, is more or less a lesson to me. I've always stood on the high ground and waited for other people to qualify, and now I had to face the prelim myself. It gave me something more that just the games.

-How did you feel after seeing the groups?
▲ I've always been on the sideline, watching my teammates getting nervous after they've seen their groups, and rushed to prepare for it. This time I had the same experience and it was refreshing. But I really don't wanna do this again. (laugh)

-How did the games go?
▲ None of the games were too hard, I had neither made any particular mistakes or had any particular hard matches.

-Will you challenge a 4th OSL title?
▲ I'm only in the ro36 right now, so anything I say could just be fleeting words. It was such a pity last season, and since it was sponsored by Korean Air it made me feel even more regretful, because the ro8 matches were played in my hometown Ulsan. After watching the final in the aircraft hanger, I thought it would be great if Korean Air could sponsor again, and it really ended up that way. This time I definitely won't let myself be eliminated midway, and get to the final.

-Do you wish to play BaBy again, who eliminated you last season?
▲ I do hope I can play BaBy again, but I'm not saying I would go out of my way for it. If I do play him again it would motivate me much more than playing against any other player. But first, getting into ro16 is my first priority.

-You still have wild card matches coming up, if you win you'll be seeded into ro36.
▲ I really want to win it. The competition is very fierce so I don't know who would win in the end. But now that I have confirmed my qualification, I feel much more relieved, so I should be able to enjoy this.

-Any last words?
▲ I want to thank all the fans who came to cheer for me. In order to make me play well, my fans got me some duck meat and other stuff yesterday so I had a very good meal. Today is my mother's birthday, I wish her a very happy birthday.

Source: http://www.playsc.com/bbs/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=201688&extra=page=1

Reach

The Mantoss is back.

How do you feel returning to OSL after 9 seasons?
▲ I don't even remember how the OSL works anymore, I stayed in the prelim for a very long time, so when I came here today I didn't really have much hope. Last season I got eliminated in the first round, so I thought I would at least beat my first opponent, but unbelievably I actually managed to qualify. Perhaps it was because I didn't have any pressure, so I played very relaxed. I'm very happy.

- It has been 3 long years.
▲ I really hoped I could qualify, the OSL should have felt very intimate to me but now it felt like a stranger (laugh). But since I did qualify, I better perform well, otherwise I would sully the players who lost to me. Although I still can't really put too much hope on myself, it would just give me too much pressure.

- How the did the matches went?
▲ The strategy I prepared for the first match worked very well, though if I have to play against another zerg I probably won't use the same plan again, fortunately it was a protoss. the final match against Midas was extremely difficult, but I'm very happy to have won.

- The final match was very intense.
▲ Midas chosed some fairly risky strategy, first game was 2 factory rush, second game he didn't scout and went econ heavy, therefore I struggled to come up with a plan in the third game, eventually I chosed to go for DT drop.

- Airforce ACE has been in good form lately.
▲ We usually only get one or two players through the prelim. But recently we ended our losing streak, and had many players qualifying for starleagues, I think this will help ACE alot. For my part I gave it everything I had, and I'm very satisfied with the result.

- Your regimental commander came in person to watch the games today.
▲ I was very surprised. After losing the second game I was feeling very regretful, he came and gave me a pat on the shoulder and encouraged me.
Usually that would have pressured me even more, but today he gave me alot of motivation, I really thank him for it.

- Your goal for this OSL is...?
▲ I won't think too much, and this will be the best way (laugh). Instead of thinking too much on winning or losing, I'm better off concentrating on playing each game well.

- This may be your last time to represent ACE in the OSL.
▲ After joining ACE I haven't had many good results. To represent ACE and getting such bad results makes me feel very sorry. Fortunately I got to qualify this one last time, I will make the most of this opportunity.

- Any last words?
▲ I want to thank all of the loyal fans who have been supporting me through the last 3 years despite my bad performance, and I want to thank all of my teammates who helped me practice as well as our airforce regimental commander.

Source: http://sc.plu.cn/note/2010-06-11/19277.html

great


-Thoughts on qualifying for the first time?
▲ I'm very happy to get through prelim for the first time. In previous seasons I lost twice in a row in the final prelim match, and I started to doubt that maybe I wasn't meant for the OSL. Now that I'm qualified I'm very happy.

-You played 2 ZvT
▲ Practicing for ZvT feels very interesting to me, and plus my group has many terrans. I was second guessing my chances though.

-Was there any particularly hard matches?
▲ The first game in ro4 I was countered well by my opponent, so I felt abit dazed, but after that everything went well.

-Did ending your losing streak in SPL helped you?
▲ Since I couldn't break my SPL losing streak for a very long time, having 8 consecutive losses on me does seriously made my life difficult. After I finally ended it, I can come into the prelim confidently. Now I should be able to perform well in individual leagues as well.

- Your Zvz has been subpar lately, was it due to the fact that you lost in a BoX?
▲ I guess you can say that. After I lost in a BoX, for awhile I felt like I don't want to play ZvZ. But I overcame it, and now I managed to qualify.

- You still have wild card matches, possibly against your teammates.
▲ I don't feel like I'm a very strong player. But everyone else are ace players in their respective teams and I would eventually meet them in SPL, so this will be a good experience. I think we have to do a draw on the bracket, if I somehow drew JangBi it would be quite intriguing.

-Any last words?
▲ It's been a long time since I last saw my teammates preparing so seriously, so I hope that those who didn't qualify won't feel too down on themselves. Just need to do better next time.

Source: http://www.playsc.com/bbs/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=201688&extra=page=1

Snow


- After qualifying for MSL, you now also qualified for OSL
▲ I didn't get alot time to practice for this, so I'm very happy to be able to qualify.

- At a glance the group didn't look very difficult.
▲ MVP and the other players are all very strong, playing against him was very hard, especially after losing the first game in embarrassing manner, it was very hard to overcome.

- You changed your hairstyle lately.
▲ I don't really like my hair now, every time I look in the mirror it felt awkward (laugh). (t/n: perhaps it wasn't wise to blackmail Effort into giving you that free haircut lol)

- Are you confident on ro36?
▲ I'm always very confident.

- You could be on your way to become a royal-roader in both starleagues.
▲ I'm very looking forward to it, I hope I can get good results.

- You went to see the OSL final live last season.
▲ After watching that match, I was in absolute awe, the venue was so cool, I wish I could have a chance to stand on that stage.

- Rumor has it that you have been quite cocky lately, was it true?
▲ I don't feel any different, I always keep things the same way. But all of my hyungs around me may have thought it that way. (laugh)

Source: http://sc.plu.cn/note/2010-06-11/19277.html