EPTOn August 25 2006 19:39 SuperJongMan wrote:
I think it is because they are from a more similar generation of pro gamers.
Plus Oov is not in this MSL anyways. Ra is the oldest protoss there, just like Boxer is the oldest Terran there, and they do have quite a rivalry.
I honestly thought it was really ballsy of Boxer to pick Ra who most people would put the emperor at a severe disadvantage against. I'm just guessing it is the respect they have towards each other after a long long rivalry and constant meetings causing both of them to sweat like crazy.
I think it is because they are from a more similar generation of pro gamers.
Plus Oov is not in this MSL anyways. Ra is the oldest protoss there, just like Boxer is the oldest Terran there, and they do have quite a rivalry.
I honestly thought it was really ballsy of Boxer to pick Ra who most people would put the emperor at a severe disadvantage against. I'm just guessing it is the respect they have towards each other after a long long rivalry and constant meetings causing both of them to sweat like crazy.
Yeah, it has nothing to do with handing off the torch. If Boxer picked a nobody and won, then okay, but if Boxer picked a nobody and lost, how would everyone feel about Boxer gonig out because of a nobody?
Boxer needed to pick someone who's not only good, but somebody with a big name. That narrows the list down. Pretty much I'd say Boxer needed to play one of Savior, Chojja, Nal_Ra and NaDa. Savior had other ideas about how his group should be, plus they only faced off once before in a match -- they have no history. That narrows it down. Chojja is a pretty good candidate, but Boxer usually beats Chojja and while they have some history (14 games played, Boxer 9 - Chojja 5), Chojja would probably have switched out in favor of a Z or P, and besides that there's no special connection between Boxer and Chojja really. That narrows it down. NaDa would be a great pick. After all, it was NaDa who stole the KeSPA #1 slot from Boxer in the first place. But many of the memorable encounters between Boxer and NaDa were more light-hearted and TvT isn't the most exciting match to go out on. On the other hand, Ra had a staggering 9-2 record over Boxer going into the game. Ra is considered by many a Protoss equivalent to Boxer in terms of the strategic insight he brought to his race (Garimto also fills this role, but Garimto retired long ago now). Ra is not the type who would back down from this fight. And Ra vs Boxer games have often been pretty epic, with Boxer trying to pull out every last stop before finalling throwing in the towel.
The choice was obvious. This game was potentially Boxer's 2nd to last Starleague game ever and the only better opponent Boxer could have to go out against would be Yellow, his rival of old. And I want to bring up another point. I voted for Ra over Boxer. I believed Ra would proxy rape Boxer. I realize now why he didn't -- he wanted to create an epic battle against the emporer, and a do-or-die rush is not at all the way to do it.
![[image loading]](http://www.funnypictures.dk/data/media/1/177.jpg)
Yeah right. 
