On May 25 2011 06:42 Nethermind wrote:
Looks like the man had 'the eye of the tiger'.

I didn't play/follow BW post 2002; what are the reasons he slipped from form totally after being defeated by Bisu? For someone with great adaptability (it seems), it sounds like he just completely fell out of form following.

Thanks

I was led to believe it was the Seoul night life and stuff like that. Just get creative and imagine it yourself.

About the article: it hurts pretty bad, thinking of his great play, while I cannot forget the match fixing scandal.

Roffles

Pitcairn19291 Posts

May 24 2011 21:54 GMT

#163

Hell, it's about time.

HQuality

2682 Posts

May 24 2011 21:55 GMT

#164

phew
what a great work!

VGhost

United States3621 Posts

May 24 2011 21:56 GMT

#165

On May 25 2011 06:14 Owii wrote:

Show nested quote +

The caliber of Terrans today can't even compare to the Terrans that Savior slayed. Iloveoov? Nada? Hwasin? Boxer? Midas? The only Terrans today that are as good as any of them are Flash and Fantasy (and possibly Leta).

Savior was destroying Terrans at a time during the dark period for zergs... Jaedong might have a better record than Savior in ZvT, but... there a[re] several other strong zergs right now for him to study and improve from. Savior did it all as the sole flagbearer for the race.

I am not trying to take anything away from sAviOr (even though I missed the "sAviOr era" - I'm only really familiar with BW going back to Incruit). And we do have to realize that sAviOr was a huge innovator, great strategist, and brilliant tactician - all the things Ver talks about.

Now. What is meant by "the best"? Any top Zerg - is now a better player than sAviOr was. Are they a better player than sAviOr could have been if sAviOr could somehow be a young gun again taking advantage of his own innovations? That's an unanswerable question. Jaedong and EffOrt might be. Everyone else - Calm, ZerO, Luxury - who's attempted to claim the throne has proven to have nowhere near the consistency that comes with real greatness.

Your other argument does bear some weight. And (fairly obviously) sAviOr had a ton to do with the (re)emergence of Zerg as viable champions. On the other hand... sAviOr was brought down in 2007. Zerg dominance didn't arrive for another year and a half (and boy has it arrived: the only non-Zergs to win titles in the last six seasons - 2 1/2 years - are Flash and fantasy. And that dominance corresponds with?

Jaedong.

There are other factors. Maps have a lot to do with it. Further evolutions strategically have a lot to do with it. Team leagues have a lot to do with it, and the passage of time. But there's a fairly serious argument to be made that Jaedong is the pinnacle of ZvT - and like sAviOr, nobody is close to him in the matchup. EffOrt is now an unknown, Hydra's relatively untested, and ZerO is so @#$(! inconsistent (sorry, Stars fan).

mmdmmd

722 Posts

May 24 2011 21:57 GMT

#166

Stunning artwork and an amazing article.

I always wonder what Savior will be like if he never got involve in the scandal. He is a 1 in a million genius when it comes to BW

Duka08

3391 Posts

May 24 2011 21:57 GMT

#167

This is a fantastic TLFE. I'm so fucking hyped to play BW or something now, my god. I started following BW hardcore not long after Savior fell from invincibility, and I've always heard so much but known so little about the era in which he dominated. Such an enjoyable read, took me forever to just get about half way through, and I'm saving the rest for when I get back later. Phenomenal work.

Kipsate

Netherlands45349 Posts

May 24 2011 21:57 GMT

#168

Savior, my Zerg King, you will always be one of my favorite players, even with the matchfixing.

This article is so fucking good its insane.

we must be able to separate his faults as a human being from his accomplishments as a player.

So important and so true in every sense of the words in which it is expressed.

elmizzt

United States3309 Posts

May 24 2011 21:57 GMT

#169

Literally getting chills down my spine and tears in my eyes reading this article.

Amazing work ver.

eviltomahawk

United States11135 Posts

May 24 2011 21:59 GMT

#170

OMG, nerd chills down my spine as I read through most of the article.

motherfucking

nerd

chills.

I agree with the OP. Savior's play is beautiful, and only gets more beautiful the deeper the analysis. Tis a shame that he had fallen so much since them.

ZoW

United States3983 Posts

May 24 2011 21:59 GMT

#171

reading this made me sad

But I'll still believe in my dream of him coming back

SmoKim

Denmark10305 Posts

May 24 2011 21:59 GMT

#172

this is so beautiful, i cannot expres how much i apreciate this Final Edit

Savior, you broke my heart, and i will never forgive you for that, but your legacy is still the stuff of legends

eazo

United States530 Posts

May 24 2011 22:00 GMT

#173

This was an excellent excellent read

I first started watching pro BW back right at the height of savior's dominance. To be honest I knew he was good, no amazing, but i didn't exactly know HOW amazing he was. This is a great article to remember him by, and puts him in a good light (and kind of lets us turn our backs on the scandal, just for a second). I won't lie, some of those statistics and % are mind boggling. Absolutely insane.

He taught the world how to play the zerg race and destroyed some of terran's finest, at their prime. Ironically, he overcame all "balance" discussion and showed us how its done. Here's to the good memories of Ma Bonjwa

dudecrush

Canada418 Posts

May 24 2011 22:00 GMT

#174

On May 25 2011 05:47 JoshSuth wrote:
This article could be its own book. Well done, sir. =)

^

I really liked the points about admiring him as a player whatever his human failings. I completely agree. He was amazing.

GoodRamen

United States713 Posts

May 24 2011 22:01 GMT

#175

another great final edit!