George "HotshotGG" Georgallidis, the Top laner of Counter Logic Gaming, is the star of the 43rd episode of my 'Grilled' interview series.
Some of the topics discussed: - HotshotGG's responses to criticisms of his own level of play and his team's perceived lack of dedication, in comparison to Asian teams/players. - Thoughts on the Chauster-Doublelift bot lane of S2 fame. - Where CLG stacks up in terms of getting ahead of the curve with surprise tactics. - How important mastery of specific champions is. - The trajectory of Hotshot's own career from star to role player. - The Top laner he'd trust with his life.
The entire 48m18s interview can be watched at Team Acer
I wonder of Thorin reads all the comments on every site this is posted on. Hotshot's answers only further prove to me how bad his mentality is and how low the chances are of him ever improving enough to be a top laner (lel)
I've always thought that Hotshot was one of the smartest professional players. The level he's thinking on is, in my opinion, different from almost every other interview I've seen so far. Execution and results might be another thing, but there's something to be said about CLG even just in their name. Counter Logic Gaming has to be one of the sickest team names I've ever heard.
I was really impressed with how open and honest he was about seemingly everything. It's nice that he wasn't sugarcoating things and at the same time wasn't insulting everyone left and right.
On April 08 2013 20:19 ZERG_RUSSIAN wrote: I've always thought that Hotshot was one of the smartest professional players. The level he's thinking on is, in my opinion, different from almost every other interview I've seen so far. Execution and results might be another thing, but there's something to be said about CLG even just in their name. Counter Logic Gaming has to be one of the sickest team names I've ever heard.
I was really impressed with how open and honest he was about seemingly everything. It's nice that he wasn't sugarcoating things and at the same time wasn't insulting everyone left and right.
Wow, makes me glad I'am not the only one who thinks this. Hsggs answers where very honest and insightful. Yes there is a defensive undertone there, as you can see he cares alot about how poeple see him. But his arguments make perfect sense and he is completely upfront about his performance, his weaknesses and strengths. From all the LoL related grilled interviews I saw only dyrus, alex ich and now hsgg where honest enough for my taste.
One very interesting about the whole grilled series and especially hsggs and alex ichs answers, who seem quite smart players, focus very much on how important the teamwork and strategy aspects of the game is. Mechanics, champion mastery and mindgames are all mentioned as well but everyone seems to stress out communication and execution of a sound strategy the real deal. What also kind of surprises me is how hard it is to get better at those areas. Apparently the whole CLG team knows exactly what is wrong with their communication but they can't seem to change their behaviour very fast.
What was that quote again? Just because you are different does not mean you are usefull.
He does think and play different, but is it really usefull? I dont think so. There is so little he brings to the game in matches, whats the last time you've even thought about hotshot as the MVP for a match, let alone giving him the MVP.
I really think HSGG is one of the , if not the weakest player in the LCS NA at this moment. This interview isnt really doing him much good :/
On April 08 2013 20:53 ihasaKAROT wrote: What was that quote again? Just because you are different does not mean you are usefull.
He does think and play different, but is it really usefull? I dont think so. There is so little he brings to the game in matches, whats the last time you've even thought about hotshot as the MVP for a match, let alone giving him the MVP.
I really think HSGG is one of the , if not the weakest player in the LCS NA at this moment. This interview isnt really doing him much good :/
On April 08 2013 20:53 ihasaKAROT wrote: What was that quote again? Just because you are different does not mean you are usefull.
He does think and play different, but is it really usefull? I dont think so. There is so little he brings to the game in matches, whats the last time you've even thought about hotshot as the MVP for a match, let alone giving him the MVP.
I really think HSGG is one of the , if not the weakest player in the LCS NA at this moment. This interview isnt really doing him much good :/
<3 the grilled series !
HSGG's been one of the better-performing members of CLG recently (not saying much though, CLG on the whole's been on a slump)
Hotshot is just rationalizing his inability to play. He says he can keep down the enemy top, but that is entirely irrelevant and to be expected. The difference is that someone on a team has to pull more then their own weight. Hotshot stopping the enemy top still makes the game a 4v4, because it takes hotshot to do it. Proportionally the game is no different, you could just remove top lane and the game would be no different. Going even against your opponent isn't good play, it is the minimum required for anyone. This is what hotshot doesn't understand. Him going even in lane is literally the minimum acceptable level of play, yet he wants to be praised for doing this. Different lanes shutting down things is very good, a jungler removing an adc and support from the game is huge.
On April 09 2013 01:43 SnK-Arcbound wrote: Hotshot is just rationalizing his inability to play. He says he can keep down the enemy top, but that is entirely irrelevant and to be expected. The difference is that someone on a team has to pull more then their own weight. Hotshot stopping the enemy top still makes the game a 4v4, because it takes hotshot to do it. Proportionally the game is no different, you could just remove top lane and the game would be no different. Going even against your opponent isn't good play, it is the minimum required for anyone. This is what hotshot doesn't understand. Him going even in lane is literally the minimum acceptable level of play, yet he wants to be praised for doing this. Different lanes shutting down things is very good, a jungler removing an adc and support from the game is huge.
Going even is definitely acceptable if you have more teamfight impact. It's better than trying to stomp your lane, just to lose it and make it 4v5. Im not saying it's ideal but it definitely has it's uses.
The amount of people shitting on Hotshot is so... DARGH! It's like they're not even watching the games and only look at scores (or alternatively, if he ends up being fed) just say: "Oh, Scrubshot is still shit, trololol"... CLG aren't following the meta but rather stick to their guns and in the event, they should definitely go with what they know and can pull off.
Great interview, as always with the Grilled series, thank you very much
On April 09 2013 02:55 Azelja wrote: The amount of people shitting on Hotshot is so... DARGH! It's like they're not even watching the games and only look at scores (or alternatively, if he ends up being fed) just say: "Oh, Scrubshot is still shit, trololol"... CLG aren't following the meta but rather stick to their guns and in the event, they should definitely go with what they know and can pull off.
Great interview, as always with the Grilled series, thank you very much
Hotshot's champion pool has pigeonholed CLG into specific strategies for literally years. No one else in the world plays the way that CLG does and the only reason they play that way is because Hotshot has the worst champion pool of any pro player. I will give him props that he's been trying new champions up top and attempting to expand his champion pool recently. That's good. I just don't know if he has the time to learn a bunch of new top laners.
I mean the absolute best that Hotshot has ever been was when Jax was bonkers OP and Hotshot's champion pool consisted of Jax, Cho'Gath, Galio, and Nidalee. But teams would ban out at least three of those and then they'd just know what Hotshot was going to play. Considering Hotshot's experience the only top laners in NA LCS who should even be able to contest with him are Voyboy and maybe Dyrus but we routinely see him lose lane to people who have been playing top lane for a few months.
Hotshot's strengths are that he can 1v2 better than a lot of other top laners can and that he's pretty good at drawing threat/playing tanks. But the former is something most LCS top laners are getting better at/just as good as him at. The latter is honestly as much of a strength as it is a weakness since those are literally the only champions he's reliable on (which gets back to the fact that he pigeonholes CLG to specific strategies due to his champion pool).
On April 09 2013 04:17 cLutZ wrote: Why does HSGG keep comparing himself to Maknoon? Is this last summer? Maknoon isn't even top 3 anymore, honestly I don't think hes close.
On April 09 2013 02:55 Azelja wrote: The amount of people shitting on Hotshot is so... DARGH! It's like they're not even watching the games and only look at scores (or alternatively, if he ends up being fed) just say: "Oh, Scrubshot is still shit, trololol"... CLG aren't following the meta but rather stick to their guns and in the event, they should definitely go with what they know and can pull off.
Great interview, as always with the Grilled series, thank you very much
To be fair, Chauster says that they play the way they do just because their current player base isn't strong enough to run four threats. You have hotshot who just plays a very passive style that's only really suited to tanks. You have l1nk who's just new and inexperienced, but he has potential I think. Chauster's jungling is not the greatest in the world as he sacrifices a lot of farm to try to make an impact on the lanes (which sometimes never happens).
I think hotshot's just another reason why CLG is pigeonholed into its current playstyle.
On April 09 2013 04:46 cLutZ wrote: Shy, Reapered, Caomei, Stanley.
Plus some EU tops that have caught him like Soaz and Darien (although the Russian hivemind makes that impossible to determine).
Stanley's 2v1 is suspect. Maknoon is still really good, I'd say the fact he might not be top three is a testament to how crazy good the Eastern Top Laners are.
On April 09 2013 04:46 cLutZ wrote: Shy, Reapered, Caomei, Stanley.
Plus some EU tops that have caught him like Soaz and Darien (although the Russian hivemind makes that impossible to determine).
I only think Shy is on par from that list. As much as I like sOAZ and Darien in EU LCS, I don't think they're quite there yet either.
Maybe I need to watch more OGN, but in the sporadic times I see Sword play, he tends towards Makn00b quite a bit. Its entirely possible to chalk that up to sample size I guess though.
On April 09 2013 04:46 cLutZ wrote: Shy, Reapered, Caomei, Stanley.
Plus some EU tops that have caught him like Soaz and Darien (although the Russian hivemind makes that impossible to determine).
I only think Shy is on par from that list. As much as I like sOAZ and Darien in EU LCS, I don't think they're quite there yet either.
Maybe I need to watch more OGN, but in the sporadic times I see Sword play, he tends towards Makn00b quite a bit. Its entirely possible to chalk that up to sample size I guess though.
You also need to watch more Expession and Pdd (yanger concurs). Reapered is pretty damn meh for Korean standards. Stanley (and TPA) haven't adapted to S3 that well. Caomei is decent, but good for WE.
On April 09 2013 01:43 SnK-Arcbound wrote: Hotshot is just rationalizing his inability to play. He says he can keep down the enemy top, but that is entirely irrelevant and to be expected. The difference is that someone on a team has to pull more then their own weight. Hotshot stopping the enemy top still makes the game a 4v4, because it takes hotshot to do it. Proportionally the game is no different, you could just remove top lane and the game would be no different. Going even against your opponent isn't good play, it is the minimum required for anyone. This is what hotshot doesn't understand. Him going even in lane is literally the minimum acceptable level of play, yet he wants to be praised for doing this. Different lanes shutting down things is very good, a jungler removing an adc and support from the game is huge.
first of all it is inherently false to say that "going even is the minimum requirement". This can only be true if everyone is going even top lane all the time which we know is false. So going even is and will allways be the average. Hsggs strategy is going even in gold income while playing teamfight oriented tanks, which he sais are more usefull than an averagely farmed assassin/bruiser. What Hsgg does like noone else is forcing his lane into a passive farm lane even 2on1. He is in a sense reliable, you can just leave him there and not much will happen, while you can count on him to teamfight well later on and hit his CC.
So yes going even isnt "good play" its average. but its not bad either and its a part of his plan. It was he is good at and maybe better than others. He has the same team oriented mindset like all the consistent and smart players in the scene: the team wins the game in the end. It has been said by all clg members time and time again that communication is the weakness of them and not a specific lane, even if hsgg and most of his teammates agree that he isnt a carry but a very reliable tank and top laner with a unique but teamoriented style.
What I got out of that interview is that Hotshot thinks he's both good and underrated. And so he'll keep the same attitude while CLG continues tanking in the rankings.
I mean...this is against the NA scene so hotshot going even is fine because he's not facing a lot of good players anyway. But when he played against like...Koreans or even some European tops he just gets consistently outfarmed. He might not die solo, but he'll be super underleveled and underfarmed.
On topic, I don't particularly like HSGG but I think people are really harsh with him. He does get caughtshotGG sometimes, and to me that is his main weakness. He needs to be more consistent and focused. But people tend to ignore his strengths: utility tanks, and kiting/zoning in team fights. CLG tend to sacrifice toplane anyway, but he still manages to do ok and he's actually been pretty good in TFs recently. CLG's problem is communication, as multiple players have stated. If we look at the individual "skills", chauster jungle (compared to his support), aphromoo mixed performance, and doublelift map awareness/global decision making are probably as problematic if not worse than Hotshot toplane.
The problem with this interview is that it reeks of "good enough" without any sort of drive to improve. Yes, he was honest, but that's what in my opinion makes it even worse. It's sort of a loser's attitude that he has.
Hotshot's lasthitting really isn't that great considering that strategy and actually I've seen him straight up lose plenty of lanes.
Also, teamplay and communication and such really aren't that difficult, and not specific to this game. You just need to follow orders unconditionally. In essence it's very simple. I'm thinking a reason Gambit does it so well is because military service is mandatory in Russia and hence they're going to know how to just follow orders without thinking too much. For everyone but the leader this is the way to go and isn't really difficult at all, though going through military basic training might help. HSGG's attitude probably won't allow it though. A coach also would be good for objective analysis, I'm not sure what CLGs situation there is.
On April 09 2013 08:29 Shikyo wrote: The problem with this interview is that it reeks of "good enough" without any sort of drive to improve. Yes, he was honest, but that's what in my opinion makes it even worse. It's sort of a loser's attitude that he has.
Hotshot's lasthitting really isn't that great considering that strategy and actually I've seen him straight up lose plenty of lanes.
Also, teamplay and communication and such really aren't that difficult, and not specific to this game. You just need to follow orders unconditionally. In essence it's very simple. I'm thinking a reason Gambit does it so well is because military service is mandatory in Russia and hence they're going to know how to just follow orders without thinking too much. For everyone but the leader this is the way to go and isn't really difficult at all, though going through military basic training might help. HSGG's attitude probably won't allow it though. A coach also would be good for objective analysis, I'm not sure what CLGs situation there is.
On April 09 2013 01:43 SnK-Arcbound wrote: Hotshot is just rationalizing his inability to play. He says he can keep down the enemy top, but that is entirely irrelevant and to be expected. The difference is that someone on a team has to pull more then their own weight. Hotshot stopping the enemy top still makes the game a 4v4, because it takes hotshot to do it. Proportionally the game is no different, you could just remove top lane and the game would be no different. Going even against your opponent isn't good play, it is the minimum required for anyone. This is what hotshot doesn't understand. Him going even in lane is literally the minimum acceptable level of play, yet he wants to be praised for doing this. Different lanes shutting down things is very good, a jungler removing an adc and support from the game is huge.
first of all it is inherently false to say that "going even is the minimum requirement". This can only be true if everyone is going even top lane all the time which we know is false. So going even is and will allways be the average. Hsggs strategy is going even in gold income while playing teamfight oriented tanks, which he sais are more usefull than an averagely farmed assassin/bruiser. What Hsgg does like noone else is forcing his lane into a passive farm lane even 2on1. He is in a sense reliable, you can just leave him there and not much will happen, while you can count on him to teamfight well later on and hit his CC.
So yes going even isnt "good play" its average. but its not bad either and its a part of his plan. It was he is good at and maybe better than others. He has the same team oriented mindset like all the consistent and smart players in the scene: the team wins the game in the end. It has been said by all clg members time and time again that communication is the weakness of them and not a specific lane, even if hsgg and most of his teammates agree that he isnt a carry but a very reliable tank and top laner with a unique but teamoriented style.
I am by no means a HSGG hater (although I think both he and Regi are running their teams ineffectively compared to how a real manager would), but he isn't reliable to go even, so he basically fails at his modest goal.
That's correct. Hotshot has no ambition of winning a lane, his best hope is to go even or lose by a small amount and try to make it up in teamfights later. And he fails often enough to be a liability because there's no upside. He either gets carried or loses.
On April 09 2013 10:58 NovaTheFeared wrote: That's correct. Hotshot has no ambition of winning a lane, his best hope is to go even or lose by a small amount and try to make it up in teamfights later. And he fails often enough to be a liability because there's no upside. He either gets carried or loses.
yes exactly but that isnt inherently a bad playstile. I just watched a clg vs crs scrim game last night and he firstpicked shen while voy took jayce after that. HS got about 15+ cs behind entering the midgame but he and chau did a smart bait kill on voy. Voy obviously couldnt keep up with hsggs mobility and teamfight presence during the mid-late. and supported his strong bottom and midlanes with ults.
This is what clg does regularly. They would firstpick top lane because they know hsgg is very good at losing a lane, no matter if counterpicked or 1on2 he would not lose hard and still be very freaking useful. He gives his team the option to strategically counterpick all the other lanes and build a strong synergy around 2 carries.
I'am not even a fan of clg or anything but id say it is kind of ignorant to shit on hsgg. From what I know the thing that holds clg back the most is communication and chauster not stepping up as a leader enough despite his team wanting him to do that.
On April 09 2013 16:36 clickrush wrote: yes exactly but that isnt inherently a bad playstile. I just watched a clg vs crs scrim game last night and he firstpicked shen while voy took jayce after that. HS got about 15+ cs behind entering the midgame but he and chau did a smart bait kill on voy. Voy obviously couldnt keep up with hsggs mobility and teamfight presence during the mid-late. and supported his strong bottom and midlanes with ults.
It's not a bad playstyle when it comes down to it, but it IS a bad attitude to have toward the game.
It is fine to accept the reality that you aren't that good in real games and play/draft around that fact. It is NOT fine to be ok with that when you are practicing. Your goal in practice should be to improve at every aspect of the game. Not become complacent over one aspect of the game because "it's not important for my playstyle".
On April 09 2013 16:36 clickrush wrote: yes exactly but that isnt inherently a bad playstile. I just watched a clg vs crs scrim game last night and he firstpicked shen while voy took jayce after that. HS got about 15+ cs behind entering the midgame but he and chau did a smart bait kill on voy. Voy obviously couldnt keep up with hsggs mobility and teamfight presence during the mid-late. and supported his strong bottom and midlanes with ults.
It's not a bad playstyle when it comes down to it, but it IS a bad attitude to have toward the game.
It is fine to accept the reality that you aren't that good in real games and play/draft around that fact. It is NOT fine to be ok with that when you are practicing. Your goal in practice should be to improve at every aspect of the game. Not become complacent over one aspect of the game because "it's not important for my playstyle".
Hear, hear. CLG has a unique playstyle, it fits them, but most importantly, they can and have won with it before. If there's ever criticism about Hotshot, it's not a playstyle issue. You accept that with the player.
You cannot blame a guy for adapting to his situation.
HotshotGG, along with Reginald must have had the most financial success out of any player involved in the League of Legends scene. HotshotGG cares about the prestige of his team, his fanbase, and obviously his overall reputation as a player. He will do everything in his power to keep his name up, and being a quality player is obviously important to keep his lucrative career going.
However, that drive simply does not compare with dozens upon dozens of players right now just dying to prove that they are in every single conceivable way superior to the likes of Maknoon, in terms of individual skills. Not all of them will make it, despite the blood, sweat, and tears poured into their burning passion. Only the luckiest, most skillful, and respected players will make it, and once these players are recruited into an existing elite team with a vacancy for a single position, it won't take long for these players to develope good team co-ordination with their teams.
What will HotshotGG do then? What will he have over these players? A vastly more successful bank account, and in the end, that's the biggest motivator of all. Skills mean nothing without recognition and reward for the said skills. HotshotGG will continue to perform to what he perceives as an acceptable level so that his income doesn't dry up, and that motivation simply won't match the drive of the other players wanting to take that number one spot. The structure of e-Sports in the west allows players to succeed without being the absolute best, and you cannot blame HotshotGG for taking advantage of that. He is the most successful e-Sports figure in North America along with Reginald.
On April 09 2013 17:52 Letmelose wrote: He is the most successful e-Sports figure in North America along with Reginald.
You're confusing E-Sports with LoL E-Sports. There's actually other games and more successful E-Sports figures.
Sorry for the confusion caused, I meant within the realm of League of Legends.
This constant issue of whether HotshotGG, or anybody that shares his mindset, is trying hard enough (or whether he has the talent to be rewarded if he were to apply himself that way) was concluded a long time ago in my opinon. All this indulgence on the discussion of lack of good practice partners, communication problems, is detracting from the main focus here.
I can't word things any better than Locodoco did several months ago.
HotshotGG is better than almost any other player on the planet (within the LoL scene, of course) in terms of making money from this game, and that's completely okay, but he needs to stop pretend that he is somehow handicapped, or unfairly represented when it comes to his ability to actually winning games. Of course he is trying, but there are others trying harder.
I thought the interview was solid and his explanations actually make a lot of sense. I think people are failing by working from the premise that CLG has to be a top team and if they're not there's a problem. The NA teams could put a lot more work in, but they don't want to. They are achieving what they really want to achieve right now, despite what they say they want to achieve. They don't have the drive to be as good as Koreans, and I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with that. It's a choice. The problems CLG are stating they have communication-wise are mainly a lack of discipline. I think the major reason a strict practice schedule is valuable is mainly just for the discipline it produces and with that discipline comes a respect for chain of command and planning. I think the other problem is that it seems like they play solo queue without a defined goal. If you formally define something you want to work on before you play ANY game, there can be value had from that. It's like going to the gym when you know you need to. You either do it or you don't. It's a choice, and it's not something that you have to spend a whole lot of time analyzing as an outsider to understand.
On April 09 2013 08:29 Shikyo wrote: The problem with this interview is that it reeks of "good enough" without any sort of drive to improve. Yes, he was honest, but that's what in my opinion makes it even worse. It's sort of a loser's attitude that he has.
Hotshot's lasthitting really isn't that great considering that strategy and actually I've seen him straight up lose plenty of lanes.
Also, teamplay and communication and such really aren't that difficult, and not specific to this game. You just need to follow orders unconditionally. In essence it's very simple. I'm thinking a reason Gambit does it so well is because military service is mandatory in Russia and hence they're going to know how to just follow orders without thinking too much. For everyone but the leader this is the way to go and isn't really difficult at all, though going through military basic training might help. HSGG's attitude probably won't allow it though. A coach also would be good for objective analysis, I'm not sure what CLGs situation there is.
I watched CLG scrim crs last night. They're trying to make chauster the unconditional shotcaller of their team but hoooly shit do their old habits come back when tense situations pop up in game. That said, it seems they are actively trying to emulate the eastern teams by having a single shot-caller, so I have hope that they will be a better coordinated team in the future, but man do old habits die hard.
On April 09 2013 08:29 Shikyo wrote: The problem with this interview is that it reeks of "good enough" without any sort of drive to improve. Yes, he was honest, but that's what in my opinion makes it even worse. It's sort of a loser's attitude that he has.
Hotshot's lasthitting really isn't that great considering that strategy and actually I've seen him straight up lose plenty of lanes.
Also, teamplay and communication and such really aren't that difficult, and not specific to this game. You just need to follow orders unconditionally. In essence it's very simple. I'm thinking a reason Gambit does it so well is because military service is mandatory in Russia and hence they're going to know how to just follow orders without thinking too much. For everyone but the leader this is the way to go and isn't really difficult at all, though going through military basic training might help. HSGG's attitude probably won't allow it though. A coach also would be good for objective analysis, I'm not sure what CLGs situation there is.
I watched CLG scrim crs last night. They're trying to make chauster the unconditional shotcaller of their team but hoooly shit do their old habits come back when tense situations pop up in game. That said, it seems they are actively trying to emulate the eastern teams by having a single shot-caller, so I have hope that they will be a better coordinated team in the future, but man do old habits die hard.
They said that they've done it this game against Dig, and it really showed. Obviously there were other factors involved such as Crumbzz not being able to play, but I think we can all agree that we've seen a different CLG tonight.
EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/OkxFx6R.jpg)
