Bomber's back in Code A after yet another disappointing Code S performance, where he finished last in his group. Despite this, it's pretty obvious that he's going to brutalize Heart. In fact, a 13 – 3 record in non Code S competition since GSL October (two of the losses coming to MC), suggests that not only will he crush Heart, but a slew of other players as well while he cruises back into Code S. Of course, upon reaching that point, the cycle will repeat itself once more.
Heart seemed to be a pretty decent Terran player when he used to stream a few months ago, but since then we've had precious little chance to see him. The fact that he's been passed over by TSL in multiple clan wars is also disheartening, but maybe that's because he's not even on the team anymore? In any case, Bomber's recent TvT streak is 4 – 0, against players like Jjakji, Sting, Gumiho, and Ryung. It's very unlikely he'll lose to Heart.
Who knew that the Korean government would lift its ban on the hunting of elephas coreanus in 2012, leaving the endangered species to fend for itself? Last month, former MSL champion ForGG was brutally downed by SK.MC in the streets of Metropolis. Now Taeja looks to trim the herd further by bringing down ex-MBCGame Hero stalwart Hyun in Code A.
In ways, Taeja is like a mini-Bomber. Bomber's purpose is to make life miserable for everyone in Code A and below, while Taeja's job is to make everyone in Code B rue their existence. Consider the many ESV Weekly tournaments where he's made short work of nearly everyone who's been in a Code A qualifier. Now, consider that we've seen very little of Hyun against Code A class opposition as of yet, so he's just another Code B player as far as anyone should be concerned. That's the lesson we learned from ForGG; your success at a previous stage is no indicator of how you'll do in the next.
Unless you're a championship contender, there's really no shame to dropping out of Code S at the hands of MVPsC and MVP.DongRaeGu. As far as I know, I don't think EG is asking to JYP to win Code S just yet, so let's just chalk it up as an unlucky group draw and expected result.
Though JYP is back in Code A, it seems like he has the perfect opponent to bounce back against. First off, Life plays Zerg, the race against which JYP has had the most success. On top of that, he's fifteen years old with just a single live audience game so far, two factors that typically work against players unaccustomed to performing under pressure. Yes, there has been an exception in the past, but his ID happened to be Flash.
However, Life does have a chance, considering the maps. With Crossfire and Dual Sight lined up in sets two and three, there's always the chance that between incessant mutalisk harassment and well selected all-ins, Life could find a way to upset his opponent.
Facing off are two players who have built their reputations largely on GSTL fame (alright, Squirtle won 3rd at IEM World Championship 2011), looking to further their careers in the individual arena as well. Picking up all-kills in the GSTL at least means that fans remember them and want to see them in Code A, which is a step up from some of the more interchangeable Code B players who make it up from the preliminaries every season. Although, the considerable of time since their last good GSTL performances makes one wonder if they're really that much better.
Two factors lead me to favor Squirtle here. First, he really earned his spot in Code A this season, by winning a tough ESV Korean Weekly to win the Code A spot in November, which has carried over into another Code A berth this season. Meanwhile, Seal got through the prelims by beating... ST_Rainbow.
Second, there seems to have been a collective new year's resolution by all Protoss players to make 2-base all-ins the face of PvZ again. Interestingly enough, it seems to be working for them so far. Under those circumstances, I don't know if I like Seal's chances.
What happened, Ryung? Five months ago, I had you firmly in the top echelon of players in the GSL. Your TvT was as good as it came; you were beating big names like Bomber and looking like you could surpass your nemesis, friend and teammate MMA to become the first Slayers player to win a GSL championship. Now, in the present, MMA has won two GSL's and you are sitting on the knife's edge of falling off the mountain down to nothingness.
One of the main reasons why Ryung is so close to falling out of GSL entirely is due to horrid TvP that he's shown in the booth. In a short time, the Forgotten Son of the Emperor has gone from the second in command behind MMA to falling down in the depth chart for Slayers behind most of the Terrans on the team. This is his chance for redemeption and to get back into the thick of things, but it's going to be hard.
AnnYeong is a beast. I first noticed him in the World Cyber Games Korea qualifiers against Polt. He did lose the game due to a few minor mistakes, more than likely due to the nerves of playing in the booth for the first time. However, but he played excellent throughout and brought the Super Tournament winner to the edge of defeat. Following the loss, he was still able to make it out of the qualifying group and make a surprising run to the quarterfinals, knocking out TOP and Line to secure his place.
In the end, he had to face MVP and lost 1-2, but AnnYeong showed a lot of raw talent in the process. It's now almost four months since his games against MVP, and I can only believe that he has gotten better in that time. Prime is starting to become a power house once again with young players such as AnnYeong and Creator. While this is a chance for Ryung to hang on to his last sliver of life, this is AnnYeong's chance to break into the scene and become a star in his own right.
This is a battle between two players who are, statistically, some of the worst players in the Korean pro scene. Luvsic sits in 111th place in ELO and Ace is right behind him in 118th place. Neither have stellar overall records in Korea, both under 50% in winrate.Their 'best' matchups favor Luvsic, who is 5-6 against Protoss, compared to Ace's 2-6 record against Zerg.
These two players really have a lot to prove. If you ask people, 'Hey, who is the best Zerg on oGs?', most of them will tell you, 'Zenio!' before they remember that he's not on the team anymore. Then they'll probably scratch their heads before replying '...Cezanne?' Zergs have never been oGs' strongest suite, so it's up to Luvsic to try and change that while making a splash in Code A.
With Ace, he is the player you always see celebrating and doing ceremonies...for the other members of his team when they win. Bomber wins four straight games in a row? Time for Ace to dance on the opposition. This is his opportunity to prove that he isn't only the cheerleader for Startale, but an actual player who should be reckoned with in the GSL. One of these players will fall out and have an amazingly difficult time ever getting back here, but the other will be granted a second chance at stardom.
In Code S, we have the Big Four: MVP, MMA, Nestea, and MC. They've been in eleven of the thirteen GSL finals and have have shared the throne for a year and a half. In Code A, there is but one king. A player that stands above all others and calls Code A his domain. If you want to make it in Code A, you must first get by its ruler. After spending a short while in Code S, Yugioh, King of Code A has returned, and is ready to make sure he won't drop down to the lowly Code B.
Sculp, though, is a player with massive potential. Alongside Heart, he is the Terran I think is most likely to break out in this Code A tournament. Back when HoSeo was first starting out, it Sculp, not Jjakji, who looked like the future ace of the team. He was getting the same amount of hype that Jjakji was, and pros were commenting on how much skill sculp possessed. Now, with Jjakji being the champion of Code S, it is time for the Sculp to catch up.
It's truly a battle of the new versus the old, with YuGiOh trying to evangelize upwards immobility to a Code A newcomer, while Sculp will try to make his stay in Code A as short as possible before moving on.
Last season, Cezanne culled one of the most stubborn clingers to Code S from the GSL entirely, by defeating his teammate oGs.Ensnare in first round of Code A. Now, he looks to eliminate yet another past beneficiary of the old 24 seed Code S system in Startale's Virus, who survived for six Code S seasons before dropping straight down to Code A in the new format.
Cezanne isn't exactly an example of GSL excellence himself, but if he could drop Virus to Code B as well, then we might argue that Cezanne would have been a Kyrix, Ensnare, Clide, or Virus if he had had the fortune to be an early comer like them, and further prove that the old Code S system truly was horrendous. It's not looking good for Virus. Despite being in Code S for seven straight seasons, he was used by his team zero times in the GSTL during that period. Also, it would just be plain cool for Cezanne to gain cult status as the purifier of the GSL, like a vengeful vigilante. The hero the GSL deserves, indeed.
Prediction: Cezanne 2 – 1 Virus
Art by Fishuu
Following Losira-Cat's elimination from Code A, we are looking for a suitable replacement.
Writers: Fionn and Waxangel. Graphics and Art: Meko and Pony Tales (disciple and Lip the Pencilboy). Editor: WaxAngel
I think that Luvsic will do better than the prediction makes him out to be, from what I've seen of his games, he played really intelligently, and is actually one of my picks to go pretty far...
-.- life is probably the best zenex player atm, really solid and has done quite well in the Weeklies. Considering that JYP just lost to zenio in NASTL and that he didn't even look solid v DRG in code S, I'm tempted to give this one to him, especially with the maps.
I was going to bet on Squirtle but now I am wondering if I should bet on AnnYeong. His ZvT is quite bad according to TLPD but if you look at who he was playing I don't blame him. What ever will I do!
On February 07 2012 08:17 ImmortalTofu wrote: -.- life is probably the best zenex player atm, really solid and has done quite well in the Weeklies. Considering that JYP just lost to zenio in NASTL and that he didn't even look solid v DRG in code S, I'm tempted to give this one to him, especially with the maps.
Cutter is the best ZeNex player, or maybe you haven't seen what he looks like... + Show Spoiler +
Ace won IEM World Championship last year, not Squirtle. But these two are really easy to be misidentified and swapped places because they are so alike in terms of no achievement
On February 07 2012 09:20 Veldril wrote: Ace won IEM World Championship last year, not Squirtle. But these two are really easy to be misidentified and swapped places because they are so alike in terms of no achievement
I remember ace winning an IEM... pretty sure that's the one where moon took second. Squirtle was in that weird 3 way tie group with socke and sjow,. Can't remeber how he placed in that one, pretty positive he made it out of the tie though.
Agree with most of the predictions. I think ST_Ace will beat luvsic and I think yugioh will beat sculp, the last one and i think the edge probably goes to virus over cezanne.
What happened, Ryung? Five months ago, I had you firmly in the top echelon of players in the GSL.
You happened, Fionn.
There are some rather optimistic predictions there IMHO. I would be excited to see what AnnYeong can conjure up but I tend to favour Korean Terrans over their Zerg opponents I think you are underestimating Virus though. He's at least Code S Gatekeeper level.
I'd really like to see like Mvp and MMA playing with toy tanks and marines, like little boys do with their toys. Or alternate characters given Mvp has been knocked out of Code S.
Actually Squirtle is winning next season's Code S, so he will easily sweep every match in this season's Code A. Dude is just that good. I would say he is better than MC but MC has way more experience right now and that counts for a lot.
On February 07 2012 11:39 winthrop wrote: the best zerg of ogs so far is thewind
No, he's the coach so he doesn't practice nearly as much. He's a great player, but I think that since he's a coach before he's a player he doesn't get enough practice to be as good as the other players who play full time. I think it's either JookTo or Cezanne, as far as the best oGs Zerg, but that doesn't really mean much. oGs is one of the only Korean teams without a strong Zerg line-up (the only team with a Zerg line-up that is weaker is NSHoSeo, in my opinion).
On February 07 2012 11:39 winthrop wrote: the best zerg of ogs so far is thewind
No, he's the coach so he doesn't practice nearly as much. He's a great player, but I think that since he's a coach before he's a player he doesn't get enough practice to be as good as the other players who play full time. I think it's either JookTo or Cezanne, as far as the best oGs Zerg, but that doesn't really mean much. oGs is one of the only Korean teams without a strong Zerg line-up (the only team with a Zerg line-up that is weaker is NSHoSeo, in my opinion).
tf. Ok first hoseo has seal, who's a pretty beast zerg, who fell to an seemingly in-form bomber. No foul.
But seriously, Cezanne is no way better than JookTo, who got at least ro8 in the last two KR weeklies, and Luvsic has continually proven himself to be a mid-highish code A level player, which is still pretty impressive looking at how stacked S and the top end of A is, soo....
These write-ups are great, hopefully you feel motivated to do them for every GSL match sometime :} I get a lot of backstory on players I've never heard of it and it makes it more interesting... also the GSL's production is a lot better this year.
On February 07 2012 10:24 TheTurk wrote: Replacement for LosiraCat: Squirtle (the player) crossed with Squirtle (the Pokemon). Do this and I'll give you anything you desire.
(alright, Squirtle won IEM World Championship 2011),
As it was mentioned before Ace won the IEM World Championship, so before making such a tough judgement on him you should at least be aware of his achievements... The same applies for ForGG, last season was his first time in Code A, and this season his first time in Code S, why don't we let time tell us how he performs? I used to like those TL predictions, but they are less and less entertaining & accurate.
I hope Bomber crushes everyone and shows next season that he is capable of wining the GSL.
Awesome, LosiraCat is gone which means he can get back to being great again. I'm not kidding, look at the time of LosiraCat's first appearance and then how swiftly his decline began >_<
Great write up guys. I'm very excited to see Life finally in the GSL, sure he's inconsistent but that's youth and outside of it he's probably the best young player around (as demonstrated in his IS qualifier win).
On February 07 2012 08:05 Lovedoll wrote: I hope whoever is casting Squirtle vs. Seal makes a pokémon joke or at least makes that realization.
Besides that I'm a big fan of Squirtle so I hope he makes it very far into Code A this season.
Second this lol! Anyone who watches the other korean leagues like KSL or the korean weekly would know the Squirtle is actually the ace of Startale alongside Bomber. Looks like he finally got over his problem with nerves, I really hope he can show his true skill level. His playstyle is very similar to MC, though of course MC's play is more refined and overall better, so he might get a lot of flak for 2-base plays. I remember reading somewhere that JookTo is the best zerg player on the oGs team in practice...
not so accurate predictions, similar to mine (except i called ryung). i've found code a so unpredictable this year even with returning players. players like bomber will perform badly in one league, then do incredibly well (all killing) the next, and then falls out of code a in the next week, shits ridiculous
Oregon State is the only Pac-12 team off this week, and there are several big nonconference games and a big conference one in Tucson.
All games are on Saturday, Sept. 17. Here's a quick look (all times ET).
Colorado versus Colorado State (Denver), 1:30 p.m., FSN: The Buffaloes took a step forward last weekend against California after a poor showing at Hawaii, but at 0-2 they are desperate for a win. The Rams are 2-0 after beating New Mexico and Northern Colorado. The Buffs have won four of the past six in the series.
Texas at UCLA, 3:30 p.m. ABC/ESPN3: Texas wants revenge for last season's embarrassing loss at home. Both teams have issues at quarterback. But Mack Brown's seat isn't nearly as hot as Rick Neuheisel's.
Washington at Nebraska, 3:30 p.m. ABC/ESPN3: The rubber match in a three-game series. The first two games couldn't have been more different: A Nebraska blowout win in Husky Stadium followed by a physically dominant performance by Washington in the Holiday Bowl.
Missouri State at Oregon, 3:30 p.m. OSN: This will be a long, long day for Missouri State.
Presbyterian at California, 5:30 p.m.: The Blue Hose just want to escape with their lives. And a paycheck.
Washington State at San Diego State, 6:30 p.m. Mountain West Network: The Cougars can get halfway to bowl eligibility with a victory on the road. Both teams are 2-0. Quarterback Ryan Lindley and running back Ronnie Hillman will test what looks to be a vastly improved Cougar defense. And can WSU quarterback Marshall Lobbestael keep up his torrid pace?
Arizona State at Illinois, 7 p.m. Big Ten Network: The Sun Devils will try to avoid a letdown on the road after beating Missouri at home. Illinois and quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase have yet to be tested after playing two patsies, but that also means the Sun Devils have no useful film for this game.
Syracuse at USC, 8 p.m. FX: The Trojans hope to improve to 3-0 against a Syracuse program that appears to be climbing in the Big East pecking order.
Utah at BYU, 9:15, ESPN2/ESPN3: Utah won the Holy War 17-16 last year -- the Utes blocked a last-second field goal attempt -- and has won six of the past 10 matchups in the series. This is the first matchup of the former Mountain West Conference foes with the Utes in the Pac-12 and BYU an Independent, which is why the game is in September instead of at the end of the regular season.
Stanford at Arizona, 10:45 p.m., ESPN/ESPN3: After two easy games, quarterback Andrew Luck and Stanford get a tough road test in front of the 'Zona Zoo. This is the second of three games versus top-10 foes for the Wildcats. A nice matchup of quarterbacks with Nick Foles trying to get the Wildcats back on track.
EPT
![[image loading]](http://www.webcam-steamate.com/cookies/37/b/happy.gif)
