No Innovation Needed for Bogus Result -STX_INnoVation tops Ro16 Group A with strong, textbook play.
Coming into Group A, everyone's eyes were fixed on the resurgent MVP.DongRaeGu, with a select few ST_Bomber fans daring to hope that, just maybe, their expectations would be met. Last season's semi-finalist STX_INnoVation came into Group A with relatively moderate hype, but everyone knew in the back of their minds that his great TvT record and sometimes-impressive TvZ could prove deadly in the group.
Innovation started off on a good note with a well-earned win against TaeJa in a tense opening set, catching the Liquid Terran out of position to destroy four (yes, four) Command Centers. While Taeja managed to stay alive and force a half-map split where even nukes came into play, he was eventually forced to tap out. Taeja tied things up in game two with his superior upgrades enough to stop Innovation's two base marine-tank all-in, but the STX ace came right back to seal the deal in game three with a well timed mech-push.
The Winners Match between Innovation and DongRaeGu, who came in after defeating Bomber 2-0, had many viewers predicting a one sided stomp. DRG had been showing incredible form in the match-up lately, and looked impressive as he dismantled Bomber earlier in the night. The series certainly ended up being a stomp, only it was Innovation doing the stomping. Although DRG came agonizingly close to winning in both games of the series, he eventually fell apart against the STX Terran's superior multi-tasking and hyper-aggressive play that was much reminiscent of a Gumiho who came within a game of eliminating DRG one year ago in 2012's first Code S. The point in the series where DRG went from aggressor to defender was no doubt his uncharacteristic loss of 4 infestors and a bunch of drones to a single medivac drop. The mistake seemed to throw DRG off his game, and Innovation was quick to capitalize and take the series 2-0, advancing to the Round of 8 for the second season in a row.
Looking at this group in advance, it seemed DRG could not have asked for a better group. His ZvT was looking as good as ever, and with Bomber's tendency to implode under pressure and TaeJa's history of wrist issues, it seemed the stars had finally aligned for the GSL champion. After his somewhat surprising loss to Innovation, those very stars were thrown out of order, and DRG looked visibly shaken as he went up against Taeja, who had just come off a 2-0 victory over Bomber.
Although DRG managed to win the first game against the former Liquid ace in a drawn-out macro game on Bel'Shir Vestige that showcased his macro strength, he had trouble closing out even that game as Taeja showed strong play, holding on for a full 45 minutes.
In the second and third games, a few questionable decisions and instances of bad control ended up costing DRG the games as Taeja was quick to pounce on any mistakes made. DongRaeGu has compared his muta-ling-bane style of play to walking a tightrope in the past, and on the night, he just couldn't find his balance. One inefficient engagement would lead to another, and things would snowball into disaster for DongRaeGu as TaeJa refused to give him time to recoup.
The Crown Prince certainly played well on the night, with a narrow 1 - 2 loss against Innovation whose best match-up is TvT (although, Innovation went on record to say he didn't understand how he had such a good win-loss), but DRG had opportunities aplenty to beat Taeja. His surprise loss against the KeSPA Terran seemed to haunt him for the rest of the night, with him never looking quite the same after the Winners Match.
Law Abiding Bomber - ST_Bomber falls to Code A alongside DRG after two disappointing series.
This was it. Bomber had just returned to the round of 16 after more than a year, and he had done so looking supremely capable – beating both a strong Terran in Gumiho and a GSL Champion in Sniper in the Ro32. The stage was set for him to finally end his streak of disappointing GSL performances and make his second ever quarterfinal.
But it was not to be. While Bomber looked extremely good in the Ro32 – good enough to convince some of his doubters – last night he was back to being Standard Bomber, as per the rules of Bomber's Law: "Bomber will always disappoint." He didn't look bad, but his performance was certainly nothing like what we saw from him in the Round of 32. After DRG ran a bunch of speedlings through a hole in his wall and killed 26 SCV's in Game 1, Bomber rapidly started to fall apart. Even with DRG forgetting about baneling speed in game 2, Bomber was still helpless to stop the MVP Zerg as he was rolled by lings, banelings and mutalisks.
Against Taeja, things went no better as he got the short end of the stick on Cloud Kingdom, losing in a baserace-ish scenario where Bomber found himself with the inferior army, The second game on Akilon Flats looked to be going in Bomber's favor for a moment after he broke through Taeja's mech contain with impressive play, but it was only a momentary reprieve before his weaker army was sandwiched by Taeja's, forcing the GG and a return to Code A.
In this group we have three players who in the course of lifespan of Wings of Liberty, were all at one time or another a favorite to win the Code S championship. The first person on that list of thought to be champions would be Squirtle, the former co-ace of the Startale Protoss line with PartinG, now gone in search of a new team. Even without a team backing him, Squirtle is looking the best he has in a long time, making it to the Ro16 after a few disappointing seasons and reminding us that he is still one of the top Protoss players in the world.
Let me put this out there: Squirtle should have won the second season of 2012. He lost his first game of the season against MMA and then reeled off fourteen straight victories without a loss heading into the finals. Mvp, his opponent, was injured, hobbled and was getting through the knockout rounds with a variety of cheeses and mind games. Naniwa and Parting, both players who could have been a threat to Mvp in a macro game, fell to Mvp's cheeses and their lack of experience in the booth. Squirtle, too, looked bewildered and scared in the first half of the GSL finals, losing his unstoppable edge and dropping three games in a row.
Squirtle managed to find his comfort zone and came back to tie it up 3-3, and looked on track to complete to reverse sweep after blocking Mvp's all-in attempt in the final game. However, Mvp was able to prey on Squirtle's inexperience, turn the game around, and finish Squirtle with a follow-up all-in. Squirtle became the player who came closest to the GSL championship to never win it, wasting a season when he showed fourteen straight games of pure domination. His silver medley continued from there, taking second at WCS Korea not too long after, and then fell into a bad slump after getting his third straight major silver medal in a row.
Squirtle's WoL legacy will be defined in this tournament. He can either make it to the finals and win, turning him from a choker to one of the best Protoss in the WoL era, or he will fall short of the throne, solidifying himself as the best player who almost made it. It's harsh to say that in a tournament with heavy hitters like Life, Parting, Innovation and others that winning it all is the only way to change the perception of his WoL career, but that's what Squirtle will need to do to if he wants to place himself next to Parting and MC as a top three Protoss in Wings of Liberty.
His first opponent of the night will be another player who was once expected to conquer the Code S throne, that being Azubu's new pick-up Symbol. Thought of to be the heavy favorite in his royal road season during the summer of 2012, Symbol was up 2 - 0 in the quarterfinals against Seed, looking to head into the semifinals without much trouble against the top Protoss on LG-IM. Seed came back, winning three in a row and knocking Symbol out of Code S, starting a trend where Symbol could never get over the round of eight hump in Code S.
The new hottest Zerg on the block only a half year ago, Symbol now feels like the toy that got played with for a few weeks before getting put on the shelf for the newer, more flashy models. Life, Sniper, the KeSPA Zergs, and even his friend and former teammate Hyun all started to do better than Symbol, getting farther in tournaments and receiving praise for their play. Life won the fourth season of Code S, Sniper and Hyun headlining the fifth, and the KeSPA Zergs have Proleague to show off their moves. Symbol stagnated in skill, his ZvZ started to falter, and he became just another Zerg in Code Z.
Winning a championship wouldn't be as important for Symbol as it would be for Squirtle or other players who have come excruciatingly close, but it would be a huge plus for his new team Azubu, and it would mean that he could do what Hyun could not, winning a GSL championship in his first final. Hyun and Symbol will be compared to each other throughout their careers, close friends on TSL and always sharing strategies together, and this will be our chance to see how well they can do away from each other. Hyun already failed in his Ro32 round, continuing the curse of Code S finalists falling early after their successful season, and Symbol is still in the tournament, hoping to change the opinion on him. Some think it was Hyun's strategies and help that made Symbol a star and not the other way around, but Symbol will try to prove those people wrong as the ace of Azubu.
Mvp is dead. Well, okay, he's not really dead, but falling to Code B is as close as dead you can be in the world of Korean Starcraft. After never falling to Code B in the history of the GSL, Mvp fell in the final season of Wings of Liberty, going out in the Ro32 of Code S and then getting beat by SKT's sOo in the first round of Code A. This leaves MarineKingPrime, Mvp's personal punching bag, as the only player to start off as a Code S player and never fall into Code B. It's a pretty nice accomplishment, never falling to rock bottom, but it won't mean much if MarineKing can't win a GSL.
We've talked for the past two plus years that it's just a matter of time for MarineKing to win a GSL champion.
'Oh, he lost to Nestea in seven games? He's just a kid! He plays too gimmicky, but he has a lot of potential to be a champion.'
'Oh, he lost to Mvp in a sweep? That's okay! Mvp is really, really good and a former BW A-teamer. MarineKing is getting a lot better, and he'll win his GSL in time. It's not like Mvp can beat him forever, right?'
'Oh, he lost to Mvp again? Don't worry! This time he took two games off Mvp, showing that he is getting much better and will soon be the best player in the world. He's been in three finals in such a short period that there is no question he will win a championship soon.'
'Oh, he lost to MMA in the Super Tournament semifinals after being up 0-2? That kinda sucks, but it's not the end of the world! MarineKing showed that he can beat any in the world this tournament, and he is so close to reaching that championship. He's maturing as a player and will soon be a Code S champion!'
'Oh, it's 2013 and MarineKing still isn't champion? Wait, it's the final season of Wings of Liberty? Where did the time go? How could this happen? How hasn't he won a championship!?'
Time's up, MarineKing. Mvp is as far away as he could possibly be, and this is your final chance at becoming a GSL champion in Wings of Liberty. Winning a Heart of the Swarm title would still be a huge accomplishment and put you right next to Mvp as a Terran GSL champion, but it wouldn't be the same. Since the second open season, we've all been waiting for the king to claim his throne. Three final losses and a huge semifinal choke to MMA will be the everlasting history that MKP leaves behind if he cannot finally - in his last chance - win the championship.
After two straight Ro8 failures in the past seasons, MarineKing is inching closer to a championship, but there isn't any time left for him to continue his slow movement towards the final. This is the final Wings season, Mvp is in Code B, and this is MarineKing's chance to change his legacy forever. His TvZ might not be good enough if he has to face off against Life, but if he can some favorable draws and get into the quarterfinals for his third straight season, he can get to the finals. In five years when we're gearing up or already in the Legacy of the Void era of GSL, we'll look back at MarineKing in the first SC2 era in one of two ways:
Future A: 'MarineKing in WoL? He was Mvp's bitch. He lost a lot in finals, cried a lot in the booth when he lost, and he never won the championship. Yeah, he was a good player, but he didn't have what it takes to win a championship. He was a choker and could never get it done when it mattered.'
Future B: 'MarineKing in WoL? He lost a lot to Mvp and failed in three GSL finals, but he won the last one. He matured as a player, grew up through his losses, and finally won the big one at the end of Wings of Liberty. He was the only player in Code S to never fall into Code B, and he was one of the greatest players in the era. It was worth the wait to see him finally become the king of GSL.'
To round things out, we have Woongjin_Soulkey. Unlike the other three, he does not need this victory to change people's thoughts on his career in Starcraft 2. Only having played Wings for over six months, Soulkey is considered one of the better KeSPA players, and he is trying to prove that his Ro8 placement last season wasn't a fluke like most of season five is considered to be. Innovation, the only player of last season's final four to still be in this season's Code S, is the player who beat Soulkey soundly in last season's quarters, meaning that it doesn't look so bad losing to possibly the strongest Terran in the world at the moment.
Soulkey's greatest skill is his detective-like, calculating abilities to scout an opponent before they face off. This is one of the main reasons why he thrashed Life last season, proclaiming in his winner's interview that he was the only player he focused on, breaking down Life's entire game style and creating the perfect strategy to stop him. With his notebook detailing of all his opponent's weaknesses, MarineKing is a player that Soulkey should have more than enough information to battle against.
His ZvT was his weakest match-up only a few weeks ago, but he's currently on a 7-1 streak against Terran, taking out heavy hitters like Taeja and Fantasy in his most recent games. Soulkey is KeSPA's strongest Zerg, being one of the best, if not the best, of his race when the transition occurred between Brood War and Starcraft 2. His play has transitioned well to a new game, his hype from the start of the transition coming through with how well he's been playing lately. Wings of Liberty might be ending, but Soulkey's legacy in this new game is just beginning.
Overall thoughts and predictions in haiku form:
Time's up, MarineKing Squirtle and Soulkey too strong Junghoon's tears endless
Squirtle > Symbol Soulkey > MKP Squirtle > Soulkey MarineKing > Symbol Soulkey > MarineKing
Hmm, I had forgotten just how close Squirtle has come to being a great. GSL 2012 Season 2, IPL4, and WCS Korea, and now here he is in the same group as MKP.
It's gonna be a hell of a night.
Also, a few typos here:
looked on track to complete to reverse sweep after blocking Mvp's all-in attempt in the final game.
The new hottest Zerg on the black
falling to Code B is as close as dead you can be in the world of Korean Starcraft.
Despite sucking in foreign tournaments, MKP has won his last 5 TvZs in the GSL including both finals from last season. Squirtle lost to bboongbbong, I don't see him getting out of this group.
Interesting that MKP is predicted to lose against Soulkey the first time, and Marineking the second =p
Honestly I was fully expecting Marineking to be predicted to lose, I would have predicted that too as it feels like it would be the "smart choice". I don't care about predictions when it comes to MKP however. He hasn't looked good versus Zergs lately, but it often doesn't matter how he looks. When MKP advances, lately it's been more about tenacity and luck as much as his high level of skill.
That said, I feel like Soulkey is exactly the kind of player that he's been struggling so much against. I don't really see anyway around him, but I'm still hopeful that he'll be able to take down Squirtle and Symbol.
I want Squirtle because I feel like he might go to KT... I want Soulkey because he's a BW badass... I want Symbol because watching him lose that series to Seed was heartbreaking... I want MKP because he has the silver curse and who doesn't want him to break it?
Aww I like Squirtle, MKP and Soulkey, but since only 2 can advance I'm going to pull for Squirtle and MKP though realistically it probably will be Squirtle and Soulkey.
I hope for Squirtle and Symbol, my favorite Players. I think Squirtle has a great chance, he seems back in shape. Symbol has not been that dominating lately, but you should never count him out!
I didnt like the negative way the writer used to ''hype up'' MarineKing, but he does have a point. He is above every other player stylistically, micro and gameplay wise. Dont let us murmur the could-have-beens MarineKing, I BELIEVE IN YOU !
Yay Fionn predicted against Marineking! That means he's sure to win.
Sucks for Squirtle though, I wanted to see him advance but the Fionn curse is too strong. Squirtle will also be riding the Artosis hype train tonight, which just further cements his eventual loss.
On February 08 2013 09:08 FanaticCZ wrote: Im just gonna wait and see how MKP trashes the prediction once again. Hopefully
He's done it for all of this season and all of last season too yet Fionn just continues to bash him in these write ups only to have his curse re-affirmed every season.
At least Waxangel every now and then learns from his miscalls Fionn seems to revel in them.
It's not that I dislike MKP, but he hasn't made a GSL semifinal in almost two years. This is a tough group. I would have picked him to get out of C and probably D.
Wouldn't be surprised if he makes it all the way to the semifinals. Only thing I don't see is him beating Life.
Personally, I want Squirtle and MKP to advance. MKP's story is waaaaay better than Soulkey's, and I would enjoy a TvT quarterfinal.
"Future A: 'MarineKing in WoL? He was Mvp's bitch. He lost a lot in finals, cried a lot in the booth when he lost, and he never won the championship. Yeah, he was a good player, but he didn't have what it takes to win a championship. He was a choker and could never get it done when it mattered.'
Future B: 'MarineKing in WoL? He lost a lot to Mvp and failed in three GSL finals, but he won the last one. He matured as a player, grew up through his losses, and finally won the big one at the end of Wings of Liberty. He was the only player in Code S to never fall into Code B, and he was one of the greatest players in the era. It was worth the wait to see him finally become the king of GSL.'"
Lol'd. How about:
Future A: "MarineKing in WoL? He lost a lot to Mvp, but despite never winning a GSL championship, he managed to place as runner up in 3 GSL finals, play a central part in his team winning a GSTL title and he also won several major foreign events, including the MLG Winter Championship, during a period of dominance which saw him widely considered as the best player in the world. He is seen to be one of the most consistent players in GSL history, as he is the only player to have never fallen into Code B."
The reality is, regardless of how this GSL goes, MKP will still be among the top 6 players of WoL, along with MVP, Nestea, DRG, MC and MMA.
On February 08 2013 09:42 ShAdZ_ZX wrote: "Future A: 'MarineKing in WoL? He was Mvp's bitch. He lost a lot in finals, cried a lot in the booth when he lost, and he never won the championship. Yeah, he was a good player, but he didn't have what it takes to win a championship. He was a choker and could never get it done when it mattered.'
Future B: 'MarineKing in WoL? He lost a lot to Mvp and failed in three GSL finals, but he won the last one. He matured as a player, grew up through his losses, and finally won the big one at the end of Wings of Liberty. He was the only player in Code S to never fall into Code B, and he was one of the greatest players in the era. It was worth the wait to see him finally become the king of GSL.'"
Lol'd. How about:
Future A: "MarineKing in WoL? He lost a lot to Mvp, but despite never winning a GSL championship, he managed to place as runner up in 3 GSL finals, play a central part in his team winning a GSTL title and win several major foreign events, including the MLG Winter Championship, during a period of dominance which saw him widely considered as the best player in the world. He is seen to be one of the most consistent players in GSL history, as he is the only player to have never fallen into Code B."
The reality is, regardless of how this GSL goes, MKP will still be among the top 6 players of WoL, along with MVP, Nestea, DRG, MC and MMA.
Is MMA still worth considering in the top six anymore? i loved how the guy played, but he hasn't made a single decent achievement in..... what, a year? he fell into the same slump as jjakji, the only thing he has over him is really having more past achievements. Really, there are many, many players more deserving than that if your searching for current top 6 most important, and he isn't totally dominating even the "heroes of the past" top 6 if you include retired players (boxer, nada, fruitdealer, ecc)
Yea MKP is going to be remembered in a positive light for WoL regardless of what happens tonight or in this GSL.
He revolutionized SC2 in ways that few others ever came close to. His early runs through the open seasons are the stuff of legend. His hallmark Marine splitting will be remembered and talked about probably until the end of this game's lifespan.
Marineking is already on the Terran Mount Rushmore right up there with MVP. A GSL Championship just seals the deal and allows his later career to match the brilliance of his rise to fame but it isn't necessary for him to leave a great legacy that few SC2 players will come close to matching.
I'm torn between wanting one of my favourites and one of my other favourites! I just hope to Flash that MKP and Squirtle make it through this group.
With Fantasy and Huk out (and both some ways from a championship in all honesty), nothing would make me happier than a Parting vs MKP final that MKP wins. I would quite literally weep with joy if that happened.
On February 08 2013 09:49 althaz wrote: I'm torn between wanting one of my favourites and one of my other favourites! I just hope to Flash that MKP and Squirtle make it through this group.
With Fantasy and Huk out (and both some ways from a championship in all honesty), nothing would make me happier than a Parting vs MKP final that MKP wins. I would quite literally weep with joy if that happened.
MarineKing FIGHTING!!!!
Dude a Parting vs MKP finals would be epic as hell. Truly worthy of the final WoL season.
On February 08 2013 09:48 Skirmjan wrote: Is MMA still worth considering in the top six anymore? i loved how the guy played, but he hasn't made a single decent achievement in..... what, a year? he fell into the same slump as jjakji, the only thing he has over him is really having more past achievements. Really, there are many, many players more deserving than that if your searching for current top 6 most important, and he isn't totally dominating even the "heroes of the past" top 6 if you include retired players (boxer, nada, fruitdealer, ecc)
I originally only had it top 5, with MMA being excluded, but I felt like that may step on peoples toes which was not my intention. I'm not strictly trying to rank the top 5 or 6, I was just using it as a way of enforcing my point about MKP.
Dude a Parting vs MKP finals would be epic as hell. Truly worthy of the final WoL season.
This would be great now, but it would have been even better around April last year when both were considered to be absolute gods at the TvP matchup. It was truly a clash of the titans. Their rivalry, while not the longest, is definitely one of my favourites. Their micro battles were... just incredible...
This group is so tight, I think it will not be a surprise for any of these players to get out, and all the games look to be very close and exciting. However I have to give the edge to Soulkey and MKP. Soulkey was very impressive in the ro32, dismantling Taeja who is playing very well and who took out DRG. That doesn't mean Soulkey > DRG, but it's still a strong statement. I think he will continue the hot run of Kespa players at the moment.
After getting wiped out in the Ironsquid finals, MKP looked set to extend his TvZ woes in his GSL match against RorO, a very strong zerg, after getting his barracks wall baneling busted after playing too greedy in game 1, a virtual carbon copy of his blowouts to Life and Nestea. But then he turned things around for games 2 and 3 with very strong play and reminding us why he has been one of the best terrans in WoL.
Symbol is solid but I think the weakest player in the group, looking unimpressive lately, with recent blowouts against foreigners like Scarlett and Snute, which is never a good sign.
That leaves Squirtle who I think will be fighting it out with MKP for 2nd, but I think MKP's underrated consistency in the GSL will give him the edge. MKP is the only code S player never to drop to code B and made the ro16 for every GSL in 2012, and has been a quarterfinalist in the last 2. I'm betting he will make it 3 in a row tonight.
Watching MKP in the second gsl is what inspired me to switch from Protoss to Terran, I have always been an mkp fan and i really hope that he can finally pull through this time and win the last WOL GSL MKP fighting!!!!!
Dude a Parting vs MKP finals would be epic as hell. Truly worthy of the final WoL season.
This would be great now, but it would have been even better around April last year when both were considered to be absolute gods at the TvP matchup. It was truly a clash of the titans. Their rivalry, while not the longest, is definitely one of my favourites. Their micro battles were... just incredible...
LET'S GO MKP!!!!! I'm staying up for this one; please, please don't disappoint. He microd his way inot my heart ever since season 2; we've been talking about mkp winning a championship for 2 years. There are two typos in my post.
If soulkey makes it out of this group... that ro8 loss to bogus last season was embarrassing to watch as a zerg player, it was sooo fucking bad. not to mention I love squirtle, symbol and mkp... kinda disappointed they all can't get to the knockout rounds.
I want to root for MKP but it always ends in frustration when he refuses to scout 5 games in a row while being as greedy as possible. Squirtle/Soulkey makes sense which means its probably not going to happen.
On February 08 2013 09:49 althaz wrote: I'm torn between wanting one of my favourites and one of my other favourites! I just hope to Flash that MKP and Squirtle make it through this group.
With Fantasy and Huk out (and both some ways from a championship in all honesty), nothing would make me happier than a Parting vs MKP final that MKP wins. I would quite literally weep with joy if that happened.
MarineKing FIGHTING!!!!
Dude a Parting vs MKP finals would be epic as hell. Truly worthy of the final WoL season.
What about Squirtle vs MKP, if they both make it? The kong battle to end all kong battles
After reading this preview, I'm starting to feel really bad for FoxeR and I hope he will advance, despite the fact that I didn't pick him in my liquibet.
On February 08 2013 08:20 Kasaraki wrote: I agree with these predictions. Which means they will not be right.
MKP and Symbol it is.
I'm in the same boat you are. Took what I thought made sense at the time, and sadly, turned out to be the same as what Fionn thought.
Future A: 'MarineKing in WoL? He was Mvp's bitch. He lost a lot in finals, cried a lot in the booth when he lost, and he never won the championship. Yeah, he was a good player, but he didn't have what it takes to win a championship. He was a choker and could never get it done when it mattered.'
Who the fuck are these writers? Everything about the MKP column is wildly disrespectful and insulting.
I had a dream yesterday, a final MKP vs a terran (dont remember his name) and artosis saying something like : OMG It is possible? MKP Winning the last WOL GSL finally?? .... hehe I really hope he wins this GSL please MKP >.< GO GO !
I have never been a fan of the terran race. I have been a protoss at heart through all of WoL, I have had my heart crushed so many times in so many tournaments seeing players play their hearts out yet lose to terran and zergs who (to me) seemed to make more mistakes than said protoss. However, at the end, I am rooting for a terran to win it all. I want MKP to finally fulfill his dream. The kid who played his heart out despite his parents disapproval at the beginning. The one who had to win a tournament to continue playing or else he would've been pushed onto a different career path, and then WINS so he can be a pro. The growth into the player who would challenge for championships. The agonizing defeats. NOW it is time. NOW is his chance. NOW he can prove once and for all that he is worthy, and that he chose wisely in sticking to the game he loved. MarineKing HWAITING!!!!
On February 08 2013 09:29 Fionn wrote: It's not that I dislike MKP, but he hasn't made a GSL semifinal in almost two years. This is a tough group. I would have picked him to get out of C and probably D.
Wouldn't be surprised if he makes it all the way to the semifinals. Only thing I don't see is him beating Life.
Personally, I want Squirtle and MKP to advance. MKP's story is waaaaay better than Soulkey's, and I would enjoy a TvT quarterfinal.
Kinda hard to believe seeing as you disrespect and trash him every single writeup.
MarineKing in WoL? He was Mvp's bitch. He lost a lot in finals, cried a lot in the booth when he lost, and he never won the championship. Yeah, he was a good player, but he didn't have what it takes to win a championship. He was a choker and could never get it done when it mattered.'
Yea... fuck off. He's one of the greatest players in SC2, he's the only player to never drop out of GSL, he just made back to back Ro8 in GSL, 2-0'd his group and defied every single prediction you've made.
Oh FYI, Dongraegu said on stream that he thinks MKP will definitely make it out, he's only unsure as to who 2nd place would be. I guess one of the greatest zergs in the world doesn't know what he's talking about since the great TL writers have spoken. Just like how the great TL writers predicted MKP would go 0-2 in his Ro32 group.
Wow, the entire Code S preview was spoken like a true kid who's never played in a tournament. You think you can put the pressure on 3 out of 4 group members to either WIN THE WHOLE THING or go home? Afraid it doesn't work like that pal. You can be very, very good at this game and still never win because it is all about MATCHUPS! Saying 3 out of 4 of the group members MUST WIN OR IT'S ALL FOR NAUGHT just shows how ignorant you are of competitive play.
On February 08 2013 15:07 TerranTechie wrote: Wow, the entire Code S preview was spoken like a true kid who's never played in a tournament. You think you can put the pressure on 3 out of 4 group members to either WIN THE WHOLE THING or go home? Afraid it doesn't work like that pal. You can be very, very good at this game and still never win because it is all about MATCHUPS! Saying 3 out of 4 of the group members MUST WIN OR IT'S ALL FOR NAUGHT just shows how ignorant you are of competitive play.
wow lol why are you so mad?
Schadenfreude is more appealing than rational thinking. We're not really calling the players awful, it's just for entertainment.
Thank you TL.com for not predicting marineking as one of the players whom advance, now there still is a chance for him to win a GSL. Sorry about Soulkey tho.
i really dont get the point of going mech vs zerg. I feel that zerg really figured out how to deal with it, so hard to stop roach drops an muta harrass, further mkp has such good marine control. Imo the classic marine tank is most of the time the better choice vs zerg
In MKPs case it seems that all of his last wins against zergs have been games where he went marine-marauder-plenty of medivacs as far as I remember. It's sad to see him go to code A...now MC has to reclaim his president seat.
FML, I wanted Squirtle and MKP to advance SO badly. If MC gets knocked out I don't know what I'll do. Probably just root for Taeja and Bogus. But still FML man. So many QQs for MKP :,(
EPT
DongRaeGu <Akilon Flats> 
Bomber
Squirtle, 
