The votes are in and the final decisions have been made, all that’s left is to detail the awards. Teamliquid is no democracy, but rest assured your votes played an important role. Without further ado, here are the winners:
The 'Garimto' Award for Player of the Year is honourably and respectfully bestowed upon...
Savior
As though there was any contest. Savior dominated all of 2006, winning two MSLs and ripping apart poor Boxer and Nada in Superfight. The guy is just a class better than everyone else, and if he manages to conquer OSL, he’ll be one of the most accomplished players ever.
Live2Win - EZ, Savior. Yes, NaDa's Golden Mouse win was touching, but let's remember this is a 2006 award, not an OSL-Achievements award. For the NaDa of 2006, this was 1 Starleague win. But Savior, he won 2 Starleagues and his second WEF (or was it IEF?) title. He also won 2 Super Fight Finals, beating NaDa also. Gotta say, NaDa just can't top that.
SuperJongMan - Savior, it is the year of Zerg. There is no other choice.
The 'Mumyung' Award for Worst Player is chucked unceremoniously at...
Child
Mumyung would be proud. Child made it to OSL twice, only to get completely raped by everyone, not managing to win a single game. Couple that with his bad Proleague performance, and you’ve got the worst player of 2006.
FunFluffyBunny - Sasin)Child. 0-3 both times he's been in the OSL, and always being raped in Pro League.
The 'Boxer' Creativity/Inspiration Award is handed, in a state of awe and amazement, to...
The Emperor himself
Boxer had half a year less than everyone else to pull crazy stunts, but still wins this award with ease. The rax block vs July, his triple dropship move against Chojja, the triple CC against rA, his proxies against Shinhwa, Oov and Aqua, and of course the amazing wraith game against Jju. Boxer’s games are still by far the most fun to watch and we are all eagerly awaiting his return.
An honorable mention goes to UpMagic who has been playing extremely creatively in the OSL so far. I’m afraid I can’t give away a 2006 award based on three games, all of which were played in December, but he is definitely someone to watch out for.
The 'Chojja' Missing in Action Award sits forlornly on the shelf waiting in vain to be picked up by...
Reach
There was a time when Reach was the big Protoss hope, standing his ground against the waves of Zerg and Terran closing in on the Protoss race. Those happier times, however, are long gone. Reach’s biggest achievement this year was losing 3-0 to Nada. Come back, mantoss, Protoss needs you!
Plexa - Reach; the KTF Captain's curse has claimed another, manly, victim...
Live2Win - Ah, this is easy. Reach of course. Where art thou, man-toss?
The Team of the Year Award goes to…
MBC Game Hero
It’s absolutely amazing how much the MBC team has improved this season. Apart from their veterans July and Pusan, the team has produced an amazing number of promising rookies, Sea, Light and Bisu in particular. MBC’s trust in the young players has paid off. After making 2nd place in Proleague round 1, they won both round 2 and the grand finals. They’ll be the team to beat in 2007.
thedeadhaji - MBC Hero. lost to SKT1 in Proleague season 1 finals, won Proleague season 2. Their improvement over the past year is simply staggering.
The 'WTF!' Moment of the Year Award is handed carefully via an asbestos glove to...
Garimto’s Comeback
He’s back. The legend. If you didn’t start drooling when you read the news, you’ve never seen him play. Next to him, Reach looks like a little boy. Garimto! Hell yeah! Prepare yourself for the wrath of Aiur, Savior. He’s coming.
Game of the Year was clearly...
Nal_rA vs Savior Pringles MSL semis game 1
What an amazing game. Never has Savior been pushed this far in ZvP. He showed everything he had – and it wasn’t enough. Brilliant play from rA, this game had everything, from amazing battles to the elimination race in the end.
All in all, I’d say 2006 was a good year for progaming. Here’s to another one.
very nice. Only problem I have with it though, is that boxer's rax block against July was during so1 starleague, which was 2005. Hence it doesnt really belong in an annual award where we look at the year 2006.
Well yeah, but look at a lot of his other games. Proxies have become semi-common now, but Boxer added a little extra in all of his. On the surface, it was just a proxy, but there was always a little twist that made it work
where they both are with there whole armies destroying eachothers last bases. Where savior was in front, but ra just had a loose probe, and managed to build a pylon. I loved it!.
Well done Orome. Much appreciated. My only problem is with the Mumyung award. Shouldn't the progamers that couldn't even make it into a starleague automatically be worse than ones that made it in and then got raped?
On January 22 2007 20:27 TheFoReveRwaR wrote: Well done Orome. Much appreciated. My only problem is with the Mumyung award. Shouldn't the progamers that couldn't even make it into a starleague automatically be worse than ones that made it in and then got raped?
Well, mumyung was famous for making it to starleagues and doing absolutely nothing. So, Child fits the spirit of the award perfectly.
MSL is not considered a "Starleague". That's why they say "MSL" and "Starleague", not "MSL" and "OSL". Some of you may of heard of the phrase: "The one and only Starleaguer."
MSL and OSL are in a totally different class. OSL is the grandslam of Starcraft. MSL just turned out to be a spoof of the OSL. MSL is NOT considered a Starleague (it just has that name attached to it for publicity).
Starleague is distinct. It has it's own program colors: red/white/black. And Proleague is the offspring of Starleague. MSL has no "proleague", MSL is not considered a "starleague".
On January 23 2007 09:06 Orome wrote: Outside of Korea, MSL is considered a Starleague.
MSL was made in Korea.
It's like, foreigners telling Germany that the Volkswagan is better than their Rolls Royce and insisting that they should be put in the same class. A man owning 1 Rolls Royce is not as good as a man owning 2 Volkswagen, they would say. But, the Germans are the ones who manufactured the cars, and they have established that Rolls Royce is the better car.
The Koreans have established that Starleague is Starleague, and MSL is not Starleague, just a minor league.
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It's the same for everything else out there. You're not a great soccer team by winning all the little tournaments. You truly get recognized if you can win the World Cup.
You are not a truly great pingpong player by winning all the minor national tournaments. You become great by winning the Olympic medals. Sure, your skill level can be the same (or greater) than the Olympic medal winners at certain points in time, but the fact that you have not won the Olympic medal puts you at a lower place in recognition.
On January 23 2007 09:06 Orome wrote: Outside of Korea, MSL is considered a Starleague.
MSL was made in Korea.
It's like, foreigners telling Germany that the Volkswagan is better than their Rolls Royce and insisting that they should be put in the same class. A man owning 1 Rolls Royce is not as good as a man owning 2 Volkswagen, they would say. But, the Germans are the ones who manufactured the cars, and they have established that Rolls Royce is the better car.
The Koreans have established that Starleague is Starleague, and MSL is not Starleague, just a minor league.
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It's the same for everything else out there. You're not a great soccer team by winning all the little tournaments. You truly get recognized if you can win the World Cup.
You are not a truly great pingpong player by winning all the minor national tournaments. You become great by winning the Olympic medals. Sure, your skill level can be the same (or greater) than the Olympic medal winners at certain points in time, but the fact that you have not won the Olympic medal puts you at a lower place in recognition.
It's a difference in terminology and the meaning of 'Starleague'.
Apparently, to you and possibly in Korea as a whole (although Live2Win called MSL a Starleague, and he's Korean), Starleague means, 'the big one', the most important tournament. To me, and I think to most people here, Starleague is just a name for a league, nothing more. Therefore, MSL is obviously a Starleague because it has Starleague in its name.
It does not make sense for me to change this, same as people all around the world say swiss cheese to something that is definitely not swiss cheese to me. It's a difference in terminology, and there is no correct version.
yes, I consider MSL and OSL the same level. I see on reason why they should be considered a different level. It's like the 4 Grand Slams in tennis. They both have a off-line quali, a minor league, and a major league.
Of course, in Korea, like WhatisProtoss said, Starleague refers to OSL, as OGN originally came up with the name "Starleague". Remember, MBC's orginial name for it was KPGA Tour, and since that wasn't working too well they stole the name and called it MBCGame Starleague.
So, Starleague is SUPPOSE to refer to OSL only, and MSL is called MSL. (interestingly enough, the MSL commentators refer to OSL as "the other league" they NEVER say OSL or OGN Starleague, while they call themselves MSL, and OSL calls themselves "Starleague")
But like I said, I, and most foreigners, refer to any major league as a starleague.
I wouldn't agree with Whatisprotoss's comment about MSL being a minor league though. The OSL is considered higher because of the prize-money difference, but I think they give the same amount points? I'm not too sure about that.
On January 23 2007 13:49 Live2Win wrote: So, Starleague is SUPPOSE to refer to OSL only, and MSL is called MSL. (interestingly enough, the MSL commentators refer to OSL as "the other league" they NEVER say OSL or OGN Starleague, while they call themselves MSL, and OSL calls themselves "Starleague")
Really? That's very interesting actually... I've always wondered how the OGN vs MBC relationship panned out. I mean, do they see themselves as competitors/rivals, and if they do, do they try to refrain from mentioning each other, ever, or do they mention each other but boost how they're better/more exciting, etc. like the old WCW vs WWF thing years ago? (this doesn't seem likely given the culture, but I don't know how modern/westernized the gaming channels are)... or do they work together for the greater good of the game? I seem to recall the proleague was/is sponsored by both yes? Or was that some special joint effort thing from a year or two ago?
Starleague is worth more points than MSL, since it is a higher league than MSL. Winning it is more prestigious.
Obviously MSL does not want to lose out to the original Starleague and refers to OSL as the "other starleague," even though they clearly are the lesser of the two.
People have just misunderstood this over and over again. OGN Starleague is on a higher level than MSL. There IS no terminology error between the two, as Orome has said. There is no misconception. There IS a correct version. Just because Live2Win called MSL a "Starleague" means that it actually is a Starleague??
On January 23 2007 13:49 Live2Win wrote: The OSL is considered higher because of the prize-money difference, but I think they give the same amount points? I'm not too sure about that.
No, for a little while, MSL upped their prize money and it was higher than Starleague's prize money for a season.
The prize money breakdown over the years: Starleague (From 2001 to 2006): 1st: 20,000,000 2nd: 10,000,000
Compared to MSL: CYON MSL (October 2005 - January 2006) 1st: 25,000,000 2nd: 10,000,000
Pringles MSL (April 2006 - July 2006) 1st: 30,000,000
My final say on the matter, since this topic keeps coming up over and over again: 1) Prize money does not make one better than the other. Prize money has always varied over the years. 2) Popularity does not make one better than the other. 3) Prestige and KESPA value makes the difference between the two. 4) OSL is the original starleague. 5) OSL is of heavier KESPA value. 6) OnGameNet holds higher authority in Starcraft broadcasting than MBCGame. 7) OGN Starleague > MSL.
OGN vs. MBCGame See how the names work? It isn't even "OSL". It is "Starleague." Because it is the only Starleague. MSL is a mere copy of them.
As for me, I compare OSL and MSL by how many people they have in their audience, how much audience they have in their stadium, how many big name players they have on stage, and how many fangirls raving over those big name players on stage from the audience.
You misunderstand me. There is a terminology error, because to me, Starleague is a random name of a tournament, not an indicator of its importance. Therefore both MSL and OSL are Starleagues, because they hold Starleague in their name.
It belongs to both Ongamenet and MBC. To me that is, and I think to most non-korean people.
We're getting nowhere here, let's just drop it? You can't seperate the word Starleague from its original meaning of being Ongamenet's big league, that's fine.
That is because many people have misunderstood the relationship between MBC and OGN. I see this mistake many times and want to clear it up. People think OSL and MSL are on the same level when they are not.
I am weak, I can't stop myself from answering. I'm still not sure you understand what I'm saying.
OSL and MSL aren't on the same level, but calling both Starleagues isn't necessarily putting them on the same level. The custom on Teamliquid is to call both Starleagues, and we should stick to it.
is it just me or does it seem like the OSL's maps are a lot more imba than MSL's every time?
also, the OSL does carry with it a certain mystique or atmosphere that the MSL can't duplicate, but i don't really think the difference is that large =P
OGN is much more professionalized and streamlined. I mean, people with an MSL title are nowhere near as lauded as one with an OSL title. MSL runners up - who cares, really? Nobody cared much for MSL after rA lost. Silver? wtf? I mean his hydralisk control is unparalleled, sure, but he can't do anything else.
OGN treats its runner ups better, though most runner-ups in OSL have made their name already by winning before.
They are both starleagues to the TL crowd, which is all that matters here.
MSL has a lower profile than the OSL, but they are both considered major tournaments. Yes one has more prestige than the other, but imo winning either requires the same skill. The OSL is worth more points only because MBC is made up of retards that dont stick to their guns.
Lastly WiP, you said the proleague was a result of the OSL when in fact the proleague is a creation of kespa that both mbc and ogn pay into. It was NOT an OGN creation.
It is a joint effort between OGN and MBC yes, but they each had their own teamleague before they made a joint one. The teamleague OGN had before they started the Sky Proleague with MBC was also called Sky Proleague! And it was basically the same format, except that they used bo3 during the season (2x 1v1, 1x 2v2) instead of bo5 and bo5 during the playoffs (3x 1v1, 2x 2v2) instead of bo7, while the MBC teamleague was bo7 with 1v1 only, a player stayed until he lost a game, so one player could 4-0 the opposing team - called all kill. So the joint OGN / MBC Proleague = the old OGN Proleague, just with more games.