EPT
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thanks, pachi!
The coach matches amused, as did the team inters - check them out if you haven't seen them yet. Yet they were just a prelude to a drastically revamped version of PL. A new season begins this week, as the special event-filled offseason draws to a close. This time around, 2v2 has been removed and replaced with another mano-a-mano duel. Furthermore, new rules have been put into play regarding standings, logistics, and ceremonies (sorry, FBH fans).
I will be previewing the upcoming week, seeing what's what by team.
This Week's Highlights
Air Force ACE
Air Force ACE
The conspicuous absence of BoxeR from their first-match lineup does not augur well. Also, teamplay, a card that has traditionally favored ACE, has been removed. Though MuMyung and Oversky won their GOM matches, I fear they will be overmatched. Rage and Sunny are horrid - No idea why they're not using DaeZang and BoxeR, respectively. I look forward to Reach, Casy, and Anytime finishing basic; ACE needs the boost.
CJ Entus
An easy match against ACE. If sAviOr loses to MuMyung, Prince of Zerg or no, I'll feel terribly bad for HotBid. Actually, if any of CJ's players lose against that lineup, it'll be embarassing. Not much to see. Curiously, no EffOrt, despite Coach Cho and sAviOr hyping him up.
eSTRO
With new coaching, they should perform better this year. A nasty first match against KTF isn't the best way to start, though. Their only hope is to have funny win on the somewhat Terranish map Sword in the Moon, while UpMagic cheeses out Lucifer. Not likely, though. Against Woongjin they're slightly better off, but teams with new sponsors traditionally do well - a bad opening schedule for eStro overall.
KTF MagicNs
KTF is flexing its Real Madrid of e-Sports muscles. Buying Luxury makes them look downright scary, since the Flash/Luxury double combo is almost two guaranteed points every time. Easy matches against low-level teams will also help grease the KTF war machine as it plods on towards the first-place rank. Bringing on H.O.T. as a coach would have helped their 2v2 a lot, but that match has been removed. KTF as a 1v1 team is just... strange. Teamplay was always their strongsuit. I just hope they don't drop matches stupidly like they always used to.
Lecaf Oz
Another ProLeague favorite has lost its Protoss ace in the form of Anytime, but Backho will pick up the slack! ... Well, Jaedong/Lomo/ForGG isn't bad, and their first opponent is underwhelming. Jaedong vs Yarnc might be fun, if you like the matchup. In the battle against T1, though, both teams are pulling all the stops - ForGG vs Canata, Jaedong vs Best. That one match will play a huge part in teams' relative perception in this season.
MBCGame HERO
What was once the giant of ProLeague has been faltering as of late. Losing July and Bisu while PuSan is nowhere to be seen - not so good. They still haven't recovered entirely from those losses, as Sea's amazing performance isn't backed up by much else. Jaehoon and Hyun are the players to watch here; a strong Terran line of Sea/Light/Ruby needs other races to reinforce it.
OnGameNet SPARKYZ
Quite frankly, without Luxury, this team is dead. It's got nothing going for it. Good 2v2 and Luxury kept it in the upper echelon last year against all odds, but nothing can save it now. Let's all point and laugh at that poseur Yarnc. I feel sorry for Zeus though.
Samsung KHAN
Another one of the big four teams enters this season with a lineup very similar to last season [exactly the same]. However, this team is one that has relied on 2v2 to augment its 1v1, so that's something to watch out for. Also, racial balance has never been too good - Protoss powerhouses in Stork and Jangbi have little help from other sectors. Firebathero and FrOzean are terribly inconsistent, and they have no Zerg aces to speak of. They got a good draw against T1, and Sparkyz are a weak team, but I still don't think they'll do as well this season as last. Jangbi vs Midas will be good.
SK Telecom T1
If KTF is Real Madrid, T1 is Barca. They even have those nasty stripey uniforms, albeit with different width and colors. They have a remarkably hard opening schedule, facing both KHAN and OZ; both playdays are filled with awesome matches, though. Jangbi vs Midas, Canata vs ForGG, Best vs Jaedong. Their performance against these two rivals will set the note for the rest of their season: T1 resurgent, or the lacklustre T1 of 07? I'm guessing the first.
STX SouL
July leads off against his old team. He is horrid in ProLeague, though. Let's hope he does better this time, since he was removed from the majors. Their familiar lineup of well-performing but not outstanding players all march in against HERO: Calm, Kal, HwaSin. Along with July, those four cards will make lots of appearances. Thus, their first match is of note, merely because it'll offer some gauge as to how this team will do this season.
WeMade FOX
A stagnant team with NaDa, Mind, Pure and Rock as their only good players. The fact that Rock is considered a Protoss ace shows how this team is still going to perform at a mediocre level despite having the winningest player of all time. Casy left, too, showing that this team isn't particularly good at fostering increased player achievement. Hero, Roro, and keke make reappearances, but it'll be same old, same old. Following them as a team... I don't see much to look forward to. If those kids have a sudden breakout [nigh on impossible] that's their only hope.
Woongjin Stars
Mostly, watch to see how their players perform with a new sponsor. Though the money and new player influx won't kick in quite yet, the morale boost should help. An easy opponent list - FOX and eStro - helps them as well. Later on in the season, as they raise better players and perhaps buy a couple, they should do even better.
LR's Predictions
+ Show Spoiler +
+ Show Spoiler +
October 4
SK Telecom T1 vs Samsung KHAN
BeSt < Destination > 
FrOzean
Midas < Medusa > JangBi
Hyuk < Raid Assault 2 > by.great
Bisu < Andromeda > oDin
Ace Match:fantasy < Sword in the Moon > firebathero
SKT T1 3:2 Samsung KHAN
OnGameNet SPARKYZ vs Lecaf Oz
Leta < Chupung-Ryeong > BackHo
type-b[s.g] < Medusa > Lomo
YellOw[ArnC] < Neo Requiem > Jaedong
Chalrenge < Destination > HiyA
Ace Match: < Colosseum II >
SparkyZ 1:3 Lecaf OZ
October 5
KTF MagicNs vs eSTRO
Luxury < Sword in the Moon > by.funny
Flash < Chupung-Ryeong > Tester
LuCifer < Neo Requiem > UpMagiC
SaiR < Colosseum II > hyvaa
Ace Match: < Medusa >
KTF MagicN's 3:0 eStro
Woongjin Stars vs WeMade FOX
free < Andromeda > Pure
ZerO < Destination > RorO
Child < Raid Assault 2 > Nal_keke
MVP[Name] < Sword in the Moon > NaDa
Ace Match:free < Medusa > InteR.Mind
Woongjin 2:3 WeMade FOX
October 6
STX SouL vs MBCGame HERO
July< Medusa > Saint
Kal < Chupung-Ryeong > Jaehoon
Calm < Neo Requiem > HyuN
Hwasin < Sword in the Moon > RuBy
Ace Match:Hwasin < Andromeda > Sea[Shield]
SouL 2:3 HERO
Air Force ACE vs CJ Entus
Sunny < Sword in the Moon > Iris
Rage < Colosseum II > Much
MuMyung < Raid Assault 2 > sAviOr
OversKy < Medusa > GGPlay
Ace Match: < Chupung-Ryeong >
ACE 0:3 Entus [goddamnit, I hope to hell I'm wrong here]
October 7
OnGameNet SPARKYZ vs Samsung KHAN
YellOw[ArnC] < Medusa > JangBi
Shine < Chupung-Ryeong > Juni
Chalrenge < Neo Requiem > Stork
Leta < Sword in the Moon > firebathero
Ace Match: < Andromeda >
SparkyZ 1:3 Samsung KHAN
SK Telecom T1 vs Lecaf Oz
Canata < Medusa > fOrGG
fantasy < Colosseum II > BackHo
Hyuk < Raid Assault 2 > Lomo
BeSt < Destination > Jaedong
Ace Match:Midas[gm] < Chupung-Ryeong > Jaedong
T1 2:3 OZ
October 8
KTF MagicNs vs WeMade FOX
Flash < Medusa > Rock
Tempest < Colosseum II > Pure
Luxury < Raid Assault 2 > Nal_keke
815 < Destination > pepe
Ace Match: < Chupung-Ryeong >
KTF 3:0 FOX
Woongjin Stars vs eSTRO
ZerO < Destination > SangHo
MVP[Name] < Sword in the Moon > by.funny
GuemChi < Neo Requiem > UpMagiC
free < Medusa > hyvaa
Ace Match:free[gm] < Colosseum II > Sea.Really
Woongjin 3:2 eStro
SK Telecom T1 vs Samsung KHAN
BeSt < Destination > FrOzeanMidas < Medusa > JangBiHyuk < Raid Assault 2 > by.greatBisu < Andromeda > oDinAce Match:
fantasy < Sword in the Moon > firebatheroSKT T1 3:2 Samsung KHAN
OnGameNet SPARKYZ vs Lecaf Oz
Leta < Chupung-Ryeong > BackHotype-b[s.g] < Medusa > Lomo YellOw[ArnC] < Neo Requiem > JaedongChalrenge < Destination > HiyAAce Match: < Colosseum II >
SparkyZ 1:3 Lecaf OZ
October 5
KTF MagicNs vs eSTRO
Luxury < Sword in the Moon > by.funnyFlash < Chupung-Ryeong > TesterLuCifer < Neo Requiem > UpMagiCSaiR < Colosseum II > hyvaaAce Match: < Medusa >
KTF MagicN's 3:0 eStro
Woongjin Stars vs WeMade FOX
free < Andromeda > PureZerO < Destination > RorOChild < Raid Assault 2 > Nal_kekeMVP[Name] < Sword in the Moon > NaDaAce Match:
free < Medusa > InteR.MindWoongjin 2:3 WeMade FOX
October 6
STX SouL vs MBCGame HERO
July< Medusa > SaintKal < Chupung-Ryeong > JaehoonCalm < Neo Requiem > HyuNHwasin < Sword in the Moon > RuByAce Match:
Hwasin < Andromeda > Sea[Shield]SouL 2:3 HERO
Air Force ACE vs CJ Entus
Sunny < Sword in the Moon > IrisRage < Colosseum II > MuchMuMyung < Raid Assault 2 > sAviOrOversKy < Medusa > GGPlayAce Match: < Chupung-Ryeong >
ACE 0:3 Entus [goddamnit, I hope to hell I'm wrong here]
October 7
OnGameNet SPARKYZ vs Samsung KHAN
YellOw[ArnC] < Medusa > JangBiShine < Chupung-Ryeong > JuniChalrenge < Neo Requiem > StorkLeta < Sword in the Moon > firebatheroAce Match: < Andromeda >
SparkyZ 1:3 Samsung KHAN
SK Telecom T1 vs Lecaf Oz
Canata < Medusa > fOrGGfantasy < Colosseum II > BackHoHyuk < Raid Assault 2 > LomoBeSt < Destination > JaedongAce Match:
Midas[gm] < Chupung-Ryeong > JaedongT1 2:3 OZ
October 8
KTF MagicNs vs WeMade FOX
Flash < Medusa > RockTempest < Colosseum II > PureLuxury < Raid Assault 2 > Nal_keke815 < Destination > pepeAce Match: < Chupung-Ryeong >
KTF 3:0 FOX
Woongjin Stars vs eSTRO
ZerO < Destination > SangHoMVP[Name] < Sword in the Moon > by.funnyGuemChi < Neo Requiem > UpMagiCfree < Medusa > hyvaaAce Match:
free[gm] < Colosseum II > Sea.ReallyWoongjin 3:2 eStro
Love and Luck,
LastRomantic
P.S. Go Bears!
