EPT![[image loading]](http://www.estarsseoul.org/upload//20090324010130.jpg)
pubbanana wrote:
The sponsors are bigger. The teams are bigger. The leagues are bigger. The stage is bigger. The prizes are bigger. Everything has grown exponentially. Of course, it's generally agreed that it's the new faces which are the biggest source of the fan's excitement...
But I wonder ...
Why is it that the audience and the commentators hold their breath as an old gamer takes to the stage?
Why is it that the applause is louder when an old gamer wins?
Why is it that one bows deeply to an old gamer after the game is finished?
The sponsors are bigger. The teams are bigger. The leagues are bigger. The stage is bigger. The prizes are bigger. Everything has grown exponentially. Of course, it's generally agreed that it's the new faces which are the biggest source of the fan's excitement...
But I wonder ...
Why is it that the audience and the commentators hold their breath as an old gamer takes to the stage?
Why is it that the applause is louder when an old gamer wins?
Why is it that one bows deeply to an old gamer after the game is finished?
A few months ago, reports of an “Old Star Tournament” circulated on this site, with the Four Kings and bonjwas rumored among its participants. The actual event, christened the StarCraft Heritage League, is to start in a week with OSL-level prize money and a star-studded competitor roster. For older fans, this is the most anticipated set of matches in recent history. But since a majority of the progamers involved are now in the military, coaching, or commentating, they have thus shown comparatively few games as of late. Neophytes to progaming and TeamLiquid may not know of the drama and rivalries that promise to make this tournament so great. To rectify this ignorance (cf. recent poll re: Korean Leagues) I will highlight what I feel to be the top 10 matches to look forward to in the upcoming weeks.
Tournament Schedule
13th of July
Nal_rA vs 
NaDaToSsGirL vs 
YellOwsAviOr vs KingdomBoxeR vs Reach14th of July
Kingdom vs NaDasAviOr vs iloveoovReach vs YellOwBoxeR vs Anytime20th of July
iloveoov vs NaDaAnytime vs YellOwNal_rA vs KingdomToSsGirL vs Reach21st of July
Anytime vs ReachBoxeR vs ToSsGirLiloveoov vs KingdomsAviOr vs Nal_rA24th of July
BoxeR vs YellOwiloveoov vs Nal_rAAnytime vs ToSsGirLsAviOr vs NaDa25th of July (Bo3 from here onwards)
First from A team vs 2nd from B team
First from B team vs 2nd from A team
26th of July
Round of 4, Game 1 winner vs Round of 4, Game 2 winner (from match 1)
Round of 4, Game 1 winner vs Round of 4, Game 2 winner (from match 2)
Round of 4, Game 1 winner vs Round of 4, Game 2 winner (from match 3)
10.
ToSsGirL v YellOw @ DestinationAbout four years ago, during Korea WCG qualifiers, the poster girl of progaming overcame the Storm Zerg 2-0. This upset stunned fans who expected an easy Jin-Ho victory following his triumph over NaDa in the Snickers League final. Allegations of match-fixing and sexual side-dealing ran rampant; it was revealed that YellOw fell ill before the games but it seemed a poor excuse for the then S-class Zerg.
The year after, in the All-Star event, White Team Captain YellOw faced his female nemesis again, this time winning with ease while chatting her up in-game.
+ Show Spoiler +
00:02:41 YellOw : Where are you?
Tossgirl : ....
Tossgirl : 6 o’clock
KTF_yellow : You’re at 5 o’clock!
Tossgirl : --;;
00:03:04 Yellow: Life's been hard because of you.
Tossgirl : ..
00:07:12 Yellow: Phew, life was about to be death for a whole year again
Tossgirl: T.T Go easy on me
Three years down the road, these two meet on the big stage. Tossgirl continues to struggle with mediocrity and her role as a glorified practice partner at the STX house. YellOw, after a career-devastating poker stint, is showing glimmers of his past brilliance, but has still to demonstrate something in individual leagues.
9.
BoxeR v Anytime @ DestinationThe story of these two men is the So1 StarLeague from 2005. A year after his finals appearance against iloveoov, BoxeR defeated July, Zergman, TheRock, and Reach to enter the semifinals. There he faced Pusan, one of the new Protoss Kings along with Stork and Anytime. The Emperor’s lackluster vP threatened an ignominious 0-3 StarLeague exit, as he dropped the first two games easily. Pusan scouted Yo-Hwan’s dual proxy barracks on RoV, irrecoverably retarding BoxeR’s strategy. Yet somehow, with sublime infantry control, BoxeR survived and held on for the comeback win. Upon his complete 3-2 reversal, he punched the air, affirming his intent to win the finals.
Anytime, on the other hand, faced the monstrous iloveoov in his half of the bracket. His blazing OSL run, including a definitive nickname-earning Dark Templar rush against YellOw, surprised many. Yet due to his utter loss in group stages against oov, none gave the upstart Protoss a chance. Sashin’s defiance of critical expectation lead to his 3-1 win, denying fans an EVER ’04 rematch.
His successful denial of BoxeR’s last attempt at the Mouse was another dramatic affair, as he lost his 2-0 lead to incomparable mine-traps and trickery. In game 5, however, the Legend of the Fall prevailed, and it was the longtime Plus stalwart that lifted the StarLeague trophy on high. Since then, the two have only met twice. The then-Lecaf Protoss defeated ACE ace BoxeR in an ace match, and also denied the Emperor a W in his SKT re-debut. BoxeR’s never been one to lie down and die against any opponent, though, so I would not discount him just yet.
8.
sAviOr v iloveoov @ OutsiderThese two first met in the Cyon MSL. At that point, iloveoov was still hovering around 80% against Zerg, whereas sAviOr still went by ipxzerg[gm]. Most expected an easy win for the Monster Terran, but sAviOr knocked him down to the loser’s bracket in a 2-0 thrashing. Oov persevered for a rematch that most hoped would be epic, but went down 0-3 to the rising Maestro. Today’s fans are familiar with the fall of sAviOr to Bisu ascendant, but I urge you to watch the VODs (on TLPD) of ipxzerg deposing the old bonjwa incarnate.
Iloveoov went something like 1-10 or 1-11 against sAviOr in all events, official or not, claiming one gimmick 12-vs-3 LoTem win in an irrelevant Chinese tournament. sAviOr seemed to have his number, as his neo-management directly countered oov’s expansionist macro style. The next time they met was in the CJ-sponsored Superfight #5, a Race War pitting top 3-representatives of each race against one another for pride, glory, and prize money.
When oov was sent out against sAviOr, I despaired. But in a miraculous triumph, hundreds of medic-less marines rampaged through sAviOr’s trademark swarm defense, with a fifteen-tank classic iloveoov finisher. This is the previous era’s Bisu vs sAviOr, and I am gladly anticipating the rematch. sAviOr is undoubtedly the favorite, not only due to past record but also current active status. But one cannot discount the genius behind the fantasy build. I’m looking forward to what the SKT coach brings to the table.
7.
BoxeR v Reach @ Python![[image loading]](http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa9/KTF_Romantic/041014.jpg?t=1196028251)
The rivalry between Reach and another T1 Terran is better-known in the macro era, but in the early days of progaming, the Power Punch Protoss challenged the reigning Emperor, continuing GARIMTO’s Legend of the Fall. In the SKY 2002 OSL Finals, BoxeR was seen as a shoo-in for champion. The year was a dark one for Protoss, as maps eliminated all but two (GARIMTO and Reach) from entering the League. With GARIMTO dropping 0-3, one Protoss remained to uphold racial pride.
This he did in style, muscling through the competition and crushing the Emperor 3-1. The Neo Forbidden Zone game is a must-watch classic, replete with suicide storm drops and other such manliness. GARIMTO said afterward that “a progamer is very lucky if he can show even 50% of his skill in a televised game. And he had just seen Reach show 200%.” This loss prompted BoxeR to leave Ideal Space due to his father’s complaints about weak practice partners (IntotheRainbOw).
Their sparring continued, year after year, trading games with Reach slightly leading the twenty-some game head-to-head. However, their last meeting was two years ago, in an OME (Oh, my eyes!) error-prone scrap that did justice to neither player. I am hoping for a fun game to revive the old rivalry between these two Kings. Reach is predicted to win, as BoxeR’s mediocre TvP and reduced screentime since rejoining T1 will factor against him.
6.
sAviOr v NaDa @ Neo MedusaSome might remember how these legends fought in consecutive high-profile finals in early ’07, but to understand this rivalry one must go back to ’05. The UZOO MSL is best remembered as ipxzerg’s inaugural win and Reach’s heroic run, with the epic zealot bombs against iloveoov and the iconic maelstrom against ChOJJa. These matches deserve attention as excellent spectator games, but the most important duel in the tournament goes unnoticed.
sAviOr[gm] vs sea.s2 on Luna the Final.
NaDa brought his “Perfect TvZ”, an indomitable SKTerran that everyone thought invincible. This youngblood from GO stood no chance. But against all odds, he won – and that’s when people began seeing him as a title contender. It affected Terran versus Zerg strategy, too: hive tech management trumping even NaDa’s infantry-vessel combo left a resounding effect on how progamers viewed the matchup.
Almost two years later, the Royal Road candidate faced the Golden Mouse holder in the finals of Shinhan 3. sAviOr was a product of the MSL while NaDa was an OSL man, allowing them to be Kespa #1 and #2 without ever facing one another. sAviOr had just taken the #1 rank in January ’07, surpassing the Terran by under ten points. But the difference was so razor-thin that they just had to play one another.
And play they did: matler took the all-important OSL finals 3-1. At that time, he was the king of the world, 3 MSLs and an OSL. But then, March 3rd. Bisu. March 17th. NaDa reverses the score with a 3-1 over sAviOr in Shinhan Masters leading him to say that “Mah Jae Yoon is no longer a feared entity.” Jae-Yoon responded by winning Blizzcon and proclaiming 2009 destruction. Then NaDa eliminated sAviOr from the ClubDay MSL, bringing us full circle.
As the only active players on sponsored gaming teams, this promises to be the highest-level match as well as an anticipated rivalry game.
5.
Nal_rA v Kingdom @ NostalgiaToday we talk about the six dragons, but they are nothing compared to the original Kings. Reach, Nal_rA, and Kingdom defined Protoss from ’02 to ’06, fighting their lonely fight against the Terran and Zerg masses. The dynamics between the Kings themselves is also complicated: Reach and Kingdom are close personal friends and rivals from Pusan, but each played more games with rA than with one another.
The common trope says rA > Reach > Kingdom > rA, and for the most part, that holds true. Kingdom and Nal_rA had the most head to heads, as a throwback version of today’s Taek-Bang-Rok. The Devil denied the Dreamer his MyCube OSL run, in that glorious Protoss duel of fates featuring all three Kings in the semifinals. The Spris MSL saw Kingdom triumph over rA in the semifinals, again 3-1.
Nal_rA, everchanging and innovative, has reversed this trend, winning the last five head-to-heads including a 3-0 Pringles 1 beating three years ago. This evens out the record, 12-12. rA also beat Kingdom to the commentating punch, having established himself as an MSL caster while Kingdom has yet to start for OGN. Kingdom, in his latest interview, states that he wishes to continue the rivalry in the “highest and grandest stage possible”.
4.
iloveoov v NaDa @ NostalgiaThe Muh-Muh-Jeon rivalry, thus named for the “Machine” NaDa and “Muh-seum” (servant) iloveoov, is undoubtedly the greatest Terran mirror rivalry of all time. NaDa of the impeccable micro and macro dueled iloveoov of the clairvoyant gamesense in twenty-nine matches, with the third bonjwa leading the second 20-9.
In TriGem, NaDa eliminated oov from the WB in their first game together. Later in the league, BoxeR’s protégé returned the favor, handing the Genius a resounding 1-3 defeat. In the subsequent MSL, these two Terran titans confronted one another in an epic finals, with iloveoov coming back from 1-2 to win back-to-back league titles. Their next ten meetings went a lopsided 8-2 in oov’s favor, with other appearances at Chinese special events further padding iloveoov’s record advantage.
From their meeting in TriGem MSL’s loser bracket finals to their last match in ProLeague two years ago, the four-year-plus rivalry spans the development of modern Brood War. They wanted to play each other until it reached a bo100, but unfortunately iloveoov’s retirement and player-coach status prevented it. Said oov, “it’s fun to play against Nada. It would probably be fun even now… Maybe Nada feels the same way about me.” Here’s to their thirtieth game.
3.
Reach v YellOw @ Outsider![[image loading]](http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa9/KTF_Romantic/040820_3.jpg?t=1247111915)
The Mi-nam MagicNs are my favorite progamers in the entire world and to see them play each other is absolutely thrilling even if it tears me apart inside. This matchup is the one that brings in the loudest partisan fangirls, there to ogle these paragons of male progaming beauty. It is also exciting due to their respective weaknesses. Reach struggles with PvZ. YellOw defines imperfection. To see them play is to witness a very human conflict.
Before becoming the Warlocks of Luna, Reach and YellOw were, along with NaDa and BoxeR, part of the reigning quartet of progaming. In Reach’s breakout SKY 2002 run, he lost twice in group stages to YellOw, before powering through his future teammate in an astonishing display of masculine dominance. Storms, zealots, and Gaema fucking Goewon.
Two years later, in EVER 2004, the semifinals were T1 versus MagicNs. Hero faced Monster, Storm faced Emperor. The Kim Carrier curse doomed our intrepid KTF heroes, relegating them to the consolation match. That 3rd-place match is the best 3rd place match ever played. This time, though map balance was reversed, the score was not. Reach’s second game in that series prompted his comment that “a true man’s pride should be zealots.” The fifth game in the series is a classic PvZ, as Reach overcomes Fuckury and early disadvantage to secure victory.
Since then, these two have come a long way – I count six uniform changes (KTF admiral -> KTF black/white PUMA -> KTF orange PUMA -> KTF orange HEAD -> ACE white/blue Lecaf -> ACE current uniform). They have not played head-to-head since, but established a reputation as one of the best (and unquestionably the handsomest) teamplay partnerships of all time. On the fourteenth, they turn against one another – I, for one, will be cheering for Jin-Ho.
2.
sAviOr v Nal_rA @ Destination![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/LosingID8/KNF_2009_01_25/Rivalries_3.jpg)
The Holy War is a thing of legend. In the time of Matler’s unchallenged ZvP reign, many vied to unseat him from his dark throne. Daezang, Much, Kingdom, Pusan, Stork – all tried and failed. The Hero Reach took up the Protoss mantle, only to bow out in a cruel 1-3 loss. Aiur’s acolytes turned to the flower of Protoss nobility, President rA. The dreamy champion essayed forth, and, despite his 7-18 losing record, gave hope to a generation of Protoss players.
There were, one supposes, four Holy Wars in their litany of confrontations. Before Pringles 1, Nal_rA lead all time, but poor maps and sAviOr’s inscrutably powerful ZvP lead to a 3-1 Zerg victory. A rematch in the next MSL on more balanced maps began promisingly. The best game of 2006 was an elimination race between the two on Shin Baekdu, where Nal_rA’s hidden pylons lasted longer than sAviOr’s final extractor. However, the next three games, including a bizarre cannon cancel, went to Matler.
Longinus – despite the hype, this game went overwhelmingly in sAviOr’s favor. ProLeague went Nal_rA’s way, as he brought a stunning cheese build to Sin Baekdu (people today have no idea how to do cool cheeses. That Horang2 kid ain’t shit).
A Holy War V is most welcome. rA, of course, commentates now, and is a dismal underdog in the match. But his intuition and strategic cunning make him a contender in any bo1; I expect an epic.
1.
BoxeR v YellOw @ Nostalgia![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/LastRomantic/YellOw/pic.jpg)
The Lim-Jin Rok should need no introduction. This rivalry defines progaming. 33-28 Emperor leads; Kong’s weakness in StarLeague finals is compensated by his special event strength. Coca Cola OSL to MBC King of Kings, KPGA Tour to EVER OSL, WCG to Superfight to Kespa All-Stars these two are the greatest, most popular, and most influential progamers of all time.
One-time teammates, long-time friends, eternal rivals. One, the champion, perfect in word and deed. The other, a tragic hero, consistent in his inconsistency. We know Him as the legend with an entire pronoun dedicated to His exclusive use. His bionic control and innovative plays onstage and industry development backstage are without peer. On the other hand, YellOw is shortchanged, his GhemTV StarLeague win all but forgotten. But there was a time when he was at the eye of the storm, where every zerg unit was a manifestation of his aggressive will.
YellOw is BoxeR seen darkly in a mirror. Both rose through IS, pioneers of a new gaming career, subsisting on a single bowl of ramen daily. They dueled league after league, sharing Kespa #1 and #2 for longer than any other progamers. EVER ’04 was a break in their idyllic rival relationship. BoxeR followed a triple bunker rush against his friend with another island-map bunker rush in the following OSL. The vengeful storm dropped a game against DoGGi, eliminating BoxeR from the league.
Since, their friendship has recovered, but their fall from the spotlight – BoxeR to conscription, and YellOw to poker – has stagnated their rivalry. But with both training hard, this best of rivalries looks towards a fresh start in this most anticipated Heritage League.
::Other matches that seem pretty okay
NaDa vs Kingdom. Their last game on Blitz was just so damn funny that I want to see a rematch.
Iloveoov vs Kingdom. Coach battle yay!
Anytime vs YellOw. Teammate fight, but also I just want to see YellOw avenge his So1 loss. That was so damn humiliating.
::Things that might happen that I will write about if they do
Iloveoov vs Reach. Best PvT rivalry of all time.
Anytime vs NaDa. Shinhan Season 2. The Death Note Rivalry.
BoxeR vs Nal_rA. The two strategic playmasters.
BoxeR vs iloveoov. Master meets Apprentice!
::Things that should have happened
July. July vs iloveoov and July vs NaDa are so interesting.
Reach said of DAUM '07, "we will show the power of the old boys." In this tournament, they will all get their chance. And we will see that, even in the age of Ultimate Weapons and Tyrants, old kings can still be proud.
With all my bleeding-heart nostalgic love,
LR
Thanks to Pubbanana, HonestTea, and Plexa for writing cool articles.
Thanks to Jesung, konadora, MrHoon, HonestTea, rinizim, Boygirl[Sharp], Live2Win, LosingID8, and all the other invaluable translators god forbid I forget a single one.
Thanks to the tournament organizers for making such a cool event and FiFo (now defunct) for pictures.
Thanks to these progamers for being so awesome.
and thanks to the TL community for being the best SC site ever.
bring another Z for god shake T_T
