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Season 12 of ESEA's StarCraft II is now underway with already week one wrapping up to give us some direction on who just might come out on top at the end of the road! Season 12 is a new face for ESEA, the website is looking better than ever, new teams are coming in to replace those who just couldn't finish the trip in Season 11 and some old familiar faces are flexing their muscles with some brand-new pick-ups! From a total of 28 teams in season 11 to a whopping 32 teams now competing in season 12, this just might be the biggest StarCraft season in recent times! The following my rankings of each team, taking into account their ESEA history, overall performance in the scene and tournaments as well as accounting for how week 1 played out for the teams. To note that the top four rankings in this article were incredibly close and even almost a tie. #8: Team 4Not: Though, relatively new not just in the ESEA, but also with the StarCraft II league, Team 4NOT compensates with their small, but prosperous roster including favourites such as JakeBake, Xenocider and the young BoYo; who made a relatively small splash moons ago in ONOG's tournament(s). Xenocider's and JakeBake's ESWC qualifier runs also shows heavy promise in their line-up; JakeBake losing to Xenocider in the playoffs and Xenocider reaching the finals losing to Axslav. Their Protoss, Eifer, also making it to the playoffs in ESWC, loses to Goswer. Their first matches in this season comes up in the following days against Crown Gaming, Impressive Play and Isurus Gaming. With 4Not placed as rank 8 in the list, find who else was ranked amongst the top 8(7) of the group via the ESEA News website. Click here for more on this article.
Thanks a lot to Suppy/SuperiorWolf for giving me the chance to start taking up where he left off in writing the news. ESEA as well for giving me a shot at this, though I won't be as good as Suppy, I'll try and maintain the same level-headedness he gave when writing for ESEA.
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On August 19 2012 10:03 Xeris wrote: nice article, but it would be better if we were #1!!
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Love that ROOT is ahead of EG on the rankings!
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it seems to me that Root should be before Light. They are just looking too solid right now. Masa is playing incredible right now. TT1 and Tod can match anyone in the league. Its close, but I think that Root takes the edge. Other than that the only one I disagree with is NMx. Without their star players I don't think that they will pose any threat in the league to the stronger teams. They may get into the playoffs (it shows a top 16 bracket in liquipedia, so im assuming its top 16 get in) but I don't think they have the depth to be in the top 10 anymore. Instead, I am looking at teams like Frater Infinitus and Legion to do pretty well. Area51 and Alt are the dark horse teams for me: capable to get into the top 10 if things go well for them. Good Article though, I hope this becomes a weekly thing
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On August 19 2012 10:19 VPreboot wrote:it seems to me that Root should be before Light. They are just looking too solid right now. Masa is playing incredible right now. TT1 and Tod can match anyone in the league. Its close, but I think that Root takes the edge. Other than that the only one I disagree with is NMx. Without their star players I don't think that they will pose any threat in the league to the stronger teams. They may get into the playoffs (it shows a top 16 bracket in liquipedia, so im assuming its top 16 get in) but I don't think they have the depth to be in the top 10 anymore. Instead, I am looking at teams like Frater Infinitus and Legion to do pretty well. Area51 and Alt are the dark horse teams for me: capable to get into the top 10 if things go well for them. Good Article though, I hope this becomes a weekly thing 
It's the first week, so I had to base more on past history with ESEA as well as overall ability. If I'm nearly equating ROOT with EG, then my line of logic follows that LighT is only a bit above those two (hence why I disclaimed it was nearly a tie at the top).
I tried to give the rankings both an in-and-out of new incomers as well as veterans of last season. So the rankings probably won't fit everyone's views, but I find them to be relatively accurate within the league and with the start of the season. What's going to be great is not figuring who's top 8 now, but top 8 in the future and the reasons why. You'll see me contradict myself quite soon!
I was going to put Legion in rank 6 I think, but I chose not to ):
thanks :D
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GoSu ezpz :D
edit: actually Torte, aren't you iS staff?! :O surprising to see you put them at #5 after winning. Although your icon is root now..
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Eh, Regardless if I'm staff or not, jEcho was a strong lead in their wins with CrazyMoviNG also contributing a lot. Neither of them are currently participating and so I had to rank them lower D:
In addition, iS played EG in IPL TAC and lost definitively, causing them to be ranked further down while the two other main contenders of ESEA remain almost intact (or compensated, such as the case of LighT).
Considering all of the above as well as the qualities of the other teams, I had to base Infinity Seven a lot lower than I would have wished.
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oh man, time for iS bias instead of x6 bias this season i kid i kid, good to see you taking the torch TdL!
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When I'm out of line, you let me know johnnywup!
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Torte great writeup, really well written :DDDDDDD
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Surprised that goswser will be playing for coL academy when he is actually on their A team . . . o.o
Other notable teams that I think are worth a mention are Legion (last season's 5th/6th place finishers) and DuSt - they've got some pretty good lineups!
Monomaniac eSports is a team to look out for, with a surprise playoff qualification last season, as well as mYi which has some potential I believe. Tbh I think a lot of the teams are quite strong this season!
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Legion almost made it, but it was expected and Nightmares deserved the mention imo too ):
Thanks :D
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On August 19 2012 12:56 johnnywup wrote:oh man, time for iS bias instead of x6 bias this season  i kid i kid, good to see you taking the torch TdL!
more like ROOT bias, torte no longer with iS.
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What what why do these switches keep happening without me knowing?! Did something happen?
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torte is the sc2 manager version of sc1 gositerran :o
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Topic is about the article, if you want to know about me, interview or p.m ^^
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Great write up Michael and glad to have you aboard in ESEA :D
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On August 20 2012 05:16 KawaiiRice wrote: torte is the sc2 manager version of sc1 gositerran :o
wow, low blow;;
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On August 20 2012 08:17 Xeris wrote:Show nested quote +On August 20 2012 05:16 KawaiiRice wrote: torte is the sc2 manager version of sc1 gositerran :o wow, low blow;;
don't hate too much, atleast hes keeping the name consistent
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