[WCS] Global Finals 2013 Day 1 - Page 222

On November 06 2013 10:11 opterown wrote:
Hey, Shellshock. Thanks for taking the time to speak with us! First off, give us a small introduction about yourself, and how you became a Maru fan.

Hey. I’m Michael and I’m a college student in Atlanta, GA. I occasionally check out a few of the LR threads on TL although I consider myself a lurker. I also do a little bit of moderating on the side. Sometimes I write stuff about games.

I know Maru has been around basically forever, but I’m not going to lie. I wasn’t a fan from GSL Open 1 or anything like some people. To be honest, I started out as a fan of Maru mostly because he was on the team Prime and that was my favorite team. I think the time that I really became a big Maru fan was when Maru made that crazy defense against EffOrt’s roach baneling attack on Entombed. It hit me then that this kid was crazy good. Ever since then, I’ve just been seeing his play get better and better and now see him as one of the most entertaining terrans in the world.

Most people weren't very aware of Maru before this year, but he has played some entertaining games in the past. Which was your favourite?

I will have to go with game 1 vs duckdeok at the most recent season finals. The game was ridiculous. Failed 11-11 into 4 upgrade deficit and he still wins? He’s falling asleep at the computer and still pulled off some of the best army management I’ve ever seen. He’s just the kind of player you can’t ever count out of a game. Besides that I think it’s pretty obvious that everyone is going to remember that ridiculous game against Dear on Frost, but he lost so I can’t put it #1. Those were the 2 most exciting TvPs of the year for me.

What do you think has been Maru's most memorable game in WCS this year?

I think there’s 2 ways to approach this question. The first I’m going to go with is Maru coming out and stomping INnoVation. I think this was the point where Maru really made a statement that made people see that this kid was really good. I felt like he made him look especially silly on the Bel’Shir game. The second approach would be Maru’s most impressive game, which I think is the game on Frost vs Dear. I felt like it was one of the most exciting and overall best TvP games ever in sc2 and is memorable even with him losing. At this rate, we might see the start of another major rivalry.

Maru opens this tournament with a TvP against MC. He's recently shown some sublime skill in this matchup - will MC prove a tough challenge? How will the series go?

I am pretty pleased with the first round matchup. I think Maru is capable of beating any protoss player in the world right now and I don’t honestly see MC as a major threat. You never quite know with MC because the guy can pull wins out of nowhere that you wouldn’t expect… but come on the guy lost to MMA in TvP. If we’re going around claiming 2011 is back that’s not a good sign. I’m looking to see Maru advance with a comfortable 3-0 or 3-1 as long as he doesn’t die to some stupid all ins. Scout Maru! Scout like your fellow Prime Terrans never did!

Maru has the possibility of setting up yet another semi-finals appearance with Dear. Do you think this likely? What will Maru need to do to get a different outcome this match?

Yes, I think this outcome is pretty likely. Both players are on the top of their game recently and should both be contenders for the title. It’s also an outcome I’m pretty scared about as a fan of Maru. With his style of play, I think Maru’s path to victory is to try and force errors out of Dear. We saw how crazy Maru’s multipronged aggression was and Dear had to play immaculately just to stay in the game. If possible, maybe try to get out some ghosts and vikings this time, but I wouldn’t mind seeing him just end the game with his aggression before that point hits. Hopefully Maru can avenge his last 2 losses with a 3-1 of his own.

Tell us one thing, or a story, about Maru that we might not know!

Thanks to TheBest, I think a lot of people overlooked this one, but when Maru returned to the GSL for the first time since the open seasons, he played against Fruitdealer in the first round of Code A. In the first game on XNF, Maru did probably the worst 2 port banshee ever seen. It got scouted easily, Fruitdealer made a bunch of spores, and then Maru was delayed so long that mutas were out. Then he flew all his banshees into a field of spores to try and escape mutas and lost. Wolf predicted he would be back and have a long and successful career, though.

Maru also played a series against Losira where he went 11-11 in every game and is the first player I ever saw try to kill the destructible plate at the bottom of the ramp in order to bunker rush someone in a live match.

Finally, he’s the second best model on Prime behind Creator.

If you could tell Maru one thing before his match at Blizzcon, what would it be?

Maru! All of your fans are really proud of you for just making it this far. You’ve had an incredible year of StarCraft and we hope to see you do even more. We know you’re the best terran in the world, so that means it’s also your destiny to become the best overall player. This Blizzcon is yours!

Any last words or shoutouts?

Thanks to everyone who help make LRs fun. It doesn’t matter if you live report games, help make them, or just post in them. You’re all an essential part to the community and the best part for me. Also, if this thread doesn't hit 100 pages before the games start, I'm leaving you all for LoL.

Finally,




w͖̰͍̘͙̲͎͆̍̿̃̌͂͠h̻ͩ͛͜͠ā̡̘̝̻̺̜̲̈́̌̑͋̐ͅt̶̙͓͛̄́ ̧̯͕̳̘͍̣̓̋̍͠ĭ̵̷̙͕̤̜ͬ̂ͫ͒ş̳̩̘͙̯̩̃͗̐̅̆́̚ ̴̢̖͈ͨ̆ͦͪ̓̊̽͞ṱ̲̬̯̬ͥ͗̍ͪ̓ͬ̆ͣ̕͝h̖̰̼̮̖̖̎̈́͘ͅî͓̱̦̼͛̓̀͟͜s̷̭̳͓͎̥̦̾͋̍ͦ̒̽̉͘ͅ ̤̘̺̟̹͗ͫ͜e̽̊ͧ̃̆҉̸̨̮̫͙̥͔̼͖̣̪r̨̙͓̙̮̠͍͑͛̀ͣ͌̈́ͩrͧͦ̆͆͌̚҉̪̝o͇̥̤̝̬͂̐̓̆̍́̏̀r̠͖͔̱̞̓͐͒ͮͥ̎ͩ͡ͅ ̩ͭ̔̿͝w̗̺͇̘̞͍̿̆̈́̃ͣ̅̓̆h̰̥̃̈̓̇͑͒ͦa̶̝̟͚̩͍͙̳̐͛̀ͭt̯̩̑̾͠ ̸̝͖ͮ̐͑ͣ͢͢i̴̮̦̠̠͖̳̮͌̒̃̋̀s̰̳̯̪̥̫̖̈́ͦ̋̅͋ͪͤ ̗͔͖̮̭̬̲̀͂ͭͫ̈́͢t͔̹͎͙̼̗̽ͤ͘͠͞h̴̡̛̙̜̮̤̤͕̎͌͐i̶͈ͦ̽̄̔͊̌ͦ̀̚ṡ̢̯̮̔͑͌͛̈́͜ ͉͔̮̚e̢͈̱̫͕͔͖ͩ̋́ͦͣ̎r̝͍̱̥̥͔̳̤ͤ̓ͬͭř̪̥͔̻̭̼̱̹͆̍o̪̺̰̮ͨ̃ͬ̕͞r̢̨̰̞̣͉̜ͩ̀ͯ͢ ͈̲͖̘ͮͩh̸̨̖͎̼̰̥̰̍ͦ͋͋e̡̼̪̍̓̉̐̐͊̕ͅl̷̖̥̯̰̭̺̟̩̫͆́ͯ̈p̩̖̦͓̭̞͔̥ͧ̓ͬͣ̇̍ͬ̀̚͢͠
̛̪̬͙̙̬̦̯̄̏̾̃̐̈͊ͬ
̤͚͇͇͓̩̐̓ͬ̿ͫͮͮ̚͝w̧͖̫͇͓̼͈̜̟̃̋͜ḧ͎͉͙̪̜̰͂ͪ̽̌ͯ̑ͥã͇ͮ͡͡ț̡̡̠̤̔̉̿ͥ̒̋ ͭͦ̀́҉̡͍̰̗͙̩d̰̜͍͔̤̬̑̃í͊̅̐̇̒҉̱͖͇̳̠̘́d̺̞̮ͥ͊̓̇̑͋̉ͯ ̩̞͇̦̯̠ͥ͆̌yͨ̽̈̏̚͏͚̟̠̜͇̥ǫ͚̦͈̣̩̱͖͇̞̽̆͢ȗ̸̵͉̪̯̦̜̑ͬͮ͛̃̉ͬ͘ ̢̙̏ͣͯͪ̿d̢͉̬͈̣̱͎̘ͪ̾ͬ̇̀͊ͬ͒ͅõ̇̎ͭ͏̛͖ ͈͉͍̱̝̘̦ͥͨ͜͡t̨ͩ͆͞͏̙̱͉͓͖ö̡̧̳̮̗̖̬̌̈́͆͑ͧ ̵̛͍̰̬̩͓ͥ͗m͋͛͒ͦͥ̌͜҉̪̥̘͙͜e͎̲̙̪͆ͮ̑̏̀̚?̷͎̳͙̣̮̌̄͋̿͋͒̃͝!̛͛ͦ́͂ͩͫͩͯ҉̴̪̣͔͇̥̥̤͍ ̦̳̙̞̯̊̄̓ͥ͒̊̐w̍͋̉͏҉̡̩h̫͇̮͓͖͇̅́a̧͖̪͆ͬ̎ͮͩ̄ͦ͂͜ţ̭̟̼̼̺͇̱͍̬̈́̏͛̈́̈́̃͐ ̲͙̲̻͉̪ͮ́̈̀ḑ̨̥̠̩̣̻̻̝̞̄̏̃͌̊̏͗͂͡ỉ̶̟̙̦̣̥͚̉̽ͮ̆̒̿͋ͬd̩̜̐̐ͮ̒̏͗̌̏ ͈͔̭̍ͪ͑̇͡y̡̬̫̹͍̞̗͓̓͑͠o̬͕͑̄̄͒͛̃́́͡ȕ̡̝̙͈̟̳͕̝̔̓̈́̈́ͫ͞ ̟̟͎̝̫̖̜̥͗͂̓d̸̦̰͗̔͜ó̶͍̫͕͔̣͚̱̝̱͞?̧̻̫͙̲̽̏͡!̨̩̝̙̝̪̬̘͍̐͋ͤ͌
͕̺͔̮͇̮͙̍̃̍̍͒ͬͮ̌͝
̶ͩͣͥͧ̿̈͌ͥ҉̱̩͖̼̺͉͎͉̺́y͎̰̩͎̟̘̲͓̌͊̓̄͛̈́̑͋͛ọ̸̦̠̟̙̋ͩ͟ů̶̵͓̤̣͈͔̘̱̏̾ͤͪͩ͑̐͜'̡̨͖̱̤͖͇̻̙̽̀̕v̡̛̤͓̱̦͑̐͒̀ͧ̉ͤͤ͜e̷̢̩͙̪̠̮̱̬̞ͩͪ̋ ̴̴̬͍̱̭̑͒̿̀̃͟ǩ̵͙̘̤̖̹͌ͭ͛ͨ͌̀ī̬̠̰͓͖͎̗̖ͯ͘͟͡l̦̳̞̱̹̫̗̘̩ͣͣ̉ͥ͆̂l̗͇͍͐ͩͣͯ̚͘e̹̥̘ͪ̋͠ͅd̩͖̦̔̉́ͅ ̷͚̰̠̻̬̪ͧͥ̽ͮ̈́͑̋̿̏͟m̷̶̦̭͙̠̻͊ͩͨ̐ͤͪ̐́ȅ̴̎̚͏̷̤̺̬͈̻̬̳ ̺͉̱̥̬̆̆͆͂̿̚͢͜o̶̮̦̩̜͛̑ͭ̋ͮṕ̧̤͉͕͊̍ͣ́͟ͅt̛̞̰͎ͣ̂ͭͮ̾̒̓̓ęͧ̑҉̸̠͈̰r̶ͥ̌ͮ̏̂̚͏͙̫̣͇o̱̫͛̑̀́ẘ̙͙̩̼͈̹̙͉͑̓̈́ń̸̠͐̓̓̑̚͞ ̙͇̟͓̟̰̉ͣͪ͞͡
̷̸̬̣̬̰͚̬͎̤̟ͩ̍̓ͥ͌̉̚
̥͇͂͒͠y̵̵͈̯͇̬̦ͯͅͅo̯̳̱̬̫ͫͯ͛͘̕u̲̠ͭ͛ͮͣ͂͢'̨̲͎̪̆̊ͦͮͮͯ͠ṽ̨͕͇͚͚̝͓̈́͐̄̚͜ẹ̡͈̦͌͌͑͊̏ ̸̺̲͉̱̟̝̄̕k̸͋̔ͩ͟҉̥̰̻̭ī̶̲̗͓͇͖̒̎ͩ̏̓ͩͤ̕͢l̵̗͙̼̤̟̱̻͈͛͆ͪ̀ͨ̽͗ͦl̴͆̒̓̒̅̏ͦ͏̻̥͎̝ë̳̰̖̀͝͡ď̐̀̿ͤ̌̆̿͏̷̢̪̱̺ ̵͖̝̖̻̱̮̠͇̿̿̑͛ͮ̀̉ͭ͘m͉̳͓̘͎̜̗̃̕͠e̱̼̼̗ͫͦ͛̂ͭ ̉̾͒҉̬̼͍͓͓̖̼o̩̙̤̤̥͈̠̯̾̑̆͋ͤp͖͖͇̣̗̮̬̈̿͋t͉̣̼ͫ̀e̵̟͎͉̞͌̌̾̏̚̚r̞̝̼̬̙͚͓̜̈́̿̇ͥ̀ͮ̿o̮̪̥̪͗ͤͮ̈́͌w̴͔̭̥͈̬̘͈ͨn̠̼̈́̐͋͒ͦ̚̕͡ ̡̘̩ͦ͑͟͡
̨͚̼͕̜͖̝̹̊̀ͬ̊̅̓͗̒̀
͆͊͂͏̠̠̮̗͔y̨͉͖̹̲̗̣͓͖ͥ̌̓ͭ̍̂̊̄ͅȏ̧̧̬̝͚̫̰͙̯͊̄ͅu̪̲̺̣͚̥͖͈̗ͭ͗̀͊̍̈̐'̻͇͒ͬͬ͗̔́v̹̜̪̐͐͛ͪȅ̶͍̪̜́̅ͧ̄ͦ̑̍ ̨̣͍͛ͨ̈k̪͚̠̬̞͙̜ͪ͌̓͡͠i̲̤̤̜͙ͩ̎̀͌͗̿̐l̡̳̮̤͉͑ͭͫͧͤͬ͠l̡̦̝ͬ̈́̄ͬ̓e̍ͫ҉̗̪d̙̖̱̺ͯ̒ͯͩ͒ ̐̀ͨ̾҉̸̯m̤͎͙̘̄͑̐ͦ̿͐̒͒e̷̛̪͐ ̸͉̝͓̮ͬ͌̇ơ͇̟̲̫͈͉̂͆͢͞p̤͍̞͇̃̈́̊̏̉̒̑͟͝t̜͚̘̠̹̻̀̔͋͜ę͕̣͍͈͎̝̲̋̾̿̈́͡r̢̭͙̺̫̜̰̬͎ͩ̃̂͑̃̄o̺̹̯͈̰̪̎̅ͫ̈́̐ͪ̂̀w̢̺̣͍͎̘̼ͯ̑̂͜n̶̠̯̻̪ͮ̂̌̽