After seeing iNcontrol's post about people trying to get involved in eSPORTS a little bit more, I was inspired to try to get inside the head of some of the games Professional Players - guys that make their living off of playing the game, through either streaming, tournaments, or salaries from competitive teams. A very small percentage of the players that log onto Starcraft can actually consider themselves self-sustainable through assets aquired through the game. Not many people know what goes on behind the scenes, behind that Starcraft that we all love..."Beyond the Keyboard."
Who am I? My name is Devin "Jitsu" Polizzotti. I am a Diamond Level Zerg player who practices on a practice group in Starcraft2. I am 22 years old, and currently attending college with a Major in Psychology and Minor is Justice Studies. I work part time in the Law Enforcment community as I work towards attaining my academic goals. I enjoy Starcraft for many reasons - it's a chess match. A one on one fight, where you must impose your will on the other player to dominate them in a victory on the battlefield.
Why does this matter? Because i'm not just that Stank Icon named Jitsu on the ladder that you played last week. I am also a person.
And that sets up why I am posting here today. I know I have asked a lot of questions regarding the lives of pro-players, and these questions are often not-related to the game itself. Things like "How does a relationship effect their game play," or "Are you're parents approving of your profession?" Being a psychology major, I often wonder how the stresses of real life can effect a person positively or negatively, and i'm sure many of you have wondering the same.
So, when the stars aligned and I read that blog, requesting people to help eSPORTS grow, I thought to myself, what better way to show exposure to one of the best eSPORTS games out there? What better way to show people not connected with Starcraft that this is more than just a game, or just a hobby, but that people have genuine jobs doing this? My mother watches Soap Opera's. I watch Starcraft 2. Both are entertainment, after all.
So this begs the question? How do some of these Pro Players divide time between wives, girlfriends, children and parents...how do they divide time between being good boyfriends, sons, husbands, and being professional Starcraft professional's?
I asked Geoff "iNcontrol" Robinson some questions regarding his out of game persona. Many people on TL.Net (ie: most everybody) knows who iNcontrol is. But who is Geoff Robinson?
Jitsu: Hey Geoff, thank you for taking some time the answer some questions for me. We all know iNcontrol; the Evil Geniuses Protoss player who is regarded as the face of eSPORTS. However, do you think you could tell us a little about Geoff? Some things you enjoy doing outside of the game? What other hobbies do you like?
Geoff: Hey! I like all the usual nerdy stuff.. reading, movies, some Xbox games, Warhammer40k and I do some not so nerdy stuff like the gym, doing lectures for Intel etc.. I stay pretty busy! Aside from that I have a lovely girlfriend named Anna, she too works for EG. I have a pup named BARRISTAN and he is a full workload himself.
Jitsu: It's pretty apparent that being a member of a Top Pro-Gaming community requires not only raw skill, but a tremendous amount of dedication to the game. How do you balance playing, practicing, and competing, with your role as a boyfriend and son.
Geoff: It's hard for sure. I do a good job from time to time but I also do a bad job. Sometimes I don't give Anna the attention she deserves and find myself stressed about tourneys, scheduling etc.. when in reality, I operate best when I am happy and relaxed and that means spending time with the people I love like Anna. So it isn't so much "finding" time as it is "making" time. I cut my coaching down to 1-2 hours a day, I take several breaks and in that time I go read or sit and chat with her etc.. we also go to the gym together so we can get some time in there. It's an ongoing process but one I am committed to.
Jitsu: You're dating Anna Prosser, who ran for Miss USA in last year's pageant. How does dating Anna positively or negatively affect your practice and playing sessions?
Geoff: Your mental health is extremely important in regards to your SC2 success... you cannot go into a tourney stressed or upset and you cannot effectively practice if the same stuff is troubling you. Anna does an amazing job of helping me to center myself and remain happy/calm when the going gets tough. Obviously the shift from BW pro to SC2 has had it's challenges with everything elevating but she has been really good about helping me along. Kudos to her honestly, cause she understands how important SC2 is to me and while it's hard for a woman to understand how it can be so important she has done a wonderful job of learning and supporting.
Jitsu: What is your families opinions of you pursuing a profession in Pro-Gaming? (How did you convince them it was your dream, or were they receptive?)
Geoff: At first they were reluctant. My mom and dad respectively thought it was a hobby I spent too much time doing. That changed for the most part when I won the national championship in 07. From there they both asked about it and would even travel to watch. My mom to this day text messages me or emails me to say "good job!" or "I am so proud of you, you played great!" Which has a profound emotional reaction from me. I love SC2 and the fact that she in particular can be so supportive is really inspiring. My dad doesn't go that far but is still accepting of it and supportive to a certain degree.
Jitsu: This is the Golden Age of eSPORTS - a period of growth that we have never seen before. Do you think you will continue to stay in the eSPORTS world in one way or another after your career as a Professional player ends? In what capacity do you think you will continue to work with the community?
Geoff: Yes! You'd have to pull me away kicking and screaming to get me away from eSports. I think once I am winding down as a player I will fall into the coach, commentator side of things.. if not that or perhaps after that I plan to be a team manager or even work on the business side of things. I actually love every aspect of this community/industry and will pursue a life long dedication to furthering it's causes while supporting myself.
Jitsu: With the Holiday's coming up, everyone is rushing home to visit with family. How does your distance to your family effect your play, whether staying at the EG Training house in Arizona, to possibly going to Korea to train?
Geoff: Everyone is heading home here from EG. We get a solid 1 month vacation so to speak.. no tourneys for the most part and it's important to stay in touch with family. Anna and I will pack up the dogs and head home to Portland and Seattle to see everyone. The distance is tough but necessary.. we need to be here training and working directly with EG. It'd be nice to have the fam here but it is what it is. As far as training in korea or additional distance I look at it as job hazards. I will go to korea and Anna will come along but it won't be for anything huge like several months.. not unless EG changes plans or something!
Jitsu: At the core base of Starcraft, it's a one on one fight with another, human opponent, and even in these situations, people are prone to be affected psychologically. Viewers and fans have gotten vocal lately, pressing primarily on your tournament results. How does a player at your caliber respond to this criticism? Does it hurt you at all?
Geoff: Criticism is always tough to deal with but people are in the right to criticize me for my results in MLG. They aren't good, they aren't what I want and I should do better. That said it isn't like I am not trying.. people have spread nasty rumors like I don't practice or that I simply am not very good. Both are incorrect. I am no IdrA, but I train 10 hours a day and I beat everyone I play with (that isn't to say they don't beat me, it just isn't one way!). I know I have what it takes to do well.. I've done in before and it wasn't a fluke. I try and take the criticism in stride and ignore the particularly nasty comments... I need to stay positive and continue to do the work I have been so that one day I can reap the reward in terms of results.. but even aside from results themselves I am a servant to the community. I have a lot of people that depend on me to continue to work towards making this community as great as it can be and that means staying optimistic, positive and trying as best as I can to lead by example. If I sit around and feel sorry for myself or lash out at people I am not doing that. I still have my faults but at the end of the day that is what I am trying to do.
Jitsu: What is your greatest feeling you have experiences through you Pro Life without playing the game? Is it the emotion after winning a tough victory? Is it an interaction with a fan at a bar, saying that he really looks up to you? What even has given you the greatest positive emotion?
Geoff: I allowed myself to day-dream winning an MLG the other day. I had tears streaming down my face and my breath got all choked up.. I realized that is what I want more than anything else, a major win. May seem like an impossibility, may seem dumb for me to think that way.. but it is how I feel. I want to win really really bad. The only thing that has come close to that is the feeling I get when a fan goes out of their way to say something particularly touching. It may seem cliche but it's true.. I've been told a few stories or treated a certain way that has made me feel really special. Pretty neat when people are that kind and appreciative.
Jitsu: Conversely, what recent event has affected you negatively?
Geoff: My series against Strifecro at MLG. I have obviously done my share of losing.. but when I play well and lose I am ok. When I play horribly and lose I feel disgusted. That series was a meltdown of sorts. I actually hugged Sirscoots and cried after that.. a sign of vulnerability I normally don't ever show.. but it was true. I feel a lot of pressure and sometimes it gets to me. I will remember that moment though as a lowpoint I want to build off of.
Jitsu: That's some awesome emotion from a Starcraft 2 Pro. That's the kind of thing they don't show at MLG Streams. That about wraps up the interview Geoff. Thanks for taking time to answer these questions!
This is a game where, on the other end of the screen, people have control of a keyboard and mouse, the same as you. These people are effected by emotion, by troubles, whether positive or negative, just like you and I. I'd say the emotion shown by most eSPORTS players are just as intense as those shown on that of any other avenue of entertainment. I watched the video of Artosis during WCG2005 when he ended up losing to Day9, and the look on his face can just about make your stomach turn. The disappointment, after working so hard and everything, was cut short in a second.
In this Golden Age, being a marketable personality is just as important as working hard and being successful. If we can show that there is someone other than iNcontrol, and show the Geoff Robinson, eSPORTS can grow. And grow it will.
Credit to Zemotion for the picture of Anna and Geoff at MLG Providence Credit to my friend Cycle for creating the banner for me. Credit to Geoff Robinson for agreeing to answering the questions for me, and being a sport. You can find more information about Geoff here (User Stream page) and his team here. (Evil Geniuses)
On November 27 2011 11:46 Cycle wrote: Great interview! Very cool to hear more about the person rather than the player. Looking forward to more in the future :D
And you read it in one minute ? nice.. Looking nice , now lets have a closer look . I hate Incontrol maby im start to like him
Loved the questions, never understood why there were so many haters for incontrol, he always seemed like a real nice guy. Looking forwards to more of these, are you going to do a whole series?
Just a comment on topic design: it's better if you spoiler the motivation and leave the content (interview) visible. That way people don't have to fish for what they're interested in, and you avoid losing readers.
I love this. incontrol is such a great community figure and I really hope to see how he'll impress us with tournament results in the future. Go incontrol! :D
You should include a question that asks if they think going pro in sc2 is a real strong possibility for the average player. The people that go to school, and play on the side, the people that have a job and play on the side. I personally believe that it is impossible to be pro at sc2 in the stage that it's in. Once the beta ended, I think that is when it became impossible.
There have been 2 or 3 that have done well in 1 tournament like mlg, or maybe won 1 online small tournament, but never really went full blown pro. Anyone remember trimaster? He had somewhat of a good run at an MLG, but has anyone seen him since? I watch almost everything, and I havent even heard his name once.
Can a new player become a pro? that is what I want to know.
On November 27 2011 11:46 Cycle wrote: Great interview! Very cool to hear more about the person rather than the player. Looking forward to more in the future :D
And you read it in one minute ? nice.. Looking nice , now lets have a closer look . I hate Incontrol maby im start to like him
I honestly can't fathom why anyone would "hate" iNcontroL. What did he do that made you think "damn, I really hate him"? He only ever tries to improve and further eSports and this community and is one of the figures in this scene people should look up to for that very reason.
Great interview, and good luck to you in the future Geoff.
Fantastic interview. I am a big fan of incontrol, and I think he think the amount of heat and trolling he takes is a bit much. He is a major asset to the eSports community, and I expect big things for him in the future.
On November 27 2011 11:46 Cycle wrote: Great interview! Very cool to hear more about the person rather than the player. Looking forward to more in the future :D
And you read it in one minute ? nice.. Looking nice , now lets have a closer look . I hate Incontrol maby im start to like him
I honestly can't fathom why anyone would "hate" iNcontroL. What did he do that made you think "damn, I really hate him"? He only ever tries to improve and further eSports and this community and is one of the figures in this scene people should look up to for that very reason.
Great interview, and good luck to you in the future Geoff.
As someone who usually defends him, I can see where people are coming from about disliking him. He's awesome, but the attraction between his foot and mouth puts neodymium magnets to shame.
I always loved incontrol. He's a nice guy and he got me into playing protoss and I enjoy SC2 more because of it. It's sad to see him doing so poorly in tournaments however, he used to do so well.....
On November 27 2011 12:26 ishyishy wrote: You should include a question that asks if they think going pro in sc2 is a real strong possibility for the average player. The people that go to school, and play on the side, the people that have a job and play on the side. I personally believe that it is impossible to be pro at sc2 in the stage that it's in. Once the beta ended, I think that is when it became impossible.
There have been 2 or 3 that have done well in 1 tournament like mlg, or maybe won 1 online small tournament, but never really went full blown pro. Anyone remember trimaster? He had somewhat of a good run at an MLG, but has anyone seen him since? I watch almost everything, and I havent even heard his name once.
Can a new player become a pro? that is what I want to know.
im interested to see a pro's reaction to this question as well...considering the difficulty of such an action it is truly questionable if its possible or just really ridiculously difficult
Great interview.. Thanks for doing this Geoff, we all know you are a busy guy and don't always have time to do these kind of interviews with "no names"
If iNcontroL is really practicing 10 hours a day (and I don't doubt it), than he certainly has the dedication to win an MLG. It takes time and patience, which he seems to have as well. Don't hate on him... you'll be happier if you spend more time nurturing someone's feelings than crushing them. Mark my words, he'll win an MLG next year. I promise you.
lovin incontrol more and more. takes a real man to be that honest too. cant wait for him and Tyler to start performing better. either way hes always gonna be around sc2, since hes an amazing caster/analyzer. no bs in my words. switch him with apollo or totalbiscuit...er something aha ;D
This interview makes me want to join his fanc lub. I'm already completely impressed with his dedication to the development of esports (especially the pivotal role he played in bringing the NASL from concept to reality) even in spite of the fact that a large number of community members are apparently anonymous 12 year old trolls. It takes a lot of guts to do an interview like this. Good luck in future tournaments!
Awesome interview and write up! Focusing on the human aspect of things is so important as esports grows and attracts a larger fan base. To newbie viewers, the game might look like nothing but bugs scrambling on rocks, but the stories behind the players are instantly relateable and provide such a good hook into the scene.
Props to iNcontroL for totally realizing it and doing this interview.
On November 27 2011 13:17 mrRoflpwn wrote: i had some tears from reading that last part. I really hope Geoff wins something big within the next year- would make me so happy!
When Geoff get's his big win, his won't be the only eyes with tears in them.
Incontrol is always so nice and awesome, gotta love that guy! If he keeps practicing alot, Im convinced that his time to shine will come sooner or later!
Geoff is either an amazing actor or simply a genuinely awesome guy. I feel sick about all the extreme negative feedback he get s from time to time. I do agree with him saying his tournament results have been less than good, none the less, the work he does for the community is only challenged by Day9 (An amazing guy as well for that matter). I wish people could realize the importance in the role he fills in the SC2-community.
For example, when it was announced he would no longer be on State of the Game, I felt a huge, cold, rock got stuck in my throat. That's how much he means to me at least. He's could easily make a career as a stand-up comedian if he ever decides not to work in e-sports anymore (when he's 75 and the haters finally get to him!).
Great interview, good luck to incontrol. Taking a break did Idra and TLO some good. Let's hope it will do the same with Incontrol. Protoss seems to be on the up lately and there looks to be some racial balance at recent tournaments. He's totally right about needing to be in the right state of mind and simple things like getting enough sleep and doing things that makes you happy makes a big difference. You get diminishing returns from the work you put in otherwise.
great interview, really nice to see the other side of Geoff, I wasn't a huge incontrol fan because of his extreme negativity toward perticularly terran, he's more reasonable toward zerg, and obviously protoss. but i'm starting to come around and enjoy his commentary and what he does as a whole for esports and team EG.
Great article. I've always cheered for incontrol, even if he hasn't delivered any huge wins because of his determination, and his mindset towards the game. I really respect how he approaches things even if I don't always agree with everything he says. Thanks for bringing this to us. I hope to see more interesting interviews like this in the future. And thanks to incontrol as well for talking about everything.
Nice interview. Never really been a fan of incontroll, he's always seemed too cocky and abrasive, but this interview made me like him more. I can honestly say I'm that much closer to becoming an incontrol fan because of this interview, and his answers in it. Also he's from seattle? Damn, maybe I can get a beer with him or something lol.
On November 28 2011 01:51 gabapenteado wrote: Cool series Jitsu! Hope you keep it up
Team PL fightning =p
Thanks man! I am going to try to keep it going, and hopefully have the series gain some notoriety. I want to eventually collaborate all of the pages into one place so people outside of eSports can visit it and see what it's all about!
If anyone has suggestions to improve quality, or general comments/concerns, I accept all forms!
They can never, ever have a photo or video of Incontrol breaking down aftering losing. It would be the most depressing thing in Esports and I wouldn't be able to take it.
On November 30 2011 04:46 Plansix wrote: They can never, ever have a photo or video of Incontrol breaking down aftering losing. It would be the most depressing thing in Esports and I wouldn't be able to take it.
Seriously. A teary-eyed iNcontroL hugging Sirscoots? ohgod... The most spontaneous onions a single photo could ever produce. D:
Geoff, man, you fucking rock. You embody all the amazing and wonderful things about eSports. Your passion for the game, humor, and the way you carry yourself under the considerable pressure the community can create exemplifies what makes a great player. I can't think of a better pro-gamer to call my #1 favorite. I'd say make us proud, but you already do, man. Geoff fighting!
Just an update; I will be doing another one of these in the near future if I can garner enough interest and figure out who the next victim is! Stay tuned. ;]
EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/SMeTc.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/mJZXv.jpg)
