Bomber eliminated as Super and soO take last Ro16 spots
by Waxangel
There's an idiom in Korea called Sam il cheon ha (三日天下 for you Japanese and Chinese folks), which roughly translates to "three day reign." It is used to denote a regime that takes power but loses it in a short span of time.
I guess you know where I'm going with this. ST_Bomber, after becoming the WCS Season II Champion, lost his title of best-in-the-world in less than two weeks. In the final group of the Code S Ro32, Bomber suffered losses to MVP.Vampire and SKT_soO, eliminating him from the premier competition of the world.
A different player might have received the benefit of the doubt. After all, INnoVation is still being called the best in the world by large number of SC2 fans, despite his lackluster performance at the WCS Season 2 finals. It's because he was consistently dominant up to that point, so consistent that he's convinced many that he will be able to bounce back.
Bomber, on the other hand, was doubted by many heading into the WCS Season 2 finals. While he looked marvelous all-around at TvT, he seemed to use SCV-pull all-ins as a crutch in TvP, and his TvZ had been suspect since time immemorial. Though he played brilliantly to win two key TvZ series against Scarlett and Jaedong in Cologne, cynics said that he was relying too heavily on one-shot strategies and the surprise factor of retro WoL-style strats. Those same cynics probably cackled with glee when Bomber fell to the very ordinary soO on Thursday night.
But before we talk more about TvZ, there's a more important thing to talk about: The Bomber SCV pull timing in TvP. It's dead.
Well, kinda. At least in its current iteration. At least against opponents who have perfect observer and hallucinated phoenix scouting. MVP.Super said he didn't even have to watch the replays—the VODs from the S2 finals sufficed for him to figure out how to stop Bomber's attacks. Colossi, the units the SCV pull timing was supposed to counter in the first place, ended up being the solution after all. By keeping a near perfect tab on what Bomber was doing, Super was able to secure three bases, power up his econ, and build a powerful combination of mass colossi + protective stalkers just in time to thwart Bomber's attacks. Bomber, tunnel-visioned into assuming his opponent would be going storm, wasted precious time and resources to add ghosts to his timings. Against five range upgraded colossi, things did not go well.
Still, Bomber was able to beat YongHwa in the loser's match, thwarting fast DTs in game one, and a proxy-stargate in game three to take a 2 - 1 victory. That set him up to face SKT_soO, a three time WCS Korea Ro16 player for the last chance at advancement.
When Bomber came with his throwback hellion-banshee in game one, soO pretty much laughed and crushed it with an even faster roach rush. Game two then saw Bomber try to strike with double proxy barracks, but soO defended solidly to pull ahead. Bomber kept up his trend of to play against the current meta, going for mass, unupgraded marines behind his his early cheese. soO welcomed him with open arms, controlling the map with lings and banes, and causing Bomber much pain with his mutalisks. Eventually Bomber was able to push out for a marine-tank push, but the game had already spiraled out of control. A solid muta-ling-bane engagement wiped Bomber's force off the map, forcing the season 2 champion to surrender.
PartinG Notes
MVP.Super: Super looked every bit the ace of team MVP, dominating Bomber's timing attacks and looking good against soO as well. He didn't show all too much flair in his games, but that's never really been the Super Vampire's forte.
SKT_soO: soO lived up to the reputation of being an SKT Zerg, defying all expectations and making it to the Ro16 for the third time in a row. Honestly, it's a bit of a mystery as to how he does it. He's never the most impressive player in Code S, but he always manages to play better than his Ro32 opponents.
Bbbbbut he just won WCS S2 finals.....beating scarlett and jaedong To lose to Soo so convincingly it just boggles my mind otherwise normal results I truly don't know how terran is supposed to beat a Protoss late game if he is playing from behind especially against collossi builds Maybe someone will explain how (esp with Protoss having maphack) But that's off-topic so I will just have to console myself somehow *cries self to sleep
On September 13 2013 17:05 sharkie wrote: did Bomber really go blind ghosts? o.O
"Blind" ghosts are really common if your plan is an SCV pull all along, EMP most of the army and run them over afterwards.
The SCV pull is pretty much all-in. Fail it and you more or less lose. The usual timing for templars and storm is tight along the time the pull comes, so going blind Ghosts to try and counter it in case it becomes a factor is part of the plan.
Bomber frequently goes ghosts when he does his scv pull timing. If it's not for templars then it's to depower the sentries since without those the colossus do not do so well.
In theory anyway. Shedding a massive tear for bomber here.
On September 13 2013 17:37 iaguz wrote: Bomber frequently goes ghosts when he does his scv pull timing. If it's not for templars then it's to depower the sentries since without those the colossus do not do so well.
In theory anyway. Shedding a massive tear for bomber here.
well, at least we now know it doesn't work vs 5 colossi D:
On September 13 2013 16:15 BAdGer_ wrote: Bbbbbut he just won WCS S2 finals.....beating scarlett and jaedong To lose to Soo so convincingly it just boggles my mind otherwise normal results I truly don't know how terran is supposed to beat a Protoss late game if he is playing from behind especially against collossi builds Maybe someone will explain how (esp with Protoss having maphack) But that's off-topic so I will just have to console myself somehow *cries self to sleep
He barely managed to win against Scarlett. And I doubt Jaedong would reach a high place in the GSL. He's still far from the championship level.
US isn't KR. There is a huge gap between the two.
And eh, it's Bomber, you should be used to spikes of brightness and long periods of mediocrity. In two years, he'll win another title :p
On September 13 2013 16:15 BAdGer_ wrote: Bbbbbut he just won WCS S2 finals.....beating scarlett and jaedong To lose to Soo so convincingly it just boggles my mind otherwise normal results I truly don't know how terran is supposed to beat a Protoss late game if he is playing from behind especially against collossi builds Maybe someone will explain how (esp with Protoss having maphack) But that's off-topic so I will just have to console myself somehow *cries self to sleep
He barely managed to win against Scarlett. And I doubt Jaedong would reach a high place in the GSL. He's still far from the championship level.
US isn't KR. There is a huge gap between the two.
And eh, it's Bomber, you should be used to spikes of brightness and long periods of mediocrity. In two years, he'll win another title :p
Jaedong destroyed GSL protoss on his way to the final...
On September 13 2013 16:15 BAdGer_ wrote: Bbbbbut he just won WCS S2 finals.....beating scarlett and jaedong To lose to Soo so convincingly it just boggles my mind otherwise normal results I truly don't know how terran is supposed to beat a Protoss late game if he is playing from behind especially against collossi builds Maybe someone will explain how (esp with Protoss having maphack) But that's off-topic so I will just have to console myself somehow *cries self to sleep
Bomber still has quite shitty TvZ. his wins against Jaedong and Scarlett were more major upsets (especially against Jaedong wtf) than convincing signs that his TvZ was high level.
it's still upsetting to see bomber fall out this early ;;
And this is why Power Rank should not take into consideration only the last month..Taeja and Bomber had a lucky run in the WCS finals but they are not #1 and #2. The old Power ranks did that. You can't forget the fact that Taeja struggled heavily in the Proleague and coulnd't qualify anymore for code S. Also you can't forget how Rain just demolished Bomber in the semi-finals and how inconsistent Bomber is with his unusual playing style and cheeses. Also Maru uses cheese a lot..He has a lot to prove before is considered among the best.
On September 13 2013 20:02 p14c wrote: And this is why Power Rank should not take into consideration only the last month..Taeja and Bomber had a lucky run in the WCS finals but they are not #1 and #2. The old Power ranks did that. You can't forget the fact that Taeja struggled heavily in the Proleague and coulnd't qualify anymore for code S. Also you can't forget how Rain just demolished Bomber in the semi-finals and how inconsistent Bomber is with his unusual playing style and cheeses. Also Maru uses cheese a lot..He has a lot to prove before is considered among the best.
those are months old, PR ranks more "still in memory" performances.
Taeja and Bomber were both tearing shit apart last month (taeja even for 3 months now, if you want long term rankings). what if Bomber did have a bad run this season? that happens to the best players sometimes, and it doesn't mean they are bad. just that they were unlucky.
On September 13 2013 20:02 p14c wrote: And this is why Power Rank should not take into consideration only the last month..Taeja and Bomber had a lucky run in the WCS finals but they are not #1 and #2. The old Power ranks did that. You can't forget the fact that Taeja struggled heavily in the Proleague and coulnd't qualify anymore for code S. Also you can't forget how Rain just demolished Bomber in the semi-finals and how inconsistent Bomber is with his unusual playing style and cheeses. Also Maru uses cheese a lot..He has a lot to prove before is considered among the best.
On September 13 2013 20:02 p14c wrote: And this is why Power Rank should not take into consideration only the last month..Taeja and Bomber had a lucky run in the WCS finals but they are not #1 and #2. The old Power ranks did that. You can't forget the fact that Taeja struggled heavily in the Proleague and coulnd't qualify anymore for code S. Also you can't forget how Rain just demolished Bomber in the semi-finals and how inconsistent Bomber is with his unusual playing style and cheeses. Also Maru uses cheese a lot..He has a lot to prove before is considered among the best.
Um TaeJa is still a top tier player by any means. He just moved to WCS america for more oppotunities. Even when he had wrist injuries he was still top 4 of the last WoL GSL . Bomber was basically countered by great preaprations from soO and Super , by all means Bomber is still top tier
On September 13 2013 16:15 BAdGer_ wrote: Bbbbbut he just won WCS S2 finals.....beating scarlett and jaedong To lose to Soo so convincingly it just boggles my mind otherwise normal results I truly don't know how terran is supposed to beat a Protoss late game if he is playing from behind especially against collossi builds Maybe someone will explain how (esp with Protoss having maphack) But that's off-topic so I will just have to console myself somehow *cries self to sleep
Bomber still has quite shitty TvZ. his wins against Jaedong and Scarlett were more major upsets (especially against Jaedong wtf) than convincing signs that his TvZ was high level.
it's still upsetting to see bomber fall out this early ;;
If you think Bomber beating Scarlett and Jaedong was an "upset" I don't understand your mental process.
On September 13 2013 16:15 BAdGer_ wrote: Bbbbbut he just won WCS S2 finals.....beating scarlett and jaedong To lose to Soo so convincingly it just boggles my mind otherwise normal results I truly don't know how terran is supposed to beat a Protoss late game if he is playing from behind especially against collossi builds Maybe someone will explain how (esp with Protoss having maphack) But that's off-topic so I will just have to console myself somehow *cries self to sleep
Bomber still has quite shitty TvZ. his wins against Jaedong and Scarlett were more major upsets (especially against Jaedong wtf) than convincing signs that his TvZ was high level.
it's still upsetting to see bomber fall out this early ;;
If you think Bomber beating Scarlett and Jaedong was an "upset" I don't understand your mental process.
Bomber beatiing Jeadong was not an upset, it was Jaedong being cursed by Yellow. And Bomber winning against Scarlett was one error on Scarlett's side, that she should not have done IMO.
Congrats Soo you give me hope each season while I wait for Fantasy to play. Soo kinda feels like Hyuk. Always going kinda deep in individual tourneys (Ro8, Ro4 etc) and sorta being good in proleague but still carries the SKT Zerg stigma because he never breaks out as a star player.
Man, it was so sad. After all teh criticism he has faced over the years and the manifestation of "Bomber's Law" , he won WCS season 2 Finals. Then this happens.
Bad times for Bomber fans
Well, Thers always next year .............. for more disappointment
Bomber is an incredible player, and riveting to watch, but he's a bit one-dimensional in TvP, and his TvZ is highly-dependent on planned builds. Against a thoroughly unremarkable, yet fairly consistent player like Soo, he struggles greatly when his builds don't work out exactly as according to plan.
He tries to hard to avoid macro games on new maps. On older maps, his macro and his army control is ridiculous, but on new ones, he doesn't seem to have that opinion of himself.
I fully came in here expecting another pokemon comparison but then I realized that its the end of round of 32 and round of 16 doesnt start for another week... oh well... good recap by the way haha
On September 14 2013 05:04 GhoSt[shield] wrote: SKT could use some cheering up
Congrats Soo you give me hope each season while I wait for Fantasy to play. Soo kinda feels like Hyuk. Always going kinda deep in individual tourneys (Ro8, Ro4 etc) and sorta being good in proleague but still carries the SKT Zerg stigma because he never breaks out as a star player.
At this rate, and if I wanted to be pragmatic, I'd be more enclined to wait for Fantasy to retire.
EPT
ST_Bomber, after becoming the WCS Season II Champion, lost his title of best-in-the-world in less than two weeks. In the final group of the Code S Ro32, Bomber suffered losses to 
MVP.Vampire and 
SKT_soO, eliminating him from the premier competition of the world.
