EPT![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/Column/BandwagonL.jpg)
Banner by Kennigit and Fanboys Everywhere
By now you've probably read the first few paragraphs of Backseat Broodwar. There seems to be a view that the masses don't "respect" old gamers and are just a giant bandwagon of front running fans. This seems like the same tired elitist argument that pervades every sport: "It used to be better back when..." No. It sucked back then. It sucked when the NBA had all white guys and people "played as a team." It sucked when football teams only ran the ball. It sucked when MLB players were all skinny and never hit home runs (yes, I went there). And it sucked when Brood War players could only control one group of units and had 2000/1000 in the bank after microing a group of marines for two minutes (hi BoxeR). It sucked when Brood War players had to specifically design a strategy around not making a lot of workers because they were just that bad at macro (hi YellOw).
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I have no idea who this guy is but I know he's better than Boxer.
Image by NeverGG
Everyone is a bandwagon fan. Everyone. You like watching players play because they are good. Sure there are some oddballs here and there that you like for style or whatever, but the bottom line is, no matter how many ridiculous strategies a player attempts, he will get no fans and no recognition unless he wins with them. Are you really going to tell me that I can't like Flash because other people like him? I'm the biggest Ma Jae Yoon fan there is. I stick by him through thick and thin. Why am I a fan? Because he was ridiculously good. I remember him being good. Now, he's bad. I don't deny that. I still love Savior, but I also like Effort now. That doesn't mean I disrespect MJY -- it just means I'm a realist. I can applaud Savior for what he did for CJ, for himself, for the Zerg race -- but I can still point out that it is insane to send him out for an Ace Match when you have the Second Coming sitting on your bench. It seems like the elitists think that just because they liked a guy first or they know about some ancient history that they deserve to cheer for players more.
Is there really anything wrong with Joe Nooblet never watching Brood War before and instantly loving Jaedong? Does he really have to know that Jaedong lost to Rock 1-3 in his first Bo5 ZvP? Does having that knowledge or being a fan of JD two years back somehow entitle him to cheer more?Look at Michael Jordan. 100% of his fans are bandwagon fans. And those guys who cheered against him? Also bandwagon fans. Every single SK Telecom fan? Bandwagon fan. There's nothing wrong with that.
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e-Stars Heritage League was like taking a time machine back to when players sucked.
Is it my fault I want to watch high level games? I went back the other day and watched Savior versus Nal_rA -- one of the most entertaining rivalries there was -- and it was sad. Really, it was. I'm all for appreciating what people can do at the peak of their abilities, but watching these old guys play against each other is like watching the WNBA or women's soccer. I understand that they're the best relative to their competition. I just don't care. I want to see the game played at its highest level, not some grandpa toss who can't figure out how to attack lurkers. Nal_rA, I get that you invented FE. That's great and all, but Bisu is the one that invented FE. I'm sure some fat white guy on a step ladder invented dunking, but Lebron James invented dunking.
Are we really flaming fanboys for actually liking the player they cheer for? Fanboys are spirited. Fanboys get angry. Fanboys are awesome. I'm CJ fanboy. I admit it. When it comes to all things CJ, I am irrationally and irrevocably pro-CJ. I think they are the best team ever. I go into every round of Proleague thinking "This is our year!!" I wouldn't trade Effort for anyone. No, I wouldn't trade him for Jaedong. I'm an Effort fanboy. What do you expect me to do? Find a player who sucks and cheer for him? Progaming is my hobby, I watch in my spare time. Since I'm not a masochist, I'll enjoy when my guys win, thank you very much. And I'm going to go into CJ threads and post "FFFFFFFF YEAH" every time Skyhigh cheeses Jaedong, or post "wow this dude sucks" every time Effort rolls over a crappy washed up Air Force player, no matter how many times he won a starleague in 2003. That's not disrespecting him. Because sucking now doesn't change his win back then, and winning then doesn't affect us recognizing he sucks today.
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I'm a fanboy and I fully enjoyed this moment.
CJ is going to win proleague this year. There's still room -- hop on.
