Jaedong is one sexy beast... Oh, and the awesome banner is by prototype. of course.
Monday, 25th October 2010, 19:30 KST, Channel OnGameNet
+ Show Spoiler +
Last season, there were 2 teams classified as too one man-centric, JaedongOZ and KTFlash, respectively. What happened afterwards was that the other members of KT Rolster started performing to the chagrin of a lot of SKT fans, and they are now considered a dominant force, if not the favorite to win the Proleague.
Jaedong OZ, on the other hand, remained just that, Jaedong OZ. While HiYa went quite far in the individual leagues and the WCG Korea, he wasn't enough to get the team to the play-offs, puncuated by a humiliating loss to Air Force ACE, of all teams (Granted, the games that round were won by HiYa and Perfectman, and Killer of all people was sent for Ace, but this shouldn't be an excuse for that loss). Now they are facing STX Soul, one of the deepest teams in the Proleague, and HiYa has lost both his games last week. BackHo hasn't been sent out after his single loss to Snow, and Killer has demonstrated both a good capability of getting a huge lead and an even better tendency to blow it all anyway. Even Jaedong's wins haven't been drastic enough to showcase the true capabilities of the tyrant. He almost lost to stats*, and hydra isn't exactly known for... anything at all, to be honest. While any of the above are still a threat, in the future Oz will have to make use of their almost never seen bench and make them work for their money. Or bring Anytime/ForGG back. Either way, the light at the end of the tunnel is far away (especially if the rumors of Anytime playing SC2 are true).
As for STX, they have been on a tear. They brought down Samsung and ACE pretty easily, which admittedly is not the greatest feat in this new format, but still pretty ominous to the still reeling OZ. Any opponent of STX will have a hard time guessing who will be played (similarly to SKT), since there are extremely good players of every race on the team. Even the previous under performers like Trap and Bogus have produced games rivaling any non-S class player in the last week alone, and Classic and Hyvaa are no pushovers. This is not even the core lineup! Calm still feels a bit shaky, but Shuttle and Kal are scary as hell in this Protoss favouring environment. by.hero and Modesty are more than a match against any non-JD Zerg, though in other matchups, I'd not bet on them. (Modesty vs. BeSt doesn't count, BeSt played horribly in that game.)
The true value of STX will be shown in real challenges, such as SKT, KT and Woongjin, but that will have to wait. As of now, Hwaseung OZ awaits, and I don't see STX losing that one.
Set 1: HiyA < Grand Line SE > Bogus
Set 2: Jaedong < Fortress > by.hero
Set 3: BackHo < Empire of the Sun > Calm
Set 4: Sky < Central Plains > Shuttle
Set 5: Lomo < Circuit Breaker > Kal
Set 6: Killer < Aztec > Modesty
Ace Match: < Icarus >
STX wins 4-2.
(Fanboyism might or might have not influenced these predictions. At least I tried.)
*Correction - didn't follow the match too properly. While JD did lose a lot of units unnecessarily, he had built up a significant advantage by that point and nullified any chance stats had of pressuring him with his air superiority. The tyrant still lives, but that doesn't change the big picture.
Jaedong OZ, on the other hand, remained just that, Jaedong OZ. While HiYa went quite far in the individual leagues and the WCG Korea, he wasn't enough to get the team to the play-offs, puncuated by a humiliating loss to Air Force ACE, of all teams (Granted, the games that round were won by HiYa and Perfectman, and Killer of all people was sent for Ace, but this shouldn't be an excuse for that loss). Now they are facing STX Soul, one of the deepest teams in the Proleague, and HiYa has lost both his games last week. BackHo hasn't been sent out after his single loss to Snow, and Killer has demonstrated both a good capability of getting a huge lead and an even better tendency to blow it all anyway. Even Jaedong's wins haven't been drastic enough to showcase the true capabilities of the tyrant. He almost lost to stats*, and hydra isn't exactly known for... anything at all, to be honest. While any of the above are still a threat, in the future Oz will have to make use of their almost never seen bench and make them work for their money. Or bring Anytime/ForGG back. Either way, the light at the end of the tunnel is far away (especially if the rumors of Anytime playing SC2 are true).
As for STX, they have been on a tear. They brought down Samsung and ACE pretty easily, which admittedly is not the greatest feat in this new format, but still pretty ominous to the still reeling OZ. Any opponent of STX will have a hard time guessing who will be played (similarly to SKT), since there are extremely good players of every race on the team. Even the previous under performers like Trap and Bogus have produced games rivaling any non-S class player in the last week alone, and Classic and Hyvaa are no pushovers. This is not even the core lineup! Calm still feels a bit shaky, but Shuttle and Kal are scary as hell in this Protoss favouring environment. by.hero and Modesty are more than a match against any non-JD Zerg, though in other matchups, I'd not bet on them. (Modesty vs. BeSt doesn't count, BeSt played horribly in that game.)
The true value of STX will be shown in real challenges, such as SKT, KT and Woongjin, but that will have to wait. As of now, Hwaseung OZ awaits, and I don't see STX losing that one.
Set 1: HiyA < Grand Line SE > Bogus
Set 2: Jaedong < Fortress > by.hero
Set 3: BackHo < Empire of the Sun > Calm
Set 4: Sky < Central Plains > Shuttle
Set 5: Lomo < Circuit Breaker > Kal
Set 6: Killer < Aztec > Modesty
Ace Match: < Icarus >
STX wins 4-2.
(Fanboyism might or might have not influenced these predictions. At least I tried.)
*Correction - didn't follow the match too properly. While JD did lose a lot of units unnecessarily, he had built up a significant advantage by that point and nullified any chance stats had of pressuring him with his air superiority. The tyrant still lives, but that doesn't change the big picture.
+ Show Spoiler +
Hwaseung OZ vs STX SouL
Set 1: PerfectMan< Grand Line SE > Last
Set 2: BackHo < Fortress > FrOzen
Set 3: Lomo < Empire of the Sun > Bogus
Set 4: Jaedong < Central Plains > by.hero
Set 5: HiyA < Circuit Breaker > Kal
Set 6: Killer < Aztec > Calm
Ace Match: Jaedong < Icarus > Modesty
Set 1: PerfectMan< Grand Line SE > Last
Set 2: BackHo < Fortress > FrOzen
Set 3: Lomo < Empire of the Sun > Bogus
Set 4: Jaedong < Central Plains > by.hero
Set 5: HiyA < Circuit Breaker > Kal
Set 6: Killer < Aztec > Calm
Ace Match: Jaedong < Icarus > Modesty
+ Show Spoiler +
Hwaseung OZ vs STX SouL
Set 1: PerfectMan < Grand Line SE > Last
Set 2: BackHo < Fortress > FrOzen
Set 3: Lomo < Empire of the Sun > Bogus
Set 4: Jaedong < Central Plains > by.hero
Set 5: HiyA < Circuit Breaker > Kal
Set 6: Killer < Aztec > Calm
Ace Match: Jaedong < Icarus > Modesty
Hwaseung OZ 4-3 STX SouL
+ Show Spoiler +
+ Show Spoiler [Game 1] +
Good comeback, but the usual game quality of this season makes both look like amateurs. A nicely executed mid-game attack, I'll admit, but no recommendation unless you are really bummed out on there being no BW streams.
+ Show Spoiler [Game 2] +
Apparently the loser was disqualified for pausing the game manually. There is no game to speak of. Will update if there is more information. I WILL give you a poll to vent in, though.
+ Show Spoiler [Game 3] +
I have no idea what the loser tried to accomplish with his opening, but it was punished badly and a prompt gg is the result. I'm too confused to recommend this, but my first thought is... "no."
+ Show Spoiler [Game 4] +
After a failure to ward off his choke from lings, things only went downhill for the loser. A nice mutabattle, and a nice breaking of a choke, but then again, this IS a ZvZ. Your choice.
+ Show Spoiler [Game 5] +
+ Show Spoiler [Game 6] +
+ Show Spoiler [Ace Match] +
How to Watch:
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http://www.teamliquid.net/video/userstream.php?user=xsebt
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Credits to the other Thread Starters and a substantial dose of appreciation to all the past and future streamers.
Winners interview!
(Kyuukyuu put hard work into translating this, you better appreciate it!)
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=163753
HYPE:
Vs.
pictures from disciple and starfeeder, respectively