[SPL] SK Telecom T1 vs STX SouL

This is an extremely good season to be a SKT fan, since they are as of yet undefeated, as is their frontman and fangirl obsession object Bisu. They never have a dull moment though, since everyone is out to get them. Now, it’s STX SouLs turn again, who come fresh off defeating KT Rolster 4-1. The last game between the two ended 4-2 in SKTs favor, but things might be different today.
For more clarity (and for more fanboyism, obviously!), here are moopie for STX and Lightwip for SKT!

1. Lets start with a basic question right off the bat. What is the best part of being a fan of your team?

moopie: STX sort of has an underdogs vibe to me. Their fans know what they are capable of, but it doesn't always reach the surface. When they win though, their players show a lot of emotion and personality, it's hard not to want to cheer for them. There's also Tossgirl.

Lightwip: A lot of people would say the fact that SKT is very hard to defeat is the best part of the team. But what I like most in SKT is its Protoss lineup, especially right now. Generally, Protoss are considered weaker than Zerg and Terran(T>Z>>P=T you could say if you like crying imba), but right now SKT has 4 rather successful protoss that can win games even off of the greatest players(even Sun/Paralyze have shown their ability to play really well). Basically the fact that it's a really successful protoss-based team is the best thing about SKT, as I'm less fond of zergs and I often have a bias against terrans. While the terran line is pretty important in SKT too, it even has some of the more amusing terrans in Fantasy and Canata(if 90 minutes of BC's into regame is your definition of amusement for the latter, but I understand that a lot of you would rather watch paint dry). No other team has such successful protoss but SKT, and isn't successful protoss something we all want?

2. Suppress your inner fanboy! What is the worst part about being a fan of your team?

moopie:The fact that they are capable of winning more than they do (hey what do you know, this answer fits my other team as well). STX has the reputation of being chokers when it matters, and that can be a painful thing to experience so many times. The team's two stars Kal and Calm are prime examples of this behavior, often losing important matches they really shouldn't.

Lightwip: While SKT always has a lot of successful A team players, leading them to an unprecedented perfect streak in a round(even though it's only 9 games, would you really expect eSTRO's and hite's massive depth to outmatch SKT in a Bo7?). But during a good portion of the season, SKT hardly has an ace that's always reliable. Best can only ace against terrans, Bisu is a heavy slumper, and Fantasy has some very, very... stupid days. Unless Bisu is playing like we all know he can(which, sadly, he often isn't), there is no ace that's reliable in all 3 matchups at all times with the reliability of Jaedong/Flash. This can often work against them in WL, which is hailed as the trump card of OZ/KT this time around. On a side note, I'm honestly saddened by the fact that the fans of these teams have more faith in the child labor capability of their ace than the improvement of the rest of the team.

3. How do you feel about the last time the two teams played? (SKT won 4-2) What should be learned from that match?

moopie: At the moment, SKT is a very hard team to beat with all of its players more or less at their peak. STX didn't get the most favorable matchups last time around. Best vT (even without the DTs it would have been an uphill battle), Bisu vZ and Fantasy vT. STX needs to predict SKT's players better and try to drag them into less favorable games in order to take this.

Lightwip: To be honest, that specific match really didn't say anything. SKT and STX both fielded their best players against weak players(exception: Bisu vs Clam), and other than Shuttle's loss against the rising talent of By.Sun, there were no upsets, so basically we just saw that the better players can defeat weaker players like they should, and SKT just won by having more good players. But the previous games between SKT and STX are more telling. These other games show a lot of things. First and foremost, they show that STX is utterly incapable of defeating Fantasy(except in 1 odd win by Bogus). These games also show that SKT is very much filled with STX-destroying talent. Even when Bisu and Best lost in their playoffs game, the rest of the team managed to carry the series into an ace victory. SKT's advantage over STX is simply their ability to roll them with talent in numbers when the players perform well.

4. Fantasy has been really strong through last season, and Calm has a terrible score in PL. Can we call the rivalry over?

moopie: No rivalry is truly over, Some just hibernate for a while. Recent results aside, I do think that Calm certainly has what it takes to continue to win against Fantasy. I hope calm brings back his vT to the level it was at last year and proves he is not to be taken lightly.

Lightwip: Perhaps for the time being, but perhaps our Brain Zerg will learn a new technique to suppress his inner mollusk to be able to play better. Fantasy also shows his fail in TvZ at times, even though he plays really well a lot of the time, surprisingly even with bio. Fantasy definitely has the advantage, but I've seen players return to relevance after greater slumps than that of Calm/Clam(read:Midas). Don't count their rivalry over just yet.

5. It’s interesting that the teams have made single-race heavy lineup choices in past matches. STX has played 4 Terrans in the same match, while SKT has done the same with Protoss. Could we potentially see something similar during this clash?

moopie: It's unlikely. STX needs to play on all their strengths here, and I think we will get Kal, Classic, Bogus and Calm all trying their best.

Lightwip: Obviously both teams need to raise their talent, and the talent of STX lies in their developing terran line, and SKT in their protoss line. But I don't think that STX would field a terran lineup against the many terran killers of SKT. I mean, even Bisu could probably beat anyone they could throw at him as far as terrans go. SKT is not the best team to fight with a terran lineup, unless they're relying on their zergs, which they aren't right now. They'd be more successful against just about any other team.

6. Icarus is missing! But don’t worry, in Imaginationland, you can remove another map to bring it back in its place! Would you use such an opportunity, and if, what map would you like removed? If not, why?

moopie: The potential matchups for this set is pretty hard to predict and thus disqualify a map, but I would replace Fortress to make hero happy.

Lightwip: Of course I'd use such an opportunity, and the map I'd bring back is Fighting Spirit, because everyone is a fan of balance. If this was one of the SL's, I'd probably bring back Protoss Central, because protoss need a good map for once to match all the horrible maps they have to deal with.(It'll probably be in later maplists such as in playoffs, so it still counts!)

7. The Ace Match will be played on Bloody Ridge, the new map! In case it is needed, who will be played, and who will win?

moopie: If Bloody Ridge is played, we will get Bisu vs Calm (or possibly Kal). STX would win the ACE of course. [/fanboy]

Lightwip: It would probably be Fantasy vs Kal unless Bisu is doing particularly well, and I'd expect the SKT player to win unless something unexpected happens. Hopefully the map is good though.


8. Make a prediction about the outcome of the match. Use Pokémon terminology to describe it!

Pokemon trainers picture by moopie!

You are challenged by Trainer Park/Kim!

moopie: + Show Spoiler [spoilered for length!] +

Lightwip: + Show Spoiler [spoilered for length!] +

9. What is the biggest surprise of season 10-11 for you thus far? (The answer does not need to be related to your team).

moopie: KT's performance -__-'.

Lightwip: Probably the biggest surprise is the rise of so many new players. This is probably because of the new Bo7 format, but a lot of rookies just recently showed that they have what it takes to compete with current proleague regulars. The biggest surprise is the success of TurN, a player who I'd never really expect to get such a good record considering how irrelevant he was last season. KT's downfall is probably just as surprising however. That seems to have happened for no reason. Perhaps there is too much focus on Flash and not enough on the other players.

10. Finally, any last words?

moopie: I still miss the red sniper, especially now that SKT has competent Zergs.

Lightwip: Not much to say about the actual games, but I hope that next round of Proleague is a round of Winners League rather than a round of injunctions. Let us hope e-Sports lives through this. Also, hopefully the conflict in Korea will be resolved without too much bloodshed.

Mustaju: Give peace a chance!