With a league of this size, magnitude and prestige everyone brought their best. This ranged from map specific cheese to careful cookie cutter builds that pushed you as a gamer.
At first I was coasting. With maps like HBR I was able to dominate past nemesis Fenix, Oystein and some other gamers I consider superior like Advokate. THat map played to my style very well. I was sitting around 9800 pts with a week ahead of me and a tremendously good record (while not dodging for the most part).
That all changed.
As the motw changed I figured a relatively balanced map like Fighting Spirit wouldn't be a problem. And if it was, I have Outsider and Coloseum to fall back on. That logic didn't hold up however. Using TSL as the learning block for a map I didn't know (fighting spirit) was a bad idea. I dropped tremendously. So I started to ask specifically for Out/Colo but I guess I was on a seudo-tilt... kept losing. Suddenly with a few days to spare I realized I was in danger of having been safely within qualifying ground and throwing it away.
That wasn't going to be the case motherfuckers.
I went to the store, picked up a large pack of Lipton Green Teas (SCBW steroids) and 3 Red Baron Frozen Pizzas (3 days remained, 1 meal per day -> gaming the rest) [on a side note I opted for Spicy Buffalo, Mexican Supreme and Supreme Pizzas.. amazing]. I told my gf (uNc) "Next 3 days I will be a ghost to you. I cannot be expected to go anywhere except the fridge. I cannot be on the phone a bunch and I need to do this." I had 3 days to become an angry specter of the Ladder A-B channel. I sniffed for blood in the water and pounced with passively charming "yo" and "^_^" smilies.. but behind the konglish and emoticon parade was a sheer determination to rip throats and tear spines.
I preyed on koreans. Europeans. Americans and everything in between. I learned Fighting spirit with practice sessions with Ret. I reacquainted myself with Colo. And when the 13th day was done, I wanted more. I need more. This TSL has awaken a vengeful and hungry ultralisk bear. One that is determined to make a dent in this league.
I will practice. I will train. I will analyze my opponents. I will watch. And I will be there when the time comes.
It's time motherfuckers.