← The Press
Community article
ISL 7 Round of 8 Winners Interview
by unknown · 2012-09-25
My little "project". Thanks to Whisperkill, release, yesplz, and forbenz for being interviewed by me.
---
# Mafia Zerg (Un Bum Gun)#
LB : Hi Mafia. Instant thoughts after your intense ZvP with Misaya ?
Mafia Zerg : I'm so glad I won, I actually expected that, but not that hard. Usually, since the begining of my carrer I cut through protoss like they are warm butter, this time I got wrecked in the early/mid game. It's getting colder at this time of the year, I guess fall had something to do with this protoss' performance.
LB : How did you maintain your composure after losing in game 4, putting your back against the wall against one of the top performing players lately?
Mafia Zerg : Well in game 4 I actually prepared a quick hive build, going 5 bases with 2 simcities at naturals. He unfortunately caught me offguard with a powerful army of zealot-archon-dt-goon while I had only queens and zerglings with my defilers about to pop-out. That was really greedy and I think I tried to win too easy. The next game I just played standard, scouting as much as I can, although many zergs are better than me about reading their opponent. My team came to see me during the match and Ji Hun(CrazyHydra ) came to me before game 5 to explain why I lost and what I should do. I am grateful for that and I will pay my team dinner with the money I win from this ISL.
LB : You seem to enjoy being on team og net. What dynamics with your teammates helped you with your match today?
Mafia Zerg : Well, in practice I usually roll through every of Byeong Suk's(Purple ) strategies, so the fact I destroy him 6-0 there sure didn't help me today as it was much harder[laughs]. Besides that, the team atmosphere is really good, although we never really stop practicing. Captain Byung Hoon's(God ) recent transfer is a bit unfortunate though, but coach told us he couldn't really play anymore so in order to continue his carrer he was transfered, we lose his insight but we understand why and sure does NOT get DEMOTIVATED by it. I also think that our daily session of sports outside along with the 2 weeks rest we had in bahamas(even God Hyung was invited ^^) helps a lot in our team dynamics, although coach is a bit psycho and made us bring our laptops to continue training on our beach chairs. The youngsters who recently came are pretty funny also, and good slaves >:D.
LB : This is the first time you've ever made it this far in an ISL. To what do you attribute this sudden rise in success?
Mafia Zerg : Easy brackets. I know I'm good, but besides FrOzean and ABC|Neo Hi , and Echoic since he beat me, there's nobody I faced that is a really strong opponent. I am pretty lucky to have gotten that far.
LB : Your next match is against BIRDMAN . How do you feel heading into the Round of 4?
Mafia Zerg : It's BIRDMAN , what else is there to say? I mean, even if I work my hardest and everything, I'm playing against BIRDMAN . Say he has an accident or a hooker he forgot to pay comes to slap him until he knocks out during our match, I'll still play, most likely, HidE during the finals, which is also a no brainer since HidE is a good practice partner and, while it was equal at start, its now comparing him as a bulldozer and me as an unfortunate scared kitteh. Don't read me wrong, I'll try my best(although without resting much), but I doubt I can beat a 3 times winner of ISL, period.
LB : And so if you make it to the finals, you expect HidE to be there as your opponent? Best of luck towards facing the top 2 players in the game at the moment. Do you have any shout outs you would like to give?
Mafia Zerg : Of course. HidE is just the best player out there since a long time, he exploded only a few seasons ago and now he's THE thing. He's also my friend and I hope he wins if I cannot do so. I also don't know much about Ghost sadly although he seems nice.
For shoutouts, I'd like to thank Purple for practicing, even though Misaya was much harder to beat than him. Also CrazyHydra for support after game 4, as well as the rest of my team. Our great sponsor ogn, my parents, all of my friends, my old school teachers for not believing in my skills :P. I'd also like to point out that our coach is psycho, so I'm sorry if I disappoint in semi-finals, that's because I won't get much sleep this week. Also, I made a bet that I would lose today with old teammate Perfective, and since he won, I owe him lunch now :P. Lastly, shoutout to you for interviewing me, that's the first(and hopefully not last) time I got interviewed, it got me all excited ^^, og net hwaiting!
---
#Ghost (Man Young Min)#
LB : Congratulations on your sweep of Echoic . What were your first thoughts after you realized you had made the Round of 4?
Ghost : Thank you. My first thoughts after making the Round of 4 were to go rub this in 1 's face and to get drunk.
LB : Haha sounds pleasant. Now in Game 1, Echoic held the lead from the early game heading into the mid game. What let you get your way back into the game to win?
Ghost : I told manItoulin to sit in the crowd and gives me constant heads up during the game. I knew I was behind, so I took a glance into the crowd and there he was; manItoulin was in the front row holding up a sign that appeared to say "Ghost fighting" but in reality, said "attack now, Echoic just expanded," so i attacked and gained the advantage.
LB : Sheer brilliance. So your next match is a TvZ, against what many think is the best player in Shakuras, HidE . Without any zerg teammates, how will you prepare for the Round of 4?
Ghost : I'm going to let you in on a little secret I have here: one doesn't actually need to practice with a teammate to become good at a specific matchup. What really counts is how much you know about your opponent's personal life. What sucks a lot is that I know little, if not nothing, about HidE , but I do happen to know a tremendous amount about BIRDMAN . He invites me to do drugs and hookers and I invite him to get drunk and do drugs and hookers. We two have become very close indeed.
The fact that I know so much about BIRDMAN makes me an excellent at beating BIRDMAN in a TvZ, should one ever occur. In 12th grade, when i took basic geometry, I learned about the transitive property, which states that if I can beat BIRDMAN , and BIRDMAN can beat HidE , then ...
... something should happen.
I need to invite HidE for a drink maybe.
LB : Haha, I'm sure HidE will oblige you. Now if you defeat him in the next round, who do you expect to face off against in the finals?
Ghost : I expect to face BIRDMAN . I promised to buy him drinks if we both made the final, so he better win. If he doesn't, maybe I'll just buy him drinks to celebrate his new home.
LB : Very well. Good luck with your next matches. Any final shout outs?
Ghost : Thank you very much. I would like to give a very big shoutout to Blue Mage , my bartender who always takes my keys away when I get drunk.
---
#Birdman (Pyeong Yeong Min)#
LB : I commend you for your close victory against Xello in the Round of 8. How do you feel after a narrow 3-2 series?
BIRDMAN : Playing against Xello is much like playing against Captain Falcon in the following video. Except him kneeing me is playing his stupid TvZ style. It's the only thing he can do and it's pretty terrible but it's stupid so screw that guy.
LB : Ah I see, anytime not kneeing is time better spent kneeing. Well it looks like you're impervious to the knee. Did you have any other advantages coming into your match up?
BIRDMAN : Honestly I felt like crap. This new team has a strict no drug no hooker policy so I am currently experiencing severe withdrawal. I also haven't had sex in 29 hours now so I'm feeling a little uneasy. However I found that there's people on this team that actually practice so this may be a good thing in the long run.
LB : Ah I see. Are there any other dynamics on your new team besides the no hooker policy? Different food perhaps?
BIRDMAN : Our chef is an illegal Mexican immigrant and the only thing he makes is tacos. We try to tell him other things but he doesn't understand. I really can't tell if these tacos are better or worse than the food on my old team though.
LB : So onto your next opponent. How do you feel about Mafia Zerg ?
BIRDMAN : Who? Never heard of him before. Must've cheesed his way to the semifinals.
LB : Wow what a burn. If you defeat Mafia Zerg in your next series, who would be your perfect opponent in the finals? Are your more confident in your ZvZ or your ZvT?
BIRDMAN : I am almost 100% certain it will be Ghost because HidE has been very consistent in dodging me by losing to other players. I think he will wuss out again. In fact, HidE is probably the biggest girl in Shakuras. Both players are about even though...
LB : Ah, so not going to pick either I see. Finally, do you have any shout outs to give?
BIRDMAN : I wanna give a shoutout to Bisu for losing in every prelim ever. Also my mom, 'Uncle Jose', and Barack Obama. Obama is my homeboy.
---
#Hide (Jong Min Soo)#
LB : Hello HidE . What's on your mind after you dominated TORRES 3-0?
HidE : I feel great. Not only because I beat one of the best terrans, but also showed great performance. I think I played the games out to my fullest potential. With this victory I've gained the momentum which I hope to carry to the finals.
LB : TORRES was the player that took you out of Prop 19 ISL via a 3-2 slugfest. Was there an element of revenge at play?
HidE : I was literally shocked after the previous encounter. I thought I had prepared well, but, in fact I was outplayed strategically, that's why I put extra focus on the build orders this time. I can't say that I longed for revenge, it was rather "this time I will win" (laugh).
LB : So what are your thoughts on your next opponent Ghost ? He is the only remaining royal road candidate, along with being the last non-zerg player in the tournament. Are you happy that you have another ZvT?
HidE : Even though Ghost has been showing great results, I don't really care about who I face next. I'll just make sure I prepare accordingly. Only the win is what matters now.
LB : If you make it to the finals, who would you prefer to face? BIRDMAN or Mafia Zerg ? Earlier, Mafia Zerg said that you two were good friends and practice with each other occasionally.
HidE : Sorry, Mafia Zerg , but I'd prefer BIRDMAN as I've always wanted to face him in the finals ^^
LB : And I am sure most of shakuras is also anticipating a HidE vs BIRDMAN finals. Recently you have become one of the most dominant players in the history of the game, setting a new record high ELO, being SESPA's #1 player, and winning nearly every tournament you attempt (CMCS1, IRCSL1). If you win ISL 7, can we safely say our new bonjwa is the Butcher?
HidE : I don't think I will be bonjwa even if I win. There are many talented players that may catch up pretty soon.
LB : Always humble. Lastly, do you have any shout outs?
HidE : Shoutout to FrOzean , braQ and Xello who helped me prepare for the match. Shoutout to all the fans who are cheering for me. This time, I'll definitely make it!
---
I hope you guys have as much fun reading this as I did! Enjoy!
---
# Mafia Zerg (Un Bum Gun)#
LB : Hi Mafia. Instant thoughts after your intense ZvP with Misaya ?
Mafia Zerg : I'm so glad I won, I actually expected that, but not that hard. Usually, since the begining of my carrer I cut through protoss like they are warm butter, this time I got wrecked in the early/mid game. It's getting colder at this time of the year, I guess fall had something to do with this protoss' performance.
LB : How did you maintain your composure after losing in game 4, putting your back against the wall against one of the top performing players lately?
Mafia Zerg : Well in game 4 I actually prepared a quick hive build, going 5 bases with 2 simcities at naturals. He unfortunately caught me offguard with a powerful army of zealot-archon-dt-goon while I had only queens and zerglings with my defilers about to pop-out. That was really greedy and I think I tried to win too easy. The next game I just played standard, scouting as much as I can, although many zergs are better than me about reading their opponent. My team came to see me during the match and Ji Hun(CrazyHydra ) came to me before game 5 to explain why I lost and what I should do. I am grateful for that and I will pay my team dinner with the money I win from this ISL.
LB : You seem to enjoy being on team og net. What dynamics with your teammates helped you with your match today?
Mafia Zerg : Well, in practice I usually roll through every of Byeong Suk's(Purple ) strategies, so the fact I destroy him 6-0 there sure didn't help me today as it was much harder[laughs]. Besides that, the team atmosphere is really good, although we never really stop practicing. Captain Byung Hoon's(God ) recent transfer is a bit unfortunate though, but coach told us he couldn't really play anymore so in order to continue his carrer he was transfered, we lose his insight but we understand why and sure does NOT get DEMOTIVATED by it. I also think that our daily session of sports outside along with the 2 weeks rest we had in bahamas(even God Hyung was invited ^^) helps a lot in our team dynamics, although coach is a bit psycho and made us bring our laptops to continue training on our beach chairs. The youngsters who recently came are pretty funny also, and good slaves >:D.
LB : This is the first time you've ever made it this far in an ISL. To what do you attribute this sudden rise in success?
Mafia Zerg : Easy brackets. I know I'm good, but besides FrOzean and ABC|Neo Hi , and Echoic since he beat me, there's nobody I faced that is a really strong opponent. I am pretty lucky to have gotten that far.
LB : Your next match is against BIRDMAN . How do you feel heading into the Round of 4?
Mafia Zerg : It's BIRDMAN , what else is there to say? I mean, even if I work my hardest and everything, I'm playing against BIRDMAN . Say he has an accident or a hooker he forgot to pay comes to slap him until he knocks out during our match, I'll still play, most likely, HidE during the finals, which is also a no brainer since HidE is a good practice partner and, while it was equal at start, its now comparing him as a bulldozer and me as an unfortunate scared kitteh. Don't read me wrong, I'll try my best(although without resting much), but I doubt I can beat a 3 times winner of ISL, period.
LB : And so if you make it to the finals, you expect HidE to be there as your opponent? Best of luck towards facing the top 2 players in the game at the moment. Do you have any shout outs you would like to give?
Mafia Zerg : Of course. HidE is just the best player out there since a long time, he exploded only a few seasons ago and now he's THE thing. He's also my friend and I hope he wins if I cannot do so. I also don't know much about Ghost sadly although he seems nice.
For shoutouts, I'd like to thank Purple for practicing, even though Misaya was much harder to beat than him. Also CrazyHydra for support after game 4, as well as the rest of my team. Our great sponsor ogn, my parents, all of my friends, my old school teachers for not believing in my skills :P. I'd also like to point out that our coach is psycho, so I'm sorry if I disappoint in semi-finals, that's because I won't get much sleep this week. Also, I made a bet that I would lose today with old teammate Perfective, and since he won, I owe him lunch now :P. Lastly, shoutout to you for interviewing me, that's the first(and hopefully not last) time I got interviewed, it got me all excited ^^, og net hwaiting!
---
#Ghost (Man Young Min)#
LB : Congratulations on your sweep of Echoic . What were your first thoughts after you realized you had made the Round of 4?
Ghost : Thank you. My first thoughts after making the Round of 4 were to go rub this in 1 's face and to get drunk.
LB : Haha sounds pleasant. Now in Game 1, Echoic held the lead from the early game heading into the mid game. What let you get your way back into the game to win?
Ghost : I told manItoulin to sit in the crowd and gives me constant heads up during the game. I knew I was behind, so I took a glance into the crowd and there he was; manItoulin was in the front row holding up a sign that appeared to say "Ghost fighting" but in reality, said "attack now, Echoic just expanded," so i attacked and gained the advantage.
LB : Sheer brilliance. So your next match is a TvZ, against what many think is the best player in Shakuras, HidE . Without any zerg teammates, how will you prepare for the Round of 4?
Ghost : I'm going to let you in on a little secret I have here: one doesn't actually need to practice with a teammate to become good at a specific matchup. What really counts is how much you know about your opponent's personal life. What sucks a lot is that I know little, if not nothing, about HidE , but I do happen to know a tremendous amount about BIRDMAN . He invites me to do drugs and hookers and I invite him to get drunk and do drugs and hookers. We two have become very close indeed.
The fact that I know so much about BIRDMAN makes me an excellent at beating BIRDMAN in a TvZ, should one ever occur. In 12th grade, when i took basic geometry, I learned about the transitive property, which states that if I can beat BIRDMAN , and BIRDMAN can beat HidE , then ...
... something should happen.
I need to invite HidE for a drink maybe.
LB : Haha, I'm sure HidE will oblige you. Now if you defeat him in the next round, who do you expect to face off against in the finals?
Ghost : I expect to face BIRDMAN . I promised to buy him drinks if we both made the final, so he better win. If he doesn't, maybe I'll just buy him drinks to celebrate his new home.
LB : Very well. Good luck with your next matches. Any final shout outs?
Ghost : Thank you very much. I would like to give a very big shoutout to Blue Mage , my bartender who always takes my keys away when I get drunk.
---
#Birdman (Pyeong Yeong Min)#
LB : I commend you for your close victory against Xello in the Round of 8. How do you feel after a narrow 3-2 series?
BIRDMAN : Playing against Xello is much like playing against Captain Falcon in the following video. Except him kneeing me is playing his stupid TvZ style. It's the only thing he can do and it's pretty terrible but it's stupid so screw that guy.
LB : Ah I see, anytime not kneeing is time better spent kneeing. Well it looks like you're impervious to the knee. Did you have any other advantages coming into your match up?
BIRDMAN : Honestly I felt like crap. This new team has a strict no drug no hooker policy so I am currently experiencing severe withdrawal. I also haven't had sex in 29 hours now so I'm feeling a little uneasy. However I found that there's people on this team that actually practice so this may be a good thing in the long run.
LB : Ah I see. Are there any other dynamics on your new team besides the no hooker policy? Different food perhaps?
BIRDMAN : Our chef is an illegal Mexican immigrant and the only thing he makes is tacos. We try to tell him other things but he doesn't understand. I really can't tell if these tacos are better or worse than the food on my old team though.
LB : So onto your next opponent. How do you feel about Mafia Zerg ?
BIRDMAN : Who? Never heard of him before. Must've cheesed his way to the semifinals.
LB : Wow what a burn. If you defeat Mafia Zerg in your next series, who would be your perfect opponent in the finals? Are your more confident in your ZvZ or your ZvT?
BIRDMAN : I am almost 100% certain it will be Ghost because HidE has been very consistent in dodging me by losing to other players. I think he will wuss out again. In fact, HidE is probably the biggest girl in Shakuras. Both players are about even though...
LB : Ah, so not going to pick either I see. Finally, do you have any shout outs to give?
BIRDMAN : I wanna give a shoutout to Bisu for losing in every prelim ever. Also my mom, 'Uncle Jose', and Barack Obama. Obama is my homeboy.
---
#Hide (Jong Min Soo)#
LB : Hello HidE . What's on your mind after you dominated TORRES 3-0?
HidE : I feel great. Not only because I beat one of the best terrans, but also showed great performance. I think I played the games out to my fullest potential. With this victory I've gained the momentum which I hope to carry to the finals.
LB : TORRES was the player that took you out of Prop 19 ISL via a 3-2 slugfest. Was there an element of revenge at play?
HidE : I was literally shocked after the previous encounter. I thought I had prepared well, but, in fact I was outplayed strategically, that's why I put extra focus on the build orders this time. I can't say that I longed for revenge, it was rather "this time I will win" (laugh).
LB : So what are your thoughts on your next opponent Ghost ? He is the only remaining royal road candidate, along with being the last non-zerg player in the tournament. Are you happy that you have another ZvT?
HidE : Even though Ghost has been showing great results, I don't really care about who I face next. I'll just make sure I prepare accordingly. Only the win is what matters now.
LB : If you make it to the finals, who would you prefer to face? BIRDMAN or Mafia Zerg ? Earlier, Mafia Zerg said that you two were good friends and practice with each other occasionally.
HidE : Sorry, Mafia Zerg , but I'd prefer BIRDMAN as I've always wanted to face him in the finals ^^
LB : And I am sure most of shakuras is also anticipating a HidE vs BIRDMAN finals. Recently you have become one of the most dominant players in the history of the game, setting a new record high ELO, being SESPA's #1 player, and winning nearly every tournament you attempt (CMCS1, IRCSL1). If you win ISL 7, can we safely say our new bonjwa is the Butcher?
HidE : I don't think I will be bonjwa even if I win. There are many talented players that may catch up pretty soon.
LB : Always humble. Lastly, do you have any shout outs?
HidE : Shoutout to FrOzean , braQ and Xello who helped me prepare for the match. Shoutout to all the fans who are cheering for me. This time, I'll definitely make it!
---
I hope you guys have as much fun reading this as I did! Enjoy!