Think there's some stuff missing in the Chinese translation as compared to the Korean one, but the important stuff should all be here.
Satisfied with MLG Runner-Up
Flash recently came in as the runner-up in the recent MLG Winter Championship, having not been able to defeat Life in the finals. He felt it was still a very significant result for him to be able to get this placing despite his lack of practice in Heart of the Swarm.
Ever since he came back from MLG, Flash has been devoting himself to practising non-stop. Even though he hasn't recovered from the jet-lag, he still has to work extra hard to prepare for the tournaments like the SPL Show Match, SPL, GSL, etc. that he has ahead of him. Flash said, "I've just been practising a lot ever since I came back from MLG. I had to go overseas very shortly after Heart of the Swarm was released, and so wasn't able to practise too much. With so many tournaments coming up, I have to work hard."
Regarding his thoughts about attending the recent MLG, he had this to say. "I'm always full of energy every time I attend foreign tournaments. The schedule wasn't very tight for the tournament this time, and so I don't feel tired."
"I've always felt that the atmosphere is really good when playing in foreign tournaments. It really feels like you're playing in a tournament. The first time I attended MLG was for a show match, and I didn't really feel it then. When you're in the venue for the main tournament, you really don't have any time to be just standing around. The trip to America is also a test physically. Fortunately, there weren't that many games this time round. I only had to play about three to four games each day, and about ten games on the final day."
In order to ensure results in SPL, the KT team didn't do any practice in Heart of the Swarm until it was officially released. Before setting off for America, Flash only had two days to practise.
"To be honest, I only had about 2 days of practice in HOTS then, and so I didn't really have very high expectations. I predicted that I would be eliminated in the round of 8, but I played surprisingly well in the tournament, and actually made it to the finals. Even though I lost in the finals, it was already a very good result, taking into consideration the amount of practice I had. I am very satisfied."
"I felt that it should have been impossible to play so well with only 2 days of practice. Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing, but in the end it turned out so well. The head coach and I both didn't expect to be able to achieve such results, and were really surprised."
"My match against Innovation was the one that left the deepest impression on me. He's a Terran that I personally feel and acknowledge to be very difficult to play against. He is really very good, and I've studied many of his games. Probably if Innovation had made it to the finals, he would have won the tournament. His TvZ is so much better than mine. I predicted that the match against Innovation would be really difficult, but maybe because our level is very similar, the match was really exciting."
Regarding the finals against Life, Flash had this to say. "Life is really an amazing player. Even though they call me his rival, I still have many things to improve on, and have to work even harder."
"He's really very good. Even though we haven't played against each other much, every time we play, I get the feeling that he has a very different style from other Zergs, and he is a really formidable opponent. He plays with a very aggressive style, and even in the late game, this style is still really flexible. There're many people talking about the idea of a new LeeSsang Rok, but I feel that I still have things to improve upon, and really have to work even harder. I am welcoming no matter who becomes my rival."
Heart of the Swarm - A New Opportunity
"It's a bit sad that the leagues are going to switch to using Heart of the Swarm. But I also clearly felt the limits of Terran in Wings of Liberty, and so even though we're going to switch over, I am not in despair. In my opinion, Terrans in the Wings of Liberty era might have been able to win championships when they got lucky, but to win multiple championships was really difficult. The limits of Terran in Wings of Liberty was really obvious. In Heart of the Swarm, there are more ways in which Terran can be played, and so I'm really looking forward to it."
"With my one week of practice, I really feel that Terran is better as compared to Wings of Liberty. But it's not just Terrans that have been buffed. The balance of the game still has to be looked at closely as time goes by. Nowadays, many people are saying that it's hard to play as Zerg, but Zerg was really too strong in the Wings of Liberty era. This imperfect balance is merely a temporary moment in the initial stages of Heart of the Swarm. But Zergs have no need to despair. Just like Terrans did in Wings of Liberty, imbalance between the races can be countered to a certain extent through practice. So let's all keep working hard. If things really don't work out, then all we can do is to wait for Blizzard to patch it (laughs)."
Flash in Starcraft 1 was a player known for his defense, but in Starcraft 2, he seems to be becoming a more offensive type of player. Regarding this, Flash said, "Terran in Starcraft 2 cannot turtle up anymore. Because the game has changed, my style also has to change accordingly."
"Starcraft 2 Terran is different as compared to Starcraft 1. A defensive style of playing doesn't work out. The style of the race has changed from defensive to offensive, and so if you don't play along the lines of being offensive you'll never win. That's why I also followed the trend and switched to an offensive style of playing. I wasn't familiar with it at first, and it was really tough. But after a year or so of practice, I have finally gotten the hang of it to a certain extent."
Flash really gained a lot from conquering this MLG.
"Playing in this MLG really helped me in all sorts of ways. I totally wasn't able to find the right feeling in my practice before the tournament, but through this tournament I now know how I should go about practising. My standard in Wings of Liberty was improving to some extent, and so having to switch to Heart of the Swarm immediately made me really disappointed. But after the tournament at MLG, I felt that my standard didn't decrease even though I was playing Heart of the Swarm, and that made me feel really proud. I'll have even more confidence in the upcoming tournaments."
"My current understanding of the game is still not good enough, and I have to increase the amount that I'm practising, and also to practise with emphases on the right places. Even though I barely had a few days of practice, Terran is different from the other races. The number of new units isn't that many, and the change in terms of play style isn't that great. We just have to be adequately prepared for the changes in the play styles of the other races."
"I want to slowly raise my level of performance, but I'm still a long way from it currently. From an objective standpoint, my current level is already sufficient to contend for championships. It's just that I'm still not satisfied with myself personally. I'll only be satisfied when I reach the peak position I was in in Starcraft 1."
Flash mentioned that even though the changes to Terran were very small in heart of the Swarm, it was extremely charming, and he believes that the game would become more popular very soon. He also said, "Hopefully the fans would be able to come to understand the charms of this game soon".
Target of Winning Championships in Heart of the Swarm
A player who has won plenty of championships in the Starcraft 1 era, Flash hasn't won a single championship after switching to Starcraft 2. This definitely hurt Flash, who had nicknames such as "The Ultimate Weapon" and "God". But he wasn't anxious about it. "It was very disappointing not to have been able to win a championship in the Wings of Liberty era, but I'm now very well adapted to Heart of the Swarm, and I will soon be able to win championships."
Flash also said that he was already prepared. "As long as I'm able to release my potential, I can win any time."
"Currently, I am determined to take it more easy. I believe that some day I will become champion. I am the type of late-bloomer player who becomes stronger as time goes by, and so even though I wasn't able to win in the Wings of Liberty era, I'm not worried. I'm feeling my level of play increasing everyday. In the Wings of Liberty era, I didn't work hard enough, and that's why I wasn't able to win a championship. That's why I will work even harder in Heart of the Swarm."
"The expansion is still new, and so it's very hard to predict a time when I'll win a championship. Rather than setting any special targets, I might as well work really hard. I'm the type of person who can have scary amounts of improvements as long as my potential is released, and so this period of time is the most important."
SPL and GSL will begin in the near future. There's still some time to practise now. and Flash would have to bring himself to the next level by tremendous amounts of practice.
"Now I feel really confident that I'd be able to get good results in GSL. I'm currently working very hard, and I hope to be able to get good results. I've already shown a preview at MLG, and I believe that I'd be able to continue performing well in GSL."
"If I had the chance, I want to take part in many more foreign tournaments. Of course, I also have to increase my level of play, but I really wish to take part in many tournaments. I was filled with regret that I wasn't able to attend any foreign tournaments last year. I hope not just to be able to take part in American tournaments, but also European tournaments as well."
Lastly, when talking about goals for 2013, Flash answered unhesitatingly, "Champion".
"My goal is to win every tournament I attend. Even though this is very difficult to accomplish in reality, I'll never know until I've tried. As long as my potential is released, there is the possibility of attaining the same level of dominance as in Starcraft 1."
At the end of the interview, Flash had some things to say to his fans.
"Through this MLG, I believe many fans have came to understand Heart of the Swarm and even came to like it. With the support that everyone has for me, I will become a player who never stops improving. I'll make use of my current form to grow quickly, and strive to become the best player. Thank you everyone."
Thanks for the interview and flash seems to be really confident and that is good hopefully blizzard gives more incentives to the terran and I dislike the changes from defensive terran to offensive terran but that is another thing because whatever you give flash he will turned it into a miracle with his great mindset and good mechanics . Good luck flash...
"I felt that it should have been impossible to play so well with only 2 days of practice. Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing, but in the end it turned out so well. The head coach and I both didn't expect to be able to achieve such results, and were really surprised."
Well, he definitely has to step it up in order to win several championships. But he obviously has the potential, so I'm looking forward to his growth as a HotS player!
LOL @ "Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing, but in the end it turned out so well. "
Things did not go accordingly - Flash had to keep winning, haha.
On March 28 2013 22:11 Magic_Mike wrote: This guys work ethic, determination, positive attitude and humbleness are an inspiration regardless what field of work you are in.
How can you not agree with that? The guy makes me want to go do something right this second. Great interview.
On March 28 2013 21:12 Weirdkid wrote: There're many people talking about the idea of a new LeeSsang Rok, but I feel that I still have things to improve upon, and really have to work even harder. I am welcoming no matter who becomes my rival."
Interesting how that turns out. Didn't even know Life's name was Lee as well. Would be pretty sad to see a version 2 of that without Jaedong
On March 28 2013 21:40 c0ldfusion wrote: LOL @ "Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing, but in the end it turned out so well. "
Things did not go accordingly - Flash had to keep winning, haha.
What the fuck kind of awful loser mindset is that from the coach. They should sack him. Imagine if a coach in any other sporting event told their player to get eliminated quickly so they can go and piss about in the local town/city.
On March 28 2013 21:40 c0ldfusion wrote: LOL @ "Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing, but in the end it turned out so well. "
Things did not go accordingly - Flash had to keep winning, haha.
What the fuck kind of awful loser mindset is that from the coach. They should sack him. Imagine if a coach in any other sporting event told their player to get eliminated quickly so they can go and piss about in the local town/city.
On March 28 2013 21:40 c0ldfusion wrote: LOL @ "Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing, but in the end it turned out so well. "
Things did not go accordingly - Flash had to keep winning, haha.
What the fuck kind of awful loser mindset is that from the coach. They should sack him. Imagine if a coach in any other sporting event told their player to get eliminated quickly so they can go and piss about in the local town/city.
On March 28 2013 21:40 c0ldfusion wrote: LOL @ "Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing, but in the end it turned out so well. "
Things did not go accordingly - Flash had to keep winning, haha.
What the fuck kind of awful loser mindset is that from the coach. They should sack him. Imagine in a coach in any other sporting event told their player to get eliminated quickly so they can go and piss about in the local town/city.
Probably the best coach in proleague right now, obviously half kidding about the lack of practice. Take a chill pill.
On March 28 2013 21:40 c0ldfusion wrote: LOL @ "Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing, but in the end it turned out so well. "
Things did not go accordingly - Flash had to keep winning, haha.
What the fuck kind of awful loser mindset is that from the coach. They should sack him. Imagine if a coach in any other sporting event told their player to get eliminated quickly so they can go and piss about in the local town/city.
You know that was probably not serious and just an extra motivational push right?
"I felt that it should have been impossible to play so well with only 2 days of practice. Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing, but in the end it turned out so well. The head coach and I both didn't expect to be able to achieve such results, and were really surprised."
Haha, that got me laughing right there :D
Same here! Haha, I wonder how many other coaches actually do this.
On March 28 2013 21:40 c0ldfusion wrote: LOL @ "Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing, but in the end it turned out so well. "
Things did not go accordingly - Flash had to keep winning, haha.
What the fuck kind of awful loser mindset is that from the coach. They should sack him. Imagine if a coach in any other sporting event told their player to get eliminated quickly so they can go and piss about in the local town/city.
Just the Coach who made him.
chill the fuck out and stop taking everything so serious...
On March 28 2013 21:40 c0ldfusion wrote: LOL @ "Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing, but in the end it turned out so well. "
Things did not go accordingly - Flash had to keep winning, haha.
What the fuck kind of awful loser mindset is that from the coach. They should sack him. Imagine if a coach in any other sporting event told their player to get eliminated quickly so they can go and piss about in the local town/city.
Would be awesome to see him get back to his former glory and start winning everything. Life beat him pretty handily though, so hope that practice is paying off.
On March 28 2013 21:12 Weirdkid wrote: There're many people talking about the idea of a new LeeSsang Rok, but I feel that I still have things to improve upon, and really have to work even harder. I am welcoming no matter who becomes my rival."
Interesting how that turns out. Didn't even know Life's name was Lee as well. Would be pretty sad to see a version 2 of that without Jaedong
Part of me kinda welcomes a LeeSsang Rok 2.0 though. Classic rivalries are amazing but sometimes I welcome a new generation. I still want jaedong to become a boss though!
Lastly, when talking about goals for 2013, Flash answered unhesitatingly, "Champion".
Obviously haha
thats like i saying "i will be still alive next month" its something so clear ,.. something you cant think otherwise its just the way things will work and if he doesnt die ... he will be champion ^^ thats no goal, thats future reality
I love talking to people who get a league promotion to whatever league and then think they're hot shit and don't need to practice. Not in Flash's world. I bet if the same questions were posed in 2014 after winning every 2013 event he entered, he would still say that his play wasn't up to his own standards and that he was looking forward to his upcoming epic practice sessions and the improvements he'd be making.
This is why we love Flash. Truly inspiring. I'm going to go practice now...
On March 28 2013 23:26 Ensue wrote: Great interview! Glad to see these detailed answers compared to some of our other favorites *coughTaejaandLifecough*
Considering how long guys like Flash and Jaedong have been in the spotlight not to mention the workshops they've had in KeSPA when it comes to putting themselves out there. The answers you get from them will be good.
On March 28 2013 21:40 c0ldfusion wrote: LOL @ "Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing, but in the end it turned out so well. "
Things did not go accordingly - Flash had to keep winning, haha.
What the fuck kind of awful loser mindset is that from the coach. They should sack him. Imagine if a coach in any other sporting event told their player to get eliminated quickly so they can go and piss about in the local town/city.
you fucking serious, this is fucking coach lee, who fucking lead KT to the finals of proleague 3 times in a row and won 2 of them.
no scratch that, I'll do you even better, hes the one whos been there for flash since the beginning of his career.
That interview gave me chills. He looked scary good at MLG...I don't see how he doesn't grab some kind of championship this year. He is definitely right about Innovations TvZ being way better at the moment. 2 days of practice at HotS- wow lol.
All pros - foreign and korean should read that interview and take note of that drive, determination and mindest. THAT is what this is about.
On March 28 2013 22:11 Magic_Mike wrote: This guys work ethic, determination, positive attitude and humbleness are an inspiration regardless what field of work you are in.
So true, he's the definition of a consummate professional.
On March 28 2013 22:11 Magic_Mike wrote: This guys work ethic, determination, positive attitude and humbleness are an inspiration regardless what field of work you are in.
So true, he's the definition of a consummate professional.
that's why he was the best bw player ever, hopefully he wins code S this season ^^
On March 28 2013 21:40 c0ldfusion wrote: LOL @ "Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing, but in the end it turned out so well. "
Things did not go accordingly - Flash had to keep winning, haha.
What the fuck kind of awful loser mindset is that from the coach. They should sack him. Imagine if a coach in any other sporting event told their player to get eliminated quickly so they can go and piss about in the local town/city.
You honestly didn't see how that probally put pressure off flash's shoulders and made him relax?
Broken sarcasm detectors gets waaay too much attention on TL
On March 28 2013 22:11 Magic_Mike wrote: This guys work ethic, determination, positive attitude and humbleness are an inspiration regardless what field of work you are in.
So true, he's the definition of a consummate professional.
that's why he was the best bw player ever, hopefully he wins code S this season ^^
Imagine a Flash vs Life re-match in the finals of this coming code S season. I'm seriously getting goosebumps just thinking about it now.
I was only able to see Flash's play on Youtube videos years after I realized that there was such a thing as competitive Starcraft: Brood War. To see him rise again in this day and age would be absolutely thrilling to watch for me.
I agree that Flash personifies professionalism. A cool demeanor, confident without cockiness, appropriately humble and guarded against an unknowable future while simultaneously prioritizing practice, introspection, and effort. He is the Horatio Alger story of SC.
On March 28 2013 21:40 c0ldfusion wrote: LOL @ "Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing, but in the end it turned out so well. "
Things did not go accordingly - Flash had to keep winning, haha.
What the fuck kind of awful loser mindset is that from the coach. They should sack him. Imagine if a coach in any other sporting event told their player to get eliminated quickly so they can go and piss about in the local town/city.
Umm.. Actually, I thought it was quite wise. I'm sure he said it jokingly and wasn't trying to get Flash to forfeit his games or anything. It may have even been the reason Flash did so well. He obviously had no pressure and was able to play to his fullest. How many other plays can say that?
On March 28 2013 21:40 c0ldfusion wrote: LOL @ "Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing, but in the end it turned out so well. "
Things did not go accordingly - Flash had to keep winning, haha.
What the fuck kind of awful loser mindset is that from the coach. They should sack him. Imagine if a coach in any other sporting event told their player to get eliminated quickly so they can go and piss about in the local town/city.
I think you are confused as to the role of a coach right before an big event, because it isn’t to make the player want to win. Players can be their own worst enemies at events like this and lose the game in their own head long before they build their first worker. The coaches job is to keep the player focus and make sure they are not stressed. If Flash was concerned with his lack of practice, I am sure the coach was trying to tell Flash that it didn’t matter if he was eliminated early. Flash is going to have the mindset of a winner, it’s the coaches job to make sure that Flash is at the top of his game.
In short, Flash always shows up to win, the coach has nothing to do with that.
This is why I love Korean interviews above all else. People complain that they're boring because koreans all say the same thing, but the truth is that they're telling a lot of us what we don't want to hear. Others are bitching about their time in korea, imbalances, their struggle to find meaning, motivation, being in a slump, etc. You will not be blessed by the Talent Fairy. You don't fucking wait for inspiration, you don't wait to get un-depressed, you don't wait until it's fun again. You work your ass off through all the lows and highs and ups and downs until you're a god.
On March 29 2013 00:43 Snoodles wrote: This is why I love Korean interviews above all else. People complain that they're boring because koreans all say the same thing, but the truth is that they're telling a lot of us what we don't want to hear. Others are bitching about their time in korea, imbalances, their struggle to find meaning, motivation, being in a slump, etc. You will not be blessed by the Talent Fairy. You don't fucking wait for inspiration, you don't wait to get un-depressed, you don't wait until it's fun again. You work your ass off through all the lows and highs and ups and downs until you're a god.
After reading this interview its pretty apparent that Flash's mindset is on a completely different level than most players in starcraft. It reminds me of reading interviews of other athletes who completely dominate their sport and I have no doubt Flash will once again reign supreme in HoTS.
YES YES YES :D sorry I have the biggest nerd crush on this guy, ever since he was invited on the GOM for BW tournament, I became his fan , this guys knows the rewards of hardwork
Flash is a good role model, and a true hard worker.
When talking about why he did not get any championships in WoL he does not simply use imbalance or fatigue as scapegoats, but rather says that he simply did not work hard enough, showing that it is indeed his own fault if he does not meet his goals. Many other professional players can learn from this so that they do not whine about imbalance or they were suffering from jet lag etc. I admire his work mentality, which obviously stems from his tough BW regime. I feel that Flash has the determination and willpower to catapult him to the position of one of the best HotS players one day as soon as his potential is released.
Hopefully Flash can start off on a Code S run by making it through his RO32 group next month.
Flash fighting! Been a fan, is a fan, will still be a fan! Mow em down <3 I realize, with all the talk and comparisons between SCBW and SC2...It's the players that will make me come back. Flash will make me watch tournaments again!
On March 29 2013 00:53 furlyman wrote: After reading this interview its pretty apparent that Flash's mindset is on a completely different level than most players in starcraft. It reminds me of reading interviews of other athletes who completely dominate their sport and I have no doubt Flash will once again reign supreme in HoTS.
I couldn't agree more. Flash works hard, and hard work normally pays off.
On March 29 2013 00:50 Xpace wrote: Two days -> 2nd place
What the fuck???
Has never touched a computer until middle school -> BW bonjwa. I believe it.
Are you telling me he played his first televised BW match not much more than a year after touching a computer for the first time?
indeed it is true.
wat
And unlike us, he got to sneak to PC bangs in Korea to play. It's like not he was practicing over 8 hours a day on a computer at home or anything when he first started.
I really wanna see someone make a fan video of Flash with his biggest moments and biggest quote. Like some kind of motivational video This guy is just so difficult not to admire.
I wish more foreigners had this attitude but the new thing as of lately seems to be "Im an E-sports personality". EG particularly seems to have had a meeting one day were they sat the foreign players down and said "you can be interesting or you can win, choose one".
On March 29 2013 01:42 Serimek wrote: "Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing"
I always wondered what Flash think of MVP. Anyone knows about that ?
I think Flash said MVP's style resembles his in one interview when Flash switched to SC2.
PS: MVP's most notable achievement in BW Is taking a game off from Flash with mass Battlecruisers (a style which he brought over to SC2 XD).
"Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing"
Made me chuckle.
"But Zergs have no need to despair. Just like Terrans did in Wings of Liberty, imbalance between the races can be countered to a certain extent through practice. So let's all keep working hard. If things really don't work out, then all we can do is to wait for Blizzard to patch it"
ROFL 2 days of practice and he stomps everyone going into the final. When I think of all these foreigners who were practicing the beta for months and were supposed to turn the tide after everyone switched to HotS .... I guess some things never change ...
Can't deny i hope he will regain his power and winning mentality he had in SC1 will carry over to SC2. He is one of the most hard working progamers in know
On March 29 2013 02:59 ChApFoU wrote: ROFL 2 days of practice and he stomps everyone going into the final. When I think of all these foreigners who were practicing the beta for months and were supposed to turn the tide after everyone switched to HotS .... I guess some things never change ...
I think the amount of experience playing on stage and having to think strategically for so many years shines through a couple months of practice. So I wouldn't harp on the foreigners to much. Plus Ret did really well.
Would love to see him in more tournaments, it must've been hard to unravel the years of ingrained timings and reactions of defensive Terran and rebuild it into that offensive play. I wonder how he would be if Terran of SC2 was closer to Terran of BW in terms of general gameplans.
When you watch the production tab and his sense of timing, it's just ridiculous. Very fun games.
Such a boss hahaha. Flash is truly a genius among geniuses, and the scary part is - he doesn't believe it! Which is why he keeps pushing and pushing himself by practicing, because he's never truly satisfied. Even with his controversial "enlightenment" interview, he was always keenly aware that there was always something to improve on, something to perfect.
Funnily enough, this also reminds me of Allen Iverson's infamous practice rant during a presscon. Flash is his complete opposite.
This is an amazing interview and every foreigner should read it and strive to be what Flash showed in this interview. With this kind of attitude I an strongly confident he will be the best sometime this year.
On March 29 2013 03:11 NeonFlare wrote: Would love to see him in more tournaments, it must've been hard to unravel the years of ingrained timings and reactions of defensive Terran and rebuild it into that offensive play. I wonder how he would be if Terran of SC2 was closer to Terran of BW in terms of general gameplans.
When you watch the production tab and his sense of timing, it's just ridiculous. Very fun games.
I guess it's easier to change up your play to an offensive style of play when you're already have the mechanics to execute it than going from some kind of aggression god to a turtle player (see Bisu). I wonder how it would look if Flash played sc2 Protoss.
On March 29 2013 03:11 NeonFlare wrote: Would love to see him in more tournaments, it must've been hard to unravel the years of ingrained timings and reactions of defensive Terran and rebuild it into that offensive play. I wonder how he would be if Terran of SC2 was closer to Terran of BW in terms of general gameplans.
When you watch the production tab and his sense of timing, it's just ridiculous. Very fun games.
I guess it's easier to change up your play to an offensive style of play when you're already have the mechanics to execute it than going from some kind of aggression god to a turtle player (see Bisu). I wonder how it would look if Flash played sc2 Protoss.
The problem is that the mechanics required to play protoss in sc2 are completely different from any type of bw mechanics. Sc2 terran mechanics on the other hand are somewhat comparable to bw mechanics (regardless of which race you played).
On March 29 2013 00:50 Xpace wrote: Two days -> 2nd place
What the fuck???
Has never touched a computer until middle school -> BW bonjwa. I believe it.
Are you telling me he played his first televised BW match not much more than a year after touching a computer for the first time?
I'm telling you he told his parents (who were against him being a progamer) that he'd use 3 (iirc) months to get pro at BW after learning of the game or he'd quit it in favor of school.
So new school he didn't even know some of the famous old maps like guillotine I remember someone saying on TL
It's awesome when you get a super talented individual who also tops out on the dedication chart. Love this guy. Sadly, he alone will probably get medivacs nerfed LOL
Go Flash! I was cheering for him the whole tournament. I'm glad to see this interview though: it confirmed my suspicion that he really didn't practice much in HotS before the tournament. That really reflected in the matches against Life.
If Flash hasn't even released his full potential yet, Flash is looking to be an amazing HotS player. After all, he went to the MLG finals with only 2 days of practice. With a couple of months of practice, he might come close, or even obtain, his former glory in SC1. Good luck to Flash!
Right now Flash is at the learning stage. He's on equal footing with alot of the top tier players. But I have firm belief, because of his amazing workhorse mentality, his overflowing confidence, mind games that is bar none (better than mvp's or JD's ), and that he WANTS to be the best, he'll reach domination status 6month-1 year after the launch date of HoTS (september - march) Truthfully, even as a hardcore flash fan, I dont see Flash as the favorite to win this GSL although he has a very good chance to, but I think that'll change over time. I think people sometimes forget how special this guy is.. being dominant in sc:bw, then becoming dominant at a completely new game is absolute insanity. The player who was closest to reach domination on both games was Nada but I think Flash will bypass him.
On March 29 2013 01:01 BLinD-RawR wrote: I'm still not convinced that he is capable of reaching god mode again.
And people were sure that the Nate MSL meant that the LeeSsangRok rivalry was relatively even.
Flash will find a way.
EDIT: I'm also really amused by the train of SKT fans praising Flash on this page lolols...ah, the days when [Insert SKT player here] vs Flash would send out groans from SKT fans across the internet.
Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing, but in the end it turned out so well.
He is a good player but keep whinning about balance even when terran is clearly strong. When he was getting bad results in WoL all he did was cry about terran being too weak etc etc
Uh, I have not heard him whine about balance. In fact his comments on balance have been very mature and reasonable. Life balance whined in his winning interview for MLG yet you root you him...
"My goal is to win every tournament I attend. Even though this is very difficult to accomplish in reality, I'll never know until I've tried. As long as my potential is released, there is the possibility of attaining the same level of dominance as in Starcraft 1."
Its too bad that the power of Global ESPORTS has made it impossible for him to win every single event in a year.
On March 29 2013 09:57 Dudasc wrote: He is a good player but keep whinning about balance even when terran is clearly strong. When he was getting bad results in WoL all he did was cry about terran being too weak etc etc
I just hope Life smashes this kid
He's the best player in RTS throughout history and nobody can deny that. I don't think anyone is more qualified to talk about balance then he is and I think you should respect his view and take it into consideration. "Smashes this kid?" wow.
On March 29 2013 06:08 EpiK wrote: That's really interesting what he says about Innovation. Flash's series against him was definitely the best tvt i've seen in a while.
Innovation is said to have posted a ladder record of something like 100 wins and 30 losses in a span of week (not too long ago). He's clearly the #1 terran right now.
On March 29 2013 11:10 Teim wrote: Great interview. I've never seen a player with such ambition and dedication. Can't wait to see him in the next GSL.
You gathered this from the interview?
Impossible to know, in my opinion. All Koreans say the exact same thing in interviews. "I know I lose. But I practice hard next time. I win next time."
On March 29 2013 06:08 EpiK wrote: That's really interesting what he says about Innovation. Flash's series against him was definitely the best tvt i've seen in a while.
Innovation is said to have posted a ladder record of something like 100 wins and 30 losses in a span of week (not too long ago). He's clearly the #1 terran right now.
I'd say they're very close. As Flash said, Innovation TvZ right now is mind-boggling, but at the same time Flash did destroy him in TvT. So maybe Innovation is the new Light (minus being horrible at TvP)
On March 29 2013 06:08 EpiK wrote: That's really interesting what he says about Innovation. Flash's series against him was definitely the best tvt i've seen in a while.
Innovation is said to have posted a ladder record of something like 100 wins and 30 losses in a span of week (not too long ago). He's clearly the #1 terran right now.
Yeah, that explains why he beat Flash in that series.
On March 29 2013 06:08 EpiK wrote: That's really interesting what he says about Innovation. Flash's series against him was definitely the best tvt i've seen in a while.
Innovation is said to have posted a ladder record of something like 100 wins and 30 losses in a span of week (not too long ago). He's clearly the #1 terran right now.
Yeah, that explains why he beat Flash in that series.
That series could have gone either way though and Innovation is stronger in TvZ and arguably TvP than Flash. At least based on pure results lately. Will be interesting to see what Flash can do in Code S
Innovation is clearly the best TvZer in the world right now, but his TvP is probably not quite as strong as God's and his TvT is definitely not as good.
Flash had weak TvT, but now he's godlike at it (very early on he was bad at all matchups, but worst at PvT, soon he was one of the best at PvT in the world). He will bring this improvement to his TvZ, count on it.
Now I only hope Fantasy is listening and shows that HE is the next bonjwa (follow in the footsteps of Boxer!).
On March 28 2013 21:40 c0ldfusion wrote: LOL @ "Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing, but in the end it turned out so well. "
Things did not go accordingly - Flash had to keep winning, haha.
That coach sounds like a fun dude. No pressure, just do your thing.
We can see the reason why he became so freaking good in BW. It's not his talent (though he is sure talented), it's his extreme dedication to practice. This is why foreigners never reach the same peaks, no foreigners practice in the same way. It's ultimately his dedication to being the best that makes him so good.
Well, he only had 2 days to practice the HotS and won the 2nd place. Nice for him! He is so talented in starcraft that I wish he will destroy the HotS in the coming GSL championship games. Go Flash!
Reading that interview, it really sounds like Flash is the definition of a professional. Always striving to improve, knowing that he can dominate as long as he works harder, it's inspiring.
Crazy to think that if he got more practice he woulda known how much better tanks were to wmines in those situations and woulda handled life's bling ling combo with ease
On March 29 2013 02:08 mechengineer123 wrote: Yeah, I was kind of sad when Flash beat Innovation because I'm certain Innovation would've smashed Life. Very nice interview.
This showcases the luck involved in SC; the tournament brackets. If Innovation knocked Life out, Flash would have been the champ most likely.
On March 28 2013 21:40 c0ldfusion wrote: LOL @ "Because I had so little practice, the head coach was telling me to get eliminated quickly so we could go sight-seeing, but in the end it turned out so well. "
Things did not go accordingly - Flash had to keep winning, haha.
That coach sounds like a fun dude. No pressure, just do your thing.
That's coach lee all right always pulling out the jokes ><.
Thanks for the translation! I'm glad Seeker has a buddy
On March 29 2013 02:08 mechengineer123 wrote: Yeah, I was kind of sad when Flash beat Innovation because I'm certain Innovation would've smashed Life. Very nice interview.
You're certain Innovation would've smashed Life? ... We're talking about the same Life right?