Song Byung Goo: The Little Protoss That Could

      I could write about Stork’s incredible play throughout the past OSL, MSL, and ProLeague for days. He went virtually undefeated through the group stages of both tournaments as he faced some of the stiffest competition in the player pool. He progressed to the MSL finals and OSL quarters with relative ease, all the while maintaining a 15-4 Proleague record. He won the MSL wildcards, played back to back days week after week, and snagged 4 Ace match wins as he paved the way for his team’s #1 spot in the PL ranks. During the quarter finals of the two StarLeagues, Stork was in the position to achieve the “Triple Crown”, had he won all 3 major tournaments. (OSL/MSL/PL) The only other player to get close enough for fans to humour the possibility was Savior at the peak of his dominance, showing that Stork’s exceptional performance this season will go down in the books as one of the best 3 month runs for any player in the history of StarCraft. The day before his all important 3rd/4th place battle against Flash for a seed in the next OSL, he sat in Samsung’s regular ProLeague line up, playing a player of a different race, on a map that wasn’t in the pool for the Flash series, took care of business with a convincing win and after a quick meal and sleep, bounced back to the big stage to smack Flash around for a 3-0 victory... all in a day’s work for the most active Professional StarCraft player in the world.

      The series against Flash was interesting in that it got off to such a strange start. Stork’s early game play was horrendous, as he lost tons of probes to multiple vulture raids and got almost nothing for his reaver, it seemed that all was lost. But Flash played it safe instead of going immediately for the kill, which opened the door for one of the most spectacular comebacks I have ever witnessed in a professional game. Stork clawed his way back using perfectly timed Carriers and beautifully placed storms. Most players would have given the "gg" after losing their entire army to a blob of tanks, but Stork saw victory where others would dare not look. From there, Stork dismantled Flash in the following two games. Perhaps this is simply the proof of what Boxer saw in Stork all along. The same “never say die” attitude that rewarded Lim Yo Hwan with legendary comeback victories throughout his career seems to be present in heart of this young Protoss as well.

Stork's Boxer-like comeback in Game 1 against Flash.

+ Show Spoiler [All of Game 1] +
+ Show Spoiler [Games 2 and 3] +

      The only thing more dazzling than the list of players that Stork has pummeled in the past 3 months is the absolutely ludicrous schedule of games that he has maintained. This man has spent so much time on stage his skin is tanned by the spotlight. I have been completely captivated by Stork’s presence in Progaming this season and I know I’m not the only one.

      Stork plays so well and works so hard, that it would be foolish not to acknowledge him as a great player. However, that is only part of the reason I admire him so much. His style is undeniably strong and aggressive. From his goon heavy, perfectly timed tank wall breaks to his zealot heavy, in-your-face PvZ, Stork presses the action and reacts exceptionally to his opponents. Many Protoss players achieve success with cute builds, claiming to be “strategists”, but eventually fall apart when their luck runs out. Stork will throw odd proxy builds at you, but only as any other pro would, to keep the opposition guessing. Against anything but the absolute best competition, Stork’s decision making and timing is so superb it’s all that is necessary to win him game after game. He plays Protoss like a Terran player. Multitasking, maximizing unit effectiveness through timing and smooth micro, and macroing his face off to steam roll unsuspecting opponents with Oov-esque waves of units. He does it all, giving his style a notable depth that I can only describe as strength. It is this solid quality that shows in game after game, giving him the consistency to simultaneously stand as a dominating force in the three most competitive SC tournaments in the world.

A legend sits next to a legend in the making.
      However, Stork has not been infallible. For such a seasoned player, he showed a lack of maturity in the MSL finals against Bisu. He executed poorly at key times, lost advantages, and ultimately acknowledged his poor performance in a controversial post game interview. As a fan, I couldn’t help but be disappointed, but as I reflect on it now, it almost makes me more excited about his future. It was the first big tournament finals series that he had ever played in and he was facing the defending champion. As we all know, the stakes greatly affect the game, whether it be football, poker, or StarCraft. It’s clear that Stork found it difficult to compete under such conditions. His uncharacteristically sloppy play in what is statistically his best matchup was difficult to watch, but like the work horse he is, Stork didn’t let it slow him down. He hasn’t lost a game since that series and still shows his best each time he grabs a mouse.

      Stork is now seeded for the next OSL and MSL once again. His team is moving forward in the PL playoffs and will no doubt use him as a 1v1 crutch as they attempt to seize the title. We will continue to see Stork stand out as one of the best, if not the best, Protoss player in the land and his time for a title will come.

      The prophecy of the Terran Emperor will come true, and when it does, I’ll be sitting back and smiling ear to ear. We’ve seen flash in the pan players come out of nowhere to steal a title and inevitably fall victim to one “curse” or another, but not Stork. You’re going to see him coming. When he gets his status as a champion, and he will, it will be built upon a string of wins a mile long and a reputation as the hardest working Progamer in the sport today.

Last edit: 2007-07-18 21:58:04