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| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Jangbi
(P) (stats) |
+3 |
1 |
****THIS RANK CONTAINS RECENT SPOILERS, BEWARE****
This has caused me physical pain. I hope you're happy, teamliquid!
Now, I know this is going to put some people up in arms. Hell, I was about ready to grab my battleaxe and introduce the masses to the joy of having their heads removed. But, let's analyze a few things:
1) Of the consistantly top 5 players over the last two months, who has not dropped questionable games? Jaedong is only 6-4 in his last 10, with losses against players he shouldn't lose to, if we are to believe Jaedong is still as good as ever. Flash has been playing chumps, and while he has won against those chumps, the games were nothing impressive. Bisu + Show Spoiler [RECENT SPOILER] +dropped every game in OSL/MSL and is already eliminated from both leagues
2) While the Power Rank focuses primarily on who is playing the best, it is heavily affected by results. Not statistics, results. If a player loses a ProLeague game to a nobody who cheeses him, whatever. If a player comes crashing to the earth like a meteorite in the beginning stages of both majors, we have something that is relevant.
Now, I wouldn't say that Jangbi is the most skilled player around right now. However, he has certainly been the most consistant. Despite the fact that Bisu may be better in two matchups, a player who doesn't win a single game in OSL/MSL can't be #1.
So, Jangbi sneaks into the top spot for lack of a better alternative. No other player in the top 5 during the last six weeks or so has been performing at the level their rank dictates. While I might have a migraine for six hours, and an unsightly blemish appears at the top of the Power Rank for a while, there is no other candidate. Jangbi has been consistantly powerful. His games are top-level, his losses are close games where he himself plays well (which is incredibly important). It seems likely that a resurgence by any of the other giants of ProGaming could knock Jangbi off his post, but at the moment, the rest of the field simply does not deserve the honor.
Yes, I realize Jangbi is not in OSL. But, as a semifinalist in GOM who has showed dominant gameplay throughout, the gap is sufficiently filled. |
| 2. |
Leta
(T) (stats) |
- |
1 |
People who followed the comments on last month's PR (and I use the term "month" loosely, sorry!) will understand this placement. For those of you who didn't, let me recap:
Leta is a player who focuses on safety above all else. He plays a slow, methodical game that should be a learning experience for every aspiring Terran. He plays by the book, and he does it well. My concern with Leta is that his game would need something more should he find himself in a series against one of the best.
So what happens when Leta continues to play well, and the rest of the field don't live up to their names? Leta passes them all by. It doesn't matter how safe and standard Leta plays, considering how well he does it. While it may not be enough to win a title (which is pure speculation right now, we shall see what happens), it's certainly enough that if the top players (who are at least more experienced and in some cases exceptionally strong in series play) don't play like top players, Leta deserves the rank more.
This placement will seem high to a lot of people, I know. The fact of the matter is that Leta's "slow and steady" approach to StarCraft has simply been more effective lately than the other top players' "maybe I'll play great today, maybe I won't" approach. Look for Leta in a semifinal soon, and we'll see what he's really made of. For now, he deserves this placement. |
| 3. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Flash has played two kinds of opponents recently: Good opponents, and bad opponents. Against all of the bad opponents, he simply took them for a casual stroll along the beach before pointing out some seagulls and snapping their necks while their attention was diverted. Pretty birds! Nothing any other high-ranked player couldn't do.
When Flash played good opponents, he didn't play well. The exception here, and the most relevant series to this placement, was his white-knuckled nail-biting my-mother-is-in-the-hospital-with-an-exploded-pancreas-but-I-can't-miss-these-games series against Bisu in GOM. God, what a series. Exceptional play from both sides, a clinic of how to effectively play Protoss against the best goddamned Terran you've ever seen.
Still, he lost the series, and a shot at the GOM title. His losses to other top players were nowhere near as impressive from a gameplay standpoint. That certainly hurt him. But, after qualifying for both leagues, and the colossal fuck-ups by most of his peers, Flash's spot at #3 is secure. Everyone still views this kid as a threat, and rightfully so. If the other top players fell off the train, Flash has a deathgrip on the handrail outside the last car, his legs flapping in the wind. Technically, he's still on the train. |
| 4. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
+4 |
1 |
Jaedong's been shaky, his play hasn't been what we're used to seeing. Still, he has come up with major wins at crucial moments. After a somewhat surprising loss to Canata in Survivor, Jaedong won a second game against Skyhigh, who is finally showing more than just his practice partners how good he is.
6-4 in his last 10 games may not look so hot, but if we go back six more, it turns into 12-4. That looks a little nicer, eh? With some questionable Ace match losses, something Jaedong has excelled at for years, Jaedong rises on the Power Rank, but can't claim a spot in the top 3. He's in both MSL and OSL, too. As always with this guy, Jaedong's fate is in his own hands. His success will make or break his Power Rank placement, and a high placement is deserved for overall much more consistant gameplay than the field below him. |
| 5. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
-4 |
1 |
What the hell, Bisu?
This should be obvious, with four wins necessary to advance in both leagues, Bisu managed to create four losses instead. Yes, Bisu is out of OSL and MSL. Seriously. Against ZERGS. And he PLAYED BAD!
So Bisu, what the hell? It'd take a string of massive ProLeague wins and a GOM title to keep the Taek-Bang era alive. |
| 6. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
-4 |
1 |
Many moons ago, a wise man said 'Stork sucks'.
That wise man drank from a fountain he filled with his own tears, every night, as Stork took win after win, stormed through to an OSL title, and made every Zerg he played (save Jaedong) look rather foolish.
Now, that wise man is back on top of his mountain, screaming at the clouds and whatever else will listen, hoping they don't remember that Stork played like a champion for a solid year.
As you may have guessed, that wise man is a part of me. The mountain he lives on is my pride, my glory, my reputation. And lordy, LORDY, did Stork show me what the fuck is up. I guess he couldn't play bad forever. I also guess (wow, awkward phrase eh?) that he couldn't play good forever, because most of his recent games have been trash. Garbage, refuse, compost, and so on. This guy, the guy who slew Best in OSL, lost in GOM to BACKHO.
I'll let that sink in for a moment.
...
...
Got it? Backho?
...
I KNOW.
+ Show Spoiler [Erection Deactivate] +Yeah, Stork has been playing bad. He's still Stork, he's still the most talented Protoss player around. I'm sure this is just a momentary lapse of concentration, effort, what have you. Stork's career is far from over, and I fully expect him to turn his sinking ship into a submarine and infiltrate all our gulfs. |
| 7. |
BeSt[HyO]
(P) (stats) |
0 |
2 |
After a dismal November, Best put together a savage win streak. Then, he lost to Skyhigh in GOM. Skyhigh played great, but there were definitely steps Best could have taken to win that series. Still, Best has been performing pretty well lately. He's been thrust into the spotlight after his very quick accustomation to the hectic lifestyle of the ProGamer, and while the road isn't without its potholes, he's been chugging along.
It was a very close call between Best and the next guy on the list for 7th, but in the end, the spot has to be given to Best. |
| 8. |
Firebathero
(T) (stats) |
-2 |
4 |
I hope we're all over the shock of seeing FireBatHero on the PR last month.
Let's face the facts, sports fans: FBH is still playing great. He drops a bit simply because he doesn't yet deserve placement above the five players who topped last month's Rank, and there's a new face to compete with as well.
FBH's recent string of victories has landed him with an 11-4 record over his last 15 games. Those four losses were against Best (Protoss), Mind (TvT mastermind), July (Ok, maybe this one is a little funny, but July has balls the size of watermelons), and Saint (A zerg who can and will win or lose against anyone).
Seriously, FBH is playing well. It's entirely possible that his MSL run will end as soon as he finds himself in a series against a Protoss, but he is playing well. There's not many players who can handle his TvZ and TvT right now, so let's forget his antics and give credit where its due. |
| 9. |
YellOw[ArnC]
(Z) (stats) |
- |
7 |
Wow, finally another Zerg!
Yarnc hasn't been "great" per se, but since Yarnc's problem has never been an inability to play top-level Zerg, but with his inability to play even passable Zerg in every game. Yarnc really, really sucks sometimes.
However, despite the softness of his competition in OSL (910 and Rock, lord have mercy), Yarnc went 4-0 to qualify for the Round of 16. If Yarnc is winning games, he is winning them with ferocity, because there is no middle ground for this man. He is a shining star, or a puddle of goo on the sidewalk. |
| 10. |
Hwasin
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
Was I the only one who thought we'd never see this guy's face on the Power Rank again?
Well, despite playing like an infant with no arms or eyes or cognitive ability for months on end, Hwasin has crushed a bunch of people, put together a nice little win streak, and crashed into both MSL and OSL. Well done Hwasin, we all thought you were dead! |
 FakeSteve[TPR] Valhalla. January 16 2009 00:44. Posts 17062 | Profile Blog # |
Whoo! Long writeup this time. It's completely necessary, because there is much to explain. Hope you all enjoy it, and let's get some discussion going! Tell me how wrong I am  |
| | Resident League of Legends & Street Fighter guru - " I know alot of words including tabernacle." - FuDDx ~~~ vrok, newest FakeSteve Fan Club member (55)! |  |
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| Sunyveil United States. January 16 2009 00:47. Posts 3765 | Profile Blog # |
jangbi??? -.-
will read.
edit: he still would have lost to BackHo.Last edit: 2009-01-16 00:49:16 |
| | Every time Leta wins, a puppy is born // .risingdragoon finds fat women attractive |  |
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| DennizR Sweden. January 16 2009 00:51. Posts 638 | Profile # |
| I like jangbi at #1 ! In fact whole top 5 looks good. I'd put free in 8th and boot out yarnc though. |
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 heyoka Administrator January 16 2009 00:52. | Profile Blog # |
| JANGBI JANGBI HES OUR MAN |
| | @RealHeyoka |  |
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| arbiter_md Moldova. January 16 2009 00:52. Posts 800 | Profile # |
| You are just wrong. Should have kept Bisu for no.1 and wait one month until decide who deserves this spot. |
| | The copyright of this post belongs solely to me. Nobody else, not teamliquid, not greetech and not even blizzard have any share of this copyright. You can copy, distribute, use in commercial purposes the content of this post or parts of it freely. |  |
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| wtflah United States. January 16 2009 00:55. Posts 92 | Profile # |
Btw, bisu did win one game in the MSL, against Magma.
To the person above, someone eliminated from both leagues and so devastatingly doesn't deserve #1.Last edit: 2009-01-16 00:56:37 |
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| Pioneer January 16 2009 00:55. Posts 994 | Profile # |
Leta & Hwasin 
and arbiter_md did you even watch Bisu getting crushed in MSL/OSL? He went from being the best PvZer to a guy getting raped by a slumping Savior, a bad ZvPer, and a no name (all 3 Z) and bitching about maps. I love Bisu but after that whole string of events he should be lucky to be where he is on the PR ;/.Last edit: 2009-01-16 00:56:04 |
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| spydernoob Canada. January 16 2009 00:55. Posts 1066 | Profile Blog # |
| if anything bisu should be lower then 5. watching him get manhandled by zero was lol |
| | wraiths go pew pew |  |
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| DownMaxX Canada. January 16 2009 00:56. Posts 1282 | Profile # |
On January 16 2009 00:52 arbiter_md wrote:
You are just wrong. Should have kept Bisu for no.1 and wait one month until decide who deserves this spot.
First is a tough call, and very debatable, but imho Bisu doesn't deserve it. He's just not on top of his game right now. Getting booted out of both the OSL and MSL by B-players of his best matchup and blaming the maps... |
| | parasite | |
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| Purind Canada. January 16 2009 00:57. Posts 3374 | Profile Blog # |
| Weeeeeeeeird power rank because of the top two, but when I step back and think about it, who deserves it more? |
| | Trucy Wright is hot | |
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| FakeSteve[TPR] Valhalla. January 16 2009 00:57. Posts 17062 | Profile Blog # |
On January 16 2009 00:55 wtflah wrote:
Btw, bisu did win one game in the MSL, against Magma.
To the person above, someone eliminated from both leagues and so devastatingly doesn't deserve #1.
I would hardly call two dogs sniffing each other's butts a "won game of starcraft"
I like Bisu, but it's hard to be nice after such a dismal display. |
| | Resident League of Legends & Street Fighter guru - " I know alot of words including tabernacle." - FuDDx ~~~ vrok, newest FakeSteve Fan Club member (55)! | |
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 Carnac Germany. January 16 2009 00:57. Posts 16369 | Profile Blog # |
nice ranking, but I miss Pokju  |
| | Faith means making a virtue out of not thinking | |
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| raga4ka Bulgaria. January 16 2009 00:58. Posts 4999 | Profile # |
LoL leta Skyrocketing to # 2 spot , can't say i'm to much surprised , but i was thinking top 5 not top 3  . Leta sure does deserve it , thought i am curious how he will do againts Jaedong/Flash/Stork or similar strength players .
July and the rest of the dragons for CNBC . Also skyhigh , Effort and some other good performers for CNBC such as Mind and some other company ....Last edit: 2009-01-16 01:02:51 |
| | "For the progamer of today and ad infinitum, there will always be the ceiling that is Ma Jae-Yoon. Look on his works, ye mighty, and despair" -Xxio |  |
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| Sunyveil United States. January 16 2009 00:58. Posts 3765 | Profile Blog # |
| yeah Jangbi basically got a free pass to the semis. He only played PvT on really bad maps for terran, and BackHo forfeited, even though Jangbi was about to lose. |
| | Every time Leta wins, a puppy is born // .risingdragoon finds fat women attractive | |
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| FakeSteve[TPR] Valhalla. January 16 2009 01:00. Posts 17062 | Profile Blog # |
On January 16 2009 00:58 Sunyveil wrote:
yeah Jangbi basically got a free pass to the semis. He only played PvT on really bad maps for terran, and BackHo forfeited, even though Jangbi was about to lose.
For this to be true, BackHo would have to be some sort of good player, which he is not.
Stork losing that series is not a credit to Backho, it's a scar on Stork's hide. Backho is fucking TERRIBLE. We are talking about a player who has been hyped up by certain people on TL and yet still can't win more than half of his games. Last edit: 2009-01-16 01:01:07 |
| | Resident League of Legends & Street Fighter guru - " I know alot of words including tabernacle." - FuDDx ~~~ vrok, newest FakeSteve Fan Club member (55)! | |
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| baubo China. January 16 2009 01:00. Posts 3262 | Profile # |
I think I'm even more surprised at Leta coming out of nowhere to be #2 than Jangbi at #1, since Jangbi's been playing at top 5 level for several months now. Also surprised that Free dropped out and Hwasin dropped in. Yarnc I can almost understand. But I thought if you're going to put in another terran, ForGG and Mind seems to make more sense.
Anyway, this is an "in-between" month anyway. Next month, everyone starts playing in the MSL/OSL, we'll truly see who's top notch. But IMO, Bisu has nowhere to go but down unless he wins GOM, because getting kicked out of Ro36/Ro32 in the major starleagues just doesn't cut it.
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| | Meh | |
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| Carnac Germany. January 16 2009 01:01. Posts 16369 | Profile Blog # |
| lol Backho beating JangBi? please... don't ridicule yourself |
| | Faith means making a virtue out of not thinking | |
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| Ozarugold January 16 2009 01:01. Posts 2716 | Profile Blog # |
| Aww~ I thought July would have at least made it top 10... |
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 MrHoon  January 16 2009 01:01. Posts 8565 | Profile Blog # |
| FUCK YEAH LETAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA |
| | beepbeepboop |  |
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| arbiter_md Moldova. January 16 2009 01:01. Posts 800 | Profile # |
On January 16 2009 00:55 Pioneer wrote:Leta & Hwasin and arbiter_md did you even watch Bisu getting crushed in MSL/OSL? He went from being the best PvZer to a guy getting raped by a slumping Savior, a bad ZvPer, and a no name (all 3 Z) and bitching about maps. I love Bisu but after that whole string of events he should be lucky to be where he is on the PR ;/.
Yes, I watched the games and they certainly have not been good. But putting for nr. 1 a guy who didn't face any challenge this month is just wrong. Bisu could have been kept there just because he was there last time, and nobody deserves that spot. Or, even better would have been to let that spot empty. |
| | The copyright of this post belongs solely to me. Nobody else, not teamliquid, not greetech and not even blizzard have any share of this copyright. You can copy, distribute, use in commercial purposes the content of this post or parts of it freely. | |
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