No need for long introductions. These guys are the favorites, the ones who get first pick in the group draw. The top 3 from the previous tournament and the ODL Round1 winner are here, as tradition. When the OSL was expanded to 24 players, Casy and Midas were deemed seeds because they had the best records amongst the remaining players. But how they got here isn't important. What matters is that they are here, and big things are expected from the following six players. All eyes are on the favorites.
iloveoov
1-seed
SKTelecom T1
Terran
2-time OSL winner (2004 Ever, Shinhan Bank) and 3-time MSL winner (Trigem TG, HanaFOS, SPRIS)
Golden Mouse contender
How did he qualify?
By winning the previous OSL, the 2005 Shinhan Bank OSL. He went 2-1 in his group (W Saferzerg, W Cloud, L Nal_Rock). oov then beat his sensei Boxer 2-1 in the quarters, edged out Casy in a 3-2, 3 hour TvT marathon in the semis, and completely demoralized July and the Zerg legion 3-0 in the finals.
He is the defending champ, the current Kespa #1, the SKT ace, and the monster terran. What more needs to be said? Iloveoov has a career 60% winning rate, and after a very slight dip (for him), his current form is at the top once again. Right now, oov is possibly the best pro out there, and he seems very unbeatable. His cheater macro and cheater defense is as famous as his questionable micro is infamous. But honestly, who can beat him? (other than Savior, who didn't qualify) Since his debut, oov has been an unstoppable force. Maybe the 'champion's jinx' is the only thing that can stop him from being the first to claim the Golden Mouse (3-time OSL champ).
July
2-seed
MBC Game POS (temporary name)
Zerg
2-time OSL winner (Gillette, 2005 Ever)
Golden Mouse contender
How did he qualify?
By being the runner-up in the Shinhan OSL. He went 2-1 in his group (W Iris, W Stork, L Boxer's rax-block). Then he took two protosses, rinsed them in the sink, grilled them with BBQ sauce, and had himself a meal. 2-0 Nal_Rock in quarters, 3-0 Pusan (in 45 minutes total) in the semis. Unfortunately, he ran into the double curse of oov and difficult ZvT maps in the final, and his run was stopped.
Fact: July is always a champion contender. Other than oov and GoodFriend, July is the only player who has not missed an OSL since his debut in Gillette. In those six OSLs he has reached the finals four times, winning the championship twice. That’s reaching the finals in two out of every three OSLs. Scary thing is, July can be even better now that he finally received the financial backing he deserves. Now that POS has become team MBC Game, July can enjoy added security and improved training conditions. July’s career has already been an impressive run of accomplishments. The thought of July reaching yet another level is truly incredible.
Pusan
3-seed
MBC Game POS (temporary name)
Protoss
Best finish: OSL 3rd
How did he qualify?
By coming in third in Shinhan OSL. Pusan went 2-1 in the group of death (W Casy, W Xellos, L Anytime), and his “reward” was to face TvP master Midas in the quarters (Midas had 11-2 TvP before Shinhan OSL). There, Pusan showed an exceptional strategic side, leaving Midas baffled with empty shuttle bait, proxy gates, and proxy robotics, winning 2-1. Then he ran into the wall that is July’s ZvP, losing 0-3. Pissed, he turned his wrath to Casy in the 3rd-4th playoff, turning on "Pusan Spirit" mode and waxing Casy 3-0 for the 3-seed.
Pusan Spirit can best be described as “Macro to the level of comedy.” For a year, Pusan stuck to his Spirit, overrunning everybody in his path with endless zealots and goons. He then combined that with a newfound strategic side, which took him deep into the So1 OSL. About the So1 semis, Pusan later would say“When I had the upper ground in [game 3], I saw myself bringing my parents to the finals.” Pusan would pay dearly for his lack of nerves by falling to the Trademark Boxer Comeback. But truly great players learn from their experiences, and Pusan has shaken off his rookie jitters and is now the premier Protoss in the progaming scene. Furthermore, like July, Pusan stands to benefit from his new sponsors. After two top-four finishes in a row, this could be the OSL where Pusan takes the next step. Or will he crash like other two-time top-four finishers Junwi or Silent_Control?
Sea
4-seed
MBC Game POS (temporary name)
Terran
Best finish: none.
How did he qualify?
By winning the Dual Tournament Round 1. He defeated GGPlay and Reach in his Round 1 group. He then clawed his way to the finals by defeating Chojja and Yellow after playing them three times each. In the finals, he completed the KTF all-kill (and broke a lot of fanboy’s hearts) by edging out Nal_Ra 3-2. With that, he won the 4-seed to the upcoming OSL.
Maybe Sea doesn't belong here, amongst the top seeds. After all, he’s just a rookie. But Sea is here because he clearly deserves it. When you're the youngest progamer in the entire league, the youngest starleaguer ever, you kinda have to prove yourself to the big boys. Which is exactly what Sea did to get to his first OSL. It’s not just the impressive list of victims on Sea's resume, but also the way he defeated them. This kid is only 16, but watch a few of his games and you'll see he has some balls to go along with sound fundamentals. Of all the new faces, Sea is in the best position to become the next rookie to walk the "royal road," (winning the whole shebang in his first tournament) putting him in rare, privileged company. All eyes are on the enfant terrible.
Casy
5-seed
KOR
Terran
Best finish: OSL 4th place
How did he qualify?
Through the Dual Tournament Round 2. Casy went 2-1 in his OSL group (W Anytime W Xellos L Pusan), then shutout GoodFriend 2-0 in the quarters. His next step was to take two games from oov before falling 2-3. After being swept in the 3rd-4th playoffs by Pusan, Casy rebounded well, defeating DarkElf of G.O. and Sync to advance to the next OSL.
For some, Casy was the star of the Shinhan OSL. Bucking the trend of defense-first, macro Terran, he showed off his micro-intensive aggressive style. It won him a lot of admirers, even though Casy only really played TvT and didn't get to show off his famed TvZ. After defeating TvT masters Xellos and GoodFriend, Casy's games with oov showed that he could hold his own in a macro slugfest as well. Now that the new OSL has 10 Zergs, Casy could be as happy as a fish in water. Yet he must answer questions about his shaky TvP in the process. Keep your eyes on Casy: there is no doubt that he announced his presence through the last OSL, and he has all the potential to improve on his finish of fourth.
Midas
6-seed
SKTelecom T1
Terran
Best finish: OSL quarters
How did he qualify?
Midas went 1-2 in his Shinhan OSL group (W IntoTheRainbow L Zergman L Goodfriend), then defeated Rainbow and Zergman in rematches to advance to the quarters. In a tightly fought battle, Midas was eliminated by Pusan 1-2. In the Dual Round 2, he beat GGPlay and GoodFriend to advance to the next OSL.
Midas is the last piece of the invincible SKT Terran lineup. He has a strong all-around game based on defense and timing: In particular, his TvP is unmatched. TvZ? Midas once famously said “TvZ is easy. If the starting positions are close, bunker rush. If far, fast expand double CC.” As you can see, Midas’ virtue is simplicity. He keeps it simple, and it brings him success. But that kind of style is more suited for the Proleague, where stability and safety are more important. In the individual leagues, players need a certain degree of unpredictability and creativity. Despite all his skill, Midas has never been past the quarters in any Starleague. A deep run in the individual leagues is overdue. In this OSL, we will see if simple truly is best. As long as he brings his ProLeague form with him, the sky's the limit for Midas.
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