(This is a bit long, but to all those BSG players, you might want to read through.)
It all started with deL stirring up interest on a league for clans of the lower levels. It was slow at that time. There were a few of clans showing some sort of spark, until sign ups started. A few days passed, and everything grew quite dramatically. As a past clan leader, I was surprised by how much people really wanted this thing to happen. I rallied my clan into action, quickly thinking of a way of having the best players from my group of friends play in it, and inviting those players that had raw hidden talent to join us. It was both exhilirating and frightening to imagine how it would like to be in a league just like the pros, excluding the prizes of course.
As the opening week drew closer and closer, my clan practiced like there was no tomorrow. We grew in confidence, and slowly we talked more about strategies more. We had nothing else in our heads but starcraft 2 and how to improve. We argued about the latest strategies in solo tournaments (MLG, GSL, etc.) and learned from the tactics used by teams in the GSTL, since the league used the same all-kill type format as they did.
When the first week of the league came, everyone in the team was nervous. I tried to sound calm in our ventrilo server, but inside I was crying like a baby and sweating like a pig. I remember that we lost that week, but everyone that played felt amazing afterwards, and everyone else in the team wanted their piece of the action. We had a few bronze players that I wanted to put into the rotation despite the chance that they would go against gold leaguers. I wanted everyone to have a taste of the league style that BSGCL gave us the opportunity of. I personally did not care whether they lost or won, just the fact that they had fun and would be willing to play for the clan meant more to me than the one tick on the win column.
The weeks passed, deL stepped out of the BSGCL and nirvana (if memory serves me right) took on the leadership role that eventually went to the hands of maynarde, synzita, and edarus. They continued the fight for survival that was the BSGCL. Our clan continued to fight for our chance to play in the playoffs in it. The day came where we would need to fight against BtD. I remember this week because it was the time where one of our players all-killed BtD, but it was full of controversy that I did not want to be a part of since the beginning. I wanted to take the blame for everything wrong with the issue, but the administrators and moderators had the mercy of the gods. They gave us the rematch with BtD. BtD agreed to it, which made me happy. I wanted to prove we were not just a bunch of cheaters. I personally went into war with my clan (I think this was my first time playing in it as I really wanted the other players in my team to play more than me) and won the week for us. It made me proud that I proved to everyone in the BSGCL that we can win without all the issues surrounding us. Props to BtD for being such a classy clan too!
I also remember that there was an issue with another clan that they pulled out of the BSGCL because it turned into a Gold Platinum Clan League. While this may be the case, for me it was fun trying to battle against these higher level players. Crushing them would mean that I was able to play against bigger guns now. Losing against them meant that I needed to improve more. It was a win-win situation in my eyes, and I tried to put the same principle in my clan. Even the bronzies that I had them, I pitted them against the sharks. Now, they are silver or higher. They are awesome by my account.
The final week came, and our last match was against TA. We scheduled it. We were excited about it. We played it. It was one of those matches where you never wanted it to end. My games against the players they had were bleeping seriously fun as hell. The last match then was against TonyT and Edarus. Even the casters then (frogmite and maynarde), were saying in the stream that the game was very exciting for them to commentate. I watched the VODs the day after and almost pee'd in my pants on how sweet the games were. Even though we lost the match and did not get into the playoffs, that week was the most fun I had since making the clan and playing in a league. I would not trade that lose for any other win I had in any other tournament or a ladder match. If I could replay my games or be in TonyT's shoes then, I would. To this day I want to feel how my teammate felt when he was playing then. It was so cool, but everything had to end one way or another. Props to TA for being such a good clan to go against in our final week in season 1.
Everything and everyone that I met from that day on will be part of my starcraft 2 life. All the experiences I will forever treasure for as long as the gamer half of me lives. I hope that more people will join the future BSGCL that will happen in the future.
Guys, you do not know what you are missing in the BSGCL. So if you feel like joining a clan, or clanless but wanting to join the clan league, I recommend trying this gig out. You won't be losing anything anyway, and actually be gaining a lot from everything. Don't look to win all the way, just look to have fun and for sure you will have fun.
This is Synchro, ex-Gold leaguer, now in Platinum because of BSGCL, thanking everyone that has made this clan league such a fun and knowledgeable experience and signing off. I look forward in helping this league improve and provide more interesting things in the near future! Keep that gamer inside you alive!
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