2011.09.04

Over the last year, IMNesTea has left little doubt in establishing himself as the best StarCraft 2 player to grace the GSL. Even if his teammate IMMvp joins NesTea with three GSL Championships, NesTea's command and control over opponents with a race that has struggled relatively to others in SC2 tournaments worldwide, further extols his efforts over other SC2 elites.

I play Protoss, I love and adore oGsMC, Trickster and Alicia, but my racial bias falls away everytime NesTea enters the booth. From his solid ZvZ mechanics, crushing statistics against Protoss, to his exhilarating games against top tier Korean Terrans, NesTea has proven himself over the seaons, through every patch and tweek.

Despite his domination over oGs.Inca and IMLosira, NesTea's first final with MarineKingPrime (boxer) still holds the accolade of being the most exciting GSL Final to date. Going 0-2, NesTea started a comeback that turned the tables on MKP's aggressive marine control. What the final game lacked in minutes, broodlords, ultralisks, tanks and battlecruisers, it made up with sheer excitement and tension, which itself is a testament to NesTea's greatness as a player. He dominates opponents but also orchestrates comebacks and close finishes that leaves hair and finger nails in peril.

A notable American Zerg once stated that Zerg is not a comeback race, a quote NesTea turned on its head in a close series against oGsTop in the Super Tournament. Suffering countless drone losses to hellions and drops, NesTea resurrected his economy time and time again to take oGsTop to the edge of defeat. His last game in a bo5 against sCfOu, is indescribable in terms of sheer skill and excitment, a game worthy of a final, a war to end all wars.

Many NesTea fans will always recall John's speech at the end of the 2nd GSL finals, where he described how this lower tier SCBW Pro had fought on against the doubters and the results that laid bare before him for years, to achieve his dreams as a progamer. He is not a machine, despite his displays in the booth and that human element adds immeasurably to the legend that is NesTea.