The compLexity Academy would like to announce that it has added two new players to its ranks. Alek “Poo” Hrycaiko and Marcus “AGIANTSMURF” Bazan are the newest members of the compLexity Academy’s StarCraft II squad.
In celebration of this announcement, the compLexity staff sat down with both players for a couple of short interviews:
Edited by Sebastian Robert Torralba
First of all, tell us, why “Poo”?
I chose this to be my ID for a couple reasons. Firstly, there is a lack of ridiculous IDs in the StarCraft II scene. I hope to help change this and bring more casters to hysteric giggles at the start of series. Secondly, it places a catch on the opponent; if they lose, they lost to Poo, but if they win they just beat Poo. There really is no winning for the opponent!
What do you hope to bring to the compLexity Academy?
A lot of crap. High level Protoss play, a dedicated practice partner, cute stories about my dog, kpop videos and whatever else I can contribute to help our team spirit.
What are your goals for the Academy?
I want to win a qualifier to go to a major event and make it through that tournament’s open bracket. I’d also like to practice a lot with my new teammates so that we’re prepared for clan wars and upcoming tournaments.
Also, I have a stream that I hope to make more popular (www.twitch.tv/stealthypoo) now that I’m part of compLexity Academy. I stream pretty regularly with GM Protoss play. Come watch!
Now that you’ve joined the Academy, what excites you about the team? (Leagues, practice partners, chance to go to MLG/IPL, etc.)
Everything listed in the brackets. I’m also particularly excited to have more Terrans to play with. They were extinct on NA in WoL, but now I can finally work on my most troubled matchup.
You took a year off of college. Was the purely to pursue eSports? If so, what would you need to accomplish in order to make your time with the Academy a success in your eyes?
Originally I planned my break from university to re-evaluate my academic goals and interests. However, in my time off I’ve almost exclusively done StarCraft and eSports (which has been so much fun). While I’m part of the Academy, I’d really like to qualify for an upcoming event and make it through their open bracket. Accomplishing any less would probably not be a success for me.
You mentioned in your application video that you managed your school’s CSL team. Do you think this experience will give you an edge over other players or affect your game at all? If so, how?
The managing part I don’t think will give me any particular edge. However, the experience I accumulated playing for UBC CSL will probably aid me in tournament events.
What made you choose the name “AGIANTSMURF”?
The I.D. was created roughly four years ago when I played mostly Call of Duty 4 for the PlayStation 3. At the time I had been using my initials + last name, but quickly became uncomfortable with people knowing my name in an online shooter. I wanted an ID that would make people laugh when they saw it, in Call of duty it would say “You have been killed by: A_GIANT_SMURF” and I thought that was hysterical. Fast forward to SC2 and the ID has stuck. However as I have inched closer and closer to the pro scene, I have long considered either changing to a different ID or using my real name since “AGIANTSMURF” was created for the purpose of trolling.
What do you hope to bring to the compLexity Academy?
As someone fairly new to the competitive gaming scene, I come from an athletic background, so I hope to bring a new level of charisma and energy that is very seldom scene throughout eSports. I look forward to sharing my thoughts about the game and its players, using my competitive attitude to propel myself and my teammates forward and overall I can’t wait for opportunities to represent the compLexity brand as a whole.
What are your goals during your time here at compLexity Academy?
With the release of HotS, I feel like 2013 is this huge window of opportunity for new talent to show what they have. On that note, I intend on giving my 100% and investing a significant portion of my free time to improving as a SC2 player. I’ve already begun practicing a lot during the beta and feel that by the time the game launches worldwide, I will already be on a much higher level competitively than I was during the the peak of my days playing WoL. With all that said my one and only goal during my time with the compLexity Academy is to prove without doubt that I have what it takes to stand amongst the main roster.
Now that you’ve joined the Academy, what excites you about the team? (Leagues, practice partners, chance to go to MLG/IPL, etc.)
There are quite a few things about the Academy that excites me. First and foremost, the chance to work with a truly professional organization is something I’ve yet to experience and look forward to. As someone who must constantly be immersed in competition playing in team leagues and having a consistent schedule of activities (leagues/practice) also excites me. My main priority however is self-improvement so having solid practice partners around with whom I can give and receive feedback and playstyle critique will be crucial in my training. The potential to attend premier events is also very awesome, however I realize that with the level of competition within the Academy, it’s something I will have to work hard for and earn before I can start thinking about the event itself.
You’re a frequent poster on r/starcraft, got any shout outs for anyone from there?
I’ve been a member of the r/starcraft community for two years now. I’d like to express my appreciation to all those who post meaningful and entertaining content as well as those of you who browse the “new” section insuring that nonsense doesn’t make it to the front page (although sometimes things slip by). Shout out to all the known individuals who participate in the subreddit and take the time to express their opinions on various topics (Sundance, TotalBiscuit, CatZ, as well as other team managers/casters). Super Special shout out to all my friends from the New York(area) community who opened my eyes to the world of eSports and who helped me to maintain my passion for the game when I thought I’d be in platinum league for an eternity, while most of you have since retired from gaming or have switched over to “that other game which shall not be named”, I promise to ascend and never forget who my friends really are.