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The Story of a Halo 2 Champion
Sam Machkovech writes "My buddy Paul Kix of The Dallas Observer did some digging to uncover the life of Matt Leto (aka Zyos), whose track record places him in the top rankings of worldwide Halo & Halo 2 competitions. Professional gaming leagues are nothing new to those who know about the CPL, but this story shines a light at console-focused leagues like the MLG that may very well get the mainstream crowd interested in gaming as a viable sport, along with gamers like Zyos who buck negative stereotypes associated with hardcore gamers -- 'perhaps surprising, Leto's not a nerd. He's an athlete' -- while still kicking virtual ass. Show this article to your parents/spouses next time they harass you about your habit."
He's never kissed a girl. He lives in his mother's basement. But, by golly, he sure is good at Halo !
An athlete? Oh please! I have no doubt that he's very talented and skilled at Halo, but sitting and moving your fingers on a controller does not make you an athlete.
If playing Halo is athletics, then kids get plenty of physical exercise, and we no longer need to worry about them getting fat because they're playing Halo all day. In fact, we should just considered chess and go games to be athletic events as well. They actually have to pick up the pieces and move them by hand.
If Halo players are athletes, then I don't see what's preventing an Olympic Halo event. We'll have Olympic Counterstrike, Enemy Territory, and UT 2004 events as well, so that all deserving athletes can complete!
Not those turn-based stategy gamers though: they aren't athletes. They spend too long thinking and don't twitch their fingers often enough to make them athletes.
Come on guys, with a name like 133to, he is obviously good. Where is the story?
Stop oversimplifying.
ESPN and Fox Sports Net cover more and more poker everyday. Poker is playing cards, so at least the "Worldwide Leader in Sports" considers it a sport. Spelling bees too. Not that this proves video games are a sport, but the evidence you present is weak.
What I want to know is how come a 21 year old guy pulling down almost six figures playing Halo 2 is still living with his parents.
As far as I know, Zyos is a Halo Champion, and not yet a Halo 2 champion. He's arguably the best 'professional' Halo 1 player, but I've seen nothing regarding his Halo 2 skills. Obviously, they'll transfer over for the most part, but there are differences (lack of the original pistol, for example) that do significantly impact how one plays the game. I know plenty of people that aren't nearly as good at Halo 2 as they were at Halo 1 for that reason alone, so I thought I'd make the distinction about which game truly made him a 'champion'.
Just because he's not fat doesn't mean he's not a nerd. The simple fact that he devotes so much time to playing a videogame indicates nerd to me. And why is that a bad thing?
"Apparently so, but suppose you throw a coin enough times. Suppose one day, it lands on its edge."
This guy is definitely a nerd.
Slicked back hair? Check.
Shirt tucked into sweatpants? Check.
Glasses? Check.
Living in mother's basement? Check.
No girlfriend? Check.
14-year-olds begging to play Halo with him? Check.
Makes a living playing video games? Checkmate.
Come on, just because a guy can play sports doesn't mean he's any less of a nerd.
hmm...well actually, the original definition of a sport (which you can still see as the first entry in webster) was an amusement or diversion -- which video games definately count as.
The problem is that most sports that (up till now) the mainstream media would cover, where those that were heavily athletic. So, in most peoples minds sports = athletics. However, this is just simply not true. (you can still hear people calling something that was fun "good sport")
So in the end we find that most diversions and compititions are actually sports. HOwever, not all of them are athletic. SO video games = sport != athetic.
Look I'm going with the Dictionary.com answer on this. http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=sport sport ( P ) Pronunciation Key (spôrt, sprt) n. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. A particular form of this activity.
-Dipster
A point which your example was very helpful in proving, by the way.
It doesn't suprise me that he's a swimmer. I've noticed that many of the best gamers I've met have been athletes. Geeks too, but athletes all the same. One was a championship fencer, another ranked 6th nationally in the pole vault.
I think it's a combination of reflexes and a competative streak that will not allow them to lose.
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"Show this article to your parents/spouses next time they harass you about your habit." And don't forget to suck in your gut while yer at it.
I don't believe that the original post ever claimed that the status of an activity as a sport hinged on the complexity of the physical exertion involved, merely the degree. Stop beating up your strawman.
Rob
The meaning of a word in the past isn't really relevant to the meaning that word has today. In general, people think of sports as requiring physical exertion; therefore, that would be a criterion for the common definition of the word. Pedantry isn't going to change this fact. It's doubtful that simply calling video gaming a sport will either, since we already have a word for that type of activity, and it's right there in the name of it.
Rob
I believe it was "Geek, Dweeb, or Spaz?"
Oh, and he's a royal geek.
Rob
I believe it was "Geek, Dweeb, or Spaz?"
Yeah, you're right.
I didn't know if anybody else would get the reference.
Schweeet.
Saying you're a Halo champion is like saying you're a Formula 3000 champion, or a minor leauge baseball champion. When you find the world Counterstrike champion give me a call.
The GeekNights podcast is going strong. Listen!
F1 drivers for one can loose ~4 litres of fluid per race, their heartbeat reaches 200bpm and they're subjected to up to 5G in some corners.
My school called chess and debating sports. It was a joke.