Life is good for Sinatraa these days. A two-time World Cup contender for Team USA, SF Shock star, a generally hot commodity – what’s not to love?
We sat down with Jay Won to talk about all things USA. Read on.
So you’re pretty much a grizzled veteran at this point. You’ve gone through the Tier 2 scene, the Overwatch League, the World Cup… how has that progression gone for you?
Well before all this, when I was on Selfless, things weren’t really set. There weren’t really good teams back then, so I would play super aggressively. Tracer only, always holding W, that sort of thing. It was brainless, almost. When I first started in the Overwatch League I was super nervous being on stage in front of people, even though I had played in the World Cup [in 2017.] I was almost shaking my first two matches. Thing is, I learned over time how to turn that into confidence. While being in OWL, I also learned how to play with a team – not just holding W all the time and all that. I actually became pretty smart, especially with some help from my coaches. That’s the biggest thing for me.
Has that development continued in full with this new World Cup team? You had Rawkus last year, but there’s a lot of new talent rotating in now.
Back with the Shock, we played super aggressively, always diving backlines and things like that. The Outlaws players are super passive, though – grinding out fights and burning through tanks is much more their style. So I’ve learned to play passive, too – Now I wait for the perfect opportunity to dive with Muma.
How does this meta suit you? It’s pretty ridiculous seeing all the different things you can do.
I think this is the best meta we’ve had, besides Sombra. The permanent invis, man. I hate that. It’s way too overpowered. Other than that, this meta is super good, because everything is a good pick. It’s about counter-picking other DPS, so you just have to hold Tab and adapt all the time. That specifically makes this meta really good – before, it was just perma-GOATs, perma-this comp or that comp, Orisa/Junkrat/Widow on defense no matter what. In this meta, though, anything goes.
Is this close to your ideal then, personally? Where you can run whatever YOU want, all the time?
Oh yeah. The only tweak I would make is to Sombra. That’s just WAY too overpowered right now. Perma-invis is actually disgusting. Like, you’re just a permanent set of eyes running around, and then you can hack whoever you want from behind? That’s ridiculous.
What’s the biggest thing you’ve focused on developing while working with Team USA? Is there anything you needed to pick up to make this team work?
Since Muma and Rawkus are more passive, I had to step up in the shot-calling role. I had to call way more, especially when I’m playing Brigitte or Tracer – I’m always looking for mid-fight dives, which targets to focus, that kinda thing. When I’m on Brigitte, I’m always telling the supports where to go with me – “Stay with me, I’m going point right now.” I’m always calling.
Besides winning it all, what’s your biggest personal goal for Season 2 of the Overwatch League?
I’d say the biggest goal is to get comfortable with my teammates. Last season, we all lived in apartments, so I wasn’t necessarily comfortable with everyone, especially the new players like Architect and Choi. My goal, then, is to become friends with my team. If we get new players on Shock – and I don’t know if we will – I want to be comfortable with all of them. I want us to have good synergy with these guys out of game, because that correlates to our performance in-game too.
I’d say gaining more experience, in general, is a goal for me too. Playing more in the Overwatch League, playing against good really players. There are eight more teams coming in, so getting to play against new players and seeing what they do and gaining that experience is a goal for me.
Given that we’re right in the middle of all this World Cup stuff right now, have you closed the door on the Shock for the moment? Are you fully focused here, or are you balancing both of these teams?
I live with the Shock, which is only about ten minutes away, but I don’t practice or do anything with them right now. If I need help, I ask Crusty- I’ll send him some vods, ask him what I should do here or there, but that’s about it. I haven’t been scrimming with the Shock or anything lately at all.
Who’s stepped up the most for Team USA since you guys have started working together?
I’d say Space, actually. I didn’t expect him to comm a lot at first, but he actually comms a ton. He comms basically everything, and Moth also – he tracks ults and what we should be doing, always looking at the fundamentals of what we should be doing. Space is always calling out set plays and things like that, so he’s really stepped up.
Moving towards BlizzCon – We have to talk about the big bad. What’s the plan for South Korea?
I’m gonna be honest – I think the South Korean team, in my opinion, could have been better. This meta, especially with Sombra in it, I think USA has – not an advantage, per se, but it’ll definitely be close. When I look at Team Korea, I’m not entirely sure they have a dedicated Sombra player. Maybe the meta switches, maybe Carpe can play her or something, but I think Hydration is just better, so… I think we have a pretty good chance.
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