BLACKLIST International coach Kristofer “BON CHAN” Ricaplaza has spoken up about alleged behind-the-scenes trashtalking that has stirred up animosity between fans of champion Blacklist International and second runner-up Omega Esports.
During the MPL-PH Season 8 playoffs weekend, that transpired from October 21 to 25, all the teams that had made the cut were gathered inside one venue.
In a short video of Blacklist’s victory against the MSC champions during the season semifinals, tweeted by caster Dan "Leo" Cubangay, shouts from the Blacklist side can be heard which some Omega fans thought of as unsportsmanlike.
In a Facebook livestream immediately following their loss, Billy "Z4pnu" Alfonso confirms that trash talking mixed with curses were heard from Blacklist’s players inside their booth.
BON CHAN answers allegations
Yesterday, in another Facebook livestream, BON CHAN recounted the events that transpired prior to and after the match, responding to allegations thrown at the team.
BON CHAN's statements come in response to two videos from Billy "Z4pnu" Alfonso: the Facebook livestream following their playoffs lost against Blacklist, as well as a vlog that showed the events of MPL’s last day. Though both videos never explicitly showed Omega asking for sympathy. Joshua "Ch4knu" Mangilog and Patrick James "E2MAX" Caidic joked about chants of “Uwi! Uwi!” heard from the Blacklist side.
Ricaplaza recalled: “Nauna dumating yung Omega sa venue, walang nangyayari, napaka-peaceful, although nararamdamdaman ko na kada may magtitigan sa amin may tension. Ramdam mo tension sa ibang players."
While he confirmed that Blacklist was the first team who shouted, BON CHAN claimed that this happened as early as the Game 1 celebrations. He also notes that he confirmed with marshals inside the venue if the team could do their celebratory routines like they had done during the regular season, when the teams were still playing inside their respective bootcamps.
“Tinanong ko yung marshal, ‘pwede po ba naming gawin yung mga normal naming ginagawa pagnasa booth camp kami during game?’ Like sumisigaw kami pag nanalo, nagmumura kami pag nanalo," said the coach.
He added: "I mean lahat ng team ganoon ginagawa, maniwala kayo sa hindi, lalo na pag nakakapatay. Ako hindi niyo naririnig kasi naka-mute siya sa live, pero lahat ng team… walang team na hindi sumisigaw pagnananalo, lahat ng team sumisigaw, lalo na pagnakakapatay.
“Sabi ng marshals ‘pwede pero bawal yung 'forbidden hand gestures.’ Ayun, na-clarify na namin sa marshals yun rules. Honestly, kami talaga yung unang sumigaw, ang tanong bakit kami sumigaw? Ayun na nga, sino ba ang team pag nanalo bubulong… saan kayo nakakita ng team pag nagse-celebrate, pabulong? Sabihin niyo sa akin.”
Blacklist-Omega tension flares anew
The tension between the two teams had been brewing since the two faced off during Season 7’s Grand Finals, and came to a head in the Season 8 regular season, when Daniel "OHEB" Soriano performed an indecent gesture during the two team’s faceoff.
But according to coach BON CHAN, the boiling point happened way back in MSC after Omega (then known as Execration) beat them in the Grand Finals.
“So before pa magstart (MSC Finals), alam ko si E2MAX yung lumapit sa akin eh," Ricaplaza recalled. "Ang sabi ni E2MAX, 'Coach, pag nag-start yung game, pasensya na kayo kay Kelra ah, medyo nagtatrash-talk eh.' Eto sabi ko kay E2MAX — eto hindi ko sure kung si E2MAX yun or si Z4pnu or si Pakbet, pero ang pagkakaalam ko si E2MAX yun. Ang sabi ko sa kanya, 'Oo walang problema yun, walang problema sa amin yun.'
“Eto yung malala, after nung finals, so natalo na kami… So alam ko naman, nasibahan ako ni E2MAX na pasenya ka na mananrash-talk yan. Tama nga si E2MAX, naninigaw nga si Kelra at eto pa malalala, **** *** all over the place. Dalawang kamay pa.”
BON CHAN recalled that it was only he and Mark Jayson "ESON" Gerardo who saw the incident (though he noted that they had a videographer with them, should anyone wants video proof). The coach did not mind, though, and didn’t bring up the matter.
“At eto pa never kaming humingi ng sympathy na ‘talo na nga kami, pinagmumura pa kami, pinakyu pa kami.’ Never kami nag-brag, never kami nag-post. Ang talo ay talo,” he said.
“So kung ico-compare niyo dito sa grand finals, nagsisigaw kami ng 'Uwe!', nasisigaw si OHEB ng 'Uwe!", pero wala yung bad hand gestures. In fact sila yung unang nagplano na pagsila nanalo, sasabihan nila kami ng 'Go home!' Sila yung unang nagplano, eh kami nagpaalam lang kami sa marshals na pwede po bang sumigaw kasi ayun yung ginawa namin pagnanalo, ang sabi ng marshal, 'Go,'" Blacklist's head coach recounted.
“Eh bat ganoon? Nung kami na nga natalo sa MSC, nung kami na nga yung pinagpa*****, never kaming humingi ng sympathy na ‘talo na tayo tas pinagmumura pa tayo’ gumanoon ba kami?”
Meanwhile, the Blacklist mentor praised ONIC PH players for their composure and sportsmanship after that Grand Finals loss. He added that the grand finalist only had good vibes at the conclusion of the match.
“Nung kalaban namin yung ONIC nung grand finals, same lang din may sigawan, may trashtalkan, may murahan. Pero ang good vibes nila eh… After nung game, after nung finals, lumapit sa amin yung players ng ONIC ng nakangiti. Gulat nga ako eh, napaisip-isip ako ‘natalo ba tong mga ito?’”
“Good vibes, parang hindi sila nakaranas ng pagkatalo. Ganoon dapat, tanggapin niyo yung pagkatalo, which is ganoon din naman kami pagnatalo,” he added.
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