TWO legendary names, two storied legacies, one battlefield.
Angelo “Pheww” Arcangel and Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno once again stood on opposite sides as Team Liquid PH and Team Falcons clashed last weekend, but the moment proved bigger than the match itself—it was a reminder that true greatness is measured in respect and humility.
KarlTzy and the rest of TLPH stayed hot and kept a stronghold of the third spot in the tournament after dealing Team Falcons their sixth straight loss to close out the first half of MPL Philippines Season 16.
But while Pheww and the rest of Team Falcons have been on a slump as of late, KarlTzy, himself a champion who has witnessed both the highs of victory and the lows of defeat, understands what his old teammate’s squad is going through.
“Okay naman ‘yung laruan nila, pero kasi pag natatalo ka ng sunod-sunod, ‘yung confidence mo bumababa pati ‘yung morale ng team. Na-experience ko rin ‘yung ganoong sitwasyon na parang kahit anong cheer up mo sa mga kasama mo, di talaga manalo. Kapag ganun, hindi ko na rin alam ’yung gagawin ko eh. Siguro ganun ‘yung nangyayari sa kanila ngayon,” KarlTzy told SPIN.ph.
'Tuloy mo lang, Pheww
KarlTzy and Pheww have long cemented themselves as MLBB icons, their accolades rivaled by only a few.
However Pheww has faced criticism in recent weeks, with some claiming that the legendary midlaner is past his prime and can’t keep up with the younger generation anymore.
But KarlTzy isn’t buying any of those claims.
“‘Yung nilo-look up ko talaga sa kaniya since dati pa, ‘yung utak niya talaga, ‘yung IQ sa game. Sobrang galing niya talaga,” KarlTzy expressed.
“Kapag tinanggal mo ‘yung utak ng Falcons, sobrang hirap. Sa tingin ko siya talaga ang nagde-decide kung paano sila maglalaro, at hindi basta-basta mapapalitan ng kung sino man ‘yung playstyle niya,” he added.
For KarlTzy, flashy mechanics alone don’t define greatness. He believes leadership, game sense, and high-level decision-making are what keep Pheww invaluable to Falcons.
“Sa tingin ko masasabing wala na sa prime kapag wala na nagagawang kakaiba. Pero ako, nakikita ko parang kaya pa naman sumabay. Kapag may nako-contribute pa naman siya sa team, like shot calls, ‘yung utak na lalo sa game, sa tingin ko iyon ‘yung malaking bagay,” he said, while adding that Pheww should pay no mind to what other have to say.
“Kung ako si Pheww, hahayaan ko na lang din yung mga bashers, mag-la-live na lang ako, tapos enjoy-in ko na lang sarili ko. Kasi yung mga bashers na yun, wala naman niya ibang ginawa kundi yung mang bash lang.”
Things may not be going well for Team Falcons, but KarlTzy knows all too well that if there’s a leader who can rally his team and lead their comeback trail, it’s Pheww.
“Ang message ko lang kay Phew, ituloy mo lang ‘yan. Alam ko na kayang-kayang niyo bumawi,” he said, expressing confidence that brighter days may still be ahead for Falcons.
In the end, it’s not the standings or numbers that truly define legends, but the respect they command. For Pheww, greatness isn’t lost—only tested.
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