SPL XVI Pre-Tournament Series: Best Franchise Players
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Art by Finchely.
In virtually all forms of organized team competition, there exist heroes and greats who exemplify their team's spirit. Liverpool had Gerrard, Kansas City has Mahomes, and the BIGs had, uh, Finch? To get an idea as to who exactly are the best franchise players, we had our team of experts comb over all of SPL's past performances in order to see who rose to the top, considering the number of games and the number of wins and trophies gathered.
Alpha Ruiners
Semifinalists in the most recent SPL, the Alpha Ruiners are a team that has had plenty of success throughout SPL's history. Coming in second place for the first two editions, the Ruiners would take home their first trophy in SPL III before two back-to-back trophies in SPL X and XI. As one might imagine, a team that's won the title three times has no shortage of big names, but these are the ones we chose that represent the franchise best:
The_Chaser (16-4 overall, 2-2 playoffs)
An RBY legend, The_Chaser was a participant in SPL from the very start, beginning his career with three successive seasons with the Ruiners. In SPL I The_Chaser put up a 66% win rate, going 6-3 in his debut before following that up with an absurd 10-1 record in SPL II. Despite these performances, the Ruiners would only reach second place in both of these competitions, so The_Chaser took matters into his own hands in SPL III where he managed the team to its first victory.
pi face (22-8 overall, 5-0 playoffs)
A former mainstay in the Ubers community, pi face played three seasons in SPL, all for the Alpha Ruiners. Similar to The_Chaser, pi face was an early member of the Ruiners family, appearing for the team in each of the first three SPLs. While pi face's compatriot would eventually move to managing, pi face himself stayed in position for SPL III, where a 6-3 record would be sufficient to bring home the trophy. Most notable, though, is their playoff performances, where they did not drop a single game in five tries.
Empo (21-13 overall, 4-1 playoffs)
Arguably the best SM OU player of all time and certainly one of the best overall players of all time, it's probably not a surprise to see Empo on this list. While not a one-team man like the other two, Empo's four consecutive seasons with the Ruiners were incredibly fruitful, winning the tournament in SPL X and XI. With his nearly perfect playoff record, Empo rounds out the Ruiners' representatives.
Ever Grande BIGS
The BIGS have, unfortunately, suffered for much of SPL's existence. The best performance by the team throughout the 15 editions played so far is a runner-up spot in SPL III. Over time, there have been a number of players associated with the BIGS, but so far, none of them have been able to get across the finish line. After failing to make the playoffs in SPL XV, this year's squad will be hoping to emulate the name listed below in order to change the team's overall fortune.
Sixonesix (15-5 overall, 2-0 playoffs)
With a stunning 75% win rate for the team, Sixonesix stands out as the BIGS' best player throughout their history. Playing VGC during his time with the team, Sixonesix was originally a Sharks player in SPL I before switching over to the BIGS for the next two iterations. Sixonesix's strong regular season (6-3) and immaculate playoff performance (2-0) would bring the BIGS as far as they'd ever been, but unfortunately, the runner-up spot was the highest they could reach, not living up to the standard set by Sixonesix throughout the season.
Circus Maximus Tigers
Being the only team in SPL history to win the tournament and then un-win it, the Tigers have spent the last 15 years getting extremely close to the trophy before letting it slip away. Certainly tired of being nearly-men, the Tigers will want new names to force their way into this list, as between a number of playoff and runner-up appearances, the Tigers have only had a few players even worth consideration.
MajorBowman (25-16 overall, 1-1 playoffs)
Having spent his entire career, and five successive seasons, with the Tigers, MajorBowman has become a known face of the team. MajorBowman's best season in terms of personal performance was a sterling 7-2 record in SPL IX, but the closest he got to the trophy came a year earlier when he put up a 6-4 record, winning once in the playoffs before the team would have the trophy rescinded. While his first three years berthed a phenomenal 17-6 overall, MajorBowman's performance in his final two SPLs would drop, producing a 4-5 record each time before retiring.
Nintendi (14-5 overall, 2-0 playoffs)
After losing in the OST XII finals, Nintendi received his chance to debut in SPL. Hopes were low for him coming in to the tournament, evidenced by his 3K price tag. Nintendi would go on to prove all of his naysayers wrong, however, as he became quickly became one of the best ORAS OU players on the entire website. He went 7-3 in SPL VIII, which includes two playoff wins. He would follow it up with a sparkling 7-2 run in SPL IX; unfortunately, his team would fail to qualify for the playoffs this time around. Nintendi would never play in a single SPL after this, making one wonder just how high of a mountain he could have climbed had he stuck around.
Dragonspiral Tyrants
Last year's champions, the Dragonspiral Tyrants have been a powerhouse ever since the team was rebranded from the Falcons during SPL IX. With four semifinal appearances, two second place finishes, and one trophy during that timeframe, it's not too shocking that the team was led by a number of strong players with the ability to perform. Having often been loud and uncompromising in their conduct on SmogTours, these are names most will remember doing well, and for good reason. If the team is looking to join the hallowed halls of the back-to-back SPL champions, they'll need to keep the competitive and fiery standard that has come to define them in modern years.
Christo (35-17 overall, 5-3 playoffs)
While Christo (formerly the gr8) did not end up participating in the Tyrants' winning season, he remains one of the players that embodies their philosophy to a T. Consistently wildly undervalued, Christo switched between a handful of tiers during his tenure, most notably DPP OU and CG UU. Although Christo's first two seasons in SPL were relatively unremarkable, his union with the Tyrants changed his fortunes dramatically, as he'd put up five consecutive positive performances between 2018 to 2022. Christo consistently embodied the ethos of the Tyrants and repaid their faith many times over. It'd be great if a player like him could return to finally cross the finish line, given how important he was in getting so close so many times before.
Heroic Troller (24-9 overall, 6-0 playoffs)
The King of RBY kicked off his career with the Tyrants after an uncharacteristically quiet debut for the Classiest the year before, where he went 1-1. Troller would immediately become one of the crown jewels for the franchise, putting up a glittering 15-6 record in his first two seasons with the team. Troller's presence on the Tyrants during this time was a statement—they wanted the best RBY player so that they could count on wins, and they'd spend the money to get him. Unfortunately for them, they forgot this lesson for three years as Troller toured the circuit with the Ruiners and Sharks, actually increasing his win percentage during this time from its already high amount. His story with the Tyrants didn't end there, though, as in SPL XV, reyscarface and blunder would be adamant about bringing him back to the squad, a reunion which would be celebrated with a 9-3 record and a trophy. With an immaculate playoff performance for the team during his time there, Troller is easily one of the best faces the franchise will ever have.
Gilbert Arenas (24-17, 3-3 playoffs)
One of the mainstays of the Tyrants franchise, Gilbert Arenas (henceforth marcop) has been a steady presence through the team's many iterations. marcop's first stint with the team came in SPL X, where he demonstrated his ADV OU prowess by smashing the competition en route to an 8-3 record. marcop would continue putting up solid ADV records in the years that followed, before switching over to BW OU in SPL XIII. He would have less success that season, going negative for the first time in his history with the team. marcop wound up never winning a trophy with the Tyrants, as he was stolen away by the Ever Grande Bigs in SPL XV, but he is still a pivotal figure in the franchise's history. He managed to string together a bunch of solid campaigns for the team and was a key reason as to why the Tyrants were consistently able to make the playoffs under reyscarface's leadership.
Indie Scooters
Having won the inaugural SPL, the Indie Scooters then decided they never needed to do that again. Until SPL VIII, that is, when they met quantum-champion Tigers in the finals, with both teams somehow losing the trophy in the end. The Scooters, in actuality, are a team with a lot of history and strong players, making playoffs another five times since their initial victory, even as recently as last year.
Windsong (21-9 overall, 0-1 playoffs)
For a time, Windsong was synonymous with CG RU, as he popped up in tournaments here and there, always putting in a solid record. A veteran of SPL, Windsong made his first appearance for the Scooters in 2012 during SPL III, sticking with the team for four tournaments in total before taking a detour to the BIGS for a year and then retiring as an unused substitute. During his time with the Scooters, he had a winning record every season, showing the consistency so many remember him for. While there was unfortunately no real playoff success, Windsong's steady play and performance was often a bright spot for the team during these years.
gene (14-7 overall, 2-1 playoffs)
A member of the very first Scooters squad, gene is a name that will ring a bell with some of the site's veterans. Plying his trade in ADV, gene won the trophy in the first outing with a sublime 8-3 record, before following it up the next year for the Scooters with a 6-4 in GSC. Unfortunately, these two performances would be his only appearance for the team, as he'd leave the tournament for four years before a two-year stint at the Sharks where his much more tepid 5-6 overall signaled the end of his time as a dominant figure.
Atticus (13-7 overall, 1-0 playoffs)
After having won Smogon Frontier the year before, expectations were high for Atticus heading into SPL I. He would wind up being instrumental in helping the Scooters secure their first and only SPL win, going 6-3 in DPP OU and 1-0 in DPP Ubers. His takedown of Ciele in the finals was key, following it up in SPL II with a 6-4 performance for the squad, this time in BW OU. Unfortunately, his team would not be nearly as successful this time, as they failed to make the playoffs. Nevertheless, his performance in SPL 1 remains one of the best and most important in the history of the franchise.
Stark Sharks
With three trophies in the cabinet, the Stark Sharks make a claim to being the most storied franchise in the league. Throughout the past 15 years, the Starks have often been home to the strongest players on the site, with some players sticking around for multiple successes. While the Sharks have come close a few times in recent history, they're likely to want to take that additional step and win one more week. To do so, they have a number of role models to learn from in players that have won with this team.
Conflict (45-39 overall, 6-1 playoffs)
When talking about the Sharks, and especially their time at the top, there are three names that tend to come to mind: makiri, M Dragon, and Conflict. Widely considered the best GSC OU player of all time, Conflict stuck with the Sharks for the first nine seasons of SPL that he played, making his debut all the way back in SPL II. While Conflict's overall record might not eclipse some of the other players in this article, that is a trade I'm sure he'll be happy with when looking at his three titles. Known for his winning mentality and metagame mastery, Conflict played under makiri for all three wins, effectively becoming a talisman for the side. While his later career would see him turn out for the Tyrants, and then a three-year stint with the Cryonicles, Conflict has yet to repeat the successes he saw earlier in his career. It's not a question of talent, of course, so we'll see if he's back to winning ways in SPL XVI.
-Tsunami- (16-5 overall, 3-0 playoffs)
Having spent two years with the Sharks during SPL IV and SPL V, -Tsunami- (henceforth Shake) managed a winning record in both. Shake's first season with the Sharks came after a desultory performance in his debut the year prior with the Raiders where he brought a 1-3 record home. The transfer immediately paid massive dividends, as Shake would go on to a 10-0 record in a variety of different tiers, having been juggled constantly throughout the season. While the Sharks wouldn't live up to this performance in SPL IV, Shake would give them another winning, albeit less impressive, 6-5 as the rest of the team did enough to get them over the line. Shake would go on to play for a slew of other teams after these two years, although his performances lagged behind his time with the Sharks.
The Grand Babido (19-11 overall, 2-1 playoffs)
The Grand Babido (henceforth Heist) joined the Sharks in SPL IV after a pre-season trade to get the Smogon superstar onto the roster. Playing DPP OU, Heist went 6-4 in SPL IV and helped the team reach the playoffs, where he would unfortunately lose to Tamahome, with his team losing to the champions, Wi-Fi Wolfpack. In SPL V, though, Heist would cement himself as one of the franchise's superstars. Starting off the season in DPP OU, Heist would begin the campaign 2-1. In week 4, though, the Smogon legend would display his versatility, seamlessly transitioning into BW RU, where he played out the remaining impactful games of the season. He would finish 5-2 in RU, which included two key playoff wins against known RU legend SilentVerse and HSA. Heist was one of the primary reasons the Sharks were able to establish themselves as one of the strongest teams in SPL.
Wi-Fi Wolfpacks
One of the strongest dynasties in SPL history, the Wi-Fi Wolfpack have won the title three times, and they seemingly always are close to being in contention. While the team was an early winner among the franchises, taking home SPL IV in the days before anyone thought to use a spreadsheet to record information, arguably the more iconic Wolfpack sides come later in the tournament's history, after talismanic manager Tony took the reins. It was his eye for talent that produced three of the best and most emblematic players to ever turn out for the Wolfpack.
Fear (20-6 overall, 2-1 playoff)
With the way that Fear plays GSC, you'd be forgiven for thinking he's been at it since SPL II, such is the confidence and consistency of his performances. Making his debut in 2017's SPL VIII, Fear jumped right into GSC OU and started performing, his first season showing us a glimpse of what was to come with a 5-3 record. Fear's peak for the team, and maybe even as a player, came the next year when the Wolfpack won the whole thing, leading the team with an indomitable 9-1 record. Fear's third season would end in the semifinals, another quality 6-2 run to back up his credentials, before he'd depart the Wolfpack for other pastures. While he's been putting up good numbers since, and does not look to be slowing down, as things stand, he's not been able to replicate the success he found with the Wolfpack. One wonders, what a return might look like?
Star (20-9 overall, 3-0 playoffs)
Another player who has advanced rapidly upon joining the Wolfpack, Star's start to SPL was actually less impressive than you might guess, going dead even over two seasons for the Cryonicles and Scooters. Star then missed two years of SPL, resurfacing with the Wolfpack in 2020's SPL XI, where his dark night would end with a stellar 7-2 record in SS OU. A little like Fear, though, Star took the first year to get back up to speed, before returning both brave and bold in SPL XII, costing a princely 21.5K. The Wolfpack would come to feel they got every penny's worth, though, as Star launched into a dominant 10-2 campaign, and his only losses were a rob in week 5 to thelinearcurve and a close one in week 6 to Golden Sun. After a third, less successful season with the team, Star would move on to the Tyrants where he'd become the bane of the Wolfpack's existence, putting up strong records for his new team.
talah (19-11 overall, 2-1 playoffs)
Among all players on this list, talah's path to this distinction is probably the most surprising. Having started their career in SPL X, talah would go on to put up two dismal seasons, achieving an aggregate 3-11 record. However, just like in the world of investing, past performance is not a guarantor of future results, and talah blossomed at full tint upon joining the Wolfpack environment, giving them three winning campaigns in a row, including a trophy-laden first season (with a side of an 8-4 record).
Cryonicles
Through fifteen years of Smogon Premier League, the Cryonicles have, at best, managed to achieve one singular second place finish, coming among four playoff appearances all time. A team that has changed identity rapidly and dramatically a number of times through the tournament's existence, the team's management will be hoping they can turn things around and add a few more names to this list by the end of the season.
blarajan (16-4 overall, 2-0 playoffs)
Joining the Cryonicles in 2013's SPL IV, blarajan would start his time in the site's top tournament with a commendable, if not average, 5-4. It was during his second season with the team where blarajan would really swing for the fences, though, putting on one of the strongest seasons in the history of the tournament with a stunning 11-0 and leading the Cryonicles to their highest ever finish. Unfortunately for blarajan, though, his teammates would drop the ball and fail to consecrate his feat, but any player that shows a perfect season with double digit victories deserves to be mentioned.
Team Raiders
The Raiders have seen their share of success over the years, winning SPL twice with another three playoffs appearances to boot. A team clearly on the upswing over the course of SPL, their two wins came back-to-back during SPL XIV and XIII. Naturally, new heroes emerged and left their mark on the team, becoming some of the faces we associate with those victories alongside the famous managerial duo of Raiza and Tricking. In addition to that winning era, the Raiders have had a string of strong finishes, and strong players, leading the line before, giving them an interesting blend when it comes to who we think of most when we think of the team.
Gtcha (18-4 overall, 6-1 playoffs)
Arguably the face of the Italian era of the Team Raiders, gtcha's standout performances were crucial in helping his team take home the title. While some may think that the Raiders were gtcha's first team, he began his SPL career with an average 2-2 for the Tigers, before recording a legendary 10-1 in his hometown tier SS OU, making the claim to be the premier player of the generation.
kumiko (22-10 overall, 3-2 playoffs)
Another player who began their career with the Tigers before making a switch to the Raiders, kumiko served as a public face for the team, leading by example during a period where the Raiders seemed to grow stronger by the year. Beginning their time with the team in 2016's SPL VII, kumiko would get off to a blistering pace, recording 15 wins and 4 losses during their initial two years with the team, playing a mixture of ORAS and SM OU. The Raiders would get perilously close to winning SPL during SPL IX, where kumiko gave another winning year, albeit with a less dominant, 7-6 performance across the tournament. Unfortunately for them, the Raiders wouldn't be able to cross the finish line during their tenure and would have to wait for future management to break the duck.
BKC (18-5 overall, 4-1 playoffs)
In one of the best tenures on this list, BKC switched for varying lengths between five different tiers while maintaining a 78% win rate. While BKC's accomplishments in Pokemon are numerous, his time with the Raiders seems to mark an inflection point for his performance in SPL as a whole, with an 11-12 record preceding this time and a 31-8 record after joining the team. It's inarguable that, for a time, BKC was the team's mood maker, his performances leading the way for an ambitious team that unfortunately fell just short of cementing their name.
Congregation of the Classiest
The Congregation of the Classiest are a team that has been struggling for the last few years, seemingly unable to replicate their consistency from earlier in the tournament's existence. Having won one SPL, they'll be thankful to have that cross off their back, but players in recent years have done little to establish themselves in the team's lore. If the new Congregation hope to return to winning ways, they'll consider what lessons they can learn from their representative.
bruno (14-6 overall, 3-2 playoffs)
The man with arguably the best SPL record overall, bruno's career in the tournament started with a smash and grab victory in 2015's SPL VI, where he spun together a 6-2 record between RBY and ORAS OU. In a somewhat unique touch amongst the rest of the members of this article, bruno actually took a five-year gap before returning to the team in 2020, where he showed them yet another great performance, going 8-4, this time mostly in GSC OU. Always willing to challenge himself, it seems like he has retired for now, but who knows, the enigmatic Brazilian is just as likely to stay gone as he is to come back, happy to try a totally new metagame.
soulgazer (17-8 overall, 3-1 playoffs)
One of the best lower tiers players of all time, soulgazer was a weapon for the Classiest during SPL V and VII. In SPL V, soulgazer would establish himself as one of the best BW NU players on the site, going 7-3 and notching a playoff win against Cased. After being traded to the Tigers in SPL VI, the Canadian would return to his old team in SPL VII, where he would put up another excellent campaign. His 7-3 season was a pivotal reason why the Classiest were able to make the finals, though soulgazer would famously lose to a mono Ice team once there. Having bounced around between different franchises for much of his career after, soulgazer would return for one last rodeo during SPL XII where he'd find himself in BW and SM OU, managing a few wins in his send-off tournament.
Conclusion
This list is surely not exhaustive, and there are certainly arguments that can be made about including other players. That being the case, all the names that appear here have done well for themselves and their teams and have reason to be proud of their performances. There's plenty of space for new names on these lists, and inclusion is always just one good tournament away, so if you see someone worth knocking off their perch, why not go for it?
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