Toph to commentate Melee Top 8 at Apex 2015 with D1

[TewnLeenk]

Apex 2015 has found its new Super Smash Bros Melee Top 8 commentator. Kris Aldenderfer, otherwise known as Toph from the Melee It On Me team has been confirmed as the new commentator for Melee Top 8 at Apex 2015. He will be joined by veteran Smash Bros commentator D'Ron "D1" Maingrette. Toph is the replacement for previous Apex 2015 Top 8 commentator juiceDiem.

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Diem was initially chosen as Melee's Top 8 commentator due to his knowledge an history regarding competitive Smash Bros. However, this turned out to be a controversial decision, with the announcement of Diem commentating Top 8 receiving a very negative reception. There was even a petition made to replace him, receiving over 700 signatures.

Eventually, Diem stepped down as Melee Top 8 commentator. In his resignation, he had this to say:

"I told Rapture today that I won't cast melee top8 for a few reasons. The feedback for me being picked is horrible. Most of the melee faithful want to see a notable melee player, which is acceptable; however, having people message me over it calling me names you wouldn't use in front of your mother is not. Again, this was volunteer work! I do this for a living on another game, so I would be able to bring that viewership with me, which, while not the biggest number, could equate to 3-6 thousand. That is a big jump for a game that's grass roots."​

The full post can be read on r/smashbros right here.

TheRapture made an r/smashbros post a few days later confirming Toph as the new Melee Top 8 commentator. That post can be read here.

Toph is a competitive Super Smash Bros Melee Fox main who is very well known in the community. He was even chosen to participate in the 2014 Super Smash Bros for Wii U Invitational by Nintendo, where he played as Pit.

TewnLeenk is a writer for Smashboards and is super hyped for Apex 2015. Follow and chat with him on Twitter @TewnLeenk.

 

[Yams Everywhere]

We'll miss you, Prog.

 

[Darklink401]

Aww, I was hopin Scar would commentate. At least we get D1.

 

[ryan]

I kinda don't like the fact that Toph is commentating. He always comes off as an mean person, and is always Bias about his opinion on what he wants or thinks. Half the time he always talks about random stuff when serious matches are going on and not even really commentating on it, unless you count random chatter. D1 is about to carry the commentating on his back!

 

[Dark Lady]

Congratulations to Toph, although I am highly disappointed by the method of which he was chosen. Bullying people? Oh melee community.

 

[KayB]

He always comes off as an mean personand is always Bias about his opinion on what he wants or thinks. Half the time he always talks about random stuff when serious matches are going on and not even really commentating on it, unless you count random chatter. D1 is about to carry the commentating on his back!

If you're thinking about the salty suite, ya'll too pissed at that considering how unserious it was.

I'd wager that most the commentary you've seen is from him commentating with Scar. He's done fine commentating with casters like Wife and Prog before (it's much different from his Scar commentary), so I'd recommend you check them out.

Congratulations to Toph, although I am highly disappointed by the method of which he was chosen. Bullying people? Oh melee community.

Maybe you should look up on this situation instead of generalizing a whole community.

 

[ryan]

If you're thinking about the salty suite, ya'll too pissed at that considering how unserious it was.

I'd wager that most the commentary you've seen is from him commentating with Scar. He's done fine commentating with casters like Wife and Prog before (it's much different from his Scar commentary), so I'd recommend you check them out.


Maybe you should look up on this situation instead of generalizing a whole community.

No, im not even considering salty suite into the situation, but that attitude is used regardless most of the time. I was talking about the last 5 commentates he did. Tell me he isn't bias PLEASE. I wasn't using old information like salty suite tho, but if you want to use that as a refrence, you should look up 1000$ money match with Tafo and Tian, where he was at too.

 

[Lizalfos]

Diem's goodbye is deceptive too. Claiming he was the bullied one when he stirred the pot. He said bad things about major community leaders, and made us look bad to the rest of eSports. Cutting him was the right decision.

 

[Ripple]

diem may not be a good melee player but toph is not a good commentator a majority of the time. bad decisions (imo) all around this year's apex

 

[Lizalfos]

diem may not be a good melee player but toph is not a good commentator a majority of the time. bad decisions (imo) all around this year's apex

I'd rather have empty commentary than a community relations nightmare. Some people are ok with funny or hype commentary, and I'm just glad Diem will stop making every long time community leader look bad.

Edit:Mango and M2K should commentate top 8 Kappa

 

[KayB]

No, im not even considering salty suite into the situation, but that attitude is used regardless most of the time. I was talking about the last 5 commentates he did. Tell me he isn't bias PLEASE.

Well I mean you are being vague, so I don't know what you're referring to. I'm not arguing that Toph is perfect, but his "bias" isn't his falling point.

I wasn't using old information like salty suite tho, but if you want to use that as a refrence, you should look up 1000$ money match with Tafo and Tian, where he was at too.

Salty suite = $1000 tafo and tian lmao

It wasn't even that bad or serious, anyone who was offended was just sensitive lol

 

[Beta_Smash]

Congratulations Toph! Looking forward to your commentary at APEX.

 

[AirFair]

Thank god it's not Diem.

 

[Lizalfos]

@ ryan and @ KayB , It isn't even like SS is serious. The players are normally drunk out of their minds anyway. It is such a side event, all for the lulz, I don't see how anyone takes it seriously.

 

[ryan]

I wasn't being vague when I said that is how he was for his LAST 5 COMMENTATES he did, but ok. It is just annoying to me when a commentator picks favorites, and pretty makes it a one-sided story on who he wants to win, regardless of what the community thinks while at a community venue, commentating for the community....AND that is IF he doesn't get side track and then to talk about random things mid-matches.

 

[ryan]

And yea, everyone was behind Tafo and Tian and threw down 1000$, because "it wasn't serious".

 

[Lizalfos]

I wasn't being vague when I said that is how he was for his LAST 5 COMMENTATES he did, but ok.

He doesn't commentate as if he has some spectacular understanding of the game, but I never see him as mean. He is mindless entertainment at worst.

And yea, everyone was behind Tafo and Tian and threw down 1000$, because "it wasn't serious".

IDK about you, but a MM is all about big egos meeting, talking smack, and then putting something on the line to back up that smack. I actually see it as kinda this immature, fun thing, but I see why with that amount of money, it starts to get serious.
But if you are watching a MM, don't expect golden commentary. Normally the players aren't super top level, and it is still all about ego and cheering for your friend, so bias is a major part.

 

[KayB]

I wasn't being vague when I said that is how he was for his LAST 5 COMMENTATES he did, but ok.

It is vague because Toph commentates lots of tournaments, so I don't know if you're referring to locals, regionals, or nationals, what the time frame was, what specific matches you had problems with, etc. Saying the last five tournaments is an incredibly broad statement, so I'd rather you just point out the matches so I know what you're referring to.

Let me just point out that I'm not trying to insult you are anything, so there's no need to be sarcastic, all right?

And yea, everyone was behind Tafo and Tian and threw down 1000$, because "it wasn't serious".

I was talking about what Toph said, not that match. The match can be serious, any commentary or trash talk associated with the match isn't automatically deemed the same.

I understand the misunderstanding though, I wasn't trying to call the match unserious, just what Toph said.

 

[Beta_Smash]

In Toph's defense, he does a great job on commentary. The Big House 4 is a great example, on the last game between Mango and Leffen he noticed a mistake Leffen made immediately (accidental double jump) and then was speaking on how Leffen had the "Jitters".

They do get sidetracked but I have never heard of perfect commentary. Even the most popular commentator, D1, goes off track. It adds a sense of humor at times and keeps it from being boring or not entertaining. It's a good thing actually, because if people like to laugh then they will have a whole new entertainment watching the stream or the game in general.

Toph is a great commentator, I burst with laughter at most of the things he says and he can still let us know what players are doing wrong, he just doesn't glue his eyes to the screen and likes to have a good time.

 

[Lizalfos]

In Toph's defense, he does a great job on commentary. The Big House 4 is a great example, on the last game between Mango and Leffen he noticed a mistake Leffen made immediately (accidental double jump) and then was speaking on how Leffen had the "Jitters".

They do get sidetracked but I have never heard of perfect commentary. Even the most popular commentator, D1, goes off track. It adds a sense of humor at times and keeps it from being boring or not entertaining. It's a good thing actually, because if people like to laugh then they will have a whole new entertainment watching the stream or the game in general.

Toph is a great commentator, I burst with laughter at most of the things he says and he can still let us know what players are doing wrong, he just doesn't glue his eyes to the screen and likes to have a good time.

This is toph in a nutshell. I've seen his bias a fair bit, but normally only when commentating with Scar on Mang0 or with Mang0 on Scar. Most of the time his commentary is just fun. If I'm analyzing a match seriously, I normally ignore commentators. From an analysis perspective, almost ever Melee commentator is shallow. It is hard to talk in depth in such a fast game with so many micro situations.

 

[Jaedrik]

Congratulations to Toph, although I am highly disappointed by the method of which he was chosen. Bullying people? Oh melee community.

That's one way to look at it.
I prefer to think that it's obvious people honestly don't want him, and that he's offering a way out for people who like him by pointing out the FEW vulgar people as to the why of him stepping down.

 

[Airboysteel]

Congrats Toph

 

[Grey Belnades]

Aww, I was hopin Scar would commentate. At least we get D1.

I'll gladly take a homeless man you took off the streets who was paid with a sandwich over Scar anyday.

 

[Darklink401]

I'll gladly take a homeless man you took off the streets who was paid with a sandwich over Scar anyday.

But Scar is so cool and stuff.

What's wrong with him as a commentator? XD

 

[Morbi]

The Smash Brothers Community is North Korea and Diem is Sony. Don't be Sony.

 

[Newt Floss]

Aww, I was hopin Scar would commentate. At least we get D1.

Just keep repeating "OH MY GOD," and you won't miss Scar commentary.

 

[DunnoBro]

I'm not crazy about his commentary but he is consistently enjoyable enough. Better than diem "woe is me" brandom at least

 

[Darklink401]

Just keep repeating "OH MY GOD," and you won't miss Scar commentary.

You know, that is a very good point.

 

[NEFlame]

You know, that is a very good point.

Very good point.

 

[NEFlame]

Congrats Toph on making it to commentate melee at Apex 2015!

 

[Twigs]

I don't understand why everyone is so picky about who's commentating. Obviously we don't want someone like Diem on the mic considering the pity party he's throwing and his verbal trashing of the entire smash community, but i think the amount of diversity we have amongst all the bigger name commentators, past and present, from HMW, to Dogysamich, to Prog, to D1, to Toph, to TKBreezy, to Scar, etc, have all been fantastic at their job in their own right (which may i add is both to inform and entertain SIMULTANEOUSLY which is in no way an easy thing to do); really any of these people would've been a fine choice (except TKBreezy who is more of a definitive PM and Smash 4 rep). It's incredibly interesting to experience the many differing voices of the community and how they interact in a duo and such. Also, what's so wrong with showing a little bit of bias in commentary? I would rather hear a tangential spur of the moment sputtering from an east coast smasher over a Hax set trash talking like it's behind the couch than a robot designed to be 100% impartial and do nothing but speak the controller inputs of each player. Half the appeal of having commentators is the personality that each one embeds in their words. If you guys want perfection then please SHOW us what it is. Toph is an extremely analytical voice and personality in general so i think at a tournament as high of a level as this he would be a great fit for the kind of stuff that's gonna be occuring in the top 8 of APEX 2015. Congrats @omgwtfToph!!!

 

[WinterShorts]

Diem's goodbye is deceptive too. Claiming he was the bullied one when he stirred the pot. He said bad things about major community leaders, and made us look bad to the rest of eSports. Cutting him was the right decision.

Thank god it's not Diem.

I'm not crazy about his commentary but he is consistently enjoyable enough. Better than diem "woe is me" brandom at least

Damn, all this Diem hate. Somethin' I'm not getting here?

 

[DunnoBro]

Damn, all this Diem hate. Somethin' I'm not getting here?

Essentially, his lackluster commentating ability simply is not enough to allow people to overcome his generally controversial and unsavory background.

E-sports types didn't like him for that. And others such as myself simply thought his commentating in the past took more away than it brought, likely due to severe unfamiliarity with the game in recent years.

 

[Lizalfos]

Damn, all this Diem hate. Somethin' I'm not getting here?

He bashed at least 5 different long time commentators, including Wife (there were links to all the tweets on reddit but now I can't find them). Then he said something along the lines, "Today I remembered that there is a difference between the smash community and the Melee community. It is really disappointing." If you are going to take a high profile position, you can't just come in and start a flamewar like that.

 

[WinterShorts]

Essentially, his lackluster commentating ability simply is not enough to allow people to overcome his generally controversial and unsavory background.

E-sports types didn't like him for that. And others such as myself simply thought his commentating in the past took more away than it brought, likely due to severe unfamiliarity with the game in recent years.

More negative than positive? Got'cha.

He bashed at least 5 different long time commentators, including Wife (there were links to all the tweets on reddit but now I can't find them). Then he said something along the lines, "Today I remembered that there is a difference between the smash community and the Melee community. It is really disappointing." If you are going to take a high profile position, you can't just come in and start a flamewar like that.

Antagonizing the Melee Community: always a good sign.

In all seriousness, he DEFINITLEY didnt need to make a negative comment out of no where.

 

[CAUP]

LOL

If you look at the top of Toph's head without seeing his face it looks like Toph from Avatar XD

Sorry about that...

 

[Kingkool]

Did Scar have a date with Mango that night or something?

 

[JFB (JurgaBurgaFlintines)]

I know for a fact that there are dozens of people that don't want Toph there. I personally don't mind.

 

[AirFair]

Damn, all this Diem hate. Somethin' I'm not getting here?

He's always been taking jabs at players and communities based on what I've heard on reddit. He didn't deserve that spot.

 

[SojyuRyu]

No matter what gaming community you go to there are always the "Inner circles" and the" lowly members". I've been to a few big events and bigger well known smash players will brush you off like you are beneath them, try to say hello to a few get some advice and its like a mechanism they only associate if you got the skill....that was my impression of the ones I met not gonna name names.