TL APA Explains How LCS ‘Ripped Off’ the Trend He Started and Why He’s Okay With It

Eain ‘APA’ Stearns, the renowned mid laner for Team Liquid, has become a household name in the past year due to his exceptional performance on the Rift and his brash behavior. As a result, the LCS has chosen to embrace his penchant for trash talking and make it a defining characteristic of the league for the Summer 2024 season.

Ever since making a splash in 2023, APA has undeniably emerged as the face of the LCS’s new generation. When it comes to homegrown talent, he remains a driving force in convincing others to have faith in NA players.

He consistently engages in a lot of trash-talking.

team-liquid-apa-smack-talk — Shannon Cottrell/Riot Games

This could have been a concern for APA if he lacked the necessary skill to support it. However, he has shown significant improvement as a player within the last year, to the point where he was able to win the LCS championship in Spring and participate in MSI 2024.

Somehow, on an experienced Team Liquid roster that boasts skilled players such as UmTi, Impact, and CoreJJ, APA’s drive to succeed and bold demeanor have set him apart.

The LCS slogan ‘Talk Your Split’ in Summer 2024 is largely influenced by APA, and is a result of his in-game chats going viral and capturing the attention of LCS fans.

While he is not the sole player who has thrown shade on stage, he is certainly the most renowned for it. It is an integral aspect of his player persona that cannot be stripped away.

I had the opportunity to interview APA, a rising star on Team Liquid, to talk about his contributions to the team’s return to the top of the LCS. His debut year has been one of the most impactful in LCS history for a North American pro.

Below is my complete interview with APA following Team Liquid’s 2-0 victory against 100 Thieves:

Hey there, how are you doing?

“Well, I suppose it’s alright. Although I’m not completely satisfied with the series, a victory is still a victory.”

Despite the one-sidedness of Game 2, Game 1 still had some risky moments.

“I am feeling quite let down by our performance in Game 1, both personally and as a team. Although Game 2 was solid, I believe we had the potential to perform slightly better in certain situations. There were moments where we were seemingly defeated, but we managed to make miraculous plays to turn the tide.”

Sorry not sorry @QuidlolKR 🫣 pic.twitter.com/qNCf1JkDjX

— Team Liquid Honda LoL (@TeamLiquidLoL) June 27, 2024

Therefore, do you believe that if you had faced a stronger team, you would have lost in that situation?

Even though we faced tough competition from top LCK and LPL teams, we were unable to fully dominate them. As a result, there was a risk of losing. Despite having significant leads in both games, our execution was not flawless. Nonetheless, we managed to secure a win, which adds another point to our scoreboard. However, I am not completely satisfied with our performance.

Are you concerned that you may not receive sufficient practice to compete at an international level this year if the competition is not challenging enough on stage?

“During our match against FlyQuest, we faced a tough challenge on stage. However, in all honesty, our previous opponents were not very strong. If we were competing in the LCK, it would be like facing an average team, and in the LPL, it would be similar to playing against one of the weaker teams. I haven’t been keeping up with the LPL recently.”

“Is that Weibo?”

“I’m sure you’re familiar with the reference to Weibo. In the future, when we compete against teams like Cloud9 or DIG, it’s likely that the series will go to three games.”

What do you believe aided in your ability to identify constructive criticism and use it to improve, despite facing a lot of negative comments?

Honestly, I have never let other people’s negative comments affect me. And even now, I am not swayed by all the praise I am receiving. However, I do take criticism seriously when it comes from my teammates or coaches who give me direct feedback. Our team is known for being straightforward and we are not afraid to call each other out. In fact, even I was heavily criticized after Game 2. We believe in being honest and making necessary changes to improve our performance.

“I anticipate returning to the office after today, where I will most likely face criticism from Impact and Core. They will probably express frustration and point out mistakes, but I will also have the opportunity to defend my actions and question theirs.”

I have a great appreciation for Impact and have had the opportunity to speak with him on multiple occasions over the past few years. I also had the pleasure of talking to UmTi last split and found him to be a very humorous person. Do you believe that having a jungler whom you have a strong bond with and communicate effectively with outside of the game has played a significant role in your improvement?

“I believe [UmTi] plays an integral role within our team. To provide some context, our team is comprised of passionate individuals. Our coach, Spawn, is known for his fiery demeanor, while I, as a player, also have a tendency to get worked up. Yeon and Core are usually calm, but when things do go awry, Impact can become quite intense as well.”

team-liquid-apa-umti — Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games

“Having UmTi as part of our team is a blessing. His joyful personality is a great contrast to the rest of us who tend to get angry during scrimmages.”

I will be posing a very direct inquiry to you.

Do it.

Do you find other professional players to be uninteresting?

“Affirmative.”

Let’s be honest, the LCS stole your entire flow this split.

“(laughs) Yeah, they did a little bit.”

Did you have to make a conscious effort to establish a personal brand, or were you able to simply be yourself when performing on stage?

“I had several discussions with individuals in the scene as well as with my teammates. I carefully considered how I wanted to appear on camera… But then the LCS unexpectedly released a new show called ‘Talk Your Split’.”

#TalkYourSplit pic.twitter.com/hBkXNdBuQw

— LCS (@LCSOfficial) June 17, 2024

“While it can be frustrating at times, I am glad to see that there is now more entertainment within the LCS. In the previous split, it was mainly just myself and Jojo typing, especially when he was having a good week. However, it’s good to see that there is now more variety and excitement in the league. The Dignitas vs FlyQuest matchup, for example, has been generating a lot of hype and it’s not often that we see that in the league.”

Is there ever a point where it becomes easier for NA talent to reach tier 1 leagues?

“I believe that the upcoming split will be easier. This is because the top Challenger team will have the opportunity to be promoted to the LCS. In the past, when I was in the Academy, it didn’t matter how much effort or success you had, as it was mostly based on luck to get promoted. You would need to catch the attention of an LCS scout and be deemed as having potential in order to get a chance on a team.”

“However, currently, achieving success in NACL can lead to an opportunity to compete in LCS next season. This can make the transition smoother.”

It’s no secret that people like Srtty were expected to be in the LCS. It appears to be extremely challenging to be a professional player in North America at the moment.

“I concur that prior to those events, luck plays a significant role. My journey, in particular, was heavily influenced by luck. To be honest, I was on Haeri’s team for the LCS last season. However, he had a few subpar performances. Honestly, if he had performed slightly better, I may not have had the opportunity to compete in the LCS.”

If a person had informed you a year ago that you would essentially be the public image of the LCS in 2024, would you have trusted them?

“I believe it is possible. I feel that I was able to meet the necessary standards. From my understanding of myself, I can see that. I did not anticipate it unfolding in this manner.”

Have you ever felt pressure on Team Liquid to improve your performance or risk being removed from the team, or have you always felt supported by your teammates?

“As a player, I have always been instilled with confidence. I have been taught that it is okay to make mistakes as long as I am able to learn from them and they do not become a recurring issue. This mindset has served me well.”

Speaking about general goals for the year, it is highly unlikely that Team Liquid will miss Worlds.

“I really hope that is not the case.”

(laughs) Let’s say you qualify for Worlds, alright? What do you believe would be a feasible objective for Team Liquid?

“I believe it would be beneficial for us to take a few steps back and focus on winning the LCS once again. While making it to Worlds is a crucial goal, I do not want to overlook the importance of winning the LCS. Both achievements hold significant value to me.”

“Winning the LCS is a rare achievement, and even rarer is winning it consecutively. However, I have always approached international tournaments with a positive mindset. My ultimate goal remains to emerge victorious, no matter how difficult the competition may be.”

The interview was edited in order to make it shorter and easier to understand.