Smash pro ZeRo explains why being the best player is “actually terrible”

Super Smash Bros. pro Gonzalo ‘ZeRo’ Barrios says being the best player is terrible and explained how it’s better to just be in the top five instead.

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Being the best at something always means someone is coming for your crown, which can end up being more trouble than it’s worth.

Smash legend ZeRo, who was considered to be the best Smash 4 player, explained it’s much easier and less stressful if you’re just among the best players, but not at the very top.

“You actually don’t wanna be the best player at something,” he tweeted. “The throne is actually terrible. Everyone will just bring you down and not support you. You wanna be top 5, or the second best player. You get the benefits of still winning often, and still be a fan favorite, esp vs #1.”

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That’s not to say ZeRo doesn’t enjoy being looked at as the best Smash player, but it’s just better overall to be considered among the upper echelon of players instead of the absolute best one.

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“I feel a lot of people won’t get what I really mean with this tweet,” he said. “I’m saying its more “optimal” to be in this position. You get the most benefits with the least amount of disadvantages. I just think it’s too glamorized. I dunno, it wasn’t good to me.”

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Devin Nash, ex-CLG CEO, compared it to being the CEO vs. the COO of a company and what comes with that.

“This works exactly the same CEO vs COO etc in companies, if you’re #1 you get all the problems and blame – but #2-3 you have all the benefits but no one really bothers you, the crown is heavy my friend,” he said to ZeRo.

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Fans are always on the look for the next best thing so when somebody hits that number one spot, they quickly turn their eyes to who can take them down.

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ZeRo is the only player to cross over $100,000 in winnings on Smash 4, but he agreed with a fan who said Smash 4 traumatized him.

“It really did,” he said. “It absolutely killed my passion for Smash in general, completely.”

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After all the hours of grinding, we see how easy it is to have fans turn on you in a blink of an eye.

ZeRo’s eye-popping statements are a cautionary tale of what comes with being the best at your craft.