For the first time in three years, Greyson “Goldenglue” Gilmer will be starting in the LCS. The Cloud9 Academy Mid Laner flew the coup of the meme mothership to join Golden Guardians as its starting Mid Laner for 2020.

Goldenglue spoke with Lara Lunardi at All-Star 2019 about joining GGS, the pros and cons of the spotlight, and playing with his new Jungler Can “Closer” Çelik.

How are you liking ASE 2019 so far?


All-Stars has been a pretty good event so far. It’s really interesting to see all these League of Legends people in Vegas; it doesn’t really, like...it’s not a natural fit! It’s cool to see everyone out of their element, and I really like the new 1v1 mode. It’s been really fun to watch.



Why do you think Las Vegas is an unnatural fit for LoL Esports, and what would say is the natural fit?


I would say that drinking and dancing is not typically what pro players like to do to relax, but it’s what you do in Vegas.


How do you think the All-Star Event benefits the LoL Esports community?


I think it’s pretty cool to see a bunch of different players from different countries get to play and interact with each other in unique ways like Tandem Mode, and especially the 1v1 Mode. With the new changes I think it’s really fun, and I think it speaks towards the major benefit of the event. It also gives fans something to watch in the off-season.



Who would you like to face in that new 1v1 mode?


If I was playing in the 1v1, obviously I’d want to play against Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok, but I’d also really like to play against Rasmus "Caps" Winther. He’s the defending 1v1 champion, and he’s just such an amazing player.



How do you think this event benefits the players participating?


I think it benefits the players in being able to show their face and build relationships with other players. It also increases your brand for being on stage a lot, and maybe if you’re not the biggest brand, but playing against Faker, it’s good exposure.

Let’s talk a bit about you starting in LCS. Do you think that will boost your brand?


Yeah, LCS can definitely increase exposure in both good and bad ways.



What is a bad form of exposure in the LCS?


When you’re under the spotlight, there are more people criticizing you. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, because criticism is good. But as a result, you end up receiving a lot more hate. Since there’s a higher volume of comments of all types, the amount of hate increases with everything else. For example, people want to see other NA Mid Laners instead of me, so that can add to that kind of thing.



Do teams prepare you to deal with this double-sided aspects of fame, or do you have to learn it on your own?


I think it’s something you have to learn on your own. The only people who can help you are people who have been through it. I’m pretty experienced with it; I’ve had a lots of career lows and a couple of highs, and it’s definitely something you have to learn through experience because there’s really nothing like it. It’s definitely harder for a newer player, but I’ve been around so long that it doesn’t phase me as much as it used to.



What would you say to a new player that just started to deal with that type of hate?


When dealing with fame, you shouldn’t let it get to your head. You’re going to have moments that are great, and you’re going to have bad moments. If your confidence relies on fans supporting you, you’re not going to have any sense of self-worth when they turn against you.



Let’s talk about your routine since leaving C9A. What has changed?

I’m just getting moved into my new apartment and getting into the right habits that I want to set up for next season. I’m playing some solo queue, doing a bit of streaming, and making sure I can deal with all of the things I can take care of right now so I can be stress-free in the regular season.



Are you excited to have Closer join the team?

I’m super excited to play with Closer! He’s a really great personality and he’s also really good mechanically. He’s fun to hang out with, too.



What are your personal expectations for LCS 2020?


I don’t like to think a lot about expectations because I think that can kind of hinder your own performance. My expectation is that my whole team is going to work hard, play our best, and we will see where that lands us. I think it’s going to put us a lot higher than what everyone else thinks.



When you first got the offer from GGS, what was the first thing that went through your mind?

‘I’m back baby, let’s go!’ *laughs*



Any words to your fans before they see you on the LCS stage next year?


I’d just like to thank everyone for the support. It’s been a pretty crazy off-season, and I don’t think anyone - including myself - expected me to the only North American Mid Laner starting in the 2020 LCS Spring Split. My goal is to show everyone why I’m here, and if I can do that, I’ll be really happy.