Doublelift and Xmithie interview: SpongeBob memes, genie lamps, and more

During Team Liquid’s busy time before the LCS Spring Finals in St. Louis, we talked on Discord with jungler Jake “Xmithie” Puchero and AD carry Yiliang “Doublelift” Peng.

We discuss the important stuff, like who the LCS greatest support of all time is, and who on Team Liquid is the mother possum to the rest of the team.

We also interviewed top laner Jung “Impact” Eon-yeong and support Jo “CoreJJ” Yong-in with the same questions that you can check out here.

The interview below has been edited for clarity and length.

The Rift Herald: Now that the Spring Split is over, how do you feel? A lot of people thought the split was rather anticlimactic. Do you think everyone was going hard in the paint or were they more easygoing?

Doublelift: Take it away, Jake.

Xmithie: I think everyone is trying their hardest right now, since no job is secured right now for pretty much anyone. If you started sucking, a lot of the team owners are starting to wonder if you’re really worth. Like for 100 Thieves for example, like no job is really secure.

Doublelift: Holy shit, Jake says Huhi sucks! That’s exactly what he said.

Xmithie: [laughs] What? No! Like, people need to try their hardest right now or else they won’t have a job.

A recent LoL Esports article cited Impact, Xmithie, Bjergsen, and Doublelift as the NA GOATs of their role.

Doublelift: I think Jake is the GOAT of jungle, but me? I’m not sure about that one. But he’s undisputed best jungle.

He stated that CoreJJ can’t have that title yet because he hasn’t been in NA long enough. To you, who is the NA GOAT support?

Doublelift: Good question. I don’t think there is one. I feel like if you’re looking at the longevity, I guess Aphro, but I feel like there’s not much of a difference, honestly, between all the supports. There’s not really enough of a difference to say that one’s the best for sure.

Now in true Rift Herald spirit, it’s time to shift to non-esports questions. A frequent conversation at Rift Herald is discussing who we think is capable of cooking a full chicken. Like, who can cook one that’s just edible, versus one that actually tastes good. Who on Team Liquid could cook a chicken?

Xmithie: I think Peter could do pretty well. That’s all he eats, to be honest. [laughs] Every time I see Peter, he just eats chicken, so hopefully he can cook it.

Doublelift: I am a chicken lover. I feel like no one on the team cooks, including me, but I am the most closely attached to chicken among the team, so hopefully me. I don’t know if anyone else —

Xmithie: Actually, Impact cooks a little bit.

Doublelift: Really? Maybe Impact then. But he’s more of a steak guy.

Have you guys ever seen what a mother possum looks like? Like, the animal?

Doublelift: Nope.

Bettmann Archive

They’re like rodents and they’re protective, but the babies of this animal literally cling to the back of the mom as it waddles around. My question is ... who on Team Liquid is the mom possum?

Xmithie: Obviously the greatest of all time AD carry —

Doublelift: Oh, my god.

Xmithie: Peter Peng.

Doublelift: Look, dude. There’s only one jungler that’s head and shoulders above the rest, and that’s Jake Puchero, the mother possum.

This is interesting because I’m definitely also going to ask CoreJJ and Impact this.

Doublelift: I think it’s honestly CoreJJ. He’s the most nurturing out of all of us.

Xmithie: He’s the real support.

Doublelift: Yeah, he’s a real support in and out of game.

When I did my Worlds coverage last year, I actually interviewed CoreJJ when he was still on Gen.G. He added a question to my random pool and it was, “Are there any other players from other regions you would like to befriend?” which is a very wholesome question. Who would you guys pick?

Xmithie: Be best friends with Uzi.

Doublelift: My idol.

Actually, Smeb picked you, Peter.

Doublelift: Really?!

Xmithie: Wow.

Doublelift: I actually have a better one. I want to be friends with a billionaire. I’d want to be friends with the IG owner. He’s a pro player, technically, so. If I’m his friend, I’m set.

Peter, you thrive off of SpongeBob memes. If you had to assign a meme to each of your teammates, what would you pick?

Doublelift: It has to be a SpongeBob meme?

It can be any meme, I guess, but your I thought your expertise would be in SpongeBob!

Doublelift: True. Let’s see. Jensen will be the caveman. Jake will be ... damn, I’m not really sure here. Jake would just be Patrick. He’s just the character, Patrick. Impact would be handsome Squidward. I want to be ... who do I want to be? I want to be Mr. Krabs, actually. He’s sick. Is there a Mr. Krabs meme? Oh, there is. It’s the one where he’s looking really dizzy. Who did I miss? Core ... I don’t know. There’s not enough Spongebob memes in the world for Core.

Xmithie: I don’t watch SpongeBob.

Doublelift: Worthless.

If you found a magic lamp, what would your three wishes be?

Doublelift: Jake, take it away. [laughs]

Xmithie: I would say “win Worlds,” but it has to be something out of the picture.

Doublelift: Ooh! True.

Xmithie: Fortnite to be deleted or something. To be the President of the United States.

Doublelift: Damn.

Those are steep, but I like it. Peter, you don’t have anything you’d wish for?

Xmithie: Be a trillionaire, because he’s already a billionaire.

Doublelift: No! I don’t need to be a trillionaire that bad. I’d be OK with it, but it’s not like, my top wish. I want a six pack and uh, what else?

Xmithie: Peter, you already have that!

Doublelift: Mm, no. What else? Three six packs. Alright, that’s it.