RBW5, Casters overly critizising players for off-meta choices

Rbw5 was an amazing event, and I want to say that everyone did an amazing job, including the casters.

I just want to say, I felt that vinchester got too much flak from the casting team for picking poles - or other players like MBL when he picked burmese.

I fully understand that T90 is a top level player himself, but for me - it just takes away when the whole narrative of some games becomes - "I dont like poles, I'm telling you poles is a bad civ". Vinch loses a pretty close game. Then, "see i told you poles was a bad civ". Then its brought up over the next days, whenever vinchester is mentioned.

I dont fully understand why you'd pick poles or burmese there. But those players are in the top 16 for a reason. Theyre not playing to go for weird strategies. They see something in those picks and they try it.

See Sicilians for example, the first time they're picked by GL - casters are freaking out about the crazy pick they dont understand. At the end of the tournament, theyre asking for nerfs to sicilians in the viper game.

Its fine to give your opinion, but don't judge players that much.