Pick for me is Liam Ashcroft.
I'm not sure when he started playing exactly, but it was definitely before the decade began. I remember seeing little noob Liam (LAsh09) commenting on vids way back in the day. He stayed active basically the entire time, and fast forward a few years, he was hitting WRs and became (in my opinion) the best driver in the world for a long time (less consistent than Fox, but higher skill ceiling when he applied himself). This wasn't just on FR or Spear, he became very skilled with FR, Spear, Magikruiser, and Mach bike. He existed both before the "modern / softdrift" era with strong times and would go on to become one of the absolute best drivers (and pioneers) of the modern era itself, either being tied or very close to holding the most WR's at a given point in 2016-2017 (can't quite recall). Prior to Luke coming on, I'd wager Liam as the best driver to ever actually touch the game, and still potentially the most well-rounded at top level (apart from, say, Sosis or Justin). Top it off with always having been a pretty good guy and he was always willing to lend a hand if you were stuck on a track.
Other picks for me would be:
Thomas van Deerse
- Began playing late 2009/early 2010, somewhere in there, I think. I also recall his early YT comments in broken English, haha. He's come a very long way (not just in English), becoming the best player in the world by 2012 or so, and while he doesn't have the insane AF that Justin has (or Fox/Totom had), he has consistently played both before and during the invent of softdrifting (which, for fossils like us who were active before / at the start of the decade, basically meant relearning the entire game from what we knew originally), still ranked #3 after all these years, his AF basically slowly going down or staying still while all around his rose over time. He probably has the most consistent (and high level) play out of anyone who has ever touched this game, and over the course of an entire decade to boot. I feel his talent is often overlooked or under-appreciated due to MKW's obsession with WR's and singular good times instead of the entire timesheet, but nobody has remained at the top as long as Thomas. Let's not forget his really good RDKJP spiral skip WR before the glitch was found, either. To boot, he too, has always been helpful and kind to those looking to improve. Another (potentially the most) overlooked player, as his ascent to #1 was overshadowed by Jay and Jorge having a much lower AF due to cheating, and being robbed of some other WR's due to other cheaters later down the line.
Fox
- Kinda goes without saying. He was the first consistent player to really grab MKW by the horns and show the community what was possible in the softdrift era There were people like Axel before him, but Fox genuinely changed the game and upped the meta. Played everything, basically went uncontested once his meteoric rise began in 2012 or 2013, and 2014-2017 or so as #1 (and not passed until, when, 2018? 2019?). He's still ranked #2, and would probably still be a cozy sub-10 AF if he played glitches in the last several years. Potentially the most consistent player MKW has ever seen all-around, as well as probably top5 at actual driving skill to ever do it. Also a pretty cool guy (still gonna break his fingers though
).
Sword
- Sword, like some of us, has been around since the very beginning. He's always been a force to be reckoned with in TT's, from CM to DC to becoming one of the premiere racers with Spear, ever. Once at the top of the food chain in terms of WR count, and basically always playing over the years, both before and during the modern era as well. Can't forget his contributions to the community either, from stepping up to the plate and recording WR's once the Mander fiasco happened, becoming a YT sensation with Troy & co. (which no doubt helped keep the community alive and make it what it is today), and always having an enjoyable stream. Most important of his contributions, however, might be the term "cockmonger" (or something along those lines), which could be heard many times in the old RBC3 NSC streams.
Lastly for me would probably be Cole. Kinda goes without saying everything he's done for this game, though I just don't think he's been active enough to warrant POD, nothing personal.
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