What does "Player of the Decade" mean?
So I repost my answer too
Nathan, my thoughts is that nobody doubt about Mika's accomplishments in the last decade. The point is that Ralf has been the most competitive and consistant player in that WHOLE decade. He certainly is also the most dedicated player in the game, travelling most of the year everywhere on the planet to play in tournament.
If someone deserved this reward, Ralf is the one who comes to the top of the list by far before the second... who could be Mika...
Folks:
I think billbOK has it, in a nutshell. Many folks here seem to have different definitions of what "Player of the Decade" means. Some seem to think it's total earnings (in which, clearly, Efren's the winner here having two of the biggest IPT events under his belt). Some seem to think it's the impact the player is having right now (in which case, clearly, Mika is the winner here with his gangbusters year-and-a-half). Many others, like myself, believe it's the consistency -- in terms of making sure he/she is involved in as many high-profile tournaments as he/she can, as well as placing high or snapping the event off completely -- over the ENTIRE course of the period for which he/she is being considered (in our particular situation, the DECADE).
Nathan D., Marvel, and others are clearly boosting Mika for his OUTSTANDING 18 months of performance. In my eyes, Mika is most deserving of the following titles/monikers:
+ Player of the YEAR (without question)
+ Most Improved Player of the Decade (think about this one)
Prior to Mika's gangbusters year-and-a-half, he did NOT have a stellar period prior. (I'm giving Mika the benefit of the doubt with the year-and-a-half, btw, because Mika's consistent march through, and snapping off, the finals of big tournaments didn't start until this time LAST YEAR, when he won the U.S. Open the first time. That seemed to be the "hump" or "hill" for Mika; once he walked over the peak of that hill, it's when his tournament-snapping "rampage" started.)
Sure, Mika would have a few spikes here and there (placing high, or snapping off a nice tourney here and there) throughout the 8 years prior. But Mika was not consistent. There are those of us who notice Mika has a rampant focus problem -- making mistakes at the WORST possible time, mistakes that cost him dearly, costing him titles that he otherwise should've won. (Some may remember the "Mistakes Out Of Nowhere (M.O.O.N.)" nickname for Mika in the threads here during this past Mosconi Cup.) It seemed that once Mika finally crossed over the crest of that hill -- winning the 2008 U.S. Open -- it broke a barrier for Mika, that he'd been bumping his head onto for most of his career. It cleared the air for him. I think if one asks Mika himself, he/she would find Mika would agree with that. When asked about what it was that lit a fire under him this past year-and-a-half, Mika says that he "worked on some back/grip hand things." But we all know that it's much more than that. Something happened with Mika mentally, once he broke through that glass ceiling. He no longer has those monkeys on his back.
What does this have to do with this Player of the Decade poll? While Mika's accomplishments/improvements certainly merit him Player of the Year (that isn't even a horse race -- noone even comes close), it doesn't warrant him being voted Player of the Decade. Mika quite simply has not been consistent enough through the decade to say "he was a driving force through the decade."
Ralf, on the other hand, has. Before Mika's rampage over this past year-and-a-half, the most feared player was Ralf. Noone was more consistently knocking other world-beaters out of, placing high (or snapping off altogether) high-profile tournaments than Ralf. That is, and has been, throughout the DECADE. Sure, Mika's accomplishments this past year-and-a-half far outshine anything any player has done in a long, long time. But a stellar year-and-a-half does not a DECADE make!
I think unfortunately, some folks are vulnerable to the "what have you done for me lately?" syndrome. By that I mean that Mika has been in the limelight and shining brightly lately, and Ralf is being outshone right now. Some folks, like moths to a flame, are attracted to the bright light. They are cheering for Mika, and have forgotten about the "soldiers" like Ralf that have consistently logged the miles and not only entered every possible tourney all over the world, but consistently placed high or snapped-off the event as well. Ralf's still there, in case Mika's glow dims.
And, on the topic of the person him/herself, Ralf is also ALWAYS a professional. Mika, well, let's just say he doesn't always show his best side. Some folks are not going to like what I'm about to say, but Mika sometimes has an attitude and professionalism problem.
I think if Mika continues his winning ways, he's a shoo-in for next decade's Player of the Decade. But not this one.
Humbly,
-Sean
P.S.: my personal favorite player is, no question, Efren Reyes. But I like to think I don't play the "favorites game" like some folks are playing here, and put my favoritism for Efren aside, and vote for the player that shows the true meaning and essence of Player of the Decade. That, for me, is no question, Ralf Souquet.
. Mika lost the US.Open once, then later won it back-to-back. How big is that? Who else has done that? Varner in late eighties, when the field was like one third of what's it now. Not to even start with the level of the field.
