Rikuto is probably the best DOA player. His Bayman always impresses me, with some impressive speed and real skill. He's also a smart guy and pokes at my curiosity. I want to know more about him, and I want to be his friend. I like to befriend people that are better at the game, and smarter than me.
And of course Lopedo. This dude makes every tournament exciting, and he's always got something to say... and he's right... a lot. He's a loose canon, but he brings some entertainment to the offline scene and he's an incredible player in every way possible. Sometimes he is careless though, and that is his biggest weakness in the tournament scene.
Sweet Revenge is a very fun player to watch because he's great with an assortment of different characters. You never really know what's coming next from him and he typically does well and is a highly respected member of this community with the accolades to back it up. He doesn't really talk shit about anyone, but he's not afraid to show a little sass either. XD
Shade deserves some credit as well. Great player, and he improves vastly with each tournament. I feel for him too, and he has a crowd behind him because he is a great, legitimate player that continues to grow and shows better sportsmanship than perhaps anyone else in this scene.
Honorable Mentions:
Sorwah whom I aspire to be like in this community. He's highly skilled with a specific character, he's a great commentator that doesn't get too excited and expresses no bias, he can cosplay and he promotes DOA better THAN ANYBODY in this god damned community guaranteed. He understands what it takes to be amazing in every outlet of this community. He's very impressive, and I always look forward to watching him fight.
Awesmic is awesome. He encourages me to be better, and I feel good in this because he is a phenomenal player that cares about the new players, and they care about him right back. He doesn't talk shit, he doesn't run-down and bitch about characters like SOOOO many others do, and his image is respectable. He isn't a god, but he doesn't want to be and the newer players look up to his skill level and all aspire to be like him down the road. His tournament matches are great, and he always puts up an impressive fight and can battle with what bugs him.
Nightpup. Maybe you haven't heard of him, maybe you don't know that he has the best Alpha of all time and maybe you don't know that he could wreck your ass into the ground. By the end of facing his Alpha, you will be done calling her a masher because he will outplay you and impress you. Watch out for nighpup, cause this pup has a nasty fucking bite, and he can bark while he's chewing through your flesh. And I love his gt. Say it like a hillbilly, and say it slow.
Emann is Jesus... the master of reads and sexy as FUCK. He's made one hell of a statement this year.
Innocent Vision is a dominatrix, and he studies his opponents and his characters very well.
Chosen1... I don't want to say is a surprisingly good player, but shit, like Shade he has come a long way with his character. He's very entertaining and funny, great at the game and has a lot of personality and is proud of his ability.
These are the people that DESERVE to be in the tournament scene. I have a hard time defining old school for the DOA scene since it is always changing. But these people work hard, and have been working hard for a while now...