could you please provide me with an actual example of someone who seemed very good online, turned out to be not that good offline or even turned out to be pretty bad.
Golden question. I have a feeling people here will avoid this question like the plague because they can't give an example. And in a way, they probably know they're deceiving themselves, due to some sort of superiority complex.
Before I go on, do not base the entirety of this post on the first few lines. Even though I disagree with some things, I also agree on others, so, before you go quote mining, make sure you read everything.
Ultimately, people who end up playing well online in a fair connection, have used the training mode to up their game. The core of their gameplay is still based on offline. That they used online gameplay to gain experience does not really matter that much. If anything, they train their anticipation more than the ones who play offline only, since like DrDogg himself said, reacting is a lot harder online. That is an advantage when going offline, not a disadvantage, or someone who 'lacks skill' or whichever BS way you want to pretend to explain it. What is skill anyway? Is someone who plays on reaction more skillful than someone who anticipates? Because that's what parts of his post seems to be implying, probably unintentionally. I think we all know it's not that simple.
In any case... Anyone who simply went online and played over and over while never using the training mode, will not be a good player. Doesn't matter if it's online or offline. The main issue I encounter when playing offline is that I buffer too early, since I got used to buffering that way so that things come out in time online and I don't get beat out while having the advantage. That is all. The rest, not that different. This whole online vs offline thing is nothing more than a cult and a bias in the community. Online has been demonized way too much. The "online is not a good measure of skill" talk has no real substance, especially when skill is something that's so intangible that it can be determined/measured in a different way the next day. If you can beat a lot of people online in a fairly good connection, and go toe to toe with the ones who've played in offline tournaments, you're probably gonna do well offline as well, unlike popular belief.
You still have the right to call yourself a good player in such a case. Just don't compare too soon, or say that you are 'better than'. No one plays perfectly all the time. We all have our ups and downs, so if you happen to hold your own one day, don't expect things to always go the same way. This is true for both on- and offline, especially when making the switch from one to the other. That's the reason why bragging is not only uncalled for, but foolish. And....
Should you get recognition for playing online? Well... Should you get recognition for playing soccer with your friends in a public field where everyone can just hop into the game? The answer is no. To get so-called 'recognition', you need to be in an official tournament or recognized by an official organization. Can you imagine how ridiculous it would be if you went up to someone like Messi and say that you're the best soccer player on that public football field close to your house and are therefore better than him, when he's recognized by FIFA and no one has heard of you? He'd laugh in your face. It's an extreme example, but, you get the point. Even though it is possible that someone playing soccer in their back yard is better than Messi, he proved he can reach the top while that person didn't. The whole recognition thing is part of imaginary games, since it's based on something abstract like 'status' or 'reputation' or 'achievement' that supports the claim of someone being the best, but that's how the world works. We have no hard physical factual skill measurement other than those things. Your results have to be recognized by the group you're trying to impress, which means you have to abide by their standards and not make up your own.
As of now, offline is the only place where you can say that things are 'official', where you can win some actual money, get 'status' and so on. That's the standard for fighting games. That'll probably stay that way for a while. Not because it requires more skill, but because that's where things can properly be verified by multiple parties and because that's how it has been decided, and for good reason since reliability and consistency is important. I just wish the whole 'skill' talk was left out in the OP, because it's not about actual skill at all (skill being defined as the ability to do something well). It's about the way people think skill should be measured in this game. You can find examples in this thread already. Look at
iHajinShinobi's post. It's about how skill should be measured. Skill itself is inaccessible. Sadly, the whole skill talk coming from offline players, almost always sounds as if they think they are superior to everyone else, which really is a turn-off.
In any case... If you want to boast about how great you are, that's where you need to go, offline tournaments. I however would prefer that you would not boast at all. But if you really need to, keep the boasting about online leaderboards, online ranks, online wins and so on to your friends. Don't tell Lady Gaga you're a better musician than her when she's the one selling albums.
That is all.
P.S. I don't like either Lady Gaga or Messi. Just figured they're names people would recognize.