I used to want to see my name on the boards as well but soon learned that feeling passes. Instead I just wanted to be a better player, period.
A few months ago when I finally, FINALLY, figured out how to get my portfolio moving, I created my own trader watchlist of players who joined HSX within six months of me. (3 months before Dec 13, 2005 and 3 months after).
Every few days I would scan the pages around my new ranking to find traders who had joined about the same time I did. It seemed fair, and much more competitive to measure myself against people who joined about the same time that I did. When I created that list of 10 players two or three months ago I think we were all around 22 - 25 million. But I made sure I only added names to my list that had more money than me, so I would be forced to chase them down. Each time I got to the top of the list, I would enjoy it for a day or two and then go find more names who had more money than me.
Currently my trader watchlist has 35 players on it who don't know they're getting their **** kicked by me. Second place is behind by almost 7 million. (It's been a good week -- time to add some new names.) So like Catzan, MY "leaderboard" is my trader watchlist. I find it much more fair, fun, competitive and intriguing, despite the fact they don't know they're in a contest with me.
internally, I still say I'm competing against me. But having a few players to outwardly measure myself against who have the same amount of "experience" as me is a lot of fun.
All this makes for a nice segue into the new league I started yesterday called "Seinfeld". Since all the leagues here are based on percentage gain, it's open to any port size. So feel to join if you like.