As far as I am able to recall, you both are right about some details as they ring bells for me but off about some others.
The whole decay system was indeed initially pushed by Chris pertaining to only 1v1 and players needing to prove their rating. This was at a time when there was only one rating system with TGs and 1v1s mixed if I am not mistaken (I believe this was when there was only RM General right? and DM had a separate category). Chris was also one who influenced voobly devs to create separate categories, RM Overall (Useless rating of course), RM 1v1, and RM TG if I have that right as well, or it just went down that avenue with all this.
In his initial post which he posted on voobly forums (I'm sure it still exists on the net), his main complaint was towards Tim avoiding him as Chris wanted to prove he was the best in the world with rank and rating (his words I believe). Tim at that time had 3 nicks. I believe it was when his most used and highest one was CN_Sie or something along those lines. It was around 2580, and Tim refused to play Chris on that one when challenged for "rank". His second highest which was around 2540, and Tim refused to play on that one. Now if I have this part accurately, which is an if, he would only play Chris on his 3rd nick which was in the 2400 range, and Chris' nick was somewhere in the 2500 rating (I'd be heavily insulted myself). That's how the whole debacle began. I do believe Alive was a name mentioned somewhere as he had a 2600 nick then, but I don't recall Bact. This was at a time before Bact was in the league; he was on his road to getting there, only around 2200-2300 in 1v1 skill then.
The irony (if this is actually the accurate word) is Chris later regretted ever suggesting the decay system as he said it never worked as he thought it would, and Chris himself would play one game every 2 weeks against players from 1600-2k (lucky players tbh 11) to avoid the decay on his high rated name.
This type of game community drama brings a stronger nostalgic tear to my eye than any single second of the 200+ hours I spent playing DE.