Melee will fall to Brawl's background.
Thats just how its going to work.
I mean, how ISN'T the game going to be competitive?
Was melee made to be played how it is now? Clearly not, or else they wouldn't have taken, say, the ability to wave dash out? All it takes is 2 players, one better than the other, and the second player's drive to be better than the first, to forge a "competitive" nature.
Brawl has the interwebz, which will allow the smash community to be even more close knit, since getting out to new-smashers and finding some good ones to play against is a matter of exchanging a 12 digit code.
Are there flaws in Brawl? Yes.(Nothing is perfect. Look at Ike!)
Are there flaws in Melee? Hell Yes.(Look at how easy it is to divide up characters into a basic tier set! Balance issue much?)
In short, what I'm saying is that there is no argument concerning the competitive potential of Brawl, because competition is potential for all games. Brawl's competitive nature will be realized and played out in full, so just be patient and await it.
Besides, being good in Melee doesn't mean you have to start TOTALLY over in Brawl. You already have an insight at what to look for in characters, as well as good reflexes and instincts, which are far more important than half the things that brawl will be excluding from Melee.
Thats my piece.
-DD