Record breaking 7th Roland Garros (surpassing Borg) + 8th consecutive Monte Carlo + 6th Rome = BEST PLAYER OF 2012
Nadal solidified his status as greatest clay courter of all time and set records that will stand the test of time. No other player can say the same for 2012.
Disagree with your assertion. Federer's 300 weeks as #1 will be one of his various records that will stand the test of time, and is yet another reason why most people will consider him the GOAT. Equalling Sampras [the greatest grasscourt player of all time]'s record haul of 7 Wimbledons is another - unless the Swiss Maestro can conjure one more magic trick at SW19 in the next few years.
asterisk records are not valued much in the longer run........everybody knows what the story would have been like had nadal been around and nadal is not some random top 10er or something........
nadal stopped djokovic's slam winning run and protected rod laver's legacy from falling victim to surface homogenization........nadal smashed the record of french titles, which had borg spilling tea all over his pants and gnashing his teeth........
all that in under 5 months........
Well, I'll go the other way and say that Rafa's record is the one that actually deserves an asterisk. If Borg hadn't retired so early, he would have won many more RGs. 
the funny part is you are right. Borg was, and still is, God in my books. Forget about Fed and Nadal, they are nobodies compared to Borg. The guy was the most talented, skilful player who ever played the game. Borg didn't play the AO (yeah, played it once, lol), he hated the USO night matches. he could have ended up his GS count at over 20 if he cared, and he simply did not. yeah, he was that good ... but some people forget ...
Borg is the only true tennis Star ... everyone else don't even come close ...