Beowolf,
If it's any consolation to you, your pro union posts were not popular but there was always a fair degree of grudgeing admiration for your style on this site. I have had several conversations along those lines in the chatroom.
As to Matt and the reasons this site exists - well, this site is a monument to MattO.
Despite what you have read, there were two main reasons this site was set up;
1/ Frustration at the number of boring and childish posts on WORL caused by the footy show linking with the site - this was probably the main reason (it certainly was for me).
2/ The dictatorial attitude of the moderators on WORL. Basically, if you disagreed with the moderators you were in danger of being banned or deleted.
Interestingly, the thread which Craig deleted (mentioned in your post)was largely a slanging match between myself and legend. IMO, Legend went too far in his criticism of Matt Gidley, and I told him so, but Craig deleted the message before others had a chance to read it.
I felt that others should read it and make up their own minds on whether he had gone too far.
Anyway, that is all ancient history.
LWOS has taken onan ethos of tolerance for the very same reason we broke away from WORL. No one has been banned from this site and very few posts have been deleted. The person deleting a post is under an obligation to explain why the post was deleted - no wholesale and unexplained censureship. As you will be aware (because you have been on the wrong end of it), if we have a problem with something posted on this board we try to argue the point on the open forum.
MattO (and all he represents) is the reason this site exists.