since you put it that way, it does seem that Scott is being a whiney little git....since people are "cheating" to get sponsorship, he just gave in all together rather than continue on and set a good example for how things are supposed to be...but then he goes and bitches about it on the internet.
at anyrate, how is the game supposed to be different? should wanting sponsorship be outlawed? i supposes as a "sport", alpine climbing is unique in that there no audience actively holding up rating cards and judging style...its a peanut gallery that takes place later, speculatively downgrading or guessing at the style the climb was actually done in rather than dealing with facts.
I find the people who make it their business to downgrade climbs without leaving their arm chair, or who question the motives of others all day long just as/even more annoying than BS you list here Dru.