I have a counter theory for you Mr. Coombz, you say any other gaming community and this does imply there is something different here. I think a lot of Aces High players, especially the more mature ones don't play a lot of other games and / or don't have the vast experience of internet culture that you seem to have for instance.
Look at me, this is my first forum, my only computer game. I'm sure you find it hilarious to see someone like me getting trolled like a noob and all those other things I have to look up to see what they mean.
From my perspective the whole Midway episode had to be experienced to be believed. Still now why someone would pursue this as an activity is beyond me, wouldn't they be better taking up something more constructive? Probably showing my age there aren't I? 
I agree with Babalonian, an awful lot of players tried to help him, not so much help him so that he'd 'tow the party line' but more so he wouldn't have to rely on what has become accepted in this culture as an unsportsmanlike shot. Everyone that helped him with ACM ultimately just helped him attain those shots with more frequency which is rather a shame and a betrayal of their time and energy.
Also, surely the obsession lies at Midway's feet does it not?
I don't think you proposed a counter theory there - unless you meant it to be the bit where you said that the majority of this community don't play many (or any) other games and don't have a wide experience of the wonderful (ahem) world of internet gaming communities.
That is exactly what I was implying myself!
That's why the reaction to Midway is so extreme and adverse. Most AH pilots are people who are more used to 'real life' where someone shouldn't or wouldn't act the way that Midway does without being able to back it up, or facing some kind of painful physical censure :>
A lot of the responsibility does indeed lie at Midway's feet for provoking people, but as I mentioned above his brand of trolling is actually extremely mild. The excessive anger and hatred that he receives from some people in the community is out of all proportion to what he dishes out himself. I think that is due to the previously mentioned lack of experience with that kind of trolling behaviour that we both referred to AND ALSO the big heads and sensitive egos of so many AH pilots who are extremely proud and protective of their reputation as an e-dogfighter.
For example, just consider the amount of hatred Midway received BEFORE he even started with this 'i pwn so and so' schtick...
When he first came out of the woodwork and limited himself to worshiping Bruv he was still the recipient of a huge amount of vitriol and abuse on the forums. Yes, he was annoying (although Bruv probably had more reason to be annoyed than anyone else imo) but I think the main reason he got such a negative reaction is because the other top dog fighter pilots weren't getting the worship they felt they deserved, and they and their buddies felt aggrieved about it. I remember this very clearly from the various threads and posts at the time.
Now that he's blowing off at the mouth with 'i pwn this guy' and 'i pwn that guy' etc etc, without backing any of it up in the DA, he's even managed to bait in such normally level headed people such as yourself. There must be SOME element of insecurity there, such that you can't just say to yourself 'I know I'm better than this joker, so who cares what he says'.
Ever since Midway has placed himself on a pedestal that you feel he does not deserve to be on you have been grumpy with him. This again is something I recall very clearly from posts and threads on here.
Despite your lack of experience with such characters, I'm sure you must know he's just a troll and arguing with him will never achieve anything. But you haven't been able to let it go (until now perhaps, since you've put him on ignore
)
Finally the biggest supporting fact of my statement that Midway most effectively trolls people with oversized egos and extremely high opinions of their own fighter pilot prowess is how people such as (but not solely limited to) Shane and Skyrock react to him. Great pilots and often successful trolls in their own right, but all Midway has to do is make a baseless claim that he can 'pwn them with substantial frequency' and it's like putting a red rag in front of a bull.
