In a 1 v 1, with next closest con so far away, I would've skipped that shot and continued the fight. In the mass furballs, I would've taken it.
You like taking any shot you can get, so it doesn't really matter if it's a pure 0 degree HO or not. People expect it from you, and any front-quarter shot is automatically a HO when it's you who took it.
For better or worse, you built up your reputation to what it is now, and it's going to have a lot of people assuming you're doing a pure HO.
From my experiences fighting you, you generally come steaming straight down the pipe, pretty much playing 'Chicken', and either I take a HO or I angle away, but regardless, you still take the shot.
For that reason, I actually don't care to fight you. I know a HO is coming, and not some nifty or awesome moves to create overshoots or reversals.
To each his own though.