Don,
I went back and read all the posts from the beginning, and it appears to me that the thread was started to talk about VB and Protrader losing traders in that area. And I think it is very in line for the actual guys who left these places to come on and tell us why. Doesn't seem like a plant to me or seem like it has anything to do with Bright. I think the reason the guys came on is to set the record straight as to why they left, if anything they were slamming one of your competitors (VB). I don't understand why this post was overtaken by you and Jack in the first place, it seems like there was no reason Bright even needed to come up.
I think you take any post that says anything good about a competitor is a slam on you. It is not. There can be more than 1 good firm out there (not an endorsement for anyone).
I was interested to see their posts because I do not know much about those other firms and since they traded there, they are a better authority on them than yourself or Robert. And if you read the opening post on this thread you will see that these guys are the topic.
By the way, how would 2 traders, who might not have known about these boards when they were at their previous firm (explaining the first time posting) but seeing themselves being the topic of discussion and misinformation, coming on these boards to tell their reasons for leaving and going to Echo reflect badly on Echo? They didn't start the thread, but were the topic. If you ask me, having a firm owner prowl around and make hundreds of posts a month in every thread about how great his firm is a recruiting tactic that I find distasteful. But we regress...
I don't think if you and Jack would have not come on here talking about how "Echo made them a deal they couldn't refuse" implying that that is the only reason they chose Echo over Bright, that you would not have ever been mentioned. Seems like that's when the actual guys signed up for accounts at Elite and came on to say that it wasn't for that reason that they joined Echo, that they are happy there and chose Echo for reasons other than that. You can't beat hearing it right from the source.
I think you read way too far into things, and dang you respond quickly to all these people. You take a typing class?
That's my humble opinion on the matter.