From Despair To Where? I don't know whether it was more civil back then or people are just more prepared to call shit out now. That Spacey "gaylord" comment being a case in point. I think if someone posted that now, plenty would tell him to fcuk off with the homophobia. I also remember SROT being an obnoxious bunch of pcunts when they wanted to be and rendering this place unreadable at times.
I think there's a few factors contributing.
Last decade has been shit football and otherwise, so people are shorter tempered.
The forum has been going for ages, so there are long established clashes, enmities and dislikes. So there's more playing the man not the ball.
Both spring to mind as factors. But you've got some other good points there.