Craig, I wonder how many of those emails were from MVPs dismayed at the prospect of losing their baubles of office and how many were from "customer" recipients of MVP largess who thought it might dry up without the award.
In the case of VFP, so many MVPs have said they'd contribute the same regardless of the award that it probably makes little difference to customers. Even so, certainly I'd express my disappointment if somebody like Sergey failed to receive the reward while somnolent regulars receive theirs as usual.
"... They ne'er cared for us
yet: suffer us to famish, and their store-houses
crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to
support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act
established against the rich, and provide more
piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain
the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and
there's all the love they bear us."
-- Shakespeare: Coriolanus, Act 1, scene 1
