I think you’re putting too much stock in the staff apologists. They do not have to cite their sources, or explain their logic, and no one gets to challenge their answers within the thread. This gives them a veneer of omniscience. But it’s just a veneer, underneath it they’re just people, and there are several regular posters here who predictably provide very thorough and well-thought out answers that compare favorably with the AAA threads.
A difference that’s worth noting on the regular threads is that each member is basically shooting his mouth off. If it’s a well-educated and well-articulated mouth, that’s great, but there is plenty of noise from less thoughtful, or sometimes even thoughtless, members. On the other hand, one assumes that the writing of the staff apologists is vetted for spelling, grammar, and accuracy by knowledgeable folks. So it is prudent to give a respectful hearing to their answers. But it doesn’t make an opinion a fact. Absent any supportive sources, or any logic why we should ignore the straightforward reading Brendan took on this issue, I think this apologist’s answer is only an opinion, at best.