So true.
It really seems like so few are willing to be open to something a little different until someone that's officially got the cool guy seal of approval co-signs it.
For example, when Gagnier brought one footers to the table (to the masses at winter X anyway... not trying to set off a debate as to who actually did them first), people fucking shat on them. Now that people like Ahmet, Wallisch, Compton, etc. are doing them—they're cool.
If more people took risks and set out to carve their own niches and styles as opposed to solely taking their cues from superduper cool pros/ns hero ams, this sport would grow by leaps and bounds.