I'm surprised you think that's sucking up. Was it that I was complimenting the YC business model? Please elaborate...

I'm not sure what motivation I would have to suck up, either. I'm not applying for funding, nor do I have any plans to.

However the point remains, without the YC's following (us), the company is just another angel investor / incubator. And that's already been done. These guys are trying to copy YC, but forgetting about its one biggest differentiating factor.