Or maybe you just don't see it over there as much as others. I don't start the VHL is better than SHL over here, but when I go over there and have any opinion that helps the league, they say "Go back to the VHL" or "Well that might be fine in the VHL, but not here".
I get insulted over there from members more because I'm in the VHL than because of being a rival to their teams. Hell one of the members over there spread rumours around that were classless about me that could be deemed pretty damn offensive ("joke" or not) as you say. Plus getting spam PM'd by guys who straight just don't like me even though I have never come in contact with them. People in the SHL aren't shy about calling someone out in a PM and attacking them.