I do hear you. And I also do know it sucks to be a mod sometimes. It's sort of like the joke that a basketball game really should just be the last 2 minutes. No matter how long you give people, or what the rules are, something goes wrong for someone. Although, I would hope that most mods go in knowing that running a fest is no walk in the park. It is *work* but I don't need to tell you that. ;)
I guess I haven't seen the fest drama/complaints. *is oblivious* But you're definitely right that you can't make everyone happy and you have to do what you have to do.