Colin, you are so right. They are just people, and making music is their job (a great job at that). I was thinking the exact same thing today about them.
As far as the Pearl Jam comment - I never did pay much attention to it - I still don't. It (that comment) was definitely blown way out of proportion.
I don't listen that much to the radio - I usually have a CD in, but I must say every time I put the radio on the local rock station here - Creed has been on. It took a break-up of the band to get the radio station to start playing them frequently again. I haven't heard them mention AB yet.