Ah, the good natured cynicism of the honest TF2 fan. I have to say I'm with you that the game was better in its original state before all the bullshit started clogging TF2 - like the cholesterol filled arteries of a fatman.
I've mixed feelings about the maps. Some new ones have been great, some not so great. But the class updates spoiled a game that was well balanced, and the hats mostly look out of place.
That said, it's nice that a mapper can now make some cash out of their work through the stamps system. Congrats