I had indeed been reading this thread - for months - but I gave up a while back as a result of its hyperbole. I revisited it last night to see if anything had changed and nothing had, so I guess I should probably stop reading it again(!)
The tone of any discussion around Rooney always feels aggressive. I recall a comment in the matchday thread for Madrid vs United where someone said remarked Rooney had looked out of his depth, and I found myself agreeing. But this poster was immediately told to "feck off". And this, I'm afraid, is what I consistently notice. There's a faction of United fans who ardently defend Rooney's ability regardless, insisting he's one of the best players in the world. I cannot think of another player at United whose ability is so exaggerated and vehemently defended as it is with Rooney's, even if it's done so by a minority. This is where my Nolan observation came from (see 'Nolanites').
Now, Rooney gets his fair share of vitriol, like you say, as there's extremists at the other end of the scale. I think the reality is somewhere inbetween, but when everyone's in the same thread, opinion is so polarized and aggressive that it's hard to have any reasonable discussion on the player. I will add though, regarding getting rid of him to anywhere, it's a perfectly valid sentiment if people feel this way because he's disrespected the club. Rooney has twice come across as thinking he is bigger than the club, and it's at the behest of each fan to forgive him or not. Many will not and that's not for anyone to disagree with. Fool me once, shame on you etc.