So do I.

At first it was almost like Larry Holmes following Muhammad Ali, if that analogy is even appropriate. JP II was just so loveable and he was Pontiff for so long, Benedict was bound to catch a little criticism.

I think a lot of it has to do with his German roots. Germans have never been known for their "warmth," but if you think about it, neither have Poles. If you remember when JP II got the nod in '78, many were leery about a Polish Pope. Actually, any non-Italian Pope would have been frowned upon by many. He made believers of us all.