Tournament culture is ruining gaming!

Firstly, I realise in-store tounaments are a great way to meet new
opponents and have introduced many people to the hobby.

Okay, now the moan.. everytime on a forum I see someone suggest
something new, figure conversions, an unorthodox army list choice,
house rules, etc they get shouted down by a dozen people saying 'Oooh
no, no, you can't do that!' or 'Thats not legal! You can't have that in
a tournament.'

Perhaps it's because the gaming group I learnt with and my current
opponents believe in playing just for fun and trust each other not to
introduce a figure/character that is invulnerable, in fact we like
surprises!

I think this attitude comes from Tournament 'play to win' attitude from
the world of CCG combined with GWesque army lists that give no leeway,
no room for expression..
"No your Sergeant has a shotgun, he can only have a 5pt pistol or a
7pt rifle. He can't have it."
"But it looks cool, and in the last game my force beat an army mainly
armed with shotguns so he picked it up from the battlefield..'
"No. He can't do that it isn't in the legal tounament rules policy,
and his shoelaces are the wrong colour!'

These games are meant to be played for fun using the imagination.
These people used to be called 'Rules lawyers' and universally reviled
in the gaming community, now they seem the main group!