Ditto on lapsing the sub.
Mike Matt is an extremely fine individual and I think we all reacted to what was a probable case of hope triumphing over experience in his case, along with Chris Ferrara, at the time of the election of Benoit XVI.
I, like Mike and Chris, was given to think Ratzinger was going to kick arses, take names, toss live grenades and clean out the Augean stable.
Ooops!
( It happens.... )
N.B. The guy who got it ABSOLUTELY right, from the moment the white smoke hit the azure Roman sky, was John Vennari. He was never hoodwinked by the agitprop.