Hold on guys......
I've always found it pretty funny too when pilots (Eagle or otherwise) talk up their aircraft. It's just an aircraft (agreed, it's small, full of archaic technology, and basically a light twin), most Eagle pilots don't give a toss about who's aircraft is better. This whole 'talking up the beech' thing is a form of short mans syndrome - some Eagle pilots are so used to being the little fish that they get defensive, particularly the ex bandit pilots, some of whom seem to feel vindicated now they're flying the big bad beechcraft. You only have to look at the rate of attrition to see what they really think of the job.
I remember an Eagle pilot telling me about how he had 'stumped' a 737-300 pilot when being given the tour. '...I see you've got TCAS and GPWS, well in the beech we have TCAS II and EGPWS...' apparently the 73 driver had the good grace not to point out the 22K jet engines, and 142 seats on his aircraft. It's this sort of thing that gives Eagle pilots a bad name (perhaps rightly so), but most of us are as disgusted as everyone else.
Haughtney - I find that surprising, he is one of the good buggers. Maybe you miss-understood him, or caught him on a bad day? (those turnarounds are pretty tight). I don't think it's appropriate for you to identify a pilot like that in any case (Half of New Zealand aviation will know exactly who you're talking about) - I suggest an edit may be in order.