I don't know whether I'm known as a nice guy or not. Perhaps my adminship has diminished that part of my reputation. Either way, here's my opinion:
Regardless if it's a persona or not, people will treat you based on how you act because we have no way of seeing the "true you within". Nor should we need to. Sure, anyone can be respectable and follow the rules, but the capacity of acting like a nice guy does not make you a nice guy. The fact that you think it's fun to provoke and insult players does make you kind of an asshat, and a part of the communities opinion of you will lower as a consequence. Maybe people will take you less seriously, because that's exactly what you seem to want us to do. Or do you really mean all the insults you say? A person who is an "asshat" 90% of the time will usually be treated like an asshat 90 or more percent of the time.
I do not usually bite on random provocations unless I really like to debate the issue and any insults toward me are insults toward my persona and not me, shockingly I'm not a ninja in real life or black. I also do take some joy in good natured trolling, but not to the degree that most of the "asshats" do. I also try to help people with questions, even though some people have trolled those in need of help, and give people a fair chance to explain their actions if they've been banned by me, I've banned quite a few, but I tend to let the people off easier if they seem to not understand some rule or if they seem truly sorry. This is also why I do not want random people in other peoples unban threads unless they have anything worthwhile to add.
I do this because I see no reason to discourage people with honest questions about the game. They are usually new players and I've witnessed a few players stick around simply because someone has helped them in the beginning.
Just be nice, post constructively and not provokingly. My grandmum always taught me that the least thing you can be to other people is polite. With friends you can be as impolite as you want
This is why I stay polite even to the most vocal "asshats" in the community.