Yes, i agree, maybe have ranks that don't necessarily indicate post count. Possibly the length of time registered with the board coupled with regular logins to read posts, something like that. If you'd been registered since 1999, read the posts every day and occaisionally replied you could then be promoted to a higher rank.

There could be all sorts of weird names, you could start off as 'Vole' and if you behave yourself you could work your way up to the heady heights of 'Supreme Badger'!