I really liked how they were in WoTLK, I just stop playing ret in Cata, but now that I've tried MoP beta I like how everything generates holy power.
Vanilla
The Burning Crusade
Wrath of Lich King
Cataclysm
MoP will beat all
Req, I completely agree. BC Retadins were my absolute favorite. Why? I feel that it distinguished played who played ret to play ret, and players who excelled and understood mechanics. Looking at your logs, I was right in your position.
Abbbsolllutely loved it and I miss it.
WoTLK was fun, but I felt that *anyone* in BiS gear could FCFS their way to success.
Overall, just like that fact that in BC, they could look at two people in the same gear, assess their skillset and distinguish between the two players. I just remember applying for a guild who said "they'd never raid with a ret paladin", etc etc. Much like most guilds did. And my essay-like application, explaining my skillset, etc etc. Needless to say, they gave me a trial, and I competed on meters T5-Sunwell clears pre-nerf.
wotlk was good you could mash keys and kill almost anyone....
Ret paladins were OP facrollers for pretty much all of wrath until the end. Their rotation wasn't really a rotation and more of a use whatever is off CD and do awesome dps.
Even though I enjoyed WOTLK's faceroll dps and "wack a mole" rotation, pre 4.1 was the best for pvp. No cooldown on Word of Glory=WIN.