[Adrynalyne]

Or
with a VZW I910 the whole widget thing sux and that is why nobody used it?

Yup

See, I like the widget idea too, especially with the motifications, but its just too anemic to be useful.

That said, I don't have a direct answer for you, but maybe one that will be just as good.

SecondToday allows you a second today screen, run as an application. Meaning, it can be exited like any other app.

http://www.chi-tai.info/download/SecondToday.CAB

You could run ST with the plugins you miss, and still keep Widgets as your main Today screen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9NxXtTmaYo

Here is an idea of what it can do.