I contend that it's not an oxymoron. There are Mormons that are super cool. They just represent a small minority.

Two of my brothers are super-cool Mormons. For whatever reason, both of them believe the church is "true" in some fashion, but when it comes down to the way they live their lives and interact with people, they're just plain awesome.

They're not judgey toward anyone but themselves. They're well-read and interesting. Their political opinions aren't ignorant, or based on an appeal to religious authority (even though I disagree on many things). They know how to have a real conversation and a respectful disagreement. They like diversity among their friends and aren't trying to convert the world (neither of them can stand to be around fellow Mormons for too long). They are intellectually modest-- while they have some questionable beliefs, they recognize that-- they don't talk about religious doctrines as if they are established obvious truths.

They also don't have a problem disagreeing with the brethren on a number of issues (Gay rights, and acknowledging that the priesthood ban was morally wrong, for example). Plus they don't reject the best available science on the basis of revelation, etc.

I really don't know why they stay in the church, except to explain it in psychological terms.

I know a few other people that fit into this category-- maybe around ten total out of the hundreds of Mormons I know. Among these is my grandmother (who totally kicks ass, served in the Navy in WWII because she "wanted an adventure", and I'm pretty darn sure she only joined the church because of my grandfather), my MIA maid teacher (who also kicks ass, never married by choice because she couldn't find a man who was interesting enough to tempt her to give up her independence, and she's totally awesome in other ways), and a friend I grew up with who has been a vocal critic of BKKKP and Prop H8 even though she's committed to the church fundamentally.

Unfortunately, these friends and relatives of mine (real friends) are very much a minority. If most Mormons I knew were as cool as these people, I'd still think a portion of their beliefs were indefensible, but I wouldn't have a visceral aversion toward being in the company of Mormons generally (which I totally do). It would be just like with my super-cool Christian friends-- they have some wacky, unfalsifiable personal convictions, but when it all comes out in the wash, they deal justly and awesomely with folks in the rest of the world and I'm proud to call them my friends, even though I disagree with them on some stuff.

Am I the only one who knows super-cool Mormons?

I know a few super cool mormons. Actually, my bishop is one of the coolest mormons i've ever met. He's a young bishop, I think he's 28 or 29, but he just understands. He and I would skip sunday school and go to the gas station and get mountain dew, then talk about our problems with the church. No joke. He is a super bad ass guy, he is more of a friend than a bishop. He obviously still believes in the church, but still acknowledges he has doubts and concerns.

I have told the story before, how I was laid off in the late 80's and my bishop - a private building contractor - offered me temp work with him. The guy was a great laugh, and we had some real fun working together. He was a real outspoken say-it-as-I-see-it kinda guy and just the sort of person you would want as a bishop.
He was bishop for about 2 years and then replaced by a BIC dictator.

the ex-bishop moved out of our area before I left the church, so I dont know what his reaction would have been to me

I do know that some of the people I counted as friends and thought I respected, turned out to be total backstabbers when I left

That's a red flag to me. Maybe he's out by now.

My HS principal would say "crap" & stuff like that. He hunted elk on vacation so he'd have a freezer full to last all year, built a cabin with son, etc. so I thought he was very cool--very "real pioneer"--oddly enough the only real jerks I remember were converts, one was a drunk who got his family into the church, one addiction to another I presume....