Everyone can "volunteer" to do so, that's the difference. The OGV get a better incentive, the guides, and now the rank. I'm not against it nor supporting it, I just didn't feel it was necessary. Let's take FlyingToast for example, he's doing this to "help", not for the rank or anything of that sort. It's just another way he can help the community. Another way would be answering people's questions, giving them advice etc.
I can read through a guide for free, and verify it. What's the difference? They get to have a rank because they can access a forum? Anyone can verify a guide. I'm not sure what sort of argument you're trying to make.
And you think the people that's applied for OGV recently were only applying so they can actually "help" out and not for 1 bit think of the access they would get to free guides?
If I had an out of this world guide, I wouldn't get it verified by the OGV team. Instead I'd get a reputable member to read through it and test it out. If I'm correct, the OGV team as a whole votes, which means more than 1 person would get access to it. I would rather pick someone I know and give me a review, and verify it. Even if it's not official, I don't mind not having the "verified" in the title. At least then I'd know that only 1 person would have gotten it for free. No offense to the team, but that's how I'd do it.
People in the past have done it like this and has had successful guide threads.