Rather than use these so called 'Free Counters' (nothing is ever free) why not consider
http://www.google.com/analytics/ I use it on one of my blogs and its better than any free counter... You just insert some code, you do not even get an advert to display and nobody unless looking at your source code would realise it is there. I am getting geared up to submitting free sites again, I am not going to use this on those in case it earns a rejection.
Its an easy rule, don't shit on the link list owners because a free site without link list traffic is bolloxed. If Greenguy or any other link list owner said I am changing my rules, you all need to use green backgrounds, then it is his rule... You either submit under those conditions and get listed or you find someone who doesn't use 'certain' criteria. If a link list owner gets too strict and submissions do not flow then they are bolloxed but it is their choice.
At the end of the day, my free sites get traffic from link lists because the end user who clicked the link obviously feels that the link list he clicked from is trustworthy. If link lists relaxed rules so that cheaters could get in then I would not want to submit to them. So those that feel naked without a free counter go and take a look at
http://www.google.com/analytics/