I think there should be options as to how you want the nicklist sorted.
Current Way
Old Way
Reverse Old Way
Reverse Current Way
Last spoke
Order it appeared it when received from the raw numeric.
Protect/Op/Voice/Ignore
And so on.
Maybe a reverse could be it's own separate check box. So you could reverse any number of the above. Even last spoke so it's the never spoke on the top basically.