Said, The Worst Word or the Best Word?

I see a lot of internet argument on whether said should be used to the exclusion of other words or almost never.

Makes my head hurt. Wonder if there's any hard science behind it, though. Kind of interesting, in a way.

But not really. I'm glad to know there doesn't seem to be a hard and fast rule since people can't agree if said should be used because it conveys so little that it doesn't function as a speedbump or if it should not be because it is so dull...

Because I've changed from using anything but said to said all the time to somewhere between the two.