I don't think the rewards pool should go but I am open to the idea of changing the way the pool is distributed and I would like SN to not have to fund the pool every day.

As for the leaderboard, I think it can go unless it is used as a way to promote something that is funding the rewards pool. If the leaderboard was brought to you by xyz and xyz was funding the pool 100k sats a day I would be cool with the leaderboard but currently it just has the largest boost for the last month at the top of the page and I don't think 30 days of visibility for a post in exchange for a 200k boost is a fair trade for SN.