Y'know, I can see how the Cypres wouldn't be as tough as some other tires, especially now that so many clinchers come with a plastic/rubber/whatever sidewall coating. And of course, a thin casing with a thin tread just isn't going to stand up as well as a thick casing with a thick tread. I've had better luck than you so far, but I also live in SoCal where the roads are mostly perfect. If I was puncturing every 250 miles, or if my tires developed tumors after 1200 miles of use, I'd probably try something else, myself. Reluctantly, for sure.
IIRC -- and could easily be wrong -- I thought the VBQ article showed the Paselas were a tad slower than the GBCs. Frankly, though, that's far less imprtant to me than the feel of the tire, as I'm not a racer any more. The GBCs are a joy to ride; they feel absolutely wonderful, and the other fat clinchers that I've ridden don't come close to that. Personally, I'm a lot less enthusiastic about riding a bike that doesn't feel that great, so I'm willing to put up with a lot for a good feeling bike. Thankfully, the GBCs haven't been troublesome for me, so far.
Each to his own, eh? I hope you have better luck with the next batch!