Heyyo,
Ok, I noticed this with EPB, that my p and = buttons don't work. That's because the console command to use EPB is "botmenu" and not "podbotmenu" like it was before. So try typing botmenu in the console and see if anything happens. Now for meanmod? you get it to load EPB as if it were PODbotmm, just different dll directories is all.
So yes, I think your main prob was the botmenu thing, cause that was mine until I fiddled around and remembered the old syntax.
[EDIT]
And yes, meanmod is awesome cause it does make bots harder. But some parts of meanmod are already in EPB. I know LN did some source exchanging with Botmeister, so the knife code from meanmod is in EPB, and maybe otherparts I'm forgetting.