SpA is a broad community. MC is just a portion of it.
[SpA]$name (basically) means that you're a super-trusted person with the right to claim admin-status on any SpA-run server you want (more or less, though SpA is generally centered around playing games rather than enforcing rules in them).
Just remember, before you go on a rank-hunt: Minecraft, and the games that we play here, indeed SpA as a community itself, isn't some trumped-up RPG game where the aim is to get to the highest rank and faceroll everyone. It's about playing, and having fun doing that. Ideally, if you play minecraft for the sake of playing, you stay at veteran. If, for some reason, you want to become a mod/op, you don't really get a say in it anyway. No need to apply.
Mason is a building-centered rank above veteran. You apply for that.
Anyway, I'm basically saying that rank isn't important here. Everyone's technically 'equal' here, the only reason we have ops is to enforce rules when people are stupid enough to break them. That, and to manage the servers themselves.
wow! feels like i've always been trying to say this but have been using far too many words. great summary man - this should be compulsory reading or something