Collusion or just being friendly?

[SpeakEasy]

I play about once every three weeks in a live $500 max-buy-in NLHE game. I’ve played enough to know several faces and their playing styles. In the last few games, I’ve witnessed these type of activities amongst about 4-5 regular players, some of which are always in this game (the “Regulars”):

When a pot is heads-up against two Regulars, they will call out “check it down” and not bet. They will frequently even turn their hands face up on the table and tell the dealer to just run out the cards. This does not happen between a Regular and a non-Regular. This is an open effort to save the Regulars from taking money from each other, and instead go after the money on the table from the non-Regulars.

Some of the Regulars openly discuss with other Regulars what they would have done after a hand is over, when other non-Regulars were in the pot. “I would have folded if you raised me on the flop.” “I checked the flop so you could bet and take the pot.” Sometimes its called out pre-flop: “If you raise, I will fold this hand.” None of this discussion clearly crosses the line into cheating or open collusion, and it could easily be interpreted as the type of normal banter that goes on at any table. But the nature of this conversation suggests collusion -- one Regular telling to another Regular what he means by certain actions, so they can effectively isolate the non-Regulars that are in the pot.

I hesitate to say anything, mainly because I am routinely taking their money, Regular or not -- leave a good thing alone. It smacks of collusion, but its done in the open and I’m not detecting any hidden funny business (not that I have any experience at noticing cheating).

One other player who used to play in this game says he stays away because of these guys openly checking it down with each other heads-up, but not with him or others that are not "part of their group". I think he senses cheating, and has just decided to stay away.

Thoughts?