kdubk,
Some info on cob pipes that may be of help. Regarding the soft bottom in your pipe, corn cobs naturally have very strong sidewalls but a softer pith center. That's why MM uses wood plugs in the bottoms of some (not all) of their pipe models in order to help prevent a possible burn-out through the bottom of the cob. With the cob pipes that I manufacture (Old Dominion), we take a more traditional approach to our cob pipe models and we don't use any wooden plugs in the bottom of our cobs. Instead, our stems (bamboo) are installed just above the bottom of the bowl and this allows for a very small amount of the tobacco to not fully combust at the very base of the bowl (between the base and the invert of the pipe stem) which helps protect the bottom. Also, by the stem being slightly above the bottom of the bowl, the moisture from the combustion process with the tobacco will settle to the bottom of the bowl instead of being "slurped" into the stem causing the "gurgling" issue that seems to plague some pipe designs. Cobs are a natural, organic material and therefore slight imperfections in the structure or integrity of the cob itself can on occasion lead to an early burn-out but this is really the exception rather than the rule. Cobs due tend to have a more finite lifespan as compared to briars, but at a cost typically less than $10/pipe, they are both extremely affordable and expendable.
As others have said in this thread, taking your time and smoking more slowly will help alleviate the pipe bowl getting too hot as well as tongue bite. Smoking too fast can rapidly heat up a pipe bowl, cob or briar, and will also ruin the flavor of the blend you're trying to smoke. Also, as you slow down and simply "sip" or "breath" the pipe, I think you'll find that you'll start to enjoy the flavor/aroma of the tobacco blend. I personally smoke cob, briar, and on occasion even clay, and I find that all have their pros and cons. I wouldn't let your initial cob experience turn you away from cobs as they can be great smokers and are certainly the most economical pipe on the market today.