YEEEAAAH, Knocking down and blowing up an essential part of Naruto's character (the POAL) obviously wasn't gonna backfire. You either completely undermine Naruto's understanding of love and make him a self serving hypocritical douchebag or you accept Hinata was a pity prize. One contradicts the other.
And you won't make Sakura seem like she's a manipulative beeyotch using what she knows to get what SHE wants.... </sarcasm>