Why everyone hates Final Fantasy 13

Nintendo Power had a recent poll about what readers like about their JRPGs. I wish I had the results in front of me, but the magazine is back in Rochester (just like my PS3 [not that I play anything but PS1 games on it]). The results did show that readers care about story and gameplay, and do not at all care about exploration and (now, I don't remember exactly what they called it) stat growth/character customization. 

Obviously, story and gameplay are important. Why do I like Xenogears? Because of the subject matter, not the battle system. But why do all (95%) of Xeno fans hate the second disc? Because the game developers take out all the exploration aspects of the game. Wait, but the story gets better! And the battle system, I feel, becomes even better late in the game once you unlock the better skills! 

No, everyone still hates the second disc.

So, what about Final fantasy 13? Great story (anyone who complains about this games' story must be silly and must have never played any other PS3 game [Dante's Inferno, that Castlevania title, etcetera, I'm looking at you]). Check. Battle system? Probably one of the best in the entire series. Very fast paced, fun to watch, challenging boss battles that don't make you throw the controller through your TV. Check. No exploration. Check. No real depth to character customization. Check (even though it has the appearance of depth, FF 10 and 12 got it much more right). 

So what is the problem here? According to our poll, this sounds like the perfect JRPG. Now, I will be fair; this was a NP poll, not a FF fan poll (that'd go over real well). 

But really, what is the problem? Why do all these Final Fantasy fanatics practice such flagellation? 

Or is it just that JRPG fans are crazy and have no idea what they like, and will just complain about anything not SMT or Disgaea? I am sort of leaning towards the latter, but who knows.