I actually kind of wonder how many people actually love SF4. I get the impression that a lot of high level players like the game (to varying degrees of like) but if every game was equally viable for competitive play (when's the Examu Cup or Hydra GP with a $500,000 purse), I really wonder how many people would pick SF4 over everything else. And out of those people, how many of them pick SF4 because it's the only game they have any real competitive experience with?
Asking the real questions. Why does any of this matter? Don't worry, dude. I'm sure people would rather play random anime game #42 if that big meanie SF4 wasn't on the block with the fat stacks. The kids are playing SF4 to look cool and keep social status but your game is so much better.
I think the Stockholm Syndrome analogy is more accurate to use on fans of other fighting game franchises, frankly. NRS online am cry. ArcSys release schedules. lol @ trying to play Tekken 7 in the west. KOF fans in flat-out denial or on suicide watch. Maybe the problem isn't with people playing SF4 but rather with the fighting game genre being spear-headed by sheer incompetence in general?
The absolute best SF4 players all love the game. There is no denying that. The ones that don't have dropped off that top echelon (not a coincidence). It's become like work for some of them but that's what happens with anything that starts making you money.