Tweek, you are right... as you mature as a rider it becomes more about the rider. That much I can agree with you on, but you also have to keep perspective of a new rider. Your option b rider sounds great, but not very realistic. IMO, 99.9% they're both at Starbucks the same night after buying their bikes.
The practicing, MSF and track days are all excellent things for new riders as well. I think what I'm going to do is come up with a statement that I can paste into threads that ask for advice on what one should get.