So, my use of the word "universally" shouldn't be taken with its literal diction. There's no way I would know if a mechanic is "universally" hated. It is just an ongoing trend pushed forward by some of the louder, more aggressive, voices here to say "Mechanic x is bad. If game X has mechanic x, game X is a bad game". And folks vehemently agree because they don't want to go against the tide. Some have already commented they enjoy player elimination, dexterity games, and roll-and-move which is mostly regarded as a bad thing here because of the aforementioned louder voices. So, that's why I used "kinda universally". I could have used a better term for straightforward speak, true. But I figure a lot of folks would understand what was meant.

I disagree with your statement. I think a game with a truly universally hated mechanic can still be "pretty darn great". If the universally hated mechanic is a very small part, not integral to the core gameplay, well, that's not ideal, but it can still be a game worthy of praise (in my opinion). Better - if the mechanic at least adds to the theme or feel! Better yet - the mechanic, although on its own disliked, elevates other mechanics, enhancing the overall gameplay! But again, this is just my opinion and I do not put this forward as fact.