"In my last airline" I agree with your analysis of the tendency for most pilots to land the 737 fast. But, I think this is a result of the design of the airplane. The 737 has been lengthened over the years, but the height of the landing gear has not changed. The reason why it has not changed is that SWA did not want to order the NG 737 if it had a different type rating than their existing fleet. So, Boeing accommodated SWA and built a very long-bodied airframe that sits too close to the ground. Every pilot has heard stories of pilots hitting the aft fuselage during landing. These events have occassionaly resulted in the termination of the crew. The potential of hitting the aft-fuselage during landing is a concern that sits in the back of every 737 pilot's mind when flaring to land. An easy way to minimize this risk is to carry power until almost on the deck, and thereby land above v-ref. Landing a few knots hot is usually not a problem, and can more easily be managed than erring on the other side: i.e. chopping the power too high, and running out of airspeed prior to touch-down. This is why most of us land above v-ref.