NO! I refuse to disagree! :
Most bougainvilleas look terrible out of bloom, and this one is definitely an exception.
I kind of prefer #2 (the former back) but it depends to a degree on where the apex is going and it's a little hard for me to judge.
I always look at the photos first and then read the text, but that's probably because it's eye candy and it loads fast on a cable modem. I was thinking when it popped up, "that the first branch is too large," and it is big, but then I saw it was a bougainvillea, and a great one at that, and you really wouldn't have much if you removed it. Plus, they don't heal especially well unless they're crawling on your garage or something.
In this case, with it being a fine tree, I would go with the new front you have selected and I promise you when it is blooming no one will ever notice that the #1 branch is largish.
I think a glazed pot would be very nice and blue is a wonderful complement to the fuschia or purple flowers
Regards,
Matt