Sports Hate

 

 

When it comes to sports, people as a whole like competition. they enjoy seeing people win, but not all the time. That’s why a whole bunch of people don’t like Nick Saban and Alabama. They don’t like Tom Brady and the Patriots, people hate the Yankees (27 championships). People didnt like jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhart. And sometimes its not the winning, but how you win. there were people that hated the “showtime” Lakers. hated “the bad boys”. Jordan won 3 in a row twice, and probably would have won 8 in a row if he hadn’t played baseball. People definitely don’t like it if you are perceived to have advantages to your winning. remember spygate and deflate gate with the Patriots? Lance Armstrong won how many consecutive Tour de France races? Then we learned he actually “was” cheating. People felt yankees were buying championships.

In our era, we’ve seen Lebron James have a tremendous career. No he didn’t start winning playoff series from the start, cause he didn’t make the playoffs his first few years. but when he did, he was successful. then he got to the finals for the first time. Few years later after being eliminated from playoffs, he left and went to miami. That is where the perception changed for many, of course with old heads. if you’re the best, you keep working to get your team another shot, not go somewhere where it will be “easier”, and build your own “super team”. Then he left miami on the premise of “getting one for the land”. And he did get one. But in doing that, he ran out the player that helped him get it, the roster has changed over many times to where now payroll is over $200 million and its still said “he doesn’t have help”.  So now again, the word is during telecasts is “will Lebron stay?”.

It’s not that people “hate” a person individually. If you are a fan of a particular team, and your team isn’t able to succeed because of another team, it’s “sports hate”. And if one individual is the main reason for that lack of success, it’s even more pronounced. Lakers vs Celtics. Auburn vs Alabama. USC vs UCLA. Boston vs Yankees. Saints vs Falcons. Sports hate can be for a few years or decades. The other aspect of sports hate, bandwagon fans. When longtime fans see casual fans with not much knowledge about a sport or a team “support” a team or player with a “just because” attitude, that heightens  sports hate on that player or team to another level.

Don’t be upset if people don’t want to play both sides of the fence. There are plenty of people willing to root for a player they like. Don’t get mad when people dislike seeing a player complain, flop or fake injuries despite being the biggest on the court.

You have a right to be a fan of a player just as much as people have a right “not” to be a fan. Sports hate doesn’t negate respecting someone’s accomplishments. I myself never liked Michael Jordan in his playing days, as he prevented my Atlanta Hawks from succeeding in the Eastern Conference. Now there is Lebron James doing the same thing. I don’t hate Lebron James. One, I don’t know him personally. He has done great things in the community over the years. He will have all the stats at the end of his career, his longevity can’t be ignored. But I respect longevity with one team. If you’re a great player, make your team great. You continue to grow as a player, make players better around you. You endure yourself as a player that people “want” to play with. Bird did that, Jordan did that, Isaiah did it, Magic did it, Tim did it, Dirk did it. I would have respected Lebron if instead of leaving team to go to Miami, he would have stayed. Ownership was willing to spend the money. But just think on it, Lebron took 2 not talented teams to NBA finals twice now, both as a Cav. If he had stayed while he was still in his late 20’s, who is to say he would not have won a ring? More than one? But he didn’t. He formed his team in Miami, won 2 rings. But with a Hall of Fame shooting guard and one of the best PF’s in league, many would ask why they didn’t win 4 championships in a row since they went to 4 straight finals. Then he leaves Miami. For the past 4 years he has gotten the team to the Finals. Didn’t win the first year back. Won in the second. Lost in the third. Many of the experts are saying that if Lebron loses in this upcoming series, he will “again” leave the franchise to go somewhere else. Each time Lebron has left a team, the team suffered. Can people really say they will respect Lebron if he leaves team again? The team will easily be the worst in the East, with no flexibility to trade, sign free agents, the draft can’t help them right now. And then will Cavs accept him coming back one more time to supposedly finish his career there?

That’s doing a lot. It’s one thing to be traded to another team. Or being released from a team. But to change teams when things aren’t working out despite having success, that’s another thing. Shaq looked crazy playing for all of those teams after Miami and I still say he should have stayed in Orlando. Melo should have never left Denver.

As an Atlanta Hawk fan, the dark cloud of the Dominique/Manning trade will never go away until the Hawks reach an NBA Finals and win it. Why? Because it will mean that they drafted quality players, allowed their best players to stay on team and grow as a group, they attracted key free agents, and put faith in a coach to make it all work. Right now I feel the organization is finally working toward that result, although a lot of crazy had to happen to get here.
Again, nobody hates anybody in the true sense of the word. But sports hate keeps people watching games, going to games, buying merchandise, telling their kids who to like, etc. Take that away, there is no reason to pay attention is there?
What do you think?
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