Love to Hate

Hate is an integral part of being a sports fan. As much as we love our team, we hate other teams, players and cities almost as much. Lovers of hate got a present last night when LeBron and the Heat lost the NBA Finals to the Dallas Mavericks. I am not a Dallas Mavericks fan, I'm actually New York Knicks fan, but I have to say the outcome of this finals made my day and I know I'm not the only one.

I cannot recall the last time I hatred of a team has been so palpable. I hate my fair share of teams (Red Sox, Patriots, Devils, etc) but those are based off my loyalty to teams that are their direct rivals. Hell, I've hated the Heat long before James was even in the league thanks to the great Knicks/Heat games of the late 90s. However, the hatred of the Heat transcends all normal sports hatred criteria. If you don't know why that is then let me remind you.

As a New York Yankee fan I'm well acquainted with those who blindly hate my team. The Yankees win more than any one else, they spend more than any one else, and more often they are better than any one else. Those are all reasons for nationwide hatred of a team. The difference between the Yankees and the Miami Heat is the reason why the hatred for the two is different.

As with the above picture, the Miami Heat acted in June like a championship was a foregone conclusion. They were cocky before they had anything to be cocky about. Call me crazy but I think it might've rubbed the other 29 teams and their fan bases the wrong way. Then there is the hatred the James brought with him.

The Decision might go down in history as the worst PR move ever. Yes there were many teams that wanted James and yes some of that hatred is based off a feeling of being spurned, but you cannot argue that the way he left Cleveland was just stone cold. Also, the idea that a self proclaimed king would choose to join a "super team" rubbed a lot of the all-time greats the wrong way. James wasn't just chastised by 29 other fan bases, now he was being chastised by the greats he idolized.

I'm not a sports reporter (obviously) but I have to believe that for some this championship will be remembered more by how the Heat lost and less how the Mavs won. And those of us who love to hate tip our caps to the Dallas Mavericks for giving us more fuel to our Heat hating fire. Hopefully next season the Heat will remember that you don't start the season by celebrating, you do what the Mavs did and end the season that way.