SPORTS TALK: The most hated teams in sport - love ‘em or hate ‘em?
By Greg Buchanan
As you sit back and enjoy the drama that is the NHL playoffs, think of some of the most hated teams in sports. Here is my take at the top of the list of the boys from the Bronx.
You either love them or you hate them. The New York Yankees are one of the most successful franchises in all of sports, and their staggering 27 championships means that they have dominated baseball at the expense of every other team. The Yankees fans are also despised as many feel that they are arrogant and feel it is their birthright to win championships, and this hatred unites other fanbases. In addition to this, the Yankees’ jaw-dropping payroll suggests that they buy success, and this is through buying many of the most hated players in the league, like A-Rod. They may have many die-hard fans in New York and around the world, but everyone else hates this storied and immensely successful franchise.
As for the NHL, a recent Reddit survey showed that the most hated team in the NHL is the Boston Bruins, and this is a sentiment shared around North America. A large part of this hatred comes down to a crop of players for the Boston team that are not the most likable, most notably Milan Lucic, who has been famous for several dirty plays throughout his career. Then, of course, there is Brad Marchand, hated for diving and various other dirty tactics. This dirty play seems to be a recurring theme with the Bruins, which does them few favours and ensures that even neutrals have disdain for this team. The fans are also notorious for their behavior and attitude, overall making them a franchise which is hated all around the world (and particularly in Canada).
The Dallas Cowboys are one of the more famous sports teams, and they are also one which is both loved and hated. They have an enormous fanbase, but outside of this, they are despised by everyone else. They have enjoyed a huge amount of success on the field, and this means that they are frequently in the spotlight, which will also repel many fans due to their being overexposed. This means they have a gigantic fanbase outside of Dallas and all around the world, and this makes many people feel that their fans are “fake”. Many don’t like that they’ve christened themselves as ‘America’s Team.’ The arrogance of owner Jerry Jones also irritates many.
As for myself personally, growing up as a Riders fan, you have to hate those Blue Bombers! And during my senior hockey days, Rosetown, hands down, with honourable mention to Chris Winkler and those Godless Kindersley Klippers. I’m kidding, folks. Sports are all about love and hate and we do love it all.