Joe Chacon's Blog
Photo Courtesy of TrendMixer.com
One of the most common things I've heard since the playoffs began is, "I don't care who wins, as long as it's not the Heat."
Are you one of those people?
As somebody who writes 25-50 sports articles and blog posts on various sites throughout the week, I need to try and carry as open of a mind as possible. For whatever reason I too feel a dislike for Miami's basketball team.
At first I thought it was because of LeBron James. His pompous attitude when he left Cleveland still resonates negatively with me. But, as a Laker fan, I have to deal with pompous attitudes on a weekly basis. So that can't be it.
Perhaps it is Dwyane Wade and the way he always looks like he doesn't care. Maybe it's because he broke Kobe's nose or how the media sweeps his cheap shots on others under the rug as if they never happened. Yes, maybe he's the reason I hate the Heat.
The Heat have players I like though. Shane Battier has long been one of the hardest working players in the league. Chris Bosh, although dramatic on the court at times, is one of those players who carries himself as a true professional on and off the court.
James carries himself well off the court too. He is involved in countless charities and doesn't allow himself to get into legal trouble. As far as I can tell, he seems like a very decent man.
Wade appears to be the same way. We don't hear much from the "Big Three" during the off-season because they don't get into trouble. So why do I feel the need to see them fail?
After watching their Game Five loss against Boston the reason became crystal clear. It's not the way these players conduct themselves off the court that irk me, but rather it is how they play the game of basketball with no passion whatsoever.
If you have the Game Five saved on your DVR, watch how bad they are in transition. Rajon Rondo was right, they stop to complain to the referee's after almost every transition.
If James or Wade drive to the basket and miss the shot, they don't sprint back on defense. Instead they either complain to the referee or they put their hands on their knees before slowly trotting back to play defense.
The lack of effort, coupled with the smugness James and Wade carry themselves with on the court is why I am inclined to smirk if they lose.
Before the Miami faithful rip my head off, please note that I felt the same sort of hatred towards my beloved Los Angeles Lakers this year. Andrew Bynum single handedly aged me at least five years with his selfish attitude and lack of hustle.
Why do people get so much joy from seeing the Miami Heat fail?
Joe Chacon is a Staff Writer for Operation Sports and a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JoeChacon.
# 17
DirtyJerz32 @ Jun 6
I don't hate the Heat, I just hate LJames. I think he's a ***** for bolting when he couldn't win in Cleveland. Just like all the other superstars did, he should have stayed and made Cleveland a championship team. Just my .02
# 18
clipperfan811 @ Jun 6
Lets be real for a sec, most people hate the Heat because they stand in the way of their team winning a Championship. I think most people feel as I do that once Lebron, Wade and Bosh get to the top of the mountain they'll stay there for a few years.
As an LA sports fan I'm very aware of the hoards of Laker haters out there, and the Yankees get the same treatment, pretty much unless they're you're team you want to see them go down as quickly as possible.
With Lebron as an individual player there's been an aura of entitlement that nobody likes to see but as his struggles have continued I've noticed an introduction of humility into his persona. It's hard to tell if it's a calculated PR strategy or genuine but I've noticed I've actually started to feel for the guy when the media criticizes every decision he makes.
As for Dwayne Wade I used to love his game and heart but I'm starting to see him gravitate towards KG territory ie. grumpy aging p***k
As an LA sports fan I'm very aware of the hoards of Laker haters out there, and the Yankees get the same treatment, pretty much unless they're you're team you want to see them go down as quickly as possible.
With Lebron as an individual player there's been an aura of entitlement that nobody likes to see but as his struggles have continued I've noticed an introduction of humility into his persona. It's hard to tell if it's a calculated PR strategy or genuine but I've noticed I've actually started to feel for the guy when the media criticizes every decision he makes.
As for Dwayne Wade I used to love his game and heart but I'm starting to see him gravitate towards KG territory ie. grumpy aging p***k
# 19
Jakeness23 @ Jun 6
Because they feel entitled, like the championship should just be given to them. They whine about EVERY SINGLE CALL that doesn't go their way.
That's what's wrong with basketball nowadays, too much barking at the ref and less playing the game the right way. You are getting paid millions of dollars to PLAY A GAME. Consider that a gigantic blessing and go play ball. And if you're a superstar, you got to that point because of your skill, stop acting like the refs owe you something. If you are in fact that good, why should the refs make the game easier for you by bailing you out? If your skills fall off, or you go in a slump, or whatever and you're no longer considered a star, work harder to get back up to that level. I hate that players feel so entitled to everything. They are starting to make a mockery of the game I love.
That's what's wrong with basketball nowadays, too much barking at the ref and less playing the game the right way. You are getting paid millions of dollars to PLAY A GAME. Consider that a gigantic blessing and go play ball. And if you're a superstar, you got to that point because of your skill, stop acting like the refs owe you something. If you are in fact that good, why should the refs make the game easier for you by bailing you out? If your skills fall off, or you go in a slump, or whatever and you're no longer considered a star, work harder to get back up to that level. I hate that players feel so entitled to everything. They are starting to make a mockery of the game I love.
# 20
JohnDoe8865 @ Jun 6
You hit the nail on the head with how they play the game. It's pathetic to see these guys coasting, and usually getting away with it, because of their God given talent. If these guys actually played with fire consistently they would probably have an NBA Title by now.
The coaching is horrible yes, the "hollywood as hell" attitude is obvious, and the supporting cast sucks. But ALL of those things are Pat Riley and the Heat ownership's fault. THEY built this team around the "superfriends". The whole deal disgusts me.
The coaching is horrible yes, the "hollywood as hell" attitude is obvious, and the supporting cast sucks. But ALL of those things are Pat Riley and the Heat ownership's fault. THEY built this team around the "superfriends". The whole deal disgusts me.
# 21
JohnDoe8865 @ Jun 6
Oh, and they whine ALL the damn time! Rondo was dead-on with his comment about them complaining. It's truly disgusting to see them bitching at the refs after every single no-call!!
# 22
btiberi @ Jun 6
It's hilarious how every commentator and analyst somehow contends that Lebron didn't have enough of a supporting cast to get by the Boston or to get to a championship level. Well guess what, Lebron now has Dwyane Wade and he's having just as much trouble getting by Boston and becoming a championship team. Guess whose fault it is. That's right, the supporting cast.
If you compare the supporting cast of this Heat team to all of Jordan's Bulls teams, you will find that the Heat at about the same talent level. The Bulls were deeper up front, but the backcourt of the Heat is better. And that is leaving Bosh out of the equation...
Wade or James (However you look at it) - Pippen
Haslem - Rodman/Grant
Anthony - Longley/Cartwright
Chalmers - the corpse of Ron Harper/Paxson
Miller - Kukoc/?
Jones/Cole - Kerr/Armstrong
Battier- ?
?-Wennington/King
Whose fault is it again?
If you compare the supporting cast of this Heat team to all of Jordan's Bulls teams, you will find that the Heat at about the same talent level. The Bulls were deeper up front, but the backcourt of the Heat is better. And that is leaving Bosh out of the equation...
Wade or James (However you look at it) - Pippen
Haslem - Rodman/Grant
Anthony - Longley/Cartwright
Chalmers - the corpse of Ron Harper/Paxson
Miller - Kukoc/?
Jones/Cole - Kerr/Armstrong
Battier- ?
?-Wennington/King
Whose fault is it again?
# 23
Kentucky_Wildcat23 @ Jun 6
@mattyice12 have you seen some of the shots that LeBron takes in the course of a game. They don't look so bad, because of how big he is but he gets hacked almost every time he drives. LeBron gets wrapped up all the time and if he wasn't so strong it would look really bad.
# 25
charter04 @ Jun 6
Wrong b0z1c, the Yankee's celebrate after they win a championship. The Heat haven't won anything. The Heat don't even belong in the same sentence as a team that has actually won something. That is why fan's don't like them. They are getting all the attention without winning. They are treating like a champion without a ring.
# 26
charter04 @ Jun 6
I know they won in 06 but, that was a different team. This is the Labron DWADE heat we are talking about
# 29
b0z1c @ Jun 6
just wanted to say that almost every team sport(in america and europe) have a team that most people hate..mostly because those teams are full of cocky superstars...heat,yankees,real madrid(in soccer) etc..
# 30
Kentucky_Wildcat23 @ Jun 6
If your going to be bashing an All-Star player the least you can do is spell his name right.
Joe Chacon
25
2 Forum Posts
92 Blog Entries
135 News/Blog Comments
0 Reader Score Votes
9 Friends
1 Chalkboard Messages
0 Screenshots
0 Videos
390,439 Arena Visits
Joe Chacon's Blog Categories
Joe Chacon's Xbox 360 Gamercard
Joe Chacon's PSN Gamercard
' +
Joe Chacon's Screenshots (0)
Joe Chacon does not have any albums to display.
More
Joe Chacon's Friends
Recent Visitors
The last 10 visitor(s) to this Arena were:
Joe Chacon's Arena has had 390,439 visits
Joe Chacon's Arena has had 390,439 visits
Working...
But to watch the way that they conduct themselves is laughable, which has been said before. They walk around the court literally acting like other teams should bow down to them for some reason. Just the looks on their faces during the game shows no passion and no fire. Whenever Wade or Lebron are shown during a game, arrogance is the first word that comes to mind. Are they extremely talented? Yes, but that's not how the game works, things aren't given out.
Even watching Mike Miller play is a joke. Whenever anything bad happens his back hurts, but if he hits a three, he's completely fine. Udonis Haslem has transformed into the dirtiest screener in the league, if you watch closely. Yes, even dirtier than Garnett.
While Lebron was in Cleveland, Mike Brown had the mantra that the Cavs were a "no excuse" team, which Lebron has said on occasion in Miami. If the Heat were truly a no excuse team, they wouldn't whine over every single no-call or every single defensive foul.
I'm completely shocked that anyone who wasn't a fan of the Heat before all of this mess started two years ago can consider themselves a fan of the Heat and a fan of basketball at the same time.