NBA: Why Do Fans Hate the Heat? - Joe Chacon's Blog

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NBA: Why Do Fans Hate the Heat? Stuck

Posted on June 6, 2012 at 03:50 AM.

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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.

Comments

# 31 jhendricks316 @ Jun 6

I don't hate the Heat anymore. I have to appreciate the talent that they do have, and I support them because I am tired of the fallacious arguments against them.

# 32 charter04 @ Jun 6

I don't dislike "LeBron" individually. I just don't like the way they have acted since becoming the so called big three. Win a championship first then have a big celebration. I think he is very talented. Maybe the most talented NBA player ever. I also know that a lot of this was media created back when he was in high school. But, he didn't seem to run from any of that attention. He didn't run from the attention when he made the announcement or the "not 1, not 2, not 3" victory celebration before the season got started. If you want all the fame and attention of being "crowned" King James then you better produce something more than regular season MVP's. That is my only problem with him and many of the "Star's" of today's game. They want to be treated like Jordan and Bird and Magic but, you have to win like they did. Jordan, Bird, and Magic had big victory celebrations to receive the rings they won. Tim Duncan is closer to those guys than LeBron.

# 33 statum71 @ Jun 6

That celebration they held before even playing a single game. All while declaring they win "not even seven" championships.

That did it for me.....no respect for the rest of the league. Nor the fact that the greatest himself only has six.

# 34 NYdreams @ Jun 6

i didnt hate the heat until lebron came there... i never liked lebron and to be honest it isnt all his fault i dont like him the media and ESPN overrating him was a big part in me not liking him..ive always liked wade but i now im starting to dislike him.. for years ive been telling ppl that wade was better than lebron and always defended him but it seems like d wade is just letting lebron do all the work as he continues to outshine him all most every game and also wade has been crying alot.. its also sad how the media used to love lebron but ever since hes joined the heat them and alot of his old "fans" jumped the hate wagon thats lame...

# 35 sactown_13 @ Jun 6

For me, its the smugness that surrounds D-Wade and Bron. I just cant stand it. Same with Kobe and many other stars. Are they talented? You bet. Another thing, no man the size of lebron should bitch and moan the way he does. Are you really getting fouled every time down court? I also remember the time he had two freethrows, made the first to put the game away, then had to shoot the second one with his left hand cause his arm was just hurt too bad literally 2 minutes later. Drama queen.

# 36 mrmass413 @ Jun 6

Yo suave4...I agree until you mention Boston everyone complains and cry its lebrons immature attitude what I mean is coughing making fun of Dirk. Lebron treats basketball like a job when he should treat it like its his life. people need to stop blaming the media. Jordan was cocky but he did everything it took to win Lebron and the heat think its a givin truth is if they don't win it all then why did he leave Cleveland anyways

# 37 Skyliner80 @ Jun 6

Chi_Hawk:
13) 90% of Miami Heat fans weren't Miami Heat fans before July 2010

Where in the blue hell did you get that from? That's such an asinine statement. Did you get that from your local Iowa sports talk show guy or Bob Ryan? Guy, do some research before you post something as moronic as that.

www.basketball-reference.com
Compare attendance (w/rank) for the last 8 years. Does that look like people just started watching the Heat? ..and what's this about ESPN being in cahoots with the Heat? On the contrary. Do you see an ESPNMiami.com? There's an ESPNLosAngeles and they don't even have a football team. What the hell is the criteria? Miami has everything the other ESPNcity sites have, yet nothing. So why would they all of a sudden ride the Heat. Please. I'm pretty sure they're also on that 'hate' bandwagon, spearheaded by the likes of Bob Ryan.

# 38 ryumeijin @ Jun 6

because every team and their fan bases feel threatened, especially at the time of the james's decision, that they won't win the championship until later in the decade when the 3 are too old.

# 39 StarnugskiN @ Jun 7

I, like the many who've posted, have a problem with the entitlement the Heat took when the big three came together before playing an NBA game. Championships still need to be EARNED, and what we're seeing in these ECF's are the Celtics showing the Heat how to earn playoff wins by taking it to the next level. That is playoff basketball. As a Cavs fan, I have not seen Lebron take a playoff game to the next level since his beast mode against Detroit. Please prove me wrong!

I try not to be a NBA conspiracy theory listener (even with the refereeing), but a random thought...Could Stern and the NBA be setting an example with this Heat team for the rest of the league to understand nothing is earned, no matter how many millions you make? If I was Stern, I'd feel the need to check the attitudes of some of the talent coming in and developing. Some of these young superstars are being paid millions for just being complete freaks of nature on the court, yet they're lacking basketball professionalism, heart and maturity. I think the hatred we're seeing towards the Miami Heat just may have to do with old school vs. new school basketball enthusiasts.

# 40 UConcord11 @ Jun 7

Besides the bandwagoners who hate the heat because its now labeled "cool" id say the media has something to do with it. Miami is like that hot girl at campus. Gets all the attention and for some reason you always hear about them. The heat just get wayy to much attention. An example of this was after think the Celtics game 4 win, on ESPN it read "Heat lose"..not ofcource "Celtics win". thats more than enough for people to think "WTF, **** the heat"

# 41 CoachDavid @ Jun 7

It boils down to how they play the game. Anytime a player goes to a team to win an easy championship, people hate it. Except the home team.

Lebron is suppose to be the best or should be the best in history, but he tried to put in a cheat code so he could win a championship. The cheat code didn't work. The game is not easy. So now what.

Anyway, if Magic went to the Celtics, or Jorden to the Lakers. Would we think of them the same?

# 42 DBMcGee3 @ Jun 7

Chi_hawks pretty much summed up the entirety of it for me on page 1 of this thread. The only one he missed was the "you fans will have to go back to your miserable lives tomorrow" comments after takin' that L to Dallas in the Finals. Otherwise I couldn't have said it better myself. Well maybe I'd throw in that D Wade Wheelchair incident, but that's nitpicking.

# 43 sarlndr @ Jun 7

@Skyliner80: There is no ESPN Miami, this is true. But they do have the Heat Index, so there goes that argument, right out the window.

I don't hate anyone. I just hope that the Heat never win anything, lol.

# 44 charter04 @ Jun 7

That's funny ryumeijin, I'm a Mav's fan an they won the first year of the big three. The Heat haven't won any yet.

# 45 DBMcGee3 @ Jun 7

Skyliner80, c'mon dude. Surely you have noticed the "Heat Index" link on ESPN's main NBA page, or the hours of daily coverage they get on ESPN and ESPN Radio. I'm not even hating on ESPN for doing it, I'm sure their ratings are high so more power to them, but don't say they don't cover Miami more than any other NBA team.

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