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Sound Off: Why Does America Hate the Heat?

02:12 PM - June 4, 2014 by RaychelSnr

Americans seem to tire quickly of the status quo and there are few things we love more than seeing the guy at the top get torn down. Oh, and we also love sports.

Combine these three aspects and you have a recipe for a surplus of disdain for the two-time defending NBA champions, the Miami Heat.

I was only a kid when Michael Jordan and Co. went on their incredible runs during the 1990's -- but I don't recall the resounding hate for the Bulls like we're seeing with the Heat. At the time it seemed as if America loved to see the dynasty thrive and the greatest of all time continuously claim his crown.

Sound Off: Why does America dislike the Miami Heat?

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Member Comments

# 61 FSUNoles2009 @ 06/04/14 09:03 PM

Wow, quite possibly one of the most interesting threads I've read on OS. My thoughts have been mentioned in earlier parts of the thread.

One:

Quote:

Originally Posted by cooknj


	I think people dislike the way the Heat were built. Three star players colluded with each other to form a super team that's now been to the NBA Finals for four straight years. It doesn't feel organic or fair.

Two:

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiscountCleric


	If LeBron had convinced Wade & Bosh to come to Cleveland, or if Bosh had convinced Wade & LeBron to go to Toronto, the hate wouldn't be there. But they all went to the warm weather, to the party scene, to the city who made the playoffs 60+% of the time & was five years removed from winning a championship.

I saw references to the Bulls of the 90s and Kobe. Yeah, I feel the same with Kobe too; arrogant prick - extremely cocky. I cannot wait until he's gone.

Essentially, as I've heard prior, it's due to competition and it's bad for competition and fans that have continually followed their team for years and years and decades. (Think of Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers -- until recently, Washington Wizards whom have watched their teams continually lose.... over and over again.) Then, we have this purchased team and takes any interest out.

As a long time Magic fan, the NBA is getting to the point where small markets need to pack up and leave. It's starting to get pointless to even care. That's why I'm so happy that OKC has been as successful as they have been since the inception of the team. Still sucks to Seattle fans -- they desperately need a team again.

# 62 darknmild @ 06/04/14 09:42 PM

I've hated the Miami Heat and the NBA since the 2006 Finals. When they both the Heat and the NBA front office beat my beloved Mavs in 6 games because of the atrocious officiating in that series.

# 63 The 24th Letter @ 06/04/14 09:44 PM

Sounds like guys are watching the NBA to determine the best babysitting candidate instead of basketball....

# 64 Cavsfan4life @ 06/04/14 10:36 PM

That parade they had after signing is what made me dislike the Heat. How they got together was an issue as well, and taking paycuts to make it happen. LBJ was a big reason as well, first game 5, and then the decision. Game 5, he checked out, was not involved at all during the game. The Decision was poorly done, it did raise money for charity, but Im sure there are more ways to be charitable.

# 65 RedSceptile @ 06/04/14 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TripleCrown9


	He asked for it. He could have easily gone to college for 4 years after high school. He wanted the fame, the money, the coverage.

That's terrible logic. Going to college doesn't mean you want the fame the money or the coverage. Like what?

# 66 Demoncrom @ 06/04/14 10:44 PM

Because most Americans are losers and it makes them feel better to hate on winners.

For the idiots saying they are a bought team, what exactly do you think teams are? GMs are paid to get the BEST talent. Has to be the dumbest concept ever. You mad because they managed to get great players?

I am not even a basketball fan and I am amazed at the level of stupid. The HEAT need to keep crushing teams to prove a point so let the HATE consume you losers. LOL.

Nothing personal , but seriously win more hate less.

# 67 ojandpizza @ 06/04/14 10:50 PM

The decision was poorly done but with good intention. I don't think anybody before hand would have imagined the backlash he would get, because if I remember before hand there were no "issues" with the decision before it happened.. And I can honestly understand people from Cleveland or nearby who would be mad that he left. I didn't want him to leave but I sure as hell didn't hold a grudge about it, for anyone other than Cleveland fans do so has always seemed strange to me.

As for him leaving I like how he did it. He didn't leave off somewhere for more money, he didn't stay or leave to another crap team to rack up the stats. He took and pay cut and a role cut to win basketball games. Winning in the end is what the game is supposed to be about.

It's funny when I see people talk about guys and say "he'll never win as a first option he should move to so-and-so", or "he took too much money for them to add other pieces", or "he should go play with so and so to have a contending team".. Yet those same people will look back on LeBron leaving and criticize it, when technically he did every thing the right way, the exact way they want other people to do it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

# 68 ProfessaPackMan @ 06/04/14 11:01 PM

What's up with the random *** shots at Americans?

I just hate the player specific fans. The ones that only root for that one specific player and could care less about the rest of the team. Those people annoy me more than anything when it comes to Sports off the court/field.

An example of this: My sister used to be a Boston Celtics fan mainly because of Paul Pierce, so of course once he got traded, she immediately tells me that she's now a Nets fan. Joe or Deron can go off for 25-30 pts and the she'll respond to me with nonsense like "Why aren't they passing Pierce the ball? Why aren't they letting Pierce score too?". Or if someone passes the ball to Pierce and he either drops it or turns it over, she'll find a way to blame the other player passing Pierce the ball.

These are the type of fans I despise and I feel like these type of fans that make the Heat fanbase look bad/worse than they are and is probably a reason why folks may have an issue with them. I know guys like Diesel, vtcha(?) and BTH are the 2 coolest and most knowledgeable Heat fans that I know period(only ones on here as far as I know also lol)so I definitely don't group those guys in with the others. Much respect to those guys.

/random tangent

# 69 Cavsfan4life @ 06/05/14 12:49 AM

The backlash should have been expected, especially when leaving Cleveland, a sports city with a lot of things that dont end well beginning with "The" lol. Obviously winning is the main goal, its sports and competition. The 3 took paycuts when at that time, they were top 15 players, I dont consider that important, endorsements and a tax free state probably made up the difference. James role didnt change, he was the #1 option with Wade and Bosh having to defer. Its even more noticeable now, but that came along with LBJ maturing(Mavs loss in a big way). Bosh took the bigges "cut" in his role, in TOR he was more than just a spot up shooter, LBJ and Wade had to learn to play together, dont think it led to them taking lesser roles.

# 70 EAGLESFAN10 @ 06/05/14 12:50 AM

The thing that gets me is he had 3 choices in mind when trying to make a decision

those choices were Miami , Chicago , Brooklyn and New York

so no matter where he went he would've been joining allstar talent

people talk about LeBron's humbleness and attitude and this is off topic but IMO that's what's holding Durant back from winning a ring

I also dont get why people hate that LBJ and Bosh joined Wade but were completely fie when Garnett and Allen joined Pierce

And to whoever said the Heat are a bunch of "Prima donnas" must not watch the Clippers , Pacers , Thunder , Knicks , etc pretty much every team is

# 71 Majingir @ 06/05/14 12:58 AM

Don't know about Americans,but from a Canadians perspective...It's partially cause of how they came together(all 3 guys deciding around Olympics-ASG they'd play together).

Big reason though is media. Like in all sports,mainstream media is biggest bandwagoners out there. Whoever is good/popular is who the media talks about, and when talking about NBA,they always have to mention Heat. It's even worse cause they win all the time too so media will focus on them so much more. Look at baseball and Yankees,everyone hates them mostly cause of how much money they always spend,but the media makes the hate so much bigger.

# 72 King_B_Mack @ 06/05/14 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ojandpizza


	The decision was poorly done but with good intention. I don't think anybody before hand would have imagined the backlash he would get, because if I remember before hand there were no "issues" with the decision before it happened.. And I can honestly understand people from Cleveland or nearby who would be mad that he left. I didn't want him to leave but I sure as hell didn't hold a grudge about it, for anyone other than Cleveland fans do so has always seemed strange to me. As for him leaving I like how he did it. He didn't leave off somewhere for more money, he didn't stay or leave to another crap team to rack up the stats. He took and pay cut and a role cut to win basketball games. Winning in the end is what the game is supposed to be about. It's funny when I see people talk about guys and say "he'll never win as a first option he should move to so-and-so", or "he took too much money for them to add other pieces", or "he should go play with so and so to have a contending team".. Yet those same people will look back on LeBron leaving and criticize it, when technically he did every thing the right way, the exact way they want other people to do it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Honestly, I don't hate the Heat or LeBron. I don't like them, but I don't hate them. Stuff like this is part of the reason this Big Three era annoys me. People definitely called out the stupidity of the Decision beforehand so that argument can go right now. Then the idea that the Decision had good intentions is crap too. LeBron is a smart, business/media savvy dude. He knew what kind of backlash was possible for that show, holding it at a Boys and Girls club was strictly done so it could be used as a crutch just like a bunch of people try to do whenever the topic comes up. "It raised a lot of money for charity." There's about a billion different things LeBron James could organize to raise money for the B&G club. I'm sure the thought going into that was that they could kill two birds with one stone. Have this "cool" special, show up the Cavs and Cleveland for how he felt slighted by them at that time and if people had an issue with him leaving and the way he was doing it, at least he has this to fall back on.

I also don't put much stock into the taking less money argument since there's no state tax in Florida so there's not really a huge sacrifice there because that helps make up the difference.

Anyway, these are old issues being rehashed for no reason.

# 73 eye guy @ 06/05/14 02:27 AM

It definitely isn't the Heat. I was a huge Heat and Wade fan but jumped ship when LeBron came on board.

If LeBron stayed in Cleveland and never won a title I'd still appreciate and respect him more than what I do now. The whole decision, coming out party, and his general attitude just put me right off. He was supposed to be the 'next' big thing. Bigger than Jordan some said. And whether you were a fan or not, you still watched him play because he's a freak of nature.

But when you put yourself in a position where you surround yourself with other super stars, you kind of blend in a bit and that whole aura of being the heir to the throne becomes tainted, what with everything leading up to his signing with the Heat.

If his measurement of greatness comes in the form of championship rings, then Wade will always be one up.

The fans too are annoying. Most of them are band wagoners who will disappear if he chooses to play elsewhere. I have a whole group of friends on FB who never actually watched the NBA come out with the whole, "I was a fan when Hardaway was playing" and theyre barely old enough to remember anything lol...

But the reason is LeBron.

# 74 JODYE @ 06/05/14 10:31 AM

This thread was pretty much doomed from the beginning. However to toss in my two cents about it, because, why the hell not? lol And this may be lengthy, so I apologize in advance.

Honestly, I don't hate the Heat. Why? Because as a Bulls fan, I can sympathize with the amount of unwarranted attention the team gets. It's sensationalized in 2014 with the non-stop media onslaught we endure today, but it's in the same vein.

My issues lie with one, the way the team was constructed. Four years later, I've been waaaay over it, but I'm not a fan of the conspiring to form a team and it was heavily publicized that these guys had made this decision 2 years prior when they played together in China. And it makes sense, seeing they all structured their extensions to line up in 2010. I don't like that and to me, that is not how a team should come together IMO. Seems scripted and fabricated. There is nothing organic about the Heat in that sense. That is why I think this Finals is so great, because you have two organizations that couldn't be more different. On one hand, you have the Spurs who built their roster from essentially the ground up, through the draft and picking up role players along the way. Sort of a nod to the old school in that regard. Then on the other hand you have the Heat, that has a roster full of guys that all gathered in one place looking to accomplish the same thing. It works. Whether people like it or not, we need a polarizing team like the Heat to root against. It makes basketball more fun. Hell, it makes this forum more fun. If everyone liked each other, the league would be boring and no one would care. Yeah people get mad, people troll, and things like that, but for most, it's part of our passion for sports and wanting to see the underdog prosper. Just as people rooted against the Bulls for that very reason as well.

My other issue, and this is mainly a LeBron issue (although applies to a couple other players on their roster as well), is the way he conducts himself on the court. You can be arrogant and cocky. That is fine, because we like our superstar players to be that. But the sense of entitlement he possesses, the constant whining about what seems like every play when there may be contact, and the flopping around like a soccer player, to me is inexcusable as a superstar. As an ambassador of the game and seemingly the face of the NBA, you can't be promoting that type of on-court behavior. However, there is one thing you cannot knock and that is his work ethic and character as a human being. I respect the hell out of his game, and how he has developed himself into a complete basketball player. Now, was The Decision a bad choice? Yes, it was ****ing awful (brilliant from a marketing perspective, but in terms of showing some class to his former team/city/fans, not so much) but that doesn't erase all the good things this man has done in his community. The millions of dollars donated to charity. The countless foundations he supports and the one he has started. The guy genuinely cares about helping people, and that is admirable.

Everyone has their own reasons for not liking the Heat, but the reality is, the league needs them, or someone like them to root against. When it isn't the Heat, it will be someone else. And at the end of the day we need to remember, it's just basketball.

# 75 The 24th Letter @ 06/05/14 10:49 AM

Well put post 13, whether I agree with all of it or not, I can respect your opinion.

# 76 NDAlum @ 06/05/14 10:52 AM

Misery loves company

# 77 stlducks @ 06/05/14 11:01 AM

America does not hate the Heat. According to a poll that ESPN did, the Heat are America's favorite NBA team, just passing the Lakers. LeBron is the most popular NBA player that is active, just passed Kobe. However MJ is still number 1 among all athletes.

Not sure where these polls are posted online, I am listening to Mike and mike currently at work as was surprised when this was announced.

# 78 OhioCub @ 06/06/14 09:50 AM

My biggest problem with the Heat is that I now view them like I do the Yankees. In other words they bought their championships. As for Lebron, I don't dislike him leaving Cleveland but moreso "The Decision" and the way all his buddies pre-arranged to all go to Miami of all places. If they all wanted to play together why not go somewhere with an already established basketball history of greatness like Boston, the Lakers, Chicago, and even though they've never been great, the Knicks. Instead they chose Miami and South Beach with its stuck up, we're better than you cause we get to sit on the beach all day and not suffer through winters appearance.

# 79 Scofield @ 06/06/14 11:17 AM

Most of these issues arise from people not recognizing that many of their biases and preconceived notions are based on completely arbitrary premises. There's supposedly a "right way" to build teams, a "right way" to win. And sometimes folks just knee jerk to their biases without even trying to test them against the evidence and contrary points of view.

# 80 jeremym480 @ 06/06/14 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Segagendude


	To be honest, I cannot explain (nor pinpoint) my hatred of Miami. I didn't mind when the first "big three" formed in Boston, so that's not it.

Boston's Big Three were acquired through trade (obviously PP was already there). They didn't buddy up with one another to form a team, so the two aren't really comparable.

Back to the topic at hand, I didn't really mind "The Decision", so much... Sure it was obnoxious and all, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the "Not 1, not 2, not 3" high school pep rally they had. Looking back on that it was really LOL worthy.

I don't really dislike Lebron as much as some. I respect his talent, but the way he followed Dwade around like a little puppy that first year was a little pathetic. Not to mention how he quit on Cleveland in that Boston series. Speaking of that's Dwade, that's my #1 reason for disliking The Heat - him and his dirty antics. The rest of the team isn't really likable to me either. Ray for being a traitor(even though I get it, but still doesn't mean I have to like him), Battier and Birdman for obvious reasons and the rest are meh.

I don't get why this is such a big deal though, doesn't most of America dislike the top teams (unless they're "your team")? Didn't we hate the Lakers with Shaq and Kobe? Don't most people hate Alabama, the Patriots, Yankees, Red Sox, etc? This is isn't anything new or special, just par for the course.

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