Top 5 sports teams you root for to lose...

[Buccaneer]

It seems that it is easier to root for a team to lose (since there will be more of them) than it is to root for a team to win, esp. if one got animosities or hatred towards a particular team or rival. This becomes more pronounced during post-season play, I think, because of the energy it takes to get there and the (usually) high expectation...and to see the team lose becomes sweet justice.

Anyway, what is your list of top 5 teams you root for to lose?

Here's mine:

College basketball: Kentucky
Baseball: Yankees
Pro football: Falcons and Raiders
Hockey: Red Wings

The degree of 'hatred' seems to vary season to season but for 20 years, UK has been the constant with the Raiders becoming even more hated, if that's possible.

[Sublime 2]

Baseball: Yankees
Football: Colts and Steelers
Basketball: Knicks and Lakers

[JonInMiddleGA]

UGA (any sport), Hendrick Motorsports, SF Giants, UConn (women's hoops), and LSU (women's hoops & football)

And, since you mentioned the change over time, that's my current list.
If you had asked me 20 years ago, it would have probably been something like:
UGA (anything), Pirates (Bonds era), Yankees, 49ers, and the Celtics.

[Cuckoo]

Baseball: Cardinals
Pro Football: Redskins, Giants
College Football: Longhorns
College Basketball: Duke

[Dutch]

The Bucs move from the NFC Central to the NFC South rendered most of my hatred for teams obsolete. I have to consciously remind myself to root against the Falcons, Saints, and Panthers. (Hell, I wear a New Orleans Saints shirt while doing yard work...I would never, ever, ever, ever have owned a Packers, Lions, Bears, or Vikings shirt. Ever.

[Buccaneer]

UGA (any sport), Hendrick Motorsports, SF Giants, UConn (women's hoops), and LSU (women's hoops & football)

And, since you mentioned the change over time, that's my current list.
If you had asked me 20 years ago, it would have probably been something like:
UGA (anything), Pirates (Bonds era), Yankees, 49ers, and the Celtics.

Yeah, 30 years ago when I was a sports fanatic, my list would have been: Cowboys, Dodgers, Cowboys, Notre Dame and did I mention the Cowboys?

[Bad-example]

1 - LA Dodgers
2 - Washington Red4skins
3 - Dallas Cowboys
4 - LA Dodgers
5 - NY Yankees

[terpkristin]

Yankees
Duke

I really don't need 5 teams. These 2 are enough. :D

/tk

[TroyF]

NY Yankees
Duke
Nebraska
Raiders
Lakers

[CamEdwards]

Yankees, Dallas Cowboys, Lakers might be my only teams to actively root against.

[Joe]

Packers x 5

[cuervo72]

Ooh, forgot about Nebraska. That's a good one. I'd put them in there with the Cowboys and Notre Dame.

Overall, I think I've mellowed. In the past, I might have listed teams like the Dodgers (just didn't like them for whatever reason), NY Rangers, Edmonton Oilers (though that's really more 20 years ago). Maybe even the Braves, though with them I respect the organization and actually like the TBS tv crew. Oh, and the Celtics. But like I said, I've softened.

[tarcone]

Iowa State
Chicago Cubs
Oakland Raiders
Kansas City Chiefs
Duke Mens Basketball

[JeeberD]

Yankees
Redskins
Red Wings
Florida football
Notre Dame football

[Vince]

1) Los Angeles Dodgers
2) Los Angeles Dodgers
3) Los Angeles Dodgers
4) Los Angeles Dodgers
5) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

[Vince]

Realistically...

1) Los Angeles Dodgers
2) Anaheim Angels
3) Dallas Cowboys
4) Los Angeles Lakers
5) Sacramento Kings

[cmp]

College Basketball: Duke
College Football: USC
Baseball: Yankees
NBA: Miami

[gottimd]

NY Yankees
Duke
Montclair St
Bucs, Falcons, Panthers

[ISiddiqui]

1) New York Yankees
2) Notre Dame Football
3) Dallas Cowboys
4) Tampa Bay Buccanears
5) North Carolina Basketball

[Crapshoot]

1) Los Angeles Dodgers
2) Los Angeles Dodgers
3) Los Angeles Dodgers
4) Los Angeles Dodgers
5) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

That's fairly accurate. I'd run through Boston in a Yankees jersey rather than root for the Dodgers.

Actually, I'd add the Cowboys and Patriots to that list - too much of Boston on the latter.

[path12]

1) Yankees
2) Braves
3) Cowboys
4) Notre Dame
5) Raiders

[JeeberD]

3) Dallas Cowboys


For a long, long, LONG time the Niners were at the top of my list, but the last few years have kinda dulled the hatred...

[panerd]

College: Kansas Jayhawks
Baseball: Houston Astros/Boston Red Sox
NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers

[JS19]

1. NY Yankees
2. UNC
3. All NFC East except the Giants

Never got in to hockey and have lost all interest in the NBA.

[Franklinnoble]

1. Dallas Cowboys
2. New York Yankees
3. Arizona Wildcats
4. Los Angeles Lakers
5. New York Giants - Philadelphia Eagles (tie)

Tried to diversify the list a bit... although, to be honest, the only team I'm fanatical about is the Redskins, so I probably should have made my list look like this:

1. Dallas Cowboys
2. New York Giants
3. Philadelphia Eagles
4. Oakland Raiders (yes, I will forever be bitter about Super Bowl XVIII)
5. Dallas Cowboys

[Pumpy Tudors]

I don't think I can put mine in any particular order, but my top 5 are like this:

Chicago Cubs
Kansas City Chiefs
Oakland Raiders
New York Rangers
Philadelphia Flyers

The only other team that comes close is the Red Wings, but since they don't play my Devils very often, I put the divisional rivals on the list instead. There are a couple of other NHL Western Conference teams that I really don't like, but they don't quite compare to the teams I mentioned.

[Coffee Warlord]

1) Green Bay Packers
2) St. Louis Cardinals
3) Chicago White Sox
4) Univ of Nebraska
5) Univ of Illinois

[Bearcat729]

1. Steelers
2. Michigan
3. Ravens
4. Louisville
5. Yankees

[Daimyo]

New England Patriots

I used to hate the Knicks, but ever since they got Isiah Thomas I've actually felt kind of sorry for them.

[Young Drachma]

1) Yankees
2) Rangers
3) Flyers
4) Red Wings
5) Braves

Honestly, so long as the Devils or the Blue Jays can win, I'm not sure I care. But since the latter haven't been good in a while, I tend to just root for whoever around playoff time.

And I root against whoever is standing in my team's way...

[MizzouRah]

Not in any particular order

1. Detroit Red Wings (YAY Edmonton!)
2. Dallas Cowboys/Seattle Seahawks/SF 49ers
3. Duke/Nebraska/Texas
4. Houston Astros/Atlanta Braves (not much anymore though)/Cubs/Yankees

[saldana]

1 yankees
2 duke
3 devils
4 cowboys
5 ny giants

i have a recurring dream where the plane carrying the yankees crashes into giants stadium while the cowboys and giants are playing a game (with no fans in attendance) and the devils are practising at continental airlines arena and every player on all 4 teams is killed.

[JeeberD]

4. Houston Astros

Love ya, Sunshine... :)

[saldana]

NY Yankees
Duke
Montclair St
Bucs, Falcons, Panthers


does Montclair State even have sports teams?

[panerd]

Not in any particular order

1. Detroit Red Wings (YAY Edmonton!)
2. Dallas Cowboys/Seattle Seahawks/SF 49ers
3. Duke/Nebraska/Texas
4. Houston Astros/Atlanta Braves (not much anymore though)/Cubs/Yankees

No KU? I would like respectfuly ask that you have the Mizzou part of your user name removed.

[kingfc22]

Dodgers
Cowboys
Yankees
Ohio State Football
Raiders

[terpkristin]

By the by, apologies to any Aussies out there for the use of the word "root." Perhaps "barrack" would be better? ;)

/tk

[FBPro]

NCAA Football: Tennessee(and any other SEC team that isn't UGA).
NCAA Hoops: Don't follow
NFL: NFC South teams that aren't Falcons
MLB: Yankees, Mets, Phillies, did I mention Yankees and Mets?
NBA: Don't follow

[cuervo72]

Hmm, looking over these there are a few more teams I never really rooted for and many that I just plain didn't like: Georgetown, UNC, USC, UCLA, Ohio State, Michigan, Kansas, Tark's UNLV teams, the Knicks. Formerly U. Miami too, though I've softened there. Still don't like the Gators or the Seminoles much though.

I'll be happy when the Patriots suck again too.

[MizzouRah]

Love ya, Sunshine... :)

Especially tonight! ;)

[gottimd]

does Montclair State even have sports teams?

hxxp://www.montclair.edu/athletics/

[Captain2711]

1. Yankees
2. Duke Basketball
3. Notre Dame Football
4. NJ Devils
5. Braves
6. Any team from Philly

[Ksyrup]

Yankees


Miami Hurricanes
Raiders
Lakers
Avalanche

Gators

[rjolley]

Notre Dame football
Green Bay Packers
New York Knicks

Oh yeah, almost forgot:
CENTRAL MISSOURI STATE anything
Washburn basketball
Missouri Western basketball
Pittsburg State basketball and football

Yes, I played at NW Missouri State :) Go Bearcats!!!

[Izulde]

Minnesota Golden Gophers
Dallas Cowboys
Minnesota Twins
Manchester United
Detroit Red Wings

[Wolfpack]

North Carolina
Duke

Frankly, anybody else is a waste of energy to hate.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I now root for the following people to lose. . . Always:

1. Buccaneer
2. JeeberD
3. Dark Cloud
4. MizzouRah
5. Izulde
6. thealmighty (twice)

The only other person I can think of is Pumpy, but since he has so many funny pics, I put the others on the list instead.

[WVUFAN]

NFL: Indianapolis Colts
NCAA: Pittsburgh Panthers
NBA: LA Lakers
MLB: NY Yankees
NHL: NY Rangers

[Scarecrow]

Notre Dame football
Green Bay Packers
New York Knicks

Oh yeah, almost forgot:
CENTRAL MISSOURI STATE anything
Washburn basketball
Missouri Western basketball
Pittsburg State basketball and football

Yes, I played at NW Missouri State :) Go Bearcats!!!
You Bastard!!!!

Oakland Raiders
Pitt State
KU
KC Royals
Montreal Canadians

[Swaggs]

NFL: Baltimore Ravens
MLB: Atlanta Braves
NCAA Football: Notre Dame, Va. Tech, Pitt

Edit to add: Really, not just Va. Tech. Any ACC team other than UNC.

[Dr. Sak]

Notre Dame
Pitt
New Jersey Devils
Michigan
Dallas Cowboys

I use to dislike UNC in bball because they are Duke's main rival but I really like Roy Williams so I don't dislike them as much anymore. A close 6th was Maryland Basketball because it pains me to see the towel boys mop up the sweat after Gary Williams at the end of the game.

[Easy Mac]

Notre Dame
Pitt
New Jersey Devils
Michigan
Dallas Cowboys

I use to dislike UNC in bball because they are Duke's main rival but I really like Roy Williams so I don't dislike them as much anymore. A close 6th was Maryland Basketball because it pains me to see the towel boys mop up the sweat after Gary Williams at the end of the game.

that, and you hate leg hair.

[Dr. Sak]

that, and you hate leg hair.

I missed you too!

[Cards4ever]

North Dakota Hockey
Cubs(though you really don't need to root for them to lose, they seem to do fine on their own:D)
Packers

[Young Drachma]

I now root for the following people to lose. . . Always:

1. Buccaneer
2. JeeberD
3. Dark Cloud
4. MizzouRah
5. Izulde

The only other person I can think of is Pumpy, but since he has so many funny pics, I put the others on the list instead.

Go Oilers.

[RendeR]

In no specific order:

San Francisco Fourty-Whiners
Dallas Cowgirls
New York Skankies
Toronto Limp-Leafs
Mi-shit-gin Wolverines
Baltimore Browns
Jimmy Johnson (Lowes Chevrolet Driver, NASCAR)
Kurt and Kyle Busch (also NASCAR Drivers)


there are others, but these are the worst offenders

[MizzouRah]

I now root for the following people to lose. . . Always:

1. Buccaneer
2. JeeberD
3. Dark Cloud
4. MizzouRah
5. Izulde

The only other person I can think of is Pumpy, but since he has so many funny pics, I put the others on the list instead.

At least I'm 4th on the list. :)

[thealmighty]

Yankees
Redskins
Red Wings
Florida football
Notre Dame football

Wow, Jeebs. I am right with you on 4 out of the 5.

Take Florida off the list and put in Red Wings twice.

[Fonzie]

Cubs
Astros
Yankees
Bears
Vikings

[VPI97]

- UVA
- SEC football
- Red Sox
- Braves (but only in the playoffs, it's more fun that way)
- Lakers

[Terps]

In order:

Yankees, Duke, Eagles, Cowboys, Redskins.

[vex]

Texas
Oklahoma State
Miami
Notre Dame
USC

[stevew]

Lakers
Pistons
Cowboys
Red Sox
Braves


Most of the other teams I don't like, such as the Ratbirds or the BrownStains do a fair job of losing on their own, without me having to root against them.

[primelord]

1. Chicago Cubs
2. Houston Astros
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Pittsburgh Pirates

[stevew]

5. Pittsburgh Pirates

They do a fine job of losing on their own, without you trying to give them bad mojo :D

[WSUCougar]

NFL: Raiders, Cowboys
MLB: Yankees
NCAA: Notre Dame, the three Florida schools

[TazFTW]

football: Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles
baseball: Boston Red Sox
hockey: New Jersey Devils
basketball: Gonzaga

[Joe]

NFL: Raiders, Cowboys
MLB: Yankees
NCAA: Notre Dame, the three Florida schools

USF, UCF, and Florida International?

[WSUCougar]

USF, UCF, and Florida International?
Okay, the six Florida schools

[lynchjm24]

North Carolina
Duke
Boston Red Sox
Philadelphia Eagles
New York Yankees

[Radii]

Duke Basketball
Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Braves
U(sic)GA football

That's really it. In any given season I'll viciously root against anyone who are competing with UNC in basketball, or the Panthers in the NFL for any sort of titles, but those are the only ones that carry from year to year.

[Suburban Rhythm]

1) Any other AFC North team other than the Steelers
2) Flyers
3) Any NBA team because I just don't care
4) Any MLB team because I just don't care
5) Any partiuclarly high-profile NCAA hoops team (Duke, UNC, etc)

[MIJB#19]

I can think of only two:
the Germany soccer team
the USA baseball team

[Toddzilla]

In order, more or less:

West Virginia University
University of Virginia
The Entire Big 10
Washington Redskins
New York EVERYTHING

[AlexB]

Easy list this one!!!

Buffalo Bills
Nottingham Forest
Derby County
Coventry City
Bath RFC

Not even a second's thought ;)

[Buccaneer]

Wow, Jeebs. I am right with you on 4 out of the 5.

Take Florida off the list and put in Red Wings twice.

I can bend the rule in giving you 6 entries. That way you can put the Red Wings in there 3 times.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I now root for the following people to lose. . . Always:

1. Buccaneer
2. JeeberD
3. Dark Cloud
4. MizzouRah
5. Izulde
6. thealmighty (twice)

The only other person I can think of is Pumpy, but since he has so many funny pics, I put the others on the list instead.
It's amazing what I can get away with. :)

[albionmoonlight]

NCAA: Duke
MLB: Red Sox (thanks 100% to Bill Simmons)
NFL: Ravens (this will change when Billick and Lewis leave). Falcons
NBA: Lakers
NHL: Don't follow it enough

[Coffee Warlord]

1. Chicago Cubs
2. Houston Astros
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Pittsburgh Pirates

Whore. :)

[JeeberD]

Wow, Jeebs. I am right with you on 4 out of the 5.

Take Florida off the list and put in Red Wings twice.


You're alright, TA. Especially for a SMU guy... :)

[SnDvls]

1) anthing associated w/ the Arizona Wildcats...including the band
2) New York Spank-mes
3) LA Fakers, more now with Flobee on the team
4) Notre Dame, Nebraska, Ohio St and U$C

[MrBug708]

College - USC, Oregon, Arizona, Miami
Baseball - Giants. Sometimes the BoSox and the Angels fans are annoying
Basketball - Any team whose fans boo Kobe

[Klinglerware]

New York Mets
New York Giants
Team USA (In Men's Basketball, Baseball, Men's Hockey; but I do like Men's Soccer)
Southern Cal
Penn

[Axxon]

The Bucs move from the NFC Central to the NFC South rendered most of my hatred for teams obsolete. I have to consciously remind myself to root against the Falcons, Saints, and Panthers. (Hell, I wear a New Orleans Saints shirt while doing yard work...I would never, ever, ever, ever have owned a Packers, Lions, Bears, or Vikings shirt. Ever.

I can relate to this but I've always hated the Falcons so hating them is easy. I lived for 8 years in Panther territory so while I'm not a fan I can't root against them except for twice a season. Ditto NO, where I went to college in the 'aints heydey.

My top five though are the Raiders, Celtics, Eagles, Dodgers and PSV Eindhoven.

[caspanky]

MLB: Dodgers
NBA: Lakers
NHL: Mighty Ducks, Red Wings, Avalanche
NFL: Raiders, Patriots

[jamesUMD]

Dallas Cowboys
Baltimore Ravens
Duke Blue Devils
NY Yankees
LA Lakers

[BYU 14]

NFL: Cowboys and Raiders
MLB: Red Sox
NBA: Lakers
NCAA: UTAH!!!!!!!!!!!!

[EagleFan]

Dallas Cowboys
New York Giants
New York Mets
New York Yankees
New York Rangers


The Islanders and Knicks would have been in there but they are no longer relevant.

[tucker342]

In order, more or less:

West Virginia University
University of Virginia
The Entire Big 10
Washington Redskins
New York EVERYTHING

you're just jealous cause you wish that your favorite conference was as good as the Big Ten ;)

[tucker342]

dola-

my list (in no specific order) goes

1. Ohio State
2. Michigan
3. Dallas Cowboys
4. New York Yankees
5. Notre Dame

[Rizon]

Raiders
49'ers
Bills
Red Sox
Yankees

If either of these teams play each other, I root for the ground to open up and swallow the both of them.

[kingnebwsu]

michigan college football wolverines, Yankees, Lakers, Notre Dame, any out-of-state heavy favorite in a college basketball game.

[Marc Vaughan]

Soccer: Man Utd & Chelsea (strangely for a Brighton supporter I don't have much of a dislike or either Portsmouth or Palace)

[Raiders Army]

Broncos
Chiefs
Penn State
Red Sox
Any NBA Team

[CleBrownsfan]

Baseball: Yankees
Football: Steelers & Baltimore
Basketball: Pistons

[General Mike]

1. Yankees
2. Phillies
3. Boston College (all sports)
4. Phil. Eagles
5. Dallas Cowboys

Honorable Mention: Braves, Redskins

[MIJB#19]

My top five though are the [others] and PSV Eindhoven.Interesting choice, I can't remember having heard anyone say they root against PSV before. Care to elaborate? :)

[Coffee Warlord]

Soccer: Man Utd & Chelsea (strangely for a Brighton supporter I don't have much of a dislike or either Portsmouth or Palace)

So long as you don't root against my Newcastle boys, I won't have to kill you. :)

[miked]

does Montclair State even have sports teams?

They do, I was going to ask about his dislike for MSU teams since I am from Montclair. They are quite good at a few things, but mired in DII or something similar.

My list:
Rangers
Flyers
Mets
Giants
UMiami

[condors]

my top 5

NFL-Cowboys
EPL-Arsenal
NHL-Devils
MLB-Atlanta
NBA-Celtics

[Darkiller]

1- Dallas Cowboys
2- Oakland Raiders
3- Saint Louis Rams
4- Dallas Cowboys
5- Dallas Cowboys

Am I a Niner fan or what ?

[Oilers9911]

Hockey: Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames
Baseball: Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees
Football: Oakland Raiders, Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL)
Basketball: Los Angeles Lakers
Soccer: Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Italian National Team.

[SackAttack]

1- ∞ - San Francisco Giants
∞ +1 - Houston Astros (that's for your pussy roll-over-and-die in 1991, jerks.)

[kcchief19]

University of Kansas
St. Louis Cardinals
New York Yankees
Vijay Singh
All auto racers

I'm not sure why I have such a visceral reaction to Vijay Singh, but for some reason he really annoys me. Whenever I'm watching golf I inevitably find myself rooting for anybody but him. I think it's just his smugness and style that rubs me the wrong way.

It's easy to hate the Jayhawks and Cardinals because by and large they are the most obnoxious fans in the world without a lot of reason to be. When I was a kid, I grew up almost equidistant between St. Louis and Kansas City. For some reason my family leaned toward Kansas City in everything, so the were team No. 1 for me, but St. Louis was team No. 1-A. I rooted for both teams, until the aftermath of the '85 World Series. The behavior of run-of-the-mill Cardinals fan so disgusted me that it turned me into a hater.

Don't believe me -- ask 'em. Ask a Cardinals fan who won the '85 World Series and 90 percent will say they did. How cocky and unfunny is that? :)

[Cards4ever]

1985 World Series Champions-Kansas City Royals.

Hate to tell you, but the only time Cardinal fans even think about 85 is when Royals bring it up. Most Cardinal fans appreciate the past history of the franchise but look to future glory, no reason really to live in the past as much as you would like to believe.

[Cards4ever]

Dola, your comments do show what a huge mistake it was to flip Milwaukee into the NL instead of KC. The rivalry between KC and STL would be as big as the Cub-STL rivalry. Not to mention Milwaukee already had the White Sox and Minnesota as rivals and who does KC really have as a heated rival?