Sound Off: Why Does America Hate the Heat?

[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?

[Gramps91]

It's not so much that I dislike the Heat. It's that I dislike LeBron. He's always had the attitude that he's going to be the best way before he ever won a championship and all those years he was acting like a complete bafoon playing for the Cavs while they were playing human bowling on the sidelines only for them to lose every year made me dislike him even less. And then he went with the decision thing as if he were the most important person in the entire world sit with me really wrong. I don't hate the Heat at all and I'm extremely happy for D-Wade, I always did like him, but LeBron is a different story.

[bakan723]

Re: Sound Off: Why Does America Hate the Heat?

I HATED the Bulls back then. (and was disgusted when I saw New Yorkers wear MJ jerseys, ect..)

With the Heat not only is it one team being on top, but how they conspired to all team up together to do it. (especially Bron & Wade)

Lebron leaving his home town team to do it, the stupid decision thing on tv….it all left a bad taste in peoples mouths.

[rtkiii]

It's Lebron. Jordan stayed and had a team built around him...dedication and honor. Lebron left his team at first chance and jumped to a better team. Opposite of Jordan That is were it all differs...if LeBron stayed and a team formed around him then I think people would view him completely different. But since LeBron is the face of the Heat...the hate falls into the Heat as well.

Just a different generation than what I remember seeing I guess. NBA 2000- present just sucks.

[ojandpizza]

Sound Off: Why Does America Hate the Heat?

LeBron isn't the first player to go play on another team. Also the decision, while not thought out very well, led to a good cause and charity to kids in need.

If Cleveland would have built a team around LeBron he would have stayed, but they didn't.


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[Syce]

like ojandpizza said, the Decision while a lot hated that, all the money it raised was given to charity and such. Lebron mostly left because the top guys in Cleveland were not helping him out and building the franchise around Lebron like they should have. Look at Kobe for example as well. he cant win anything unless he has another superstar on his team. its just the way it is.

[asu666]

Because most Americans like under dogs and know that not much good comes out of Florida.

[Sgt_Carnage]

Re: Sound Off: Why Does America Hate the Heat?

It's Lebron. Jordan stayed and had a team built around him...dedication and honor. Lebron left his team at first chance and jumped to a better team. Opposite of Jordan That is were it all differs...if LeBron stayed and a team formed around him then I think people would view him completely different. But since LeBron is the face of the Heat...the hate falls into the Heat as well.

Just a different generation than what I remember seeing I guess. NBA 2000- present just sucks.

Okay, here is where I have the problem. How were the Heat the better team going into that summer?

The 2nd thing is, the Cleveland front office never really made any attempts to surround the guy with better talent. Lebrons best teammate in the end was Boobie Gibson.......who the hell wants to stick around for that. I don't blame the guy, I would have hauled *** too.

Everybody likes to bring up that Bird,Magic, and Jordan wouldn't have done that, well why would they have. Bird played for squads that had three other Hall of Famers in the starting lineup. Magic played for squads that featured two other hall of famers in the starting lineup. And Jordan did more whining about wanting out than anybody,just go read the Jordan Rules. My point is, they were playing with outstanding talent, so why would they go anywhere? Let me ask you, you think Bird,Magic or Jordan are gonna stick around when their best sidekick is Boobie Gibson?

[areobee401]

Re: Sound Off: Why Does America Hate the Heat?

Because Americans generally love rooting for the underdog. We love seeing those on top fail.

[Sgt_Carnage]

Re: Sound Off: Why Does America Hate the Heat?

LeBron isn't the first player to go play on another team. Also the decision, while not thought out very well, led to a good cause and charity to kids in need.

If Cleveland would have built a team around LeBron he would have stayed, but they didn't.


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Yep. Would I have liked to have seen him stay in Cleveland, sure I would have. But I can't get mad at him for leaving. The only thing I can dislike is "The Decision"

[lilteapot]

Re: Sound Off: Why Does America Hate the Heat?

Because apparently there are way more cleveland natives than we thought.

[Sgt_Carnage]

Re: Sound Off: Why Does America Hate the Heat?

It's not so much that I dislike the Heat. It's that I dislike LeBron. He's always had the attitude that he's going to be the best way before he ever won a championship and all those years he was acting like a complete bafoon playing for the Cavs while they were playing human bowling on the sidelines only for them to lose every year made me dislike him even less. And then he went with the decision thing as if he were the most important person in the entire world sit with me really wrong. I don't hate the Heat at all and I'm extremely happy for D-Wade, I always did like him, but LeBron is a different story.

So basically you don't like the guy because he wants to be the best(god forbid someone want to be the best) and because ESPN treated him like he was important(ESPN could have easily said,we're not doing "The Decision") Oh and also because he apparently likes to have fun. Am I wrong with my assessment?

[Jadakiss88]

LOL!!! There was Bulls hate it's just that there was no Social Media, ESPN Message Boards or Media Fueled rivalries that never existed. I stopped viewing it as hate people are going to cheer for the team they cheer for and jeer the other. The funniest thing is that at this point people that do dislike Lebron for leaving Cleveland are few and far between...yea I see some here but to be honest they can only "(Fill in random legend) would have never left his team to play with another superstar" yet they can't explain why Lebron had to carry the team to the playoffs every year.

I guess nobody realized how hard Lebron had to work just to get his Cleveland in the Finals....and yet he's a coward for leaving when his contract ended. LMAO!!! I find holding a team hostage demanding a trade is alot worse than leaving for a new team when you have fulfilled all of your obligations to that team.

[cookjn]

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.

[VDusen04]

Re: Sound Off: Why Does America Hate the Heat?

For starters, I believe it is very important to create a separation between rooting for a team to not win an NBA championship, and hating a team. In this case, "hate" may merely be in reference to "hoping they don't win", but many will take that term literally. I have zero interest in the Miami Heat winning an NBA championship, but I do not hate them.

I think I have an issue with what the Miami Heat did to the idea of competition. Though, I have a tough time articulating in this regard. I think, in basketball, I've grown to expect championship teams and contenders to be things that happen over time, with a sense of cohesion, luck, strategy, blood, guts, key signings, sound trades, and hundreds of other mundane battles one must fight.

The Heat collection seemed to cut through a lot of that stuff, basically ending up in a land of, "You know what? I would like to become a champion, so let's get a bunch of prime superstars and perfect role players together and just do it." It felt a little too easy to become a champion. They had no idea how to play basketball together in 2011 and still came a miracle Mavericks comeback away from coasting to a ring.

I think most people have likely come in contact with stacked teams throughout their lives and have known how lame it feels to be on the other end, particularly when the stacked team was created by a bunch of guys on their own, as if to say, "Hi, we're the best players here and we call always being on the same team together. It's going to be pretty great when we win because winning is all that matters." I've seen that happen on street courts and it's just as lame. Great, yes, four college ballplayers showed up and insisted they always be on the same team. Yes, you defeated everyone because you're better. Well done. But what about the spirit of competition?

It's also kind of like, in high school, we had a powerhouse in our conference who'd dominate us year in and year out. It sucked. They were our rival. But it was what it was. However, if that squad was only that good because they'd collected the best players from each other team in our conference, even if it were legal, that'd be lame sauce to the maximum.

TL;DR - I think many recognize that those fellers overkilled it. That wasn't just improving one's chances. That was the greatest player since Michael Jordan leaving a team that'd won 66 games at one point to team up with two prime Dream Teamers to make things as uneven as humanly possible in their favor. I think it's tough for non-Heat fans, and outsiders in general, to get behind that.

I guess nobody realized how hard Lebron had to work just to get his Cleveland in the Finals

I think that was a part of it for me too. I knew how great LeBron James was. As someone who does not judge individual talent and ability off of team wins and team championships, it was not very difficult to recognize his legend before he even reached age 21.

One of the biggest reasons I was able to be a Pistons and LeBron fan at the same time (while those squads were rivals) was because I felt James did things the right way. I thought his leadership, ability to dominate while remaining a willing and skillful sharer was something I'd been longing for for a long time (in the era of volume shooting superstars). I thought he was good enough to raise the level of every player around him, and I think that was witnessed in him leading solid (though not spectacular) teams to 66 win seasons and NBA Finals appearances.

Basically, I felt he did basketball the right way. It seemed he had a squad and said, "Alright, this is my crew. Let's do this." And I felt he was going to be the one to bring down the evil empires of big markets, advantageous free agent signings & trades, and selfish superhero ball. Instead of being the type of guy who'd have the take of, "Aw man, I got Boobie Gibson out there?!", he was more, "Alright, how can I maximize Boobie Gibson's talent? I'm taking him along with me."

So for him to go from that, to the complete opposite end of the spectrum, as if to say, "Yeah, I know we were competing for a ring and any team I play for is pretty much a competitor by default, but screw it, I want a mega team" was a stark, stark contrast to everything I dug about that guy. It saddened me more than anything else. I kind of felt he may have given in to the folks who have the strange habit of judging an individual player strictly off of his team championship number. I thought he'd be above that.