Reasons Why You Hate Your Team

If you're like me, you know that there are definitely some times when we fans feel betrayed by our favorite teams, making us go into a rather pissed-off period.

I know it happened to me on the day the Browns traded away former first-round running back Trent Richardson earlier this season, pretty much giving off the perception that they were giving up on the season.

Rage filled my heart and mind that day, making me want to personally go down and punch team executives in the face.

I have a feeling that this has happened to you on occasions too, which is why I'm giving you the times when you just want to break something to show just how much you hate your team.

It Drafts a 29-Year-Old in the First Round

As I mentioned in my opener, I'm a Browns fan, so you might imagine the frustration I have seemingly every week when I see the team's current starting quarterback, Brandon Weeden, doing stupid things like an underhand flip not just in one game, but in successive ones.

Forget the fact that the team made Weed-dawg the oldest first-round draft pick in NFL history last season and just focus on how he simply can't play at the pro level.

It Trades Its Best Player

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Though there are times we nearly break bones after hearing about a full-fledged fire sale our team might do, there are smaller trades that can do the exact same thing to us.

To put things in perspective of how big a trade is, when the receiving team holds a press conference to introduce the new player, that's usually a good sign that said guy is big enough for people to care to write about.

And you should be really pissed off.

If you need pointers, look no further than ESPN's Bill Simmons.

It Fires or Lets a Legendary Head Coach Leave

The Los Angeles Lakers might have 16 NBA titles and be one of the most popular and valuable franchises in all of sports, but that doesn't mean they always get what they want.

Just listen to the fans during the first game without former head coach Mike Brown, when the team was looking for his replacement and chants of, "We want Phil," rained through the crowd.

Of course, the team didn't take the recommendation, instead choosing Mike D'Antoni.

Lakers fans were—and still seem to be—fuming on the decision, to say the least.

It Charges You Like Crazy

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So you're going to the game with some of your buddies to celebrate a birthday for one of them, huh? I hope you don't drain your bank account trying to enjoy it.

As those who have gone to the stadium recently know, everything you want to enjoy isn't cheap.

When adding up the tickets being priced no lower than $30—if you want to sit in the nosebleeds—parking costs and the price you'll pay for a simple pint of beer, you'll find that watching a game in-person will leave you a little depressed—even if your team actually does win.

It Changes Its Name and Logo

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For all of you diehard New Orleans Hornets...er...Pelicans fans out there, I hope you don't feel obligated to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on the new logos and colors to show your support.

Look, I was never really a fan of the Hornets name being in NOLA to begin with, seeing that it came with the organization from Charlotte. But for the fans who are now forced to buy all new gear to give them love, I'm sure it's a little tough to swallow.

And wouldn't you know it, the current Charlotte team is taking back the Hornets moniker, too. Let's just hope it doesn't give the logo an updated overhaul for the sake of its fans' wallets.

It's Boring to Watch

Remember the football moniker from way back when that says, "three yards and a cloud of dust," to describe an offensive running game? If fans hear that now, well, it's just offensive.

In the days we live in now, points are all the rage.

So even when your team is winning, having to sit through a boring, low-scoring game can leave you a little antsy—since you're not used to all the punts, turnovers, bad shooting performances or defensive battles.

Watching a team that regularly struggles to score is reason to choose another game over your own team's contest.

It Employs a Has-Been

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Being from Nashville, I heard plenty of rants from friends and fans of the Titans the past few weeks who heard the same rumors as I did about the team actually reaching out to former No. 1 overall pick—and arguably the biggest NFL bust ever—JaMarcus Russell.

Could you even imagine if that would have happened? It would have been like the team all but tossed in the towel of being a reasonable NFL team—let alone the current season.

And now St. Louis Rams fans might be feeling the same rage, as speculation of the team signing Tim Tebow has come from Around The League's Mike Silver in the wake of the torn ACL sustained by Sam Bradford.

The Coach Acts Like an Ass

Whether it's a head coach who makes disparaging comments about a fan base or an assistant who is busted for openly offering rewards for his players to hurt opposing guys, this one seems to happen a lot.

In the media, they usually just get overplayed and a little worn out until the next funny coach rant, but for fans of the teams it happens to, it can be a black eye and sign of just how dysfunctional an organization really is.

It Blows a Huge Lead

I admit that this one could probably be a hell of a lot higher on my list here, because we've all had that miserable feeling when our team blows a giant lead to be part of the biggest comebacks ever seen.

After talking crap for an entire first half about how the game will be a rout, the opposing team just chips away at the thing, giving itself a chance by the middle of the fourth quarter, leaving you stunned, quiet and drinking way too many beers in anticipation of the worst outcome—a loss.

When it actually happens, the emotions from the day feel like a two-year relationship with your girlfriend just ended, going from the honeymoon stage, through the good times and, finally, the free fall of the end.

It Is Always Tight-Lipped

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For the past few weeks, every single New England Patriots fan—and a few fantasy football team owners—can relate to this one thanks to the uncertain status of tight end Rob Gronkowski.

Being told that he was ready to play by doctors—was it just a ploy by head coach Bill Belichick to keep his opponents at bay by throwing another thing for them to prepare for?

Who knows? But based on Belichick's history of keeping quiet about injuries and disclosing info, it very well could have been—which drives fans nuts.

It Does Something Really Stupid

I really feel bad for bringing something up that happened over 20 years ago, but Chris Webber's ill-advised timeout in the '93 national title game still remains to be one of the most boneheaded plays ever.

I was only 9 when it happened—and a North Carolina fan—so it was great to see from my own eyes.

The same couldn't be said for anyone donning maize and blue, though—on that day or anytime it has been brought up since.

It Suspends Its Best Player

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As if seeing a star player suspended by the league for doing something stupid like getting arrested isn't bad enough, having a guy get forced to street clothes by his own team is a hell of a lot worse.

There are multiple reasons for seeing a guy get benched, but when the explanation is "breaking team rules," or the status gets set at "out indefinitely," that's always a little more frustrating. Fans want to know what the dude actually did to warrant actually missing games—if for nothing more than to have an opinion on it themselves.

It Lets Its Best Player Just Walk Away

As anyone who watched last night's game between the Broncos and Colts saw, Indy fans aren't quite over the love they have for former quarterback Peyton Manning.

It's natural to understand, seeing how Manning led them to two Super Bowls—winning one—and, thanks to the franchise's success under his leadership, helped build the team's current stadium.

For all Colts fans, seeing the team just openly let Manning walk away last season—regardless of the circumstances—and still witness him play at an MVP-level has to be difficult.

Sure, Andrew Luck might be a superstar in the making, but short-term, not even he can replace Peyton.

It Is Always in Rebuilding Mode

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There are a few fans of certain franchises who can share in the depression that comes with one of the most dreadful words in sports—rebuilding.

Teams like the Browns and Raiders in the NFL, the Marlins and Astros in MLB, and the Kings and Bobcats in the NBA just can't seem to get it right, as they consistently cycle through head coaches and first-round picks, leaving fans with few things to ever latch onto and support.

In the up-to-the-minute news cycle we live in now, patience in rebuilding isn't something that a sports fan ever wants to live through.

It Gives You Zero Hope

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In relation to the teams mentioned in the previous slide, the fans of the six franchises I listed probably feel hopeless before each season thanks to no continuity and lack of talent.

Although we've seen some shocking things happen in sports, there are few things worse than seeing your team sit in the cellar of its own division from the start of the season all the way to the end, giving you more highlights of dismal, embarrassing things than happy, rewarding top plays.

Being the league's worst team is one thing, but when your team finishes anywhere around .500 is considered overachieving, it honestly might be even worse.

Owners Either Move the Team or Sell It

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If you're a Jacksonville Jaguars fan, you can't be too excited to hear all the talk about your team potentially being the most-suitable option to relocate to London.

The same could be said for Sacramento Kings fans who had to sweat it out through the uncertainty of their franchise potentially being moved to Seattle.

As someone who has seen one of his favorite teams move to another city—regardless of the ensuing success or not—saying that it's like having your heart ripped out is a complete understatement, and rightfully causes fans to take their frustration out in ways that aren't exactly described as appropriate.