The Sweetest Boo: Which Team Do You Love to Hate?

I’ve seen a lot of "best of" articles on Bleacher recently. Some about the best sport stories of the year, others about the best stadiums for atmosphere and one I read mentioned a favourite sporting moment.

So this got me thinking. Who is the most HATED team in sport?

At the risk of turning this into forum, I really want to know which team gets under your skin and why.

Of course a lot of this is down to which sport you watch and who your revels are. But what I’m trying to find out is if there is a particular reason why some teams are disliked so much.

Is it because of success? A team that’s winning all the time will always be resented.

Is it because of image? Some owners seem to be willing to allow their team name…sorry, brand to be stuck on anything if it means more publicity.

Is it because of their fans? Maybe it’s a tribal thing, getting back to that cave man sprit. But I bet there’s a least one group of supporters that gets right up your nose.

My personal most hated team would have to be Liverpool FC.

It’s not because of their players or their management. It’s not jealousy over their success, past or present. And it not all because they are my teams local revels (but that does have a little to do with it).

It’s mostly down to their holier than thou, smug, self-obsessed, fickle supporters.

Now, some of my closest friends and colleagues are Liverpool fans and I usually get on fine with them. But when the topic of football comes up, it’s as if they turn into completely different people.

Ask them about football history and they believe that it started in the 1960’s with Bill Shankly. Apparently nothing before that matters.

Talk to them before a game and they will tell you, with out a doubt, their team will win. Regardless of any injuries they may have or the quality of the opposing team.

Try to speak to one after a defeat and you’ll be told they have the worst manager ever. Even though they won a major trophy under him, back when he could all but walk on water.

But the one thing that really gets my back up is on match days. If you ever watch a game at Anfeild and the ball is close to the sideline, take a look at the crowd. Count the amount of people taking pictures, hundreds of them. And it’s not once or twice, it’s every single time a player comes near them.

To be fair it’s not only Liverpool fans that do this, but it does irritate me.

Football is meant to be a fasted paced, exciting, passionate, involving sport. Where do you find the time to add to your photo album?

I could go on, but as I said before it’s only meant to be a bit of fun.

Well that’s my rant over, who do you hate? Manchester United, Chelsea? If this article is read in the US, I’m sure there’ll be a lot of finger pointing between Bears and Packers fans.

I’m guessing there’ll be a lot of people mentioning the New York Yankees as well. I understand the Red Sox thing, but I’m interested to know why everyone else seems to dislike the Yankees so much.

It can’t be about the area of New York because not much is said against the Mets, or I’m I wrong?

So come on, get it off your chest. Who do you love to hate?