30 Teams Fans Love To Hate

While fans around the sports world ubiquitously hate their respective team's most heated rival, there are some teams that tower above the rest and garner sometimes superfluous hate from even the most casual fans.

Often powerhouses, these teams are despised and targeted constantly. But don't feel bad, as they can handle things on their own.

Some teams are too conceited and chatty, while others subtly dominate their field of play.

There are also those cities that have been plagued by a successful or intimidating past. A bad reputation can hinder a franchise's league-wide ability to be loved.

The hate only grows stronger with every prosperous season.

Here are the 30 teams fans love to hate.

Enjoy.

30. Notre Dame Football

Fans love to hate the sickening traditions of other teams. Notre Dame is the prime example.

While the Fighting Irish are known to paint their helmets with real gold flakes, their band's playing of the "Notre Dame Victory March" is what really causes haters to die just a little more inside.

Their leprechaun mascot seems to be great at getting under the skins of all those who resent his energy.

The chants of "Rudy" continue to echo in our heads.

29. Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama is another school that is far from revered for its tradition, mainly its mascot Big Al and the name Crimson Tide, as well as having the Rose Bowl mentioned in its fight song "Yea Alabama."

Thirteen national titles will surely bring some hate as well. It was Paul "Bear" Bryant who said, "Winning isn't everything, but it beats anything that comes in second."

Watching over 100,000 fans at Bryant-Denny Stadium chanting "Rammer Jammer" is another aspect of Alabama life that causes haters to clench their fists.

As well as Nick Saban's inability to condition his players.

28. Washington Capitals

More victims of the media, the Capitals continue to have their star player thrown atop the NHL pedestal.

While he may be a prolific scorer and hard-nosed check artist, Alexander Ovechkin has yet to accomplish the double-digit years of success necessary to become somewhat immortal. Not to say he's not close.

Most fans seem to be tired of hearing how great this one-man team is.

On the other hand, with no Stanley Cup wins in their history, fans love to watch them lose.

Ovechkin's got the Michael Strahan tooth gap, so it's clear a long career is imminent.

27. University of Miami Football

This hatred goes back to the 1980s, when the Miami football program recruited the best of inner-city youths who were hungry, confident and cocky.

It only got worse as this team, beating the likes of Notre Dame and Texas, was criticized for its violent celebrations. From emulating the shooting of guns to chest-thumping and finger-pointing, this team singlehandedly forced the NCAA to change its conduct rules.

When the next generation of recruits came in, their hard-nosed style was reinvented. Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Sean Taylor and the plethora of running backs to grace the field at one time (and many more) led to domination.

The 2002 NFL draft saw five Hurricanes go in the first round.

The recent recruiting scandal reported by Yahoo! Sports doesn't help, either.

26. San Diego Chargers

While their uniforms are some of the best in the league, their occupants lack class and morals.

Shawne Merriman needed steroids to be productive, Vincent Jackson got a DUI (most teams have experienced this), Luis Castillo took steroids to be noticed and Philip Rivers is the most vehemently arrogant player not named DeSean Jackson.

This video should clear everything up.

Although Norv Turner should be enough of a reason.

25. USA Olympic Basketball

While it's clear that most countries around the world can't find the love in their hearts for American basketball, there are also many who reside in the States and root against this team.

Whether it be the conceited air of NBA players or the unpatriotic feelings that come with the change of seasons, this team hasn't found that niche since the Dream Team graced the court.

It's a sad dilemma, but perhaps these players should work on their public relation skills.

24. Detroit Pistons

Ever since Bill Laimbeer, Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars and Chuck Daly helped lead the Pistons to titles in '89 and '90, the franchise has been looked at as a pompous, dirty and constantly flopping team with no class.

Whether those labels are true or not is irrelevant.

Prosperous time periods can bring about a consensus attitude.

The Pistons are victims of their past.

23. Chicago White Sox

If hate can get old, this is the prime example of it.

Early in the 20th century, gambling surrounded America's pastime because the players felt underpaid. Those who were seen chewing on toothpicks and flipping coins were willing to pay top dollar for any player willing to throw a game.

In 1919, eight known players took part in a tossing of the World Series, also referred to as the Black Sox Scandal.

It was never forgotten.

22. Toronto Maple Leafs

Blame it on the media, but the Leafs get the most media coverage for the least amount of success, while smaller-market teams have to claw and rip for a speck of attention.

The dirty play of the 2001-2002 team, specifically the useless Darcy Tucker and Tie Domi's defender role, didn't sit well with many.

Fans seem to be fed up with the commentators' love for this team.

As if Don Cherry's suits weren't enough.

21. Pittsburgh Penguins

Fans used to feel bad for this team after they finished the 2003-2004 season with a rewarding 58 points. Then the lockout shocked the NHL world the following season, and no hockey was played.

The Penguins won the lottery following the lockout-plagued season and took their next savior, the young Sidney Crosby.

Perhaps from no work of his own, Crosby is perceived to have been deemed the face of the NHL, and many see him as a whiny crybaby, to put it mildly.

The contempt for Matt Cooke surely didn't help things.

20. Philadelphia Flyers

Bob Clarke has never been afraid to say what's on his mind, considerably when he defended Steve Downie's sucker punch, but his actions have always spoken louder than his irrelevant words.

Aiming pucks at the heads of goalies during his playing days and strutting around with a gap-toothed sense of pride brought plenty of animosity from fans.

Their attempt at a tough exterior can often lead fans to despise them.

19. USC Football

While most fans despise disloyal and seemingly arrogant head coach Lane Kiffin, they loved to hate USC long before he arrived.

Known as a program that breeds Hollywood stars and allows celebrities to stand on the sidelines during games, USC is also envied for playing in a stadium named after the Roman Colosseum.

A 761-307-54 record, 11 national titles and 38 conference titles will naturally bring jealousy.

Just look at how fans applauded the NCAA for its treatment of the illegal benefits allegations.

18. Ohio State Buckeyes

The rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State is vicious, to say the least, but only one team garners so much hate from neutral fans.

Fans despise Jim Tressel because, although he may be a good recruiter, he looked the other way while his players were receiving improper benefits.

But they have more contempt for the mascot. It needs to be pointed out as well that no fan wants to cheer for a nut that fell off a tree, if that wasn't clear before.

It is quite fitting that the stadium looks like a toilet seat.

Well done.

17. Soviet Union Basketball Team

The United States hated everything about the Soviets in 1972, the least of which was the fact that they were facing them in the Olympics.

Their "CCCP uniforms," smug attitude and mundane pace were despised by Americans.

In the gold medal game, with three seconds left in the game and the U.S. team leading 50-49, the Soviets were given three chances to attempt a pass across the length of the court and score, which they finally did on the third try.

More baffling than controversial, it's a day that will forever live in infamy.

16. Oakland Raiders

Ever since Al Davis arrived in 1963 as head coach, the Raiders have been despised for their pretentious slogans and hard-nosed players.

From winning crucial games because of blown calls, the Tuck Rule game aside, and dominating opponents through dirty fear, this team saw its fortunes quickly dwindle. It was applauded for the influx of terrible draft picks in recent years.

While the Raiders are recreating their image and moving in a positive direction, the team can still feel the shadows of Ted Hendricks and Bill Romanowski lingering behind.

15. Philadelphia Eagles

Following their productive offseason so far, the Eagles are now seen as the Miami Heat of the NFL, but the hate goes further back in history.

Philly fans named a section of their stadium the "Nest of Death," claiming to be passionately loyal. Unfortunately, this involved chucking snowballs at players and coaches and laughing at Michael Irvin when a neck injury during a game in 1999 ended his career.

Their unwarranted hatred for Donovan McNabb caused the rest of the league to look on in bewilderment.

The target this season may be record-breaking.

14. Manchester United

Seen as England's favorite child of sorts, this football club has always featured the most attention-hungry players. They are the Hollywood boys of soccer despite a 26-year title drought before 1993.

The team of '99, however, dominated, with its success giving Alex Ferguson plenty of glory and giving Dwight York, Andy Cole, Roy Keane and David Beckham the ability to enjoy the limelight.

Fans love to hate the teams that shine in the light.

13. Pittsburgh Steelers

Fans are counting on the Cleveland Browns to end this evil empire once and for all. It's all in Peyton Hillis' hands.

Since the time of the Steel Curtain, fans have despised this franchise.

Ben Roethlisberger's juvenile actions haven't helped the situation.

And let's not get started on Bill Cowher's jaw.

12. Duke Basketball

Constantly shoved down the throats of fans by the media, Duke basketball has plenty of animosity aimed at its program.

From having a coach whose name doesn't sound anything close to what it looks like to the team being named after the French military (World War I Chasseurs Alpins were called les Diables Bleus), this team doesn't have many admirers outside of Durham.

Dick Vitale's proclamations continue to ring in our ears.

11. San Antonio Spurs

This may be the most undeserved hate on this list.

Tim Duncan's team is slightly hated for winning four championships since 1999, but there is no team more despised for its style of play than the San Antonio squad.

To put it lightly, the Spurs' mundane pace is numbing. Their slow brand is perfectly putrid.

Fans may hate Tony Parker specifically for losing Eva Longoria and quickly depleting their fanbase.

10. Detroit Red Wings

Often referred to as the "Dead Things" by their enemies, the Red Wings' mundane style of play and perceived arrogance has led to a sense of hatred around hockey.

While most fans outside of hockey have no reason to despise this team, those within the sport are emotional enough to make up for what's lacking.

Eleven Stanley Cup wins, four since 1955, will garner plenty of hate.

Their style of play is slightly more exciting than the Spurs', but much less entertaining than watching grass grow.

9. Boston Celtics

While the Knicks may have one of the strongest all-time rivalries with the team from Boston, things only got worse when the Celtics acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to make a "Big Three" of sorts.

With Garnett, Allen and Paul Pierce, this team won a championship in its first year with a thorough lineup. 

Their attitudes don't exactly help the problem, as Garnett and Pierce have no qualms about pushing around opponents when they feel it's necessary, or unnecessary.

8. Philadelphia Phillies

The Red Sox of the National League, the Phillies have learned how to garner league-wide repugnance.

Their pompous fans, baffling swagger and perceived self-entitlement have led to omnipresent hatred.

They act like the Yankees but reek like the Sox.

Through it all, Ryan Howard is still the man.

7. Miami Heat

The Heat can only be so high on this list when it's only really been a year of enthusiastic hate, excluding long-lasting hate from Knicks fans.

When LeBron James arrived in South Beach after making a controversial decision, the beleaguered Heat suddenly became villains.

With a constant target on this now-prolific team, the Heat proved why these moves had to be made, making it to the NBA Finals.

That was until a massive German man took charge. The rest is history.

Hopefully we can say "maybe next year" for a long time.

6. New York Jets

Opposing fans may claim that the Jets are the younger brothers of the New York Giants, but the team is starting to change the fate of their franchise.

Before two years ago, Gang Green was seen as a choking squad, seemingly the Mets of the NFL. They had a tendency to break hearts and extinguish all potential excitement with stupidity.

They were pitied, not hated.

After hiring Rex Ryan, often perceived as arrogant, the Jets' demeanor changed, and they adopted a swagger that has caused many to resent them.

Winning brings hatred.

5. Boston Red Sox

The toughest part in hating the Sox is deciding where to start.

Fans hate Pedro Martinez for throwing an aging Don Zimmer to the ground, their omnipresent frat boy look, the annoyance of the long-termed ex-curse and the fact that their most notable moment of Carlton Fisk waving fair his home run came in a year when they didn't win the World Series.

But all this pales in comparison to one ridiculous occurrence:

Perplexing actor Jimmy Fallon made a movie about them.

4. Los Angeles Lakers

There is evidently a recurring theme taking place: Successful domination garners antipathy.

Andrew Bynum clubbing the meager J.J. Barea to the floor during this past season's postseason was just icing on the cake for the abhorrence surrounding this franchise.

With 16 NBA championships, five since 2000, the Lakers are consistently targeted.

They were the 2010 Heat before the Heat were.

3. Dallas Cowboys

Known as "America's team," their billion-dollar stadium and flaunted past success cause most fans to despise Michael Irvin's former team.

Their free-spending and pretentious owner might be reason enough for fans to hate the Cowboys.

Jerry Jones' narcissism and ignorance regarding the American recession causes consistent abhorrence throughout the NFL.

He epitomizes the pathetic mindset for numerous owners.

2. New York Yankees

This sight got old quickly.

Twenty-seven championships will most certainly cause hate for any sports team.

As George Steinbrenner dominated the league with his far-from-frugal spending and commitment to perfection, the Yankees' former owner earned many enemies.

With their pompous swagger and deafening winning percentage, the Yanks continue to be hated by most fans.

1. New England Patriots

The Pinstripes of the NFL, Bill Belichick's team may be despised by every fan in sports who doesn't live in Boston.

Once rooted for as an underdog against the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI, when Adam Vinatieri hit a game-winning 48-yard field goal as time expired to give the Pats their first title at the start of their dynasty years, the team is now seen in a villainous light.

Tom Brady, once seen as one of the draft's best ever late-round gems, is now viewed as a pretty boy with no toughness.

It's been a sad fall for arguably the most successful team of the 21st century, but it's only just begun.