Tim Tebow and 15 Athletes Whose Fans Forced Us to Hate Them

What is the definition of a fan? I am glad you asked.

- Fan: an ardent admirer or enthusiast.

Sounds simple and harmless, right? There is certainly no problem with a person supporting his or her player in good taste.

Unfortunately, there are players who can do no wrong in some fans' eyes, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

Whether its bad play, crime, or greed, said fans cannot stop themselves from rubbing their ill-advised obsessions in the faces of normal, objective viewers.

To teach these folks a lesson, here is a list of 15 athletes who draw ire because of their annoying fans.

Enjoy.

 

Tim Tebow

Tim Tebow's accolades in college assuredly deserve great praise. 

Two National Championships to go along with a Heisman Trophy make Tebow a worthwhile candidate as one of the best college players of all time.

However, his fans' insistence that Tebow is an NFL-caliber starting quarterback is getting old. Supporters such as ESPN's Skip Bayless claim he is a "winner" who shines in the pressure moments.

He is 2-3 as a starter. He is coming off one of the worst quarterback performances in recent memory against the Detroit Lions, whose players called him "a joke."

Tebow may eventually become a serviceable player in the NFL. Until then, Tebow fans, let's stop making excuses for terrible play on the field.

Excuses, mind you, that would not be made for similarly unskilled players not named Tebow. 

LeBron James

Unlike Tim Tebow, LeBron James shoulders much of the blame for the scrutiny placed upon him.

Everyone knows he "took his talents to South Beach." How has that worked out so far?

Those unwavering supporters who steadfastly claim James as the best player in the NBA and a player who rivals Michael Jordan need to read carefully.

He is the second-best player on the Miami Heat. He lacks the clutch gene that separates Finals MVPs from regular season All-Stars.

Once Heat fans and James himself understand that, the chances of success for the former No. 1 pick increase greatly. 

Brett Favre

Proponents of Brett Favre often use the following statements to justify his immortal greatness.

"He loves the game of football."

"He has a gunslinger mentality."

"He exemplifies toughness."

Yes, while Favre is one of the tougher players in NFL history, he has also thrown the most interceptions in NFL history. It can be argued that he lost more playoff games due to his aggressive style than he won.

Moreover, most experts fail to point out that many of his records are due to quantity, not quality.

Favre is unquestionably a top 10 quarterback in NFL history. However, his supporters' undying love for old No. 4 combined with seemingly unending talks of his retirements have tempered most fans' respect for the "gunslinger." 

Oh, and the Wrangler commercials are getting old, too. 

Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter's affinity for clutch hits cannot be overstated. His made-for-television home run to reach the 3,000-hit club symbolized the shortstop's special abilities in the big moments.

But, isn't Jeter just a richer, New York version of Michael Young? I am not the first to point this out. FOX pulled up a graphic that showed similarities in the hitting statistics of the two players.

Here is a typical season average for both Jeter and Young.

Player	Batting Average	Hits	Home Runs	Runs Batted In
Jeter	.313	206	16	80
Young	.304	200	16	89

Again, Jeter is a great player. 

But, Yankee fans have a tendency to make fans of other teams hate many New York players. Jeter is the prime example.

Despite declining skills, worsening performance, and numbers comparable to other players, Jeter is treated like the best shortstop in baseball by Yankee fans.

Kobe Bryant

There is a great divide between Los Angeles Lakers fans and the other sports fans when discussing Kobe Bryant.

Bryant is a fantastic player, and is arguably will be in the top five of all time when all is said and done.

However, Bryant has flaws that are often overlooked with in the city limits of Los Angeles. He is not exactly a team player, and has quit during playoff games before.

Obviously his issues in Colorado ring soundly in the minds of fans who don't support the purple and gold.

Bryant also has a reputation of whining about the officiating, often a turnoff for fans who are not avid supporters of the Lakers.

Bryant's greatness cannot be overlooked by any fan. However, the intentional ignorance of Bryant's past transgressions by fans in Los Angeles occasionally irk other NBA fans. 

Tony Romo

Give it to Tony Romo. He is married to a hot wife and plays quarterback for America's team.

Honestly, I think Romo is the long-term answer for the Cowboys and the criticism is largely undeserved.

However, it is the sheer amount of discussion that Romo gets from the media and fans that make him despised by casual observers. His inconsistent play from game to game leads to weekly debate about the Dallas quarterback.

So, Tony, please either consistently achieve greatness or seal your fate as a failure so the constant back-and-forth debate on your credentials can cease, okay?

 

Wayne Rooney

The majority of sports fans in the United States are aware of one or two teams that play overseas. Those occasional soccer enthusiasts inevitably root for Manchester United.

Subsequently, those fans gravitate toward their best player, Wayne Rooney. Its because he is marketed as the face of English soccer. Oh, and he has a high rating on the FIFA video game.

That is part of the reason real soccer enthusiasts who are not Red Devil fans despise Rooney.

The other portion of the pie comes from Rooney's lack of good performances on the World Cup stage. He has yet to lead England to success in the World Cup, and lacks the resume of other great players such as Lionel Messi.

Tom Brady

If you ask New England Patriot fans about Tom Brady, most will tell you he is the greatest quarterback in NFL history.

Right now.

However, fans of other teams are not as quick to anoint Brady above the likes of Joe Montana and Johnny Unitas.

Brady has had his rough outings in recent years, and has yet to win a Super Bowl since the infamous "spygate" incident.

While Brady may yet supplant other great ones as the best quarterback ever, fans outside of New England would appreciate it if Brady's apparent perfection wasn't constantly rubbed in their faces in the meantime. 

Mark Sanchez

Mark Sanchez makes his way onto this list because of an identity misunderstanding.

Jets fans and some experts falsely claim Sanchez as a quarterback capable of leading Rex Ryan's team to a Super Bowl victory. They defend Sanchez's imperfections as speed bumps on the road of improvement for the USC product.

My question is this. Why is Sanchez getting a free pass?

Who is he to avoid tougher criticism for consistent lackluster performances? He is surrounded by a great team. He is blessed with a great defense coached by an outstanding defensive-minded head coach.

Yet, Sanchez somehow avoids the same scrutiny that follows quarterbacks such as Eli Manning or Joe Flacco.  

Duke Basketball Players

Duke fans, it is hard enough to like your players when they get all of the questionable calls in their favor and consistently rank in the Top 10 of college basketball.

But, the hatred is multiplied when your fanbase takes on the cocky, self-entitled behavior of the team itself.

The antics of Duke basketball fans during games and on the message boards contribute significantly to any and all ire directed toward Durham, N.C.

While obviously this encompasses multiple athletes, the inclusion of Duke basketball is a must on this list. 

John Wall

John Wall is a promising young point guard that wows NBA crowds with his quickness and fast-break ability.

However, it is his hopeless fans who attempt to emulate his infamous dance that evoke irritable thoughts on Wall.

Wall first showed off his moves during a Big Blue Madness event at the University of Kentucky.

For the sake of fans who just want to see your play on the court, please encourage your fans to avoid imitating your moves from this point forward.

Notre Dame Football

The hatred of Notre Dame football can be summarized in this parody. 

On an annual basis, Notre Dame fans will tell you how great they will be and how a BCS run is on the horizon.

Yearly, the Fighting Irish seemingly lose to average teams to begin the season.

Fans of other teams grow weary of the same old hype surrounding the Irish. Until Notre Dame puts up, it is time to shut up for fans of the most overly hyped team in college football.

David Beckham

The arrival of David Beckham to the MLS was a complete failure. For some reason, the MLS continues to bring in aged veterans from the English Premier League in efforts to woo fans into the seats.

The Los Angeles Galaxy player has not been relevant in worldwide soccer for several years. Yet, fans and media relentlessly tout Beckham as a player worthy of coverage.

The fact that Beckham is one of the first players mentioned out of United States soccer fans' mouths is a testament to how poorly the MLS is marketed.

It is certainly not an accurate representation of Beckham's skill set, which has eroded significantly since his prime. 

Jeff Gordon

Think back to Jeff Gordon's breakthrough into NASCAR in the early 1990s.

Who brought more ire to Dale Earnhardt fans? Gordon's supporters or "The Kid" himself?

The answer is a little bit of both. Gordon brought along a new clientele that was younger, richer, and less blue-collar than the fans of "The Intimidator."

Fans of the black No. 3 loved to hate Gordon and seemingly unpopular intrusion into a working man's sport. 

As a result, fans of the two drivers would bicker for years to come until the tragic death of Earnhardt in 2001. 

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The only reason Dale Earnhardt Jr. is popular among fans is his father, the late Dale Earnhardt.

That's it.

Naturally, fans of drivers who actually win races are understandably standoffish when the younger Earnhardt gets awards for most popular driver yearly due to overwhelming support from fans who transferred their loyalties from the senior Earnhardt over to his son.

Earnhardt Jr. is a good driver, but not great. He is certainly not deserving of the most product sales if you consider his performance alone.