LeBron James and the 10 Active Athletes We Love to Hate

Merry Christmas!

Today is a day where we should all be thankful for our friends and families. It's a day where we stuff our faces at Christmas dinner and have the exact same conversation about what we're doing with our lives about 15 times with different relatives. (Maybe you'll be lucky enough to attend a Christmas party and have that conversation another 30 times.)

But I want to focus on something that makes us all happy: watching athletes we hate get beaten. The Bills' 40-14 destruction of Tim Tebow and the Broncos yesterday prompted me to lay out a feast of hatred for my readers. Enjoy.

10. Ron Artest—I Mean, Metta World Peace, Los Angeles Lakers

Talk about a class act. Artest apparently changed his name to Metta World Peace in order to help "inspire and bring youth together."

Coming from the guy who jumped in the stands at the Palace in Detroit and started one of the biggest brawls in sports ever, and also coming from a guy who thanked his psychiatrist after winning the NBA championship a few years ago, I find this hard to believe.

There is never an excuse to attack fans, unless you’re Mike Milbury (the Boston Bruins shoe incident from 1979), because that was just hysterical. A main reason why World Peace is an athlete you love to hate is because he just lives in his own little world and has absolutely no sense of reality or respect.

His inept attempt at being a famous rap artist doesn't help his image either.

9. Chad Ochocinco, New England Patriots

Another guy who decided to change his last name for no particular reason at all, Chad Ochocinco has been a player sports fans love to hate for years.

Ochocinco is an arrogant athlete who hit his prime for about a season, but his mouth never stopped running. He has had some great moments, and there is no doubt he has a special talent, but Ocho's over-the-top press conferences, ridiculous touchdown celebrations and outrageous reality show moments are just the tip of the iceberg as to why fans love hating him.

The fact that he plays for New England now, a team hated pretty much everywhere except Massachusetts, doesn’t help his likability at all.

8. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

This one hurts to write, because as most of you know, I am an enormous Penguins fan—and if I wasn't, then this name might be higher on this list.

However, there are many components to why Sid is hated, and I understand all of them.

The first is the fact that he is without a doubt the best player in the world, and with great talent comes great skepticism.

But that's not enough to make this list.

Crosby dives, he whines, he pouts, he can't grow facial hair and he put a javelin in the hearts of Americans by scoring in overtime of the Olympic final in 2010.

With the fact that he has been out indefinitely twice due to multiple concussions, his toughness is now being questioned by even his own loyal fans.

7. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

One of the cockiest athletes in America, Rivers is another guy who is unbelievably unprofessional when it comes to making big plays.

Talking trash to players is one thing, but Rivers has been caught multiple times talking trash to opposing coaches and fans, both of which is highly frowned upon at any level. For a guy who has never won a ring—and has never really come close, for that matter—it's enjoyable as a sports fan to watch such a cocky athlete continuously go downhill.

The fact that the Chargers will miss the playoffs this year has even the public in San Diego asking whether Rivers should stay or go.

6. Phil Mickelson/Tiger Woods, PGA Tour

It is tough to say who golf fans love to hate more when it's between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. If you are not a huge follower of the sport, you might wonder why someone could hate the pudgy, lovable lefty.

Well, let me clear that up for you.

Mickelson is known around the tour for having almost zero respect for any other player he tees up with. He is also notorious for his outrageous sports betting that he checks on his smartphone throughout rounds, and he gives off that arrogant presence that is not really acceptable in a gentleman's sport like golf.

Keep in mind that Woods is still heavily loved by fans and Mickelson used to be the biggest threat to take away his tournament victories, and you find a guy a lot of people love to watch hit the ball in the lake.

Oh, and the fact that the lefty’s wife is a bombshell does not help his case.

Tiger, on the other hand—well, do I even need to explain myself? He committed a disgusting amount of adultery that cost him his wife, his image, multiple endorsements and tens of millions of dollars.

It always will be Team Phil or Team Tiger. Pick your side.

5. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles

The guy got convicted for dog fighting—come on. He might be one of the most electrifying players in the game today, but he is also someone who at one point in time was the most screwed-up morally.

Drive drunk and kill a man? Apparently America forgets—just ask Donte' Stallworth. But kill a bunch of innocent dogs? Now that is just not American.

4. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

When you think of crimes that are worse than holding your own dog fighting ring, only a few come to mind. One of those crimes is rape.

On the field, Roethlisberger is one of the toughest quarterbacks in the NFL and one of the most feared by opposing defenses.

In nightclubs, I’m pretty sure he is equally feared by opposing bachelorettes.

Roethlisberger has never spent a night behind bars, yet he was accused of sexual assault twice. Outside of Pittsburgh, he is the NFL player sports fans love to hate the most.

3. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

If there is anything Kobe has taught us, it is if you ever get caught cheating on your wife while being accused of rape at the same time, just buy your wife a $4 million diamond ring and you’ll be fine.

Don't have that kind of money?

Tough luck, bud, and enjoy your time behind bars.

On the court, Kobe is looked at as a ball hog and a guy whose selfish mistakes can cost his team victories, although he is still one of the best, if not the best, players in the league today.

But no one likes it when someone who is supposed to be a role model is accused of rape, which is why Kobe is hated with immense passion throughout the United States.

2. Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees

First off, he's a Yankee, and they're mainly only loved by a certain part of New York. Pretty much the rest of the world hates that money-pumping franchise to death.

Then take into account the fact that Alex Rodriguez used steroids, which in my mind should have much more severe punishments for infringements.

Then take into account that he has dated the likes of Cameron Diaz, Elaine Spottswood and Kate Hudson (just to name a few).

Finally, understand that a man who was found guilty of taking performance-enhancing drugs in America's pastime gets paid $32 million a year.

Oh, and he hit .276 last year and only played in 99 games, which means he got paid $323,232 per game.

Rodriguez is the perfect example of a cheater who is not worth even close to what his paycheck says he is.

1. LeBron James, Cleve—I Mean Miami Heat

I could write a novel on why this guy is hated. I saw firsthand what LeBron James did to Cleveland fans when he left, and I think people from outside the state of Ohio don't really understand it to the fullest extent.

Cleveland has perhaps the most passionate fanbase in America, yet its sports teams continuously fail fans every year. The city hasn't won a major sports title since 1964, and that was before the Super Bowl era.

Let's put that into context: There are 47-year-old Cleveland natives who haven't lived to watch their beloved city win a championship in any major sport.

LeBron was supposed to fix that.

LeBron said he would fix that.

"I won’t stop until I bring a championship to Cleveland," he said.

Also take into consideration that he is from Akron, Ohio! LeBron KNOWS the pain the state of Ohio and the city of Cleveland have had to endure, yet he still left.

But he didn’t just leave. He had a one-hour special on ESPN to announce his cowardly exit. He joined the likes of Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to win "not four, not five, not six" NBA championships.

LeBron James is an egotistical, selfish coward, which is why the entire sports world loves to hate him.