The Miami Heat is one of the best shows on television and the biggest reason why is because they’re so polarizing. Everyone has an opinion on the Heat: you either like them and want them to win or you hate them and want them to lose. Either way you’re watching their games to see what they do. For that reason and more, Isiah Thomas told our buddy Jorge Sedano on 790 the Ticket in Miami that being hated is not a bad thing:
“Hate is not a bad thing in sports. You need the good guy and the bad guy and not everyone can be the good guy. When you have the good guy matched up against the bad guy, that’s what we all want to see. We don’t want to see two good guys go at it. We want to see the adversaries and the rivalries. Right now I think it’s great for the NBA and it will be great for all these guys in their careers as time moves on that having a little hate and being a little despised that’s not bad all the time. That means that you’re pretty good, you’re touching people’s emotions, a little controversial, and you’re being talked about. That’s what sports is all about. It’s not about the good guy all the time. If they’re chosen as the bad guys that means they’re going to be on television a lot, they’re going to be written about a lot, and they’re going to win a lot of games.”
Between his days on the Bad Boy Pistons and as coach and GM for the Knicks, Isiah knows exactly what it’s liked to be hated. See, the thing is it’s only good to be hated for the right reasons. Being hated because you’re good and the team that always wins is the right reason to be hated. Being hated because of this, this, and this are the wrong reasons to be hated. Good thing Isiah was clear he was talking about being hated for the right reasons considering he knows how bad it is to be on the other end. And after the Heat wins a title this season, they’ll be even more hated.
(thanks to Sports Radio Interviews for the transcription)
