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538.com: Most Loved and Hated Teams in the NFL


26CornerBlitz

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Like everything Buffalo, we need to be on the polar ends of the spectrum!

 

One of the least loved and most hated teams? I find that hard to believe. When I tell people I'm a Bills fan I usually get a "I respect them, I'd like to see them win someday" (uh, me too bro...).

 

As an aside, I was traveling for work the past few days and I saw like 6 people rocking Bills gear! Happy to see Bills nation representing out there. :beer:

Agreed

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Of note: 6 fan bases hate the Patriots more than Bills fans, according to the study.

 

And even then, only 30.4% of Bills fans put the Patriots in their bottom 3.

Meaning @ 70% of Bills fans did NOT have the Patriots in their top 3 most hated teams...

 

Kind of interesting. You wonder who all those Bills fans hate more!

 

Giants fans hate NE the most.

 

This story got a lot of treatment today with Schopp and Bulldog at WGR 550.

Not exactly. 30.4% of people who listed the Bills in their top 3 also had Pats in the top 3 hated. This data might include a Cardinals fan who's third favorite is Buffalo because their aunt is from Buffalo and their least favorite teams are Seattle, San Fran, and the Rams. I think its a pretty safe bet that anybody claiming Bills as their #1 favorite has New England in their top 3 most hated.

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I kind of disagree with this. When I was growing up, Miami, Shula, and Marino were public enemy #1.

 

That hate pales in comparison to the loathing I've developed for NE*, Brady, and Belichick. Honestly I don't think Miami cracks my top three anymore - NE*, Dallas, and Seattle are there for me now.

 

For me, that will never change......my hatred for the Dolphins is still putting them as my #1 enemy..... by far.....I'm tired of NE winning but after 17 years of domination, I'm used to it.....plus NE beats up on 99% of NFL teams...not just us...in the 80's, it seemed more of a personal rivalry...Bills vs Fish.....beating Miami brings me the most joy still to this day....

Edited by Iron Maiden
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The myth that the American public loves an underdog is a bald faced lie. The American public is the biggest collection of front runners on the planet.

+1 Patriots fans are exhibit A

 

 

My guess is this is left over hate from the 90's. You grow up hating a team hard to change that. I still have the same left over hate for the Raiders dating back to the 70's.

 

Different kind of hate though. No one still hates the Bills because they dominated the AFC playoffs in the late 90s, they hate them because of the SB loses. Some teams who lose create sympathy (aka 'lovable' losers), but the SB loses didn't endear people to the Bills, they created resentment back in an era when the Super Bowl was usually a crappy game (as were the last 3 the Bills played in). I think that's what still lingers in the public's mind.

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+1 Patriots fans are exhibit A

 

 

 

Different kind of hate though. No one still hates the Bills because they dominated the AFC playoffs in the late 90s, they hate them because of the SB loses. Some teams who lose create sympathy (aka 'lovable' losers), but the SB loses didn't endear people to the Bills, they created resentment back in an era when the Super Bowl was usually a crappy game (as were the last 3 the Bills played in). I think that's what still lingers in the public's mind.

I don't even think it's that. We are 25 years removed from that era. Anyone under the age of about 35-40 couldn't care less about the super bowl, they just know us as the team that hasn't been relevant since they were the age of their own kids now.

 

Unfortunately we are simply losers among the internet era NFL fans. And sloppy, drunk and obnoxious is the image. They might laugh, but it tends to be at us not with us. Ultimately, who really cares, but I think it's a reality at this point.

Edited by NoSaint
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Not surprised were #30 on most loved. We're irrelevant to most football fans.

 

I am surprised we're Top 10 most hated. I thought we were irrelevant to most football fans.

I think the top ten hated is somehow a corrolary to the front-runner syndrome noted by my colleague, Dr. Fong.

There can't be any rationale other than a team with a long record of losing/mediocrity.

It's very probable if the team were to start winning, it would be less reviled. Regardless, it's not an appealing aspect of American culture, imo.

 

Addendum: I had not considered NoSaint's view that Buffalo is somehow equated with drunken louts. That's not my view, but I suppose it might be a popular image.

Edited by Dr. Who
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I don't even think it's that. We are 25 years removed from that era. Anyone under the age of about 35-40 couldn't care less about the super bowl, they just know us as the team that hasn't been relevant since they were the age of their own kids now.

 

Yup, for sure with the younger generation. Which gets to the other point - Americans in general don't like losers, unless you have really good marketing and/or a very big local fan base (eg., Cubs).

 

And it's not just the playoff drought, it's been the Bills being near the top of the league in general organizational incompetence. Bad GMs, bad coaches, indefensible draft picks, over and over again.

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I don't even think it's that. We are 25 years removed from that era. Anyone under the age of about 35-40 couldn't care less about the super bowl, they just know us as the team that hasn't been relevant since they were the age of their own kids now.

 

Unfortunately we are simply losers among the internet era NFL fans. And sloppy, drunk and obnoxious is the image. They might laugh, but it tends to be at us not with us. Ultimately, who really cares, but I think it's a reality at this point.

yessir :thumbsup:

 

The myth that the American public loves an underdog is a bald faced lie. The American public is the biggest collection of front runners on the planet.

good point

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why would anyone outside of our divisional rivals hate the Bills. makes no sense

This may help explain, as a meme going around this week:

 

https://scontent-dft4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/fr/cp0/e15/q65/21728206_10211911319352277_3147373235116241171_n.jpg?efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&oh=1721d94e33c13a21a51666eb84846396&oe=5A45DAD5

 

Honestly, I think the perception of our fan base shifted the last few years. We've had discussions about it here along the way.

Edited by NoSaint
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