That's OK, though. Miami fans accept who and what we are. From the Heat to the Hurricanes, every Miami sports fan base is content with their team and how they've supported that team over the years. If you're not, that's your problem.
Miamians would like to know exactly why there is such a distaste for us, though. We haven't quite gotten to the bottom of it yet. Here are a few of our best guesses.
1. Why everyone hates Miami Heat fans: Heat fans are somehow the most persecuted and disrespected fans in Miami, yet at the same time they are undoubtedly the best supporters in the city. Go figure. Before LeBron James came to town, if you asked someone what they thought of Heat fans, they would have probably had nice things to say. During the Big Three era, though, Heat fans had a spotlight shined on them, and like their team, they had their weaknesses picked apart. Outsiders saw a couple of bad apples and pounced. Now Heat fans get to deal with it for eternity.
We all know the Heat fan base's biggest black eye: the 50 to 100 fans who left American Airlines Arena with 26 seconds left and the Heat down five points in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals. Pictures of Ray Allen's game-tying shot show the arena was still packed, but the images of some fans leaving, getting word the Heat had made a comeback, and then trying to reenter the arena only to be turned away is one of the worst looks a fan base has ever had to endure.
In the end, Heat fans are mostly hated because of how much winning the team has done and because the greatest basketball player of all time decided to play for their team. They'll get over it.
2. Why everyone hates Miami Hurricanes fans: It's relatively easy to figure out hatred for Miami Hurricanes fans: People hate winners, but they really hate winners who rub it in the losers' faces. For years, the Canes beat the ever-loving crap out of their opponents and then spiked the football on their corpses. Some refer to their style as classless, but the Hurricanes know it's just jealousy of their swagger. Either way, there are two groups of college football fans: Hurricanes fans, and everyone else.
Recently, Canes fans have given ammunition to their detractors by not showing up at games. Throughout the Al Golden era, the stadium was empty every Saturday. Now, after the Hurricanes have put two decent seasons in a row together, Hard Rock Stadium provides a home-field advantage again. That history is a bad look, but it's nothing new in Miami. If you win, fans come out. If you lose, well, you'll be lucky if we watch on TV.
Hurricanes fans are hated because of the reputation the program has earned over the years. That reputation is kicking other teams' asses and having fun while doing so. Sorry, not sorry.
3. Why everyone hates Miami Marlins fans: You might think nobody cares about Marlins fans or thinks about them often, and you would be right, but when they do think about Marlins fans, people absolutely despise them. Why wouldn't they? The Marlins won two World Series before people even fully realized the team existed. Fan bases like the Chicago Cubs saw entire generations born and die before the Cubs won it all. Meanwhile, the Marlins went out and accidentally won it twice between the time Dan Marino retired and Dwyane Wade was drafted. WTF!
People also don't respect Marlins fans. Not you, real Marlins fan who goes to games. They hate Twitter Marlins fans who bash the team every chance they get but post exactly zero pictures to social media of themselves at Marlins games.
Everyone hates Marlins fans because people think Miami fans don't deserve the winning they've
Photo by George Martinez
Perhaps the most annoying thing about the Dolphins is the fact they honor the undefeated 1972 team what feels like twice a year. Seemingly every time the Fins lose the next home game, there will be a halftime ceremony honoring the water boy from the 1972 team. If you're not a Dolphins fan, you're sick of it already.
One day, the Dolphins will win enough for people to hate Fins fans as much as people hate fans of the other teams in town. This season is likely not that day.
