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ROBERTS: Appropriate Hate
Hate is a strong word much better termed as “dislike,” but believe it or not, hate in professional sports can be a good thing...
John Roberts  |  Posted February 03, 2010   Charlotte, NC
John Roberts is the host of NASCAR RaceDay, NASCAR Victory Lane and NASCAR Smarts on SPEED. (Photo: SPEED)
We’ve all been told since childhood that hate (and money) is the root of most evil in the world.

It’s a strong word much better termed as “dislike,” but believe it or not, hate in professional sports can be a good thing, as long as it’s directed to the right place. It’s amazing how many race fans over the years have been quoted as saying they hated Dale Earnhardt or they hate Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson. If any of those fans knew these guys personally, the hate would dissipate. But as long as these champions were winning, the hatred continued and intensified. Simply put, if fans hate you, you’re doing really well. And since NASCAR fans are passionate about everything, they hate passionately, too.

Earnhardt advised many younger drivers that getting boo’ed by a crowd was a badge of honor and that you need not worry until the boos stopped. A great point, but human nature makes us want to be liked and accepted, so it must be pretty hard when the boos are first heard.

Earnhardt had a great, rough edge about him that rubbed some fans the wrong way. But love him or hate him, no one could deny his skill as a driver. There’s no doubt that winning races is the balm that soothes the sting from any amount of booing, but it seems like the modern day era of hate comes from a bit of a different source.

When Jeff Gordon was winning races and championships, we heard many a fan say, “I hate that Jeff Gordon!” and when you asked why, you often heard, “He’s too perfect.” Bet no one would say that if he wasn’t kicking every one’s butt. And again, if you knew him, you couldn’t hate him.

Enter Jimmie Johnson’s world. Race fans say the same thing when asked why they claim to hate Johnson. He’s a clean-cut, California kid with a beautiful wife and a driving style that is offensive to no one. So, a great question to the race fan is, “How can you hate this guy?” And the only real answer could be that he just wins every damn thing. And again, if they really knew him, they couldn’t hate him.

Much of the trackside hatred these days is directed at Kyle Busch. You can be outside the track during driver introductions and tell when Kyle is intro’d because of the resounding and deafening boos. But if he wasn’t tearing up NASCAR’s three top series and winning a ton of races, the boos, along with the hatred, would be absent. And again, if you really knew Kyle Busch, you wouldn’t hate him.

So, as we get set for another year of NASCAR, feel free to cheer for your favorite driver and hate your villains. Just cheer loudly and boo passionately. And be sure you don’t miss any of what should be a great year of competition in America’s top form of motorsports.

John Roberts is the host of NASCAR RaceDay, NASCAR Victory Lane and Tradin’ Paint on SPEED. He also hosts and reports from the garage on NASCAR Live and Go or Go Home and has been part of the FOX family since 2001. Roberts graduated from James Madison University and jokingly still considers himself a prospect for a top-rated college basketball team, namely the University of North Carolina Tar Heels.

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