I was thinking about this this morning, and then randomly nickagneta brought up a similar thing to me and a couple of other members:
What enjoyment comes out of constantly ripping our players?
Now, I get venting, and I get bashing the team after they don't put in effort. The game threads can be ugly sometimes, but when you invest an evening in watching the team and they go through the motions, it's natural that some fans are going to be upset. And in the off-season, I totally understand when fans bash the team's moves. If anything, it's the off-season that generates the most debate and difference of opinion, because there are no game results to base judgment on. It's probably why the old CelticsBlog Draft got so fiery: arguments that have no real data to judge the winner on are going to become impassioned.
So, exclude all of that. What I'm more focused on is those who consistently "hate" our players no matter what, regardless of wins or losses, regardless of production, regardless of effort, etc.
Kyrie is the biggest target, of course. He's got an entire subset of fans who seem to enjoy bashing Kyrie more than cheering on the team. I get some of it: He doesn't seem to "bleed green". His personality leaves a lot to be desired at times. He flirts with our hated opponents, like Lebron. But, at what point do you say "he's a jerk, but he's our jerk" and just pull for the team? A lot of folks *never* say anything good about Kyrie, but are the first to bash him when the team isn't playing well, or when he gives some random interview they don't like.
Certain subsets here on the forums direct their scorn at Hayward, or Horford, or Jaylen, or others. Again, I'm not talking one comment, or even one critical thread. I'm talking about dozens of comments, spread out over several threads. And the worst part is, many of the bashers refuse to answer questions about their viewpoint, or review it in the face of new facts.
So, here's your chance to be heard: why do you do it? Aren't we all rooting for the same thing? Is it a schtick? Is it because you gave a hot take at one point, and you're sticking with it through thick and thin? Is it simply because it's the internet, and being hateful is just what's done? Are you legitimately trying to convince others, or do you just enjoy the look of your own typing?
One word of caution: this isn't meant as a "bash others" thread. We don't want people called "fake fans", nor do we want "Poster X is the worst example of this". I'm hoping for some thoughtful discussion.