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Who Is the Most Hated Athlete in Sports?

It's a rough week for the voice boxes of Boston's boo-birds.

On Tuesday, the TD Garden welcomed in LeBron James and the Miami Heat. On Thursday, former Bruin Phil Kessel heard an earful on the Garden sheet. Finally, this Sunday, Gillette will host Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings.

While Kessel is disliked in Boston's North End, the sniper isn't even close to Favre and James when it comes to national hatred.

But who is the most hated man in sports?

Since retiring and un-retiring (a few times) in the last few years, Favre has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. When he's not stringing along front offices and teammates in the offseason, he's text messaging co-workers, filming annoying commercials and faking limps when things don't go his way.

James' "decision" over the summer may earn him an NBA title down the road, but it didn't earn him any points in the eyes of the average hoops fan or media member. King James was hated before he formed a super team in South Beach, but now he can't even return home without added security.

Another great athlete who fans love to hate is Yankees' third baseman Alex Rodriguez. His on and off-field antics, choice of illegal weight-training supplements and overall swagger have made A-Rod the target for boos almost everywhere he goes — even in the Bronx.

These guys all have one thing in common: they're very, very good at what they do. But why do fans hate them so much?

Who is the most hated athlete in sports?Market Research