Sports Cities and the Athletes They Hate

Phoenix, Arizona: Ben Roethlisberger and Giannis Antetokounmpo

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – OCTOBER 10: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks works out before a preseason game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Fiserv Forum on October 10, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
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The sprawling, scorching valley that is Phoenix is home to teams from the US’s big three sports leagues: The National Basketball Association, The National Football League, and Major League Baseball. Out of those three teams, they can claim one, just one, championship: The 2001 World Series Champ Arizona Diamondbacks. Yes, their WNBA team has one the championship three times in its much shorter tenure, but no one in Arizona notices. They notice that the Arizona Cardinals did not win the Super Bowl in 2009, and the Phoenix Suns have gone to the NBA finals twice and lost. With only one championship that they acknowledge, they have not been able to get over coming so close only to fail. Phoenix hates Pittsburg Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger and Milwaukee Bucks phenom Giannis Antetokounmpo. Yes, the Suns lost out on a championship to the Chicago Bulls in the 1993 championship. Still, in the US, it is illegal to dislike Michael Jordan.

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