Tiger Woods is Second Most Disliked Athlete in America: Fan's Take

In a survey conducted by E-Poll Market Research and Nielsen Company, golfer Tiger Woods is ranked as the second most disliked athlete in America. The poll is based upon fan's who said they dislike, dislike a lot, or dislike somewhat professional athletes like Tiger Woods.

I've been a golfer and golf fan since the 1970s. I do root for Tiger Woods as a golfer, because I like to see great players perform, and Tiger Woods is a great golfer. Do I dislike Tiger Woods? No more or less than I like or dislike almost any other professional athlete.

I've never met Tiger Woods and have no real basis to make a judgment. Tiger is not particularly good with media, and with the marital troubles he's had, and his lack of winning tournaments lately, it's no surprise he's high on this list.

Of the five athletes who have a dislike percentage of 50% or higher, I root for, or have rooted for, three of them, including Tiger Woods. In order to make this list, athletes have to have their names recognized by at least 10% of the people polled.

Most Disliked Athletes in America

1. Michael Vick (Philadelphia Eagles) - 60% dislike, dislike a lot or dislike somewhat

Michael Vick is disliked on the basis of his dog fighting troubles. Vick is not disliked so much by NFL football fans, but by people polled who are not hardcore football fans.

2. Tiger Woods - 60%

Though Tiger has the same 60% negative view by fans as Michael Vick does, Nielsen and E-Poll Market Research rank Tiger at #2 because he had fewer fans who said they disliked him a lot than Michael Vick did.

3. Plaxico Burress (New York Jets) - 56%

Plaxico Burress is on the list as a result of his serving time in jail for carrying an unlicensed handgun in New York City. I'm a New York Giants football fan, and even though Plaxico signed and played with with the New York Jets in 2011, I don't dislike him it all. He played great for the Giants from 2005 to 2008.

4. Ndamukong Suh (Detroit Lions) - 51%

Stomp on a down player in an NFL game and fans are not going to like you much.

5. Kris Humphries - 50%

Marrying reality TV star Kim Kardashian and then having her file for divorce 72 days later made NBA player Kris Humphries both famous and disliked in America. I'm a New Jersey Nets fan and enjoyed seeing Kim Kardashian at Nets games in 2011. It would nice if Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian had stayed married and she was still going to Nets games to watch him play, but do I dislike Kris Humphries because of it, no.

As far as Tiger Woods making this list, I think it shows just how big a celebrity he is in America. Almost everyone knows who Tiger Woods is, I'd say he is easily the most well known of all the athletes on the list of most disliked athletes.

I also think the fact that Tiger Woods ranked so high on this list shows just how much professional golf needs Tiger Woods. He is the only golfer on the list. People tend to have strong feelings about Tiger Woods and that's what gets people to tune in and watch the golf tournaments he plays in.