I hate mayonnaise. With a passion. Always have. As a mayonnaise hater, I have throughout my life faced condescension and even prejudice from mayonnaise lovers. Many a time I have ordered a sandwich, and very clearly said "mustard, NO mayonnaise," only to have it come back swamped in mayonnaise. It happened so often that to this day I check the sandwich before leaving the store.

Upon hearing of my aversion to the vile sauce, the reaction of many friends, co-workers, waitresses, deli counter guys and whoever else, is often shock. They look at me as though they do not quite understand. "You don't like mayonnaise?" they ask, as if it is the first time they have ever heard of this subversive idea.

But I have come to learn that it is all an act -- a hateful sham. They have of course encountered mayonnaise haters before. There are too many mayonnaise haters out there for the conspirators to have missed them all. The more I live, the more mayonnaise haters I meet. There are so many, and it's not as if they simply don't like it -- they truly despise it. Most of them hate it as much as I do, I mean, they won't touch the stuff. So to all the world's mayonnaise haters I am here to say now -- don't be ashamed! We are a large minority, and will no longer be treated as if we do not exist!

And while I'm at it, that goes double for Chris Byrd fans!

Byrd haters, and there are many, act as if there is some overwhelming consensus in boxing that Byrd is a boring fighter. They take it for granted that Byrd is a fighter no one wants to see. They are wrong.

I could wax poetic about how beautifully Byrd boxes, how he always stays in punching range, rarely clinches, constantly moves his hands, takes on the best of the biggest fighters in boxing. But I have already articulated these points (points incidentally, that do not simply reflect the opinion of one slick-southpaw-crazed boxing analyst) in past columns and chat rooms, on Friday Night Fights, and even on SportsCenter.

Two Internet questions involving Chris Byrd were recently posted on this very website. Each question generated around 30,000 responses. The responses to both questions suggest that Byrd is a favorite, perhaps THE favorite, among hard-core boxing fans.

The first question asked who Roy Jones should fight next. There were five choices: Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson, Chris Byrd, Wladimir Klitschko and David Tua (or maybe it was Evander Holyfield and not Tua). Anyway, I was sure Mike Tyson would be the runaway choice. It was a close contest, but Byrd edged out Tyson. That's right, of the roughly 30,000 respondents, more selected Byrd as Roy Jones' next opponent than any other fighter in the world, including Mike Tyson.

The second question asked who Lennox Lewis should fight next. Again, five choices: Chris Byrd, Mike Tyson, Roy Jones, David Tua and Evander Holyfield (I am sure of these choices, because they are still posted on the site as I write this). Again it was a close contest between Byrd and Tyson. Again, Byrd edged Tyson out.

Now, who might be responding to a question on ESPN.com's boxing page? Mainstream sports fans with a passing interest in boxing, or informed, hard-core fight fans? Let's face it, if you're reading this right now, there is a good chance that you are as big a boxing degenerate as I am. And, according to our data here at ESPN, chances are, you believe that Roy Jones and Lennox Lewis should both pick Chris Byrd as their next opponent.

For the record, I think Jones should actually fight Tyson next. I'd also pick both Roy and Lennox to beat Byrd should either ever face him. And certainly I acknowledge that Byrd is a polarizing figure -- nearly as many fans hate him for his slick style as love him for it. Still, Byrd is the most popular choice of hard-core boxing fans as the man they want to see the division's biggest stars face.

So Byrd haters -- enough with the old mayonnaise sham. Stop pretending that no one wants to see the guy fight. The votes are in, and they say that you'd rather see the best fighters around fight Byrd than anyone else.

Can't stand mayo, love Byrd. I have a lot of company on both counts.

Max Kellerman is a studio analyst for ESPN2's Friday Night Fights and the host of the show Around The Horn.