Nobody ever really liked Jeremy Jacobs in the first place, but if you were indifferent towards the owner of the Boston Bruins before, you certainly aren't now.

We've all basically known that Jacobs, a member of the Executive Committee of the NHL's Board of Governors, has been one of the driving forces behind the lockout that's now beyond its 70th day. A report Wednesday that Jacobs was verbally bullying other governors on the board, however, only confirmed those thoughts. And now...

Am told by 2 NHL sources that #Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs forced employees to pay tax on 2011 Stanley Cup rings. About $7K per ring. Cont... — Matthew Sekeres (@mattsekeres) November 29, 2012

Some support staff couldn't afford the tax up front, so players stepped up and covered the cost so they could get rings too. — Matthew Sekeres (@mattsekeres) November 29, 2012

... yeah.

Seriously, when hockey is back if Bruins fans don't boo Jacobs at least as passionately as they boo Kessel then they're part of the problem. — Down Goes Brown (@DownGoesBrown) November 29, 2012

Honestly, anybody who steps up and attempts to defend Jacobs at this stage is saying more about themselves than they are about him. — Adam Proteau (@Proteautype) November 29, 2012

any bruins fan who buys tickets to see the team whenever hockey starts again is basically an asshole — ryan lambert (@twolinepass) November 29, 2012

How can anybody -- even Bruins fans; ESPECIALLY Bruins fans -- defend or root for this guy? If he's not a real life C. Montgomery Burns...