Well its true that it is not the journalists job to be liked.. but it IS the journalists job to be objective, factual, and fair. Now when it comes to opinion pieces, obviously you cannot really be objective, factual, and fair... but you ARE expected to have a valid and educated opinion that is based on those "things".
The problem isnt that Dick is doing his job and because "it isnt his job to be liked", he is hated... no he is hated because he is a ********* that thinks that because it isnt his job to be liked, then it is his job to be DISLIKED.
DAs question about how many player's numbers he has IS valid because the players know they are in the spotlight and they know that it is the journalists job to state the facts and their opinions from their perspective...even if it doesnt always agree with the players... but the journalists who do it correctly (read: respectfully) can "bash" the Texans without being booed out of the lockerroom. But Dick prefers to get his notoriety through pure viciousness, sarcasm, and slander... obviously no one on the Texans is going to want anything to do with him.
Its a matter of trust. Players talk to the journalists who they know they can trust to be respectful to the players, the team, and the situation in their articles. Dick cant be trusted.