I don't get why people think an asshole rival is such a great thing. I feel no satisfaction in beating them if they're just not going to accept that they lost.
It has to do with mood. If you really hate their guts, it feels good to beat them to shut them up (or at least try to) and they be a sour puss about it. However if that's their only trait, they really aren't much of a character as it's generally a bit more complex than POing players.
I agree. They just blow it off with "You got lucky" or "I was going easy on you", which are some of the most cliche excuses ever. Also am I really supposed to believe an asshole would go easy on someone?
