Too often writers feel the need to bust down on to build up the other, and I hate that.
I think writers forget that anyone with functional empathy in their system is going to side with the person they just tore down rather than the person they're trying to build up when they screw such a story up.
And why would such a story even be happening amongst friends and co-workers unless one plans a face-heel turn or one is a well known Jerkass?