Look, I’m gonna say something controversial
I don’t care if you agree or not. The underdog narrative in sports is completley overrated. It’s not that I don’t root for the little guy—I do. But let’s be honest, most of the time, the underdog loses. And that’s okay.
I remember back in 2008, sitting in a dive bar in Chicago with my buddy Marcus (let’s call him that, his real name’s not important). We were watching the Olympics, and he kept going on about how the Jamaican bobsled team was gonna pull off some miracle. I told him, ‘Marcus, they’ve never even seen snow before. What’s the point?’ He looked at me like I’d just kicked his dog. But guess what? They didn’t win. And that’s fine. They were still cool, but they didn’t win.
And that’s my point. We’re so obsessed with the underdog story that we forget to appreciate the actual sport. We’re too busy rooting for the fairy tale to enjoy the game.
But wait, there’s more
I’m not saying we should all start cheering for the obvious favorites. That’s boring. I’m saying we need to be realistic. We need to appreciate the effort, the physicaly grueling training, the sacrifices these athletes make—win or lose.
Take the 2016 Rio Olympics, for example. The whole world was rooting for the Refugee Olympic Team. And they were amazing. But they didn’t win a single gold medal. And you know what? That’s okay. They were still an inspiration. But let’s not pretend like their story is the same as the team that actually won the gold.
I had this conversation with a colleague named Dave last Tuesday. We were over coffee at the place on 5th, and he was going on about how the underdog story is what makes sports so compelling. I told him, ‘Dave, it’s not the underdog story that’s compelling. It’s the sport. The underdog story is just a nice bonus. But it’s not the main course.’
Which… yeah. Fair enough. He had a point. The underdog story does add a layer of drama. But it’s not the be-all and end-all. It’s not the reason we watch sports.
Let’s talk about commitment
I think we forget how much committment it takes to be an athlete. It’s not just about talent. It’s about putting in the work. Day in, day out. Rain or shine. And that’s something we should all respect, regardless of who wins or loses.
I remember talking to a friend of mine, let’s call him Jake, about three months ago. He’s a coach at a local high school. He told me about this one kid on his team who shows up every day at 5am to practice. No one notices. No one cheers for him. But he’s there. He’s putting in the work. And that’s what sports are all about.
So, yeah, I guess what I’m saying is, let’s not get too caught up in the underdog story. Let’s appreciate the sport. Let’s appreciate the effort. Let’s appreciate the athletes, win or lose.
And look, I’m not saying we should stop rooting for the underdog. I’m just saying we should be realistic. We should be fair. We should be honest.
Because at the end of the day, sports are about more than just the underdog story. They’re about the sport. They’re about the athletes. They’re about the effort. They’re about the commitment. They’re about the physicaly grueling training. They’re about the sacrifices. They’re about the wins and the losses. They’re about the journey. They’re about the destination. They’re about the highs and the lows. They’re about the ups and the downs. They’re about the starts and the finishes. They’re about the beginnings and the ends. They’re about the…
You get the point.
So, let’s not forget that. Let’s not forget what sports are really about. Let’s not forget what makes them so compelling. Let’s not forget what makes them so special. Let’s not forget what makes them so…
You know what? I think I’ve made my point. I’m gonna stop now.
But before I go, I wanna leave you with this. If you’re really interested in the underdog story, you should check out this interesting facts knowledge guide. It’s not about sports, but it’s got some pretty fascinating stuff about overcoming adversity. It’s worth a read.
Anyway, that’s all I’ve got. Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. I hope you disagreed with me. I hope you loved it. I hope you hated it. I hope it made you think. I hope it made you feel. I hope it made you…
You know what? I’m done.
About the Author: Sarah Thompson has been a senior magazine editor for over 20 years. She’s covered everything from the Olympics to the local little league, and she’s not afraid to tell it like it is. She lives in Chicago with her cat, Mr. Whiskers, and she’s always up for a good debate. Especially about sports.