"You got no time for the messenger,
got no regard for the thing that you don't understand,
you got no fear of the underdog,
that's why you will not survive"
(Spoon The Underdog)
In theory, I have always thought of myself as a fan of the underdog in sports competition. However, a few of the teams that I root for include: the San Antonio Spurs, The Boston Red Sox, The New England Patriots, and the University of Kentucky Wildcats. These teams have collectively won about a gazillion championships in the past 10-15 years.
To be fair though, I was a Spurs fan during the D-Rob era before they won their first ring, a Red Sox fan before the curse was broken, a Patriots fan in the Drew Bledsoe days before they became the juggernaut that they are today, and Kentucky is my home state.
Even though I am a "kind of" fan of the Patriots, I'll be rooting for the Giants in the Super Bowl. Here is my logic:
a.) I like mixed fruit Mentos (I'll explain in a second)
b.) Eli Manning has a chance to go down in sports folklore.
c.) Eli Manning is not Peyton Manning.
Now, I'll explain each.
a.) I like to eat Mentos. You know, the chewy mint with the lame commercial in the 90's. When I get a pack of the mixed fruit ones I labor through the orange and lemon ones to get to the strawberry ones which I love. Recently, I found packs of all strawberry Mentos. After I ate a few I was really burned out. So, in conclusion; without having to endure the bad ones I didn't enjoy the good ones as much. This is my analogy on the New England Patriots season. How much fun is it to win every single game? How much fun would it be to have a team crowned as champion that hasn't had to endure any hardships this season?
b.) Eli Manning is establishing himself as a true sports hero. Self made and not the media hyped kind. Eli has been unfairly criticized his whole career for not being a leader, for being mentally weak and easily rattled, for being aloof and for not being passionate about the game. All of which are way, way off base. Eli now has a chance to possibly top Joe Namath as the quarterback who engineered the biggest upset in Super Bowl history. These playoffs Eli has already outdueled maybe the greatest quarterback of all time on his home field and under extreme circumstances. Eli Manning is deserving of a cult following. He's easily one of the most interesting athletes in all of sports.
c.) Eli Manning is not Peyton Manning. He doesn't have that smug look about him. He's not overconfident, he doesn't call out teammates for making mistakes and he doesn't bash his team's kicker. If someone were going to write a book and title it "How To Be Competitive and Successful and Make it Look Like You're Not Even Trying" then they should get Eli as the spokesperson. This guy is as cool as it gets.
Fear the underdog.
7 comments:
I don't care for eating chewy mints, but I still have respect for mentos...maybe because i liked the foo fighter's video when i was little.
Anyway, I agree that an underdog's win is much more enjoyable and exciting...otherwise it's a yawn and nothing unexpected.
wow john cable. you blow my mind. i knew nothing about sports before this blog came into my life. thank you.
-amanda
Dude, anybody who can pull out a Mentos analogy has to be on to something. I think rooting for the underdog is the reason the NCAA tourney is so popular among people who aren't even hard core basketball fans too. People would rather see a team overcome. As usual, great blog. There really should be a way to get The Sports Addiction more PR, ESPN is always the same old crap about lawyers, senators, and jail sentences. Throw in a few athletes whining about hurt feelings and it's like E!...
That video was the best. Big Me and Everlong were always my favorite Foo Fighters songs.
I thought you would like that Mentos analogy Pat. I feel like a joke about Tom Brady's boot and roses in hand and how it's been all ESPN has talked about for the last week should be made here, but I just can't come up with one.
Amanda,
That is not entirely true. I think our conversation about tennis last night proved that you know way more about that sport than I do.
So, so disappointed. You had no reason to cheer for the Giants aside from the fact that you like mixed mentos and have a soft spot for Eli solely because he's not his big, bad brother. I think cheering for the underdog just because they are the underdog is not valid enough. Yes, people might get sick of seeing the Pats win every game..but that's sports. Apparently they weren't the strawberry mentos that you claimed them to be because they are, in fact, not perfect. But, Eli Manning and his Giants don't even deserve to be in the same category...if the 07 Pats are Strawberry Mentos then the 07 Giants are a bag of trail mix...most of the time you get the nasty stuff that you don't want..but, once in a blue moon, you get lucky and pull out an M&M.
PS...not leaving my name, but just remember.....I hate technology. :o)
Eli Manning was the underdog of all underdogs though. After the crap he has took in his career, him winning the Superbowl was the equivalent of the kid picked last in gym class hitting the game winning shot. Who doesn't have a soft spot for that?
It's not like I was abandoning my team. I slowly lost interest in the Patriots after Drew Bledsoe was benched.
Mostly I'm just glad that the 1972 Dolphins got to pop off a bottle of champagne again. Those guys deserve our respect (and they didn't illegally videotape opponents either).
The NY Giants may be a bag of trail mix and they may have had an up and down season but at least they are 2008 NFL Champions. The 2007-2008 New England Patriots are probably at home right now reading psychoanalytical articles about how not to choke under pressure.
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