by Aaron Jubar

I couldn't sit still all day. I'd been unfocused and half-dazed since breakfast. I prepared myself for the pre-game, the stretching and the shoot-around before tip-off. The time had almost come for the event I'd been waiting for since the tournament began on March 14th... the national championship game.

No, I wasn't playing that night. No, I didn't know any of the players personally. And no, I didn't have a shred of affiliation with either university. Yet, like many Americans, I eagerly awaited the match-up.

I even felt a pre-game butterfly or two in my stomach.

The stage was set -- it all came down to one game between two teams: Indiana and Maryland. One was a storied program with numerous national titles, while the other was still questing for its first championship. The Hoosiers versus the Terrapins -- college basketball at its finest.

Who was my pre-tournament pick to win it all? Maryland.

Who was I rooting for on this particular night? Indiana.

Why was I cheering for Indiana? Simply put, they were the "underdog".

Underdoggus americanus

As Americans, we have developed a fascination for the underdog. Since our declaration as a sovereign nation, we are 11-1 in major skirmishes. In the majority of these international altercations, we were not the clear favorite. Our reputation as a scrappy underdog was formed when we were outmatched in the Revolutionary War, but managed to oust the British.

Perhaps we like the underdog because in our capitalist nation the "little guy", through hard work and determination, can be successful. But however it started, our modern society's appreciation for underdogs is clearly evident in our reaction to sporting events.

Hoosier Daddy?

A week ago, the men's college basketball championship game was played in Atlanta. No one should've been surprised to see Maryland in the final game (except, of course, for a few Kansas fans). Maryland had been a top-ranked team all year and they'd played the highest possible seed all the way to the final four. You couldn't take anything away from them.

On the other hand, the Indiana Hoosiers had to battle through a difficult regular season in a much-maligned Big Ten conference. This was also a program that just two years ago experienced the turmoil caused by the departure of the infamous Bobby Knight. Just like Maryland, Indiana had earned the right to play in the big game. Still, Maryland was a heavy favorite.

There is a bitter rivalry between the Hoosiers and the Michigan teams, so most people that I knew normally despise Indiana -- yet even they were cheering for the red and white. When asked why they were rooting for the normally despised Indiana, the most frequent response from Michiganders was, "I don't know. I'd just like to see them win."

The Best Team Doesn't Always Win

I get annoyed with people who lose a game and then follow it up by saying something like, "We are the better team, we should have won," OR, "The best team didn't win today." I've never understood the rationale for such statements.

I believe that if the best team always wins, what's the point in playing the game? Why doesn't someone just announce the better team ahead of time, and spare the underdog the trouble of showing up? If that's the case, why did the Patriots show up at the Super Bowl? Why did the Arizona Diamondbacks show up in the World Series? The best team doesn't always win -- the team that plays best does.

All Underdogs Go to Heaven

Some of the greatest moments in human history have occurred when people or nations prevailed against all odds. One of the best compilations of these underdog victories has to be the Holy Bible. The good book is full of underdog tales: David versus Goliath, Moses versus Ramses, Jesus versus the high priests in Jerusalem. All of these tell great stories of perseverance and poise. Those who wrote the Bible decided to chronicle the major upsets, and let's face it, they are some of the greatest stories ever told.

For many of us, the spirit of the underdog is what drives us on through life. Getting an "A" on a test, getting a raise, or getting a promotion are all instances when the chips of life may be stacked against us and we are essentially an underdog. As we grow in our understanding of life and the world around us, we begin to realize that the position of an underdog isn't such a bad thing. After all, underdogs have very little to lose, and everything to gain.

The Outcome?

Despite a valiant effort in a sloppily played game, the Indiana Hoosiers lost last Monday's national championship game. There was to be no upset on that night. Still, they are to be commended for making it as far as they did -- and don't feel sorry for them. I'm sure they're looking forward to next season, when they will have the chance to prove themselves again.

Life Applications:

In what instances in life have you found yourself an underdog?

How do you conduct yourself when you pull off an upset? Or when you are upset?

What is a Hoosier? A Terrapin?

Copyright 2002 by Aaron Jubar
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