Today, number two ranked Alabama will face the number one ranked Louisana State University in what ESPN commentators are calling the “Game of the Century,” the“Super Bowl of College Football.”
Yawn.
The Alabama-LSU matchup is going to be a great game, however I’m of the opinion that the “duel between giants” is vastly overrated, even boring. Performances are almost always solid, but the big plays, the “Hail Mary” moments are rarely a possibility. Though Alabama may be favored, because of their home field advantage among other reasons, no one would be particularly surprised if LSU took them down. Victory is always so much sweeter when you’re rooting for a true underdog. Nothing can compare to that feeling of accomplishment and pride, knowing that your team, who was thought to have no chance of winning, fought hard and took down a giant. Culture conditions us to think this way because that very notion has worked itself into the idea of the American Dream.
From the goody-goody-two-shoes in elementary school, to the seemingly infallible athletes like Roger Federer or the Yankees, perfection is irritating. It makes watching them stumble somewhat of a guilty pleasure and watching their opponents succeed a joy. World Series Champions, The St. Louis Cardinals, were 10 ½ games behind Atlanta at the beginning of September and clinched the National League Wildcard spot on the last game of the season on their loss to the Phillies. They then charged through the Division Series, League Series, and went on to take the Texas Rangers—who had the third-best record in Major League Baseball—in a nail biting, record smashing, seven games. Watching World Series MVP and hometown hero David Freese hit the homerun in the eleventh inning (with two outs no less) to force a Game 7 was a semi-divine experience for any member of Cardinal Nation. When NCAA March Madness rolls around, some of the most exciting, bracket-destroying games happen in the first and second rounds, where lower seeded teams are given the chance to oust some of the best teams in the nation. In last year’s tournament the 12th seeded University of Richmond eliminated the number five Vanderbilt by only three points, and two years ago, Northern Iowa University upset the number one ranked Kansas. These are the games that come down to the last seconds, that require heart more than skill, where as a player you have to really want it.
The triumph of the underdog is a theme that dates back to the Old Testament with the story of David and Goliath. This paradigm has manifested itself as part of the American Dream: The immigrant arrives in New York harbor from the old country with nothing but lint in his pocket, and overcomes the odds by pulling himself up by his bootstraps and making a successful living for himself. We were the underdogs in our own war for independence for goodness sake! History, literature, film—examples run the gamut. Practically every sports movie ever made is about a downtrodden team finding success. Moneyball, the most recent example, may earn its star Brad Pitt an Oscar nod.
Maybe it is culture, then, that conditions us to root for the underdog. Or perhaps it’s just human nature. So many Americans treasure the success of their teams, stay a fan through the losing seasons as well as the winning. But watching a downtrodden team hit that 11th hour (or inning) homerun soar outta the park, or sink the buzzer-shot with a resounding “swish,” is like watching the American Dream take place right before your eyes. It represents what’s great about this country: with hard work, a lotta heart, and a little luck, anything is possible.
Woo Hoo, Sarah, LOVE IT!
ReplyDeleteBut did you watch the LSU-Bama game?! Great teams have great defense, and this was so yesterday. Even if the battle between giants (or, in your words "duel between giants") is overrated, I think what was compelling was that both teams were undefeated, and a loss meant that one would rise above the other definitely.
ReplyDeleteThough I agree that the comeback team or the underdog team beating the dominant team is more glamourous or appealing, defense wins championships and it's hard to argue against their sheer strength in that both LSU and Alabama only allowed field goals...an exciting defensive battle no less! Great post, Sarah!
I completely agree. I wasn't excited about the game, and it turned out to be pretty boring game (at least for me). I also hate it when the media calls games 'the game of the century' or 'an instant classic'. It takes years of retrospect to know whether a game had any meaning. The championship game could be between stanford and oklahoma state, meaning lsu and bama just get the scraps and the game between them meant who gets a different bowl game.
ReplyDeleteI watched the LSU-Bama game and yes it was a yawn! The final score was ridiculously low and the plays were slow. While USC may not be a true underdog in the sense word, their football team certainly was outranked by the number 4 Stanford and that football game was truly one for the ages. Rooting for the underdog is amazing because of the emotional investment that comes along with it. This emotional connection appears not just in sports but in all facets of life and when the underdog wins whether in a sport, movie, play, or in real life it is so amazing and satisfying!
ReplyDeleteThe LSU-Bama game was only exciting during overtime but then again how can you compare the "game of the century" with 0 touchdowns and only 1 touchdown? The USC/Stanford game by far should have been the "game of the century".
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing to see how a community comes together with just a sports team. Moving to Pittsburgh definitely is an eye opener for me in that respect. That city bleeds black and yellow and Pittsburgh fans travel to away games like it is their job. It is neat to see no matter who you are, what you are, what you do, or any of that, when it is a Steeler's game, everyone is a fan and everyone comes together.
Great post as always... even if its not about food :)
I have to second what Katy said above...if you were in the stands for the USC-Stanford game you will agree that the best games are the ones you least expect. Even if we didn't win, it was probably the single most exciting game I have seen at this school. And I had friends from across the country texting me about it the entire time....seeing the underdog climb up from the bottom has a certain feel-good appeal that everyone can appreciate, whether you care about the game or not.
ReplyDeleteAs an avid sports fan, I would mostly agree with your statement. The only reason I could watch the LSU-Bama showdown was a bet I placed on it. A bet largely done with knowledge that I could really care less about the game if I did not have some sort of incentive. The SEC champion will be in the BCS Champiosnhip, as they should, and SC won't be playing them for reasons partly out of their control. Therefore, I could really care less b/t the two southern schools. However, the underdog issue you bring up is certainly interesting. It's partly why so many Americans, including myself, consider the first 4 rounds of March Madness to be the best 2 weeks in sports. Schools one has never heard of can beat Duke. Players who have a certain toughness and make up what amounts to a phenomenal team tenacity can outplay individual superstars for 40 minutes. The underdrog streaking across the bracket is always fun to watch..especially when it messes up your friend's bracket!
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