Underdog Understanding

I’ve never been to New York, not once, and I’m ashamed of that fact given that my sister lives in Brooklyn. But I was legitimately rooting for the New York Jets to beat Indianapolis today and it had nothing to do with Peyton Manning. That guy is a future Hall-of-Famer without question. And his Sony commercials with Justin Timberlake are comedic genius. So why would I, a person who’s professional sports loyalty is 100 percent LA pick today to show turncoat colors? It’s the Underdog in a brotha and the USC in Mark Sanchez.

What we had today was an LA guy who I followed in college playing for a team no one expected to even make the playoffs with two games left in the season. I didn’t want to root for a New York team that wears green and white and having done it today may cost me my LA fan card but there’s something universally appealing about the underdog. He/she works harder than anyone opposite him/her, he’s/ she’s always on the wrong end of a point spread and he’s/she’s relaxed because when you’re outmatched, ain’t nothin’ to lose.

You don’t have to stand up in a room and wonder how many underdogs there are. There’s one in the mirror and one flanking you. There’s one pulled up at the stop light next to you and another working as a receptionist at your credit union. Of course you’re going to cheer the dude that looks like you. Most of us are out there working hard for family, doing the drill but dreaming of more.  And every now and again, the underdog winds up on a world stage poised to upset the Goliath. We all know how rare the underdog’s shot is so, against all conventional loyalty, we cheer the mirror image. If he can do it, I can do it because in a way, we see ourselves as the poised rookie competing like a champion with the mettle that says, “Man, you breathe oxygen just like I do. I’m out here, let’s make it a game.” I like that, especially when I have little vested in the two teams on the field.  Now that the Jets are on vacation, Go Saints!