By Andrew Ferrell
I couldn’t fall asleep last night, and if you know me that is super hard to do. I can’t blame it on Mountain Dew. I can’t blame it on coffee. And I even tried Tylenol PM. My late night struggle to fall asleep can only be caused by one thing … Duke. Yes, I blame it on Duke. However, I don’t give Duke complete responsibility for my sleeplessness, but rather all Goliaths of the sports world.
C’mon the powerhouse schools will always have a large fan base and will always have a chance to win a National title, but what fun is it to root for a certainty? Rooting for the underdog brings a sense of joy, especially when they topple a Goliath. So yes, Goliaths are nice to have around because they keep a consistency for the people that need that, but the underdogs, they keep the sport interesting and fresh. And when the powerhouse wins, unless you’re a fan, there is a huge disappointment associated with their win. Simply put, it’s just not fun. I mean, who wants to deal with heart break?
Don’t get me wrong, the underdog has their moments, so let’s take a walk down memory lane. I bet one of these David beating Goliath games will put a smile on your face because that’s what a no-chance team does when it wins…makes you feel a sense of satisfaction.
1954-The Milan Miracle
1980-The Miracle on Ice.
1983- NC State men’s basketball team topples Houston and State’s head coach Jimmy V searches for somebody to hug after the win.
2007- Boise State tricks Oklahoma and wins the Fiesta Bowl.
2008- The New York Giants knock off the New England Patriots dynasty in super bowl XLII.
Unfortunately, moments like these are rare and like many Hoosiers, I sat and watched the Butler vs. Duke, David vs. Goliath, Small school vs. Big school game, hoping for another rare moment. And like many Hoosiers I was disappointed when Gordon Hayward’s last second heave bounced off the rim and gave us nothing more but a memory. And I sat there upset at the world, knowing that once again a powerhouse had trumped an underdog, I was restless and my adrenaline was rushing through like a river wild. I knew I needed to settle down and so I sat on my couch, Hayward’s shot playing differently in my head, and discovered the perfect fix for my sleeplessness. So I popped in the movie Hoosiers, the stars aligned, and I fell fast asleep knowing that there is hope for underdogs across sports nation.
