Whatever happened to teams winning the games they’re supposed to?
This question gets brought up not only because of what we’ve seen in college football lately, although that has heavily influenced the need for this question, but really, it’s this whole sports year in general which has had my mind boggled, bet-takers shutting their mouths and their bank accounts, and the word, UNDERDOG, becoming an everyday term of choice.
It all started with this year’s biggest sporting event, the Super Bowl, which took place on February 3, 2008. The NFL’s biggest game featured the matchup of the “no one can beat these” New England Patriots, the NFL’s newest version of a dynasty, a team that was looking to be the first to go a perfect 19-0, while setting multiple offensive records, taking on the “just squeaking by, kind of lucky” New York Giants, who had to win on the road three straight games including an overtime victory in horrible weather conditions over the NFL miracle man himself, Brett Favre, and the Green Bay Packers.
CONCLUSION: The Giants, the biggest Super Bowl underdog ever, wins 17-14, thanks to Eli Manning conducting what is known as “The Play”, in which he eluded pressure, shook off a sack, and launched a 32 yard missile which was cradled by David Tyree to set up the game winning touchdown.
The Upset Bug then struck once again at this year’s college baseball championship, The College World Series in Omaha, NE. The SEC conference Georgia Bulldogs, who featured sensational shortstop Gordon Beckham, the 8th overall pick in this year’s MLB Draft were supposed to shellac the weak little WAC team out of Fresno, the Fresno State Bulldogs, who had more losses than any previous champion in college baseball history. Fresno State had never won a championship in any of their men’s programs.
CONCLUSION: Fresno State went on to win 6-1, with their outstanding offensive outfielder, Tommy Mendonca taking the MOP (Most Outstanding Player) of the 2008 College World Series Tournament. They are currently the biggest underdog to win an NCAA championship in any sport.
Flash forward to where we're at now…
This year’s college football season has showed us so far that being of a higher rank doesn’t mean diddly squat. On September 25, 2008, 4 out of the Nation’s top-10 teams at the time, were upset including the #1-“can’t be stopped” USC Trojans, who were dethroned by losing to their PAC-10 “do it again” Oregon State Beavers on a Thursday night in Corvallis OR. The Beavers who upset the Trojans two years ago, the last time the Trojans made a trip to the campus of Oregon State, found ways to knock off #1 again 27-21 this year.
Then this weekend 3 of the then top 10 teams fell including a stunning surprise when #5 Texas took it to #1 Oklahoma in their annual Red-River Rivalry.
Having the title of “#1 in the Nation” means absolutely nothing during the regular season in college football anymore until that day comes when you actually win the glass shaped football signifying that you are the champion. Lower-Level schools have shown swagger and fearlessness as they anticipate big time matchups against teams that are supposed to cream them.
Basically what I’m saying is…don’t become a bookie. Business is as bad for bet-takers as it is for stock market traders. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Tampa Bay Rays, a team that has never made the playoffs in their 11-year existence until now, completes this crazy year, by going on to win the World Series, and proving that 2008 is the year of the Underdog, not the Rottweiler.
2 comments:
In 1969 people either loved the old NFL or the new upstart AFL. In the Bay Area the NFL was represented by the 49ers, the AFL by the Raiders. As a kid, I loved the upstarts.
Back then the AFL and NFL were separate leagues, but when they merged the teams would only meet once a year, at the Super Bowl.
The first two Super Bowls, Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers killed the Chiefs and the Raiders. The third Super Bowl looked to be the same, with Don Shula's Baltimore Colts playing the New York Jets (A team that didn't even wear real uniforms -- their color was a garish green.)
Joe Namath predicted his Jets would beat the mighty Colts. He was laughed at by most everyone, but not by a little kid in San Jose, who believed in Joe. My Dad scoffed, and even bet with me, something like no or extra chores that week.
Namath was right, the biggest upset in the history happened, I didn't have to do chores for a week, and a degenerate gambler was born.
Interesting column topic, a topic that probably needed to be much broader than just a couple of team sports.
It seemed like the writer was exploring the whole notion of being an underdog - a laudable goal.
But what happened to the other sports this year and that little dust-up in China?
The details were good on the sports covered, though it's hard to say/prove this:
"The Giants, the biggest Super Bowl underdog ever, wins 17-14,"
Ever, EVER?
That might be a stretch...
The writer used a clever ending with a nice bite to it (sorry, who could resist?).
"Basically what I’m saying is…don’t become a bookie. Business is as bad for bet-takers as it is for stock market traders. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Tampa Bay Rays, a team that has never made the playoffs in their 11-year existence until now, completes this crazy year, by going on to win the World Series, and proving that 2008 is the year of the Underdog, not the Rottweiler."
But actually, bookies do very well in the case of underdogs in sports, as they generally clean up no matter what.
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