NanouTurf

Sports fans—yeah, I’m talking about the folks screaming at the TV like it owes them money—are a passionate bunch. And nothing gets them more fired up than watching some scrappy team no one’s bet on flip the script and dunk on the big dogs. It’s chaos. It’s beautiful. It’s like when your cousin Dave beat your uncle in backyard basketball despite being 5’6″ and wearing Crocs.

Underdogs don’t just win games—they win people. Especially sports fans.

Something About the Struggle Just Hits

Look, we’ve all been there. Life decides to curb-stomp your plans, and you gotta dig yourself out with nothing but a metaphorical spoon. That’s the underdog vibe. Watching someone pull off the impossible with duct tape, grit, and bad lighting? That’s the stuff. Sports fans see themselves in that—minus the ESPN highlight reel.

I remember when I bombed my first job interview so hard the recruiter asked if I actually read the job description. I hadn’t. But I tried—and that counts for something, right? Same goes for that 16th seed in March Madness that knocks off a powerhouse school. Heart over hype.

The Media’s Got a Thing for Underdogs Too

Ever noticed how sports documentaries can make you cry over someone you’d never heard of ten minutes ago? Yeah. Blame slick editing, slow-mo shots, and a Coldplay soundtrack. But also, storytelling. The media wraps underdog stories in emotional bubble wrap and hands them to us like, “Here, feel something.”

And we do. Every time. Even when it’s a curling team from Newfoundland who practiced with mop handles and dreams. (Okay that one might not be real, but it should be.)

The Big-Time Moments That Still Make Me Giddy

There are some underdog wins that—no matter how many times you’ve heard them—still give goosebumps. Let’s hit a few:

• Miracle on Ice, 1980: Bunch of college kids smoked the Soviet hockey machine. Honestly? Might’ve been the peak of American sports cinema and actual reality. I still tear up when I hear Al Michaels yell, “Do you believe in miracles?!”
• Leicester City winning the Premier League in 2016: Odds were 5000 to 1. That’s the same as me becoming a Calvin Klein model. Didn’t stop ‘em though. My group chat lost it that day.
• Buster Douglas vs. Mike Tyson: Buster was supposed to be cannon fodder. Instead, he wrecked Tyson’s aura in Round 10. I watched the replay on YouTube while eating Cheetos in bed and STILL felt the drama.

We Don’t Just Watch—We Feel It

Here’s where it gets kinda spiritual. When an underdog pulls it off, it’s like the universe realigns for a second. You suddenly believe your dusty guitar might get played again. That maybe, just maybe, your fantasy football team won’t suck this year (it still will, but let me dream).

And if you’ve ever yelled “COME ON!” at your TV while your dog stared at you like you’d lost your mind—you get it. That’s connection. That’s the whole point. Sports fans don’t just watch. They live it.

These Teams Have Character, Man

Big teams have money. Flash. Private jets with marble countertops. Underdogs? They’ve got duct-taped ankles and locker rooms that smell like expired Gatorade. But they’ve also got heart. Grit. Sometimes even a guy named Moose who still works part-time at AutoZone.

And we love that. I do, anyway. It’s raw. It’s real. It’s like the cracked coffee mug I still drink from because it’s the only one that fits in my car’s cupholder. (RIP, Starbucks holiday travel tumbler.)

This Ain’t Just About Sports

Underdogs give us hope in our regular ol’ lives too. I mean, my neighbor swears her tomato plant grew better after watching the Phillies’ wildcard run. Coincidence? Probably. But still. She believes—and so do I.

Sports fans eat that stuff up. We’re not looking for perfect. We’re looking for possible. Even if the possibility is buried under six injuries and a coach who says “literally” way too often.

The Shift: When the Underdog Turns Top Dog

Funny thing though—once an underdog wins too much, people start to hate them. Like, remember when the Warriors were cute and fun? Then they won… and won… and KD joined… and suddenly they were the basketball version of the Empire. Sports fans are fickle like that. We root for struggle, not sustained excellence. (Unless it’s our team. Then it’s “earned dominance.”)

Even Globally, People Dig the Little Guy

You ever cheer for Iceland in the Euros despite not being able to locate it on a map without help? (No? Just me?) Doesn’t matter. They were the smallest team with the biggest clap. They had dentists playing midfield. That’s cinematic gold.

And don’t get me started on the Jamaican bobsled team. That’s not just a Disney movie—it’s a movement. I watched it twice in a row once while sick with the flu, and I swear it cured 30% of my symptoms.

Underdogs Are Good for Business Too (Weirdly)

You know those Nike ads where someone trains in a hoodie at 5 a.m. in the rain? That’s underdog energy. Brands love that stuff because it sells. Authenticity is currency now—and nothing feels more authentic than someone who clawed their way into the spotlight with busted sneakers and a borrowed playbook.

Even movies know the formula. Rocky. Rudy. That Netflix show where the girl plays chess and everyone’s mean to her? Underdog gold.

Final(ish) Thoughts

Anyway, here’s the kicker: we’ll always root for the underdog. Even when they lose. Maybe especially when they lose. Because trying and failing is still a story worth watching—and sports fans? We’re suckers for a good story.

Also, fun fact: Victorians believed talking to ferns prevented madness. I talk to my houseplants like they’re my emotional support group—so I guess I’m good.

Y’all can keep your dynasties and your five-star recruits. I’ll be over here, cheering for the long shot, the misfit, the team with zero budget and all the heart.

The underdog reminds us who we are: scrappy, stubborn, and always swinging.