Expect the unexpected from underdogs, the ‘true world champion’

Kristen King // Staff Writer

You’ve seen the underdog story play out in real life, television shows and movies. It’s usually the same scenario every time – an athlete spends countless amount of time working extremely hard to beat another person who is hailed as invincible by everyone. Usually, the underdog gets the best of their rival, making the story that much more profound.

Underdogs are easily the most relatable kind of athlete we have in the sports world. They come from a similar background and face the same issues that most of the population does. This is part of the reason why many people resonate with the underdog.

FIU freshman and football team hopeful Davionne Ghee has embraced the label.

“I am an underdog,” said Ghee. “High school football players have a specific GPA requirement in order to play, and they also have to deal with some of the most aggressive coaches in the game. It’s tough.”

Underdogs are often pushed to the limit because many think they won’t be able to handle the pressure. But that only serves as motivation to build themselves physically and mentally.

“I always wanted to prove something because your own team doesn’t want you on the team at all,” said Ghee. “They want you to quit but I wasn’t going to do that. My dream is the NFL and nothing can stop me from getting there.”

That’s another reason why so many people root for the underdog: they put time and effort into being the best athlete they can be.

When you’re viewed as a prospective failure, there is an insanely huge chip on your shoulder. You have to work three times as much as other athletes because you have to prove your ability to win and succeed.

Our very own football team has been labeled an underdog time and time again, with the most recent one coming from last year’s September game against the University of Central Florida. No one expected our Panthers to score against the highly-touted Knights but we did and we won, shocking the collegiate football world.

“Seeing that game really got me excited. I love seeing the underdog team win and knowing that my school was able to pull it off made me enthusiastic for the rest of the season,” said FIU student Josh Brown.

People like Simon Biles, Nate Diaz and James “Buster” Douglas have all been considered underdogs in their career. Yet, this label never stopped them from continuing to work hard and compete at the highest level, allowing them to achieve some of the greatest victories in sports history.

Being an underdog should never be considered a bad thing. We need to rid ourselves of the mindset that underdogs are nothing more than the proverbial “little guy.”

The underdogs are the true champions of the world.

Kristen’s Korner is a column focusing on issues that affect students interested in sports. For questions, commentary or suggestions, email Kristen at Kristen.king@fiusm.com.