Underdog Who?

The chronicles of an Underdog

2010-01-25T10:43:00.000-08:00

A classic dictionary defines underdog as somebody who is expected to lose a contest. Who isn't inspired by the triumph of the underdog? Struggling, beaten down, nothing to lose.This site is for all those underdogs who triumph, who have shown over and again that no matter what the odds are you can do wonders if you put your heart into your soul. This site is dedicated to all those true heroes who believed in themselves and that even with a remote possibility, could beat the best at their business and change the course of history.

Underdogs are always fascinating. The way they conduct themselves, they never take a 'NO' for a no. Nobody ever gives a chance for them.They are a highly optimistic breed and believe in fighting against all odds. These are some of the best compilations of all the true stories of some of the greatest underdogs who ever lived. A lesson out of their life is so invaluable, even if it gives us a new purpose and sticks with us for a few moments. If these underdogs can achieve so much against so many difficulties, imagine what can you do to your life?

Underdog Books

2009-01-24T16:53:00.000-08:00

This is a fascinating book by Dr. Ivan Arreguin Toft analyzing statistical view points to how the weak win the wars and supports his argument during the course of the read! A good read for all those wo wanted statistical proof and a good analysis of an underdog.

Random List of Sport Underdogs!

2009-01-24T15:37:00.000-08:00

• Seabiscuit vs. War Admiral

Seabiscuit, the horse that lacked breeding, was untrainable, and was `too small'; Pollard, abandoned by his parents, beaten in many prize fights, secretly blind in one eye and `too big' to be a top jockey; Smith, a gifted horse tamer and trainer reduced to riding the rails and hoboing; Bridges, the self-made millionaire devastated by the destruction of all his hopes in a ruined economy and the sudden death of his young only son. They bond together to make Seabiscuit into one of the greatest racehorses in history. Who wouldn't be moved by this? Only the conventional fat man who's War Admiral's snobbish Maryland owner. It's all about heart, and Seabiscuit's got it, plenty of it.

• Brooklyn Dodgers vs. New York Yankees

In 1954, the Yankees won over 100 games. In 1955, the Dodgers finally beat the Yankees in the World Series, after five previous Series losses to the them.

• Milan High vs. Munice Central

The real life Hoosiers , Milan High, a school from nowhere beat the favorites Munice Central. In 1954, Milan was a quiet rural town in the southeastern part of Indiana, with a high school of 161 total students, 75 being boys. But it became the scene of one of the greatest basketball stories in history when they beat Munice Central. the Indians were the smallest school ever to win a single-class state basketball title in Indiana. The team and town are the inspiration for the 1986 film Hoosiers.

• Ali vs. Liston

At the time of the first Liston-Ali fight in 1964, Liston was the world heavyweight champion, having beaten Floyd Patterson by a first round knockout in September 1962. With an impressive knockout record to that point, Liston was a fighter whom many other heavyweights were reluctant to meet in the ring. The will smith scene from the movie does more justice to the whole scene.

• Ali vs. Foreman

The classic Rumble in the Jungle fight. Ali was now a 32 yr old boxer. Foreman had quickly risen from his gold medal victory at the 1968 Olympics and into the top ranks of professional heavyweights. Foreman was greatly feared for his punching power, size, and sheer physical dominance. Still, Joe Frazier and his promoters believed that despite Foreman's ever-growing list of knockouts and victories, he would be too slow and unrefined to stand up to Frazier's relentless attacks. This would turn out to be a grave miscalculation, as Foreman won the championship in grand fashion by knocking Frazier down six times in two rounds before the bout was stopped. Foreman further solidified his hold over the heavyweight division after he demolished Ken Norton, who was the only man besides Frazier at that time to defeat Ali, also in two rounds. Though Ali had avenged his losses to both Norton and Frazier in the years since, the younger Foreman seemed an overwhelming favorite against the 32 year old Ali.

Ali started the first round attacking Foreman with the unconventional (and provocative) 'right-hand leads'. This was notable, as Ali was famed for his speed and technical skills, while Foreman's raw power was his greatest strength; close range fighting would, it seemed, inevitably favour Foreman and leave too great a chance that Ali would be stunned by one or more of Foreman's powerful haymakers. Ali made use of the right-hand lead punch (striking with the right hand without setting up with the left) in a further effort to disorient Foreman. However, while this aggressive tactic may have surprised Foreman and it did allow Ali to hit him solidly a number of times, it failed to significantly hurt him. Before the end of the first round, Foreman caught up to Ali and began landing a few punches of his own. Foreman had also been trained to cut off the ring, preventing escape. Ali realized that he would tire if Foreman could keep making one step to Ali's two, so he changed tactics.

• North Carolina State vs. Houston

Houston had entered the tournament with a swagger and rightfully so. They were a group of high fliers who were dubbed Phi Slamma Jamma. There was Akeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Larry Micheaux, Michael Young and Benny Anders. The Cougars were big and athletic and they could sky like no team before. North Carolina State's win over Houston in the 1983 title game was all that. And more. And even a little more. When Lorenzo Charles slammed home Dereck Whittenburg's errant shot at the buzzer, no one knew the exact ramifications of this game. Oh sure, everyone understood the David vs. Goliath angle.

Here is more to the story.

• Villanova vs. Georgetown

After defeating 2-seed Memphis State in the national semifinals, Villanova met defending champion and ten-point-favorite Georgetown, led by Patrick Ewing, in the title game.

Top-seeded Georgetown had beaten conference rival Villanova twice during the regular season, and had reached the title game with tenacious defense, which gave up less than 40% of their opponents' shots from the field in both the regular season and the postseason. But in perhaps the greatest shooting performance in NCAA history, the Wildcats went 22-of-28 from the field to convert a blistering 78.6% of their shots, including a second half where they missed only one basket.

• Buster Douglas vs. Mike Tyson

Almost everyone assumed that Douglas' fight versus Mike Tyson was going to be another quick knockout for the champion. Only one betting parlor in Las Vegas would hold odds for the bout, and many thought it was just an easy tune-up for Tyson before a future mega-fight with undefeated cruiserweight champion Evander Holyfield (who was ringside for the event). Douglas' mother, Lula Pearl, died 23 days before the title bout.Douglas, who had trained hard, surprised the world by dominating the fight from the beginning, utilizing his 12-inch reach advantage to perfection. He seemingly hit Tyson at will with powerful jabs and right hands and skillfully danced out of range of Tyson's own punches. The champion had not taken Douglas seriously, expecting another quick and easy knockout victory. He was slow, refusing to move his head and slip his way in (his usual effective strategy) but rather setting his feet and throwing big, lunging hooks, repeatedly trying to beat Douglas with single punches. By the fifth round, Tyson's left eye was swelling shut from Douglas' many right hands, and ringside HBO announcers proclaimed it was the most punishment they had ever seen the champion absorb.

Tyson came out aggressively in the ninth round and continued his attempts to end the fight with one big punch. Douglas continued to utilize his strategy and held Tyson at bay with his jab. Douglas dominated the tenth round from the outset. Douglas scored a huge uppercut, followed by a rapid combination, and knocked Tyson down for the first time in his career, making boxing history. Tyson struggled to his knees and picked up his mouthpiece lying on the mat next to him. He awkwardly attempted to place it back into his mouth. The image of Tyson with the mouthpiece hanging crookedly from his lips would become an enduring image from the fight. He was unable to beat the referee's count, and Douglas was the new heavyweight champion of the world.

Click here for more of the story.

What do the Underdogs do to win all the time!

2009-01-22T07:56:00.000-08:00

The beauty of being an underdog is that you can focus your undivided attention on your current task. Who doesn't want to be a David beating the monopoly of the Goliath? These are some of the most promising traits that can defeat the best of the best on any given day.

As Dr.Ivan Arreguin-Toft talks in his book of How the weak win wars: A theory of Assymetric conflict by analyzing all the wars fought in the last two hundred years. Arreguín-Toft was analyzing conflicts in which one side was at least ten times as powerful—in terms of armed might and population—as its opponent, and even in those lopsided contests the underdog won almost a third of the time.

Belief and Positive Thought

Every one of the underdog believed in an unconventional approach to the problem. Without belief nothing would actually work. The positive thought helps for the underdog to have belief and vice versa.

Strategy vs Power

Gauge the competition and play to your strength. They always gauge the competition and do extensive research on the opponents ability. When the underdogs likewise acknowledged their weakness and chose an unconventional strategy? In those cases, David’s winning percentage went from 28.5 to 63.6. When underdogs choose not to play by Goliath’s rules, they win, Arreguín-Toft concluded.

Hard work, Discipline

They work hard and really very hard to increase the skillset that are so vital for the demise of the stronger opponent!

Criticism

They take criticism with a grain of salt! When everybody says NO!, that is what motivates some of them to try that extra hard! Lack of attention helps the cause as well..

Some of the greatest all time Underdog movies

2009-01-22T07:43:00.000-08:00

1. Miracle (2004)

There is no movie that gives me chills of anticipation like Miracle. Set around probably the most unbelievable and greatest moment in American sports history – the 1980 US Men’s Hockey team’s victory over the Soviet Union – this film is a wonderfully calibrated tour de force of emotion. Kurt Rusell was remarkable as Herb Brooks and the hockey action was intense. No matter how many times I watch it and no matter the fact that I know what is going to happen, I still cannot help but to get excited during the final stage of the film as the US team rallies to defeat the Soviets. It was a wonderful moment and this was just the right film to bring it back to life!

2.Rudy

Rudy is one of the most amazing underdog real life story of Daniel Eugene "Rudy" Ruettiger, a true underdog. The True Story. To watch and see how Rudy overcomes every obstacle he faces. To see how Rudy truly triumphs, even if it isn't the best possible success for someone, for Rudy it is everything. This movie is a story that teaches a lesson. It is about football, but it is about believing. Never giving up. Always giving it your all. Rudy is a movie that gives us something to believe in. Believe.

3. October Sky

A real charming movie based on fact and history. Homer Hickam(Jake Gyllenhaal)was not the typical boy in mid 1950s West Virginia. He dared to not follow in his father's footsteps into the local coal mine. Homer's father John(Chris Cooper)stayed very agitated with his son's indifference. Football scholarships were the ticket out of the small coal towns. Homer knew there had to be another way; and when he saw the Soviet satellite Sputnik fly through an October sky...this dreamer's dreams exploded. Homer with the help of three of his friends would build and actually launch home-made rockets. Frequent misfires would land the young rocket builders into trouble; but many trials led to enough successes that the whole town of Coalwood, West Virginia found inspiration in a young man's dreams. A feel good movie that does your heart proud.

SeaBiscuit

Slumdog Millionaire

It's a magical film with Destiny playing a huge part in changing the lives of underdogs, where hope and belief are made chic themes again. What might have emerged as a relatively typical story of underdog romance in a different setting or set of circumstances is transformed into an honest, pathos tinged yet triumphantly uplifting hymn to life and persistence through adversity.

Erin Brokovich

It's the touching true of story of Erin Brockovich. A woman who had nothing, had the guts to take on a 28 billion dollar company, fight for the underdog and emerge victorious. When Erin finds out that the Pacific Gas & Electric company is illegally dumping deadly chemicals into the town of Hinkley's water supply, her and her lawyer boss (played by Albert Finney) try to bring them down! It's theme of the underdog fighting for justice has a universal appeal that will get the adrenaline pumping and engage you emotionally. It's a great story, with Julia Roberts at her very best. This is one you do not want to miss.

The Flying Scotsman

The Flying Scotsman is a feature film based on the remarkable true story of Scottish cyclist Graeme Obree. In 1993, and as an unemployed amateur, Obree broke the world one-hour record on a bike of his own revolutionary design, which he constructed out of scrap metal and parts of a washing machine. These serve as effective counterweights to all the sports-underdog, hometown-hero-makes-good clichés inherent in the story.

Rocky

The movie is about the sudden life change of a struggling underdog boxer-Rocky, the world champion set up a fight between himself and Rocky, but he decided to give it the greatest shot just to prove that he is not a bum for a entertainment show. So basically, whole movie is about how Rocky trying so hard to achieve his goal: go the distance with the champion.

Braveheart

A timeless classic wherein the hero vows never to give up, and often when it appears that all odds are against him, he still manages to overcome them in some way. Cold and determined, Wallace still remains a good person. He will not accept defeat nor will he accept compromise. This is such an inspirational movie with a powerful message "Every man dies, but not every man really lives" to a tearful ending that will make anyone shed a tear to a terrific heartfelt sound track.

Seabiscuit

A wonderful story of the underdog who rises above adversity to become a champion. The ultimate underdog story. The horse is about half the size of War Admiral, the jockey is too tall, blind in one eye, and broke his leg (for a minute I expected him to wind up with leukemia or something), and the trainer was a loner. But they had spirit ...

The Rookie
The Rookie is based on the true story of a 40+ year old school teacher in Big Lake, Texas reaching the majors. Jimmy Morris (Dennis Quaid) is a small-town high school science teacher and baseball coach. His team is losing terribly until the team discovers that their coach played in minor leagues and can throw a pitch 98 mph.

Cinderella Man

This is a true-life tale of longshot going up against extraordinary odds.He follows the Depression-era boxing career of Jim Braddock (Russell Crowe), who retires after a number of defeats. Because he still has to support his wife (Renée Zellweger) and children, Braddock returns to boxing when he has a chance to fill-in for someone in a high profile match. His unexpected win over the #1 contender begins a series of victories that get the masses behind this true-life underdog.

Forrest Gump

Not so much in the underdog genre but this movie brings to you the one big thing about life. Never lose hope and never think that you are inferior just because you do not have a normal IQ. Though it is a fictitious story that interlinks different incidents of American History, the whole just do it journey of a below normal guy is absolutely fascinating!