Why we love the underdog.... and why we shouldn't

I only watched a small portion of the U.S. Open this year. Typically, by the time the U.S. Open rolls around in September I've lost almost all interest in tennis. The pinnacle of tennis for me is Wimbledon and everything thereafter is a footnote. With the football season in full bloom and the NBA season in its early stages, I usually skip the U.S. Open for more pressing interests.

This year was no different with one exception; Melanie Oudin. Oudin's run to the quarterfinals reminded me of my love for the underdog. She's 17 years old, has barely any major tournament experience, has played, and beat, the female versions of Ivan Drago, ie. Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova, and she lives by the mantra; believe. Her unfailing belief in her abilities is as transparent as her emotion. Oudin gets pumped every point she wins because she recognizes she's defying the odds and yet deep down she believes. She's single handedly taking us back to the glory days of women's tennis when Monica Seles and Martina Hingis, among others, were winning major trophies before they could buy cigarettes. Oudin came out of nowhere and I love a dark horse that really is dark. All she needs now is Bob Costas narrating a sappy biography about her and I'd be in tears.

Melanie Oudin reminds me what the men's game needs; an American male to come out of the woodwork and blow us all away. Kind of like Roddick did until he started dating Mandy Moore and playing tennis like he was Mark McGuire. Honestly though, he's like a designated hitter in tennis. If the guy could just serve and run off the court he might actually beat Federer. I just want an American who I can yell for, cheer for, feign love for, that I can scream, "put him in a body bag !" for. Is that so much to ask?

What is it about sports that makes us want to root for the underdog? Why do we love Rudy, and Rocky, and the Little Engine That Could? I think for most of us it's because we consider ourselves an underdog. We know what it's like to fight against superior talent, to battle with more experienced foe. It's one thing to root for the underdog but it's another to be a fan of the underdog. No one wants to be a Lions fan but everyone was cheering for the Giants against the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

What I don't understand is we are America, we are the ultimate "over dog". Everyone should be gunning for us and yet Americans love the undervalued, under appreciated, dark horse. Why is that? Maybe it's because as a country we fought as the underdog and won. We know what it's like to be battered and bullied a la Daniel LaRusso because that's our heritage.

I love sports because they are a microcosm of life. Because on certain occasions people or teams or communities rise up and shock the world by beating the odds and overthrowing the favored, the privileged, and the super powers. Which is why I can find myself cheering for teams that I despise, players I loath, and coun tries considered rivals because if they're underrated and the spread is unanimously against them something inside drives me to cheer for them. What can I say, when it's David vs. Goliath I'm always cheering for David.

Why do you cheer for the underdog? Please post your comments.