Gotta Love an Underdog

I realized something these past few months... I really do love an underdog.

You always hear people say they root for the underdog, but I always assumed it was just because they had no allegiance to either team.  But something crazy happened this year on the NFL front... the Colts stopped winning.  And for the first time, I really found myself rooting for them in games.  Before, I always had a secret desire for them to lose, just to see the giant fall.  Well, they fell, alright...and now they're at a level that I can root for.

I know... that sounds horrible, right?  But it got me thinking about all my pro-team allegiances.  (college doesn't come into play, here, since you're just loyal to the school you go to, regardless.  I can't help that my school has a great football program.) 

I love the Cubs.  Not sure when it started, but it was sometime in college that I became a Cubs fan.  You have to admit, they are the ultimate underdog, curse or no curse.  I think even when they make it back to the World Series, they'll still be an underdog.  Maybe this is their year...

And then I'm a Jags fan, which is a team I love with all my heart, but they never get any love from the media.  Sadly, it's because they haven't done anything outstanding to get that love.  They had their few years where they consistently made the play-offs (and why did they get rid of Tom Coughlin, again... a coach who went on to win a Superbowl with the Giants?) and even made it to the AFC Championship game one year (damn Titans).  But even in those games, they were the underdog because they were still so new to the league.

So what is it about the underdog?  is it sympathy?  Is it wanting to see an upset?  Or is there more to it?  Do we, maybe on a subconscious level, relate better to a team that doesn't always win?  Who knows... I do find it interesting that I never saw this about myself before.  makes me wonder else I'm oblivious to...