Underdogs and Evil Empires in Sports

Like in the Medieval morality plays in which virtues and vices are personified, and medicinal doses of morals are admininstered, sports also draws on this approach which is like hitting a mule on the head with a 2 by 4.

Yes, over time, there have emerged certain teams and even players as Certified Bad Guys.  Perhaps the most unequivocal case can be made for the New York Yankees in baseball as its Evil Empire.  To use myself as an example, my interest in the playoffs evaporated when I was assured that the New York Yankees would not be in the playoffs, much less the World Series.  [I'm not too keen on Boston, either; but I could live with another Red Sox series win.  It might sweeten the deal if they would spell 'socks' right.]

Pro football is less clear; but perhaps the Dallas Cowboys and the New England Patriots make the ranks of the bad hats there.  Certainly, the Cowboys Cheerleaders gain overly much publicity for their squad.  And the Eagles and the Raiders lose points for fan deportment.  Why can't some innocent team like the Tampa Bucs or the San Diego Chargers make the Super Bowl?

College football has an abundance of Evil Empires.  There's Alabama, there's Notre Dame, and there's Ohio State.  Once USC was in their ranks; but now they're mainly known for their former head coach's attractive wife.  Speaking of attractive, how is it that the Alabama quarterback's model girlfriend just also happens to be Miss Alabama and a student at Auburn?

Pro basketball?  Not very clear.  The Lakers manage to avoid the stigma of being Hollywood's team.

College basketball?  Duke!  Duke!  DUKE!

Soccer.  I'm blank there, but the fan costumes are most entertaining.

I think many of us instinctively root for the underdog.