Underdawgs

Sports fans always love underdogs, don’t they? They love them even more when they make it all the way to win major championships, di ba?

 Brace yourselves as this weekend in the U.S. (and the state of Indiana) is going to be one big “Cheer for the underdog” fiesta when the Final Four of the NCAA in the U.S. kicks off this morning in Indianapolis, Indiana. One of the most dramatic stories would have been how a local Indianapolis university named Butler University has made it to the Final Four. Most (if not all) of the major sportswriters never gave them a chance to make it here, but here they are. 

 Don’t look now but this could be another Cinderella story in the making if Butler can make it all the way to the finals. But why all the fuss from our end? I’ll admit it. I’m a sucker for underdog stories and this is something that basketball fans will love: how a David knocks out a Goliath in basketball.

 By making it to the Final Four, Butler has proven that one doesn’t need to have a big basketball program to become successful and that small schools (who are hardly noticed) can win it all. Butler will never be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of North Carolina, Indiana, Duke, Michigan State, Kentucky, UCLA and USC, but here they are playing in their hometown for a slot in the NCAA Finals. Butler isn’t even considered as the top collegiate basketball team in Indiana. They will always be known as a fourth basketball school behind the likes of Indiana University, Purdue University and Notre Dame. If we go back to Indiana basketball history, we can also throw in Indiana State where Larry Bird once played. But for now, the whole state of Indiana which is known for Hoosier hysteria will all be behind this small university known more for its liberal arts program and walk-on try-out players.

 But another intriguing twist to all this is how this is all happening in Indiana, a state known for its basketball passion. Indiana’s love for basketball is well known and chronicled. Its storied high school State Championships tournament is one of the most watched events in all of the U.S. Remember the movie “Hoosiers?” (The movie was released here in the Philippines under the title “Best Shot.”) The movie was based on how Milan High School, a small town high school in Indiana, upset the much bigger Muncie Central to win the State Championship in 1951. The game was played in Butler Fieldhouse, Butler University’s home gym. The movie’s adaptation of the game-winning basket was also filmed in Butler Fieldhouse. This was one of the biggest stories in Indiana high school basketball history and to this day, Indiana basketball purists continue to talk about it. Ironically, the top player of that Milan basketball team who made the game-winning shot in the 1951 championship ended up playing college ball in, yes, Butler University.

 De ja vu? Butler is back on the big screen today, but not as a venue of a championship game. This time, they’ll be a team playing in the NCAA’s Final Four, in its own hometown. It’s Milan High School, a.k.a Butler all over again, playing the much bigger Michigan State University (MSU) in the Final Four. If the result of the game would be based on the tale of the tape, Butler would lose by knock-out. Butler’s student population: 4,500. MSU boasts of 47,100. MSU’s men's basketball team won the NCAA championship in 1979 and 2000. They’ve also been in the Final Four six times in the past 12 seasons. Butler hasn’t even made the Final Four even once. They’ve become a regular fixture in the NCAA tournament, but have never made it this far. Coaches: Tom Izzo of MSU is already being hailed as one of today’s best coaches in collegiate ball. Butler’s Brad Stevens is a 33-year old Indiana native who was mistaken by a security guard to be a player (with no credentials) and therefore refused entry in one of Butler’s practice sessions at the Lucas Oil stadium, venue of the Final Four. Butler’s players are regular students of the university. Almost half of the team are walk-ons, not recruits. In fact, very few high school prospects out of Indiana alone list Butler as their top team of choice for college basketball. It will always be Indiana, Notre Dame and Purdue first before Butler. But this could change after this weekend. MSU is MSU. High school prospects line up to beg for an MSU scholarship and all the fringe benefits that come along with this.      From the looks of it all, it sure looks like Butler doesn’t have a chance. Butler is sticking out like a sore thumb beside the bigger names of MSU, Duke and West Virginia in today’s Final Four. But you’ll see how many will root for the underdogs. The entire state of Indiana will be felt inside the Lucas Oil Stadium and beyond, cheering for their very own.

 And before I forget, Butler’s mascot and nickname for their sports teams is “Bulldogs.” Today, they’ll be known as the tough “underdawgs.”

***

 Time-out: Happy Easter to all!

You can reach me at [email protected].