The Underdog

     I’m a little teary eyed as I write. Saturday’s Seahawks vs. Saints game stirred up a lot of emotions in me. I love how the Seahawks kept their composure. How they didn’t give up. Never mind, everyone else had already slated them to lose. They held their heads high and played to win. In an after game interview the coach said they believed they could win. Yes, as crazy as it sounds they believed they could win.

      I have always been a fan of the underdog. The one who the odds are stacked up against. The one that society is betting against. Many of our American sports heroes are underdogs: Rocky, Cinderella Man, and Rudy to name a few. There’s something about the quiet, enduring spirit of the underdog that I admire and can relate to.

      As a product of childhood obesity, the odds are stacked up against me. Statistics are not in my favor. Most overweight children grow up to be overweight adults. In my case, that is mostly true, as I have been carrying the extra weight around for 38 years. But, I have a burning desire to beat the statistics. I am going to turn childhood obesity statistics upside down.  Every time I walk into the gym I realize I am not the favorite and that I am not slated to win. By golly, I have the spirit of the underdog, even with the odds stacked up against me, I believe in myself. I believe I can win.

      So, sure, many folks see the Seahawks victory as just a football game, but to me it was so much more. That game was about guts, courage, resilience, and belief in oneself. That game was about the spirit of humans and what we can do when we set our minds to it.  I can’t quite claim victory yet, but as I near the finish line, I’ll say this again -- I believe I can win. Here’s to the underdog -- never, ever, ever give up.