underdog

Underdog Tigers find groove and the fat lady sings for New York.

Underdog Japan won its first World Cup after stunning the U.S. with a 3-1 win in penalties after a 2-2 tie. Japan erased one-goal American leads late in the second half and in extra time.

The United States has a chance to make history with a third World Cup. In the way is an underdog Japan team that has inspired its nation.

Georgina Turner blogs the championship match.

Lorenzo Charles, the muscular forward whose last-second dunk gave underdog North Carolina State a stunning win in the 1983 national college championship game, was killed Monday when a bus he was driving crashed along a highway, a company official said.

Butler stands one win from history, while UConn is a victory from completing a stunning run of its own. Luke Winn wonders just who, really, is the underdog in this national title game.

That Butler and VCU proudly wear the same small-conference, lovable underdog label is readily apparent. Less obvious is their shared devotion to the not-so-sexy practice of hard-nosed, aggressive defense -- long a trademark of Butler's game but much more of a surprising late-season development from the running, gunning Rams.

History tells us the Pittsburgh Steelers belong. The New York Jets? Not so much. The 2010 season and playoffs, however, have written their own version of history, with a common theme: Anything can happen.

It already has to the Jets, who never had won in the Steel City before edging the Steelers 22-17 in December.

The Lakers have their sights on a third straight trip to the NBA Finals, but the underdog Suns have other ideas.

Who will seize the early lead in the Western Conference finals? Follow it here.

The NBA's best team? Hint: Not the Cavs or Lakers. Orlando is steamrolling through the playoffs ... yet is still seen as a title underdog.

Britt Robson explains why the Magic shouldn't be.

The ball sailed from halfcourt with the buzzer sounding -- bounced off the backboard, the rim, the floor.

Most of the 70,000 fans on Butler's side let out an "Ohhhhhh," and the Duke players piled onto forward Kyle Singler at center court.

What a game! And what a way to end the season, even if America's favorite underdog came up a little short.