The Miracle on Ice: USA Beat the USSR, 1980 Winter Olympics. Having long lived in the shadows of India and Pakistan, this team of bankers, salesmen and clerical workers got their hands on the greatest prize in cricket.

Lets take a look at some of the best underdog stories that history has served up. Leicesters run during the 2015-16 Premier League season may go down as the biggest longshot championship in sports history. Many people were iffy of Wimbledon's behavior on the field during the 1980s, as the team was known for being unsophisticated andunprofessional. He was given a wild card into the tournament since he already had much success there, and it was clear that he wasn't going to give up this opportunity. While it wasn't an easy victory, the team came away with a goal in extra minutes, which propelled them into the finals againstPortugal.

Over the past two decades, they have sent NFL records tumbling - most Super Bowl crowns, longest winning streak, greatest number of consecutive division titles won, to name but a handful - but at the beginning of the millennium, they were considered an ageing team not capable of challenging for the Super Bowl. With such a poor record, the team was lucky to make the tournament, and was only eligible because they won the WAC conference. Rank outsider Clay was declared the winner on a technical knockout, claiming his first world title. Exciting was not a word you would use to describe this Greece side, but resolute, robust and hugely effective certainlyare certainly words that you would. Heck, you probably still have no idea who Douglas is, despite his knocking out heavyweight champion Tyson in 1990. Braddock won the fight by unanimous decision, which crowned him heavyweight champion of the world. The Hoyas had won the championship the previous season and had future NBA legend Patrick Ewing on the roster. Karelin hadnt conceded a single point in international for a decade; Gardner hadnt even won an NCAA championship in his college career. Seven-time Grand Slam champion John Newcombe stood between Edmondson and the perfect fairytale ending. Theyd made it through some tough teams in the Eastern Conference to get to the Stanley Cup finals, but few hockey observers thought the scrappy Jersey squad could seriously challenge the Presidents Trophy-winning Detroit Red Wings once they got there. With confidence in his players, Haskins' Miners went on to take the title from the Kentucky Wildcats, and sealed their place in history. Somehow, a little school from Indianapolis defeated the odds, as the Butler Bulldogs made back-to-back trips to the NCAA title game. The Final Four wasn't any easier, as the team defeated Georgia 67-60 with No. Japan Beat South Africa, Rugby World Cup, 2015. The "Miracle Mets" were shocking, and they were true underdogs. But Holm dismissed all that talk, as the boxing specialist neutralized Rouseys peerless grappling skill and knocked out the favorite with a brutal second-round kick felt round the world. The Broncos hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round and prevailed, taking the game 29-23 in OTwhich was won in typical, hanging-by-the-edge-of-your-seat Tebow fashion. The story of Michael Oher is quite impressive, and while he wasn't an underdog once he hit the scene, his story is one that puts him into this company. 10 Gin With Widespread Online Distribution Throughout the U.S. 2022 British Open: Most Interesting Players to Watch at St. Andrews, Everything to Know About 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar, The Best Drivers to Watch at the Austrian Grand Prix 2022, Brian Carruthers Has Built a Business Empire That Started with Sports Cards, The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Disc Golf, We may use your e-mail address to send you the newsletter and offers that may interest you, on behalf of Men's Journal and its partners. With their dreams standing right in front of them, Greece once again played solid defense, shutting outPortugalin a 1-0 victory. A romantic underdog story can take place in any sport, in any country, at any time. A normal resident at the No. John Daly was not due to play at the 1991 US PGA Championship until theWednesday morningbefore the event. Incontrast, the USA side was made up of amateurs and college players. Here are 15 of the greatest underdog stories in the history of sports: UPDATE: With Eli Manning retiring from the Giants after 16 seasons with the team, heres a look back at one of his greatest moments, and one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history. Those observers were wrong: The Devils swept the Red Wings, 4-0, and took home the first championship in team history. After taking out teams like Long Beach State and University of San Diego, the team was pitted against the the Arizona State Sun Devils in the Super Regional round. 1 Detroit Red Wings. That of course led to the famous Al Michael's line "Do you believe in miracles? With no teams finding a real interest in the unproven quarterback, he took his talents to the Arena Football League, where he played from 1995-1997. The Dons enjoyed a remarkable rise up the footballing ladder, climbing from Non-league obscurity to Division One in the space of nine years. Haskins was the first ever coach to use an all African-American starting lineup.

With a preseason No.

However, during the 2015/16 season, minnows Leicester - who had narrowly avoided relegation the previous season and were 5,000-1 outsiders to win the league at the start of the campaign - emerged as surprise title contenders. Coming into the playoffs, the team was the eighth seed in the Western Conference with an overall record of 41-28-13. They faced a Liverpool side who had been crowned champions of England six times in the last 10 years. However, it appeared they had peaked too soon after drawing and losing their final two group fixtures, scraping into the quarterfinals with four points. When the New York Mets started the 1969 season, pretty much nobody saw them as having any chance to win the World Series. Prior to2015, Japanhad featured at the Rugby World Cup on seven occasions and had never qualified from the pool stages. Mark Edmondson Wins the Australian Open, 1976. They helped him progress in school, which eventually gave him a real shot at playing football in college. However, Clays razor sharp reflexes proved too much for Liston, hitting him with a flurry of combinations in the third round and inflicting the first cut of Listons career. But as you will come to see, Ruettiger's story just doesn't stand up to these other underdogs. Because thats what the United States mens Olympic hockey team looked like they needed to defeat the mighty Soviet hockey machine at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. After taking the series 2-1, the Bulldogs moved on to the College World Series. Unfortunately, the underdog story was cut short as the team fell to the No. The team moved on from Hamilton following the 2006 season and he was passed around the league after the Chicago Cubs picked him up during the 2006 Rule 5 Draft.

It is hard to call a man who was a three-time runner-up at Wimbledon an underdog, but when Goran Ivanisevic shocked the world at the tennis tournament in 2001, it was certainly considered a come-from-behind victory.

Whether its an upstart team knocking off an established champion, or an unheralded athlete pulling off a massive upset over what looks like an unbeatable opponent, underdog stories can resonate for months, years, and decadesand inspire others to attempt the same astonishing feats. It was unheard of, and it definitely made people wary of their chances. In the Stanley Cup, the team finally fell at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes, but they at least took the series to seven games. He was the reigning World Heavyweight Champion after two emphatic first round victories over Floyd Patterson in the space of 10 months. 1 seed Virginia. The team wasn't so much a shock when the end of the season came around, as they finished with a 100-62 record.

8 seed to win the tournament.

Funny thing isas it would come to show in the playoffsthe Oilers actually had a better road record than at home during the regular season. Since the turn of the millennium, the chasm between the top flights elite and the rest of the division had become seismic - few sides looked capable of breaching the top six, let alone mounting a title challenge. At the 65', Greece took the leadand that was all they needed. The injury set the stage for Bradythe 199th player selected in the 2000 NFL draftto take over as the starter. Before the 1996 Cricket World Cup, Sri Lanka were 100-1 outsiders, with a team consisting primarily of semi-professionals. The USA played some great hockey up until this pointdespite having a team made up ofamateursand college stars. Fresno State outscored Georgia 31-18 in the series. With the game tied 5252 and less than five seconds left on the clock, States Dereck Whittenburg put up an air-ball shotor a pass, depending on who you askthat Lorenzo Charles nabbed and dunked as time expired. There is nothing in sport quite as captivating, compelling and wholesome as an underdog defying the odds, and succeeding in the face of adversity on the biggest stage of all. Greece has never had much luck when it comes to tournament play, so when they entered the 2004 Euro Cup, nobody had much hope for themwell perhaps probably Greece. They progressed to the semi finals, after a five wicket victory over England, where they faced the daunting task of playing hosts India once more in front of a 100,000-strong partisan crowd at Eden Gardens. The Pirates Bill Mazeroski hit one of the most famous home runs in baseball history with his bottom of the ninth, game-winning homer in Game 7 to take the championship, inspiring countless baseball dreams across America (except maybe in the Bronx). Its difficult to imagine the New England Patriots as plucky underdogs. The game was extremely close, but the Wolfpack prevailed by taking down the Cougars on a buzzer-beating dunk by Lorenzo Charles. Before the 2001 NFL season started, you likely asked yourself: "Who is this Tom Brady guy on the New England Patriots?". After starting out the 2011 NFL season 1-4, many fans were calling for the Denver Broncos to finally give quarterback Tim Tebow a shot. Oher didn't come from a great home, as his mother was constantly running into problems with drugs and his father had problems with the law.

At one point in his career, he was ranked No. Whether it is a single person or a team, it is these underdogs that shape the world of sports one at a time. Well honestly, somebody playing just two plays is not enough to really consider it a great success.

Led by super-athletic quarterback Armanti Edwards, Appalachian State stunned the favorites, 34-32.

Douglas did lose his next fight to Evander Holyfield, so his reignas title holder didn't last too long. Cassius Clay (pre-MuhammadAli) was the 7-1 outsider when he took on Sonny Liston in the pairs inaugural bout in 1964. However, Japan still found themselves narrowly trailing as the clock ticked down. All odds stacked against them, the Brave Blossoms played with an infectious energy and fearlessness. With this statistic preceding them, they faced a South Africa side who had won more World Cup titles (two) than Japan had won World Cup matches (one).

With Warner under center, he took off with the team, which earned the moniker "The Greatest Show on Turf.". They defied the odds though, as they took down the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles in a 4-1 series victory.

Despite all prevailing wisdom to the contrary, Broadway Joe and the Jets put the NFL on the map with a 16-7 victory to take the championship. The team went on to defeat the Finland 4-2 in their final match, after being down 1-2 in the third period.

Instead, Team USA pulled off an amazing upset, winning the game 4-3 and earning themselves a place in history. With a tough place to grow up, Oher frequented many different homes as he continued to pursue a career in football as a high school student.

2 in the world (July, 1994). Make sure you dont miss the next one with theFixture Calendar. The former hero of the Florida Gators finally got his shot to start in Week 7 against the Miami Dolphins, a game in which he led the team to a 18-15 overtime victory.

The two teams only scored a combined 10 points when the game entered the fourth quarter, but that helped set the stage for one of the most exciting games in sports history. The Giants got the ball back down 14-10 with 2:39 left on the clock and went on a drive that included one of the most memorable plays in NFL history. Still, these nobodies have somehow made their way to become somebodies. Team USA had been playing well during the Olympic tournament, but the roster was filled with amateurs and college players. The 25-year-old scored69-67-69-71, taking the lead in the second round and holding his nerve to win by three shots, claiming his first of two majors in the process.

By 2016 just five teams had won the Premier League in its 24-year history. 10 seed Utah and No. Coming into her match against Holly Holm, Rowdy Rousey was as good of a lock to defend her UFC bantamweight title as anyone in sports history.

In contrast, the battle-tested Soviet Union squad boasted of some of the best hockey talent in the world.

At Northern Iowa, Warner didn't hit the field for the first time until his senior season, where proved to all that he had a real talent. Although things were not so pretty after this tournament, the fact that they ended that 10 year.

In 1967, the Metropolitans finished with 101 losses. Their title win, for many reasons, goes down in history as one of the best stories in sports history. Confirmation that they had achieved the unthinkable came when second place Tottenham were held to a draw by Chelsea, handing victory to hard work and togetherness, as Claudio Ranieris plucky underdogs were crowned champions of England. Villanova, on the other hand, was trying to become the first No.

The New York Yankees had won 10 out of the last 12 pennants coming into the 1960 World Series, and they were strong favorites to win over the Pirates. Some of you are going to hate this list right from the beginning since Notre Dame Fighting Irish inspirational story of Rudy Ruettiger is sitting here as just an honorable mention. Liston was regarded as one of the finest heavyweight boxers of all time, and the most intimidating, daunting fighter of his day. This clip of head coach Jim Valvano rushing around the court, looking for someone to celebrate with, has become one of the most iconic moments in sports history. In 1988 - just their 11th season in the football league - Wimbledon reached the FA Cup final. They won the AFC Conference Championship and sailed into the Super Bowl, where Brady delivered an MVP performance. When the Harvard Crimson defeated the Stanford Cardinal women's basketball team in the first round of the 1998 tournament, we all saw history in the making. The club defied the oddsliterally, they had 5,000-to-1 odds of winning the title this seasonand clinched their first trophy in team history. But the swashbuckling brilliant 1980s Liverpool side were undone by a dogged, resilient Wimbledon. With the Rangers, Hamilton has bounced back from his negative image, turning into the one of the greatest players in the game today. They had won nothing but gold since the 1964 games, had not lost a match at the Winter Olympics since 1968 andboasted a team brimming with experienced, full-time professionals. Howd they pull it off? 1 spot on many upset and underdog lists, the 1980 men's USA Olympic hockey team, otherwise known as "The Miracle on Ice" still owns the top spot. While the Jeremy Lin story is just beginning, and still has a chance to fade out, there is no doubt that New York Knicks' phenom guard has taken the NBA by storm. Before fighting Mike Tyson, you probably had no idea who James "Buster" Douglas was. At the heart of great sport is a great narrative and the very best sport involves these narratives being completely torn up and discarded. From there, the Greeks rode the wave of that upset past the Czech Republic in the semis, and then again versus host-team Portugal in the final, sealing one of the most remarkable victories in the history of European soccer. When Georgetown entered the 1985 final, they looked like one of the biggest locks to win in NCAA Tournament history. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots win the Super Bowl, 2002. Prior to her fight with Holm, Rouseys last three fights had lasted 34, 16 and 14 seconds. Josh Hamilton is an iffy situation, as we shouldn't be inspired by his life decisions, but rather by the way he has bounced back after falling to the bottom of society. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. They pretty much acted like today's Harlem Globetrotters. They probed and probed and eventually in the final minute the South Africa resistance was broken byKarne Hesketh, scoring a last gasp try to secure a famous 34-32 victory and create the greatest upset in the sports history. While his story isn't clean, he has done his best to stay away from the lifestyle. Edmondson was a late entry to the tournament, only qualifying in the first place because other players had dropped out.

They claimed the gold medal, and the USSR had to settle for silver. The Giants took a 10-7 lead after Eli Manning hit David Tyree (dont forget that name!) With India 120 for 8, the match was awarded to Sri Lanka. Greece finished the tournament as they began it - against hosts Portugal - and recorded a trademark 1-0 victory to be crowned champions of Europe. Wimbledon Beat Liverpool to Lift the FA Cup, 1988. The team only had to defeat the Atlanta Braves in the pennant to reach the World Series, so today, the path is much more difficult. There have been setbacks, but continues to find ways to make the most of his second chance. Nobody saw them making a run like this. Inspirationcomes from a lot of different places, but one thing that can always sweep us from under our feet is a great sports underdog. The Wolfpack pulled off one of the biggest upsets in NCAA tournament history after taking down Houstona team that had future NBA legends Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexlerto win the 1983 championship. Opponents Georgetown were nine-point favourites going into the final, with a staggering 35-2 record. He was given a shot with the Houston Rockets, but they eventually dropped him. If you are a No. In the tournaments final,Aravinda de Silvaturned in a man of the match performance, hitting 107 as Sri Lanka successfully chased down Australias 241. The so-called Miracle Mets were one of the most unlikely champions in sports history.

For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube! Greece had never won a game at a major tournament when they travelled to Portugal for the 2004 European Championships. For a mid-major school to make the NCAA Men's final two years in a rowto even make the tournament two years in a rowis definitely not an easy feat. The opponents drew level, and short afterMike Eruzioneunleashed a 25-foot wrist shot into the USSR goal, to which the underdogs hung on to to secure a remarkable 3-2 victory. The FA Cup is famed for upsets and underdog triumphs, but seldom in the final on the biggest stage of all. The Orioleswho had three future Hall of Fame players in Jim Palmer, Frank Robinson, and Brooks Robinsonwere heavily favored in the World Series, but the Amazins earned their nickname with a 4-1 World Series win. 3 seed UNLV, No. It wasn't an easy road either, as the team had to defeat the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguinswith lead scorer Jaromir Jagrand then the Philadelphia Flyers, who had the league's MVP in Eric Lindros. But by 1969, however, the team surprised everyone with a 100-62 record to win the newly-created National League East title. But as the game wore on, the Wildcats turned in one of the best shooting performances in college basketball historymaking 78.6 percent of their shotsto pull off one of the greatest upsets ever with a 66-64 victory. The team won the Super Bowl that season, 23-16 over the Tennessee Titans. Rousey had dominated her last three fights, winning them in 34, 16, and 14 seconds, and positioning her as heavy favorite against Holm. Accurate sports listings despite COVID-19. Since getting his first real shot on February 4th, Lin has had over 20 points in nine of his 12 games where he has played a good chunk of time. But it was in the knockout stages where Greece really flourished. He drove halfway across the country through the night to play on a course he had never set foot on - let alone practiced on - before. The Giants, on the other hand, had limped into the playoffs as a wild card team with a 10-6 record. The Patriots would end Tebow and the Broncos' season with 45-10 victory, but the team showed that a little inspiration can go a long way. Rulon Gardner was a big man, but the humble 29-year-old Wyoming farm boy seemed like a tiny underdog against Aleksandr Karelin in the Greco-Roman superheavyweight wrestling finals of the Athlens Olypics. One of the greatest stories in sports history is Jimmy Valvano and his NC State Wolfpack, who claimed the 1983 NCAA men's basketball title.

Photos by Premier League, Australian Open, Olympics, ICC Cricket, Japan Rugby,UEFA, NFL, UFC, See what else is happening in the world of sport. He was basically seen as a stepping stone for title contenders, but somehow he took out anyone who came his way.

He finally found his way to the Knicks, and with the team in despair after injuries to Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire, they needed to give the bench a shot. After missing the entire 2000 season with a shoulder injury, Ivanisevic was ranked No. Brady was a second-year starter, after being selected as the 199th pick in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.

This behavior gave them the infamous nickname, "The Crazy Gang."

While he never claimed another title after that, the performance was a sweet end to the Croatian's career. The former was a highly decorated ex-boxing world champion, who had only made her mixed martial arts debut in March 2011. Warner was the team's backup, but was quickly inserted into the starting role after Trent Green was knocked out for the year during the 1999 preseason. Otto Rehhagel built his team on a solid defensive foundation, and Greece kept clean sheets in both the quarterfinals and semifinals as they first knocked out holders France, and secondly the favourites, the Czech Republic. Ranked 212 in the world at the time, he remains the lowest ranked player to ever win a Grand Slam. The game inspired what is now one of the most recognizable broadcast calls in history, as Al Michaels screamed that he did, in fact, believe in miracles. From what's on next month to news and fixture alerts, let us keep you up to date.

The team came into the tournament as the No. To this day, they remain the lowest seed (eight) to win a national championship. Eventually though, he would be replaced by Eli Manning. They were first ever fourth seed to take home the title, and they did so in ridiculous fashion. He would continue to impress overseas, and the following season he was brought back to take a role on the team. As mentioned, Ivanisevic was not an unfamiliar name at the top of the tennis world. What made the story an underdog performance for the ages is not only did the Devils defeat the Red Wings, but they swept them 4-0 to take home their first Stanley Cup. 6 seed in the West region, where they had to go through No. Braddock was professional boxer early in his life, but after struggling to win matches, he was forced to move on the from sport and needed to find a way to support his family during the Great Depression. Unless your beloved team is the favorite, few sports stories capture an audiences attention like the plucky underdog who somehow, someway, reaches the pinnacle of their sport. The team then had the difficult task of taking on the New England Patriots, who were, the top team in the AFC. John Daly Wins the USPGAChampionship, 1991. Coach Bill Belichicks previous position had been an underwhelming stint at the Cleveland Browns, while quarterback Tom Brady had been the 199th pick in the draft the year before. Pundits and experts insisted that they would eventually falter and the pressure would get to them, but week after week the Foxes kept on winning. In the semifinals, the team was going up against the Czech Republic.

The idea of an underdog is quite possibly the biggest oxymoron there can be, as we aspire to see these things succeed, things that were nothing to begin with. Yes!". While it wasn't a happy ending, the 2005-06 Edmonton Oilers are one of the greatest underdog stories of all time. Brady led the team through the playoffs and into the Super Bowl, where the Pats were set to go up against one of the best offensive teams ever in the St. Louis Ramsaka The Greatest Show on Turf. The Patriots pulled out the stunning victory with Adam Vinatieris 48-yard, game-winning field goal, and the legend of Brady was born. There he would revive his career, as he took the team to the playoffs in 2008 and 2009the first of which he took the team to the Super Bowl, only to lose the Pittsburgh Steelers. Still, that wasn't enough, and he went undrafted in the1994 NFL Draft.

They overcame a five-point halftime deficit against North Carolina Tar Heels to book their place in the Final Four, where they progressed to the final with a 52-45 victory over Memphis State. Despite their outlandish behavior, the team outplayed their competition to take the FA Cup in 1988 as they took down Liverpool in what was a major upset. In an inspired Japanese performance, full-back Ayumu Goromaruscored 24 points as the Brave Blossoms went toe to toe with South Africa. Leicester City Win the Premier League, 2016. While the 1994-95 New Jersey Devils were not exactly an eighth seed, the fact that they took that year's Stanley Cup over the dominant Detroit Red Wingswho took home the Presidents' Trophywas a true underdog performance. Eventually, he was not only fostered, but adopted by the Tuohy family.

The Fresno State Bulldogs entered the 2008 NCAA tournament with an overall record of 37-27. While he was a stellar player there, he still went undrafted, but was eventually picked up by the Golden State Warriors.

The following is a list of some of the greatest underdogs in sports history. You also probably thought all the success he had was just luck, and the fact that he was winning in the playoffs was just first-timer's luck.

With all the success the Patriots have had with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick at the helm, its hard to remember that the team was once a major underdog. But Greek striker Angelos Charisteas nailed a shocking goal in the 65th minute, and the Greeks stunned Les Bleus, 10.

Villanova produced one of college basketballs greatest ever upsets during the 1985 NCAA Championship.

With the team motivated, and Tebow under center, the Broncos went on a 7-4 run to finish off the season, which took the team into the postseason. In a match dubbed the Battle of the Moustaches due to the pairs matching, fetching facial hair, Edmondson fought back from a set down to win 6-7, 6-3, 7-6, 6-1. Warner was finally released in 2004, where he would then join the New York Giants. After a year away from the sport, Braddock was finally given a chance to fight.

The vaunted Michigan Wolverines seemed like one of the undisputed top programs in all of college football at the start of the 2003 season. The Devils finished the season with a record of 22-18-8, as the season was shortened due to lockout. The stats all were in favor of the Yankees by the end of the seriesNew York outscored Pittsburgh 55-27but the results were not. Lin finally got his opportunity, and thus far, he has taken full advantage of it.