Possibly the Greatest Underdog Story in All Sports History - Unfolding Right Now?
6 replies
GalantForum VeteranOPEven if you're not a soccer fan, this story is worth a read - because it's unfolding right now and is the story about how a very poor, badly performing team, with little money, has turned itself around in a single season to be top of the highest league in England, if not the world, and is now in position to win it all.
Chances are, if you don't follow soccer, and in particular the English Premier League, you won't have heard about this. You need to set that straight now, because sports history is being made.
I won't pour out the details myself, there's a good article from the BBC that does it excellently.
Suffice to say, there's a little team in England called Leicester. They were previously something like a AAA baseball team in soccer terms.
Now imagine if a AAA franchise could play up into AA and then Major League.
Imagine also that the league didn't have a cap on spending and that that team was going up against richer, more historically dominant teams who, in some cases, cost more than 15 times (15x) the money to put together.
Imagine that since the new format league was put together in 1992 only 5 teams have ever won the title.
Imagine that Leicester is a 132 year old franchise.
Now imagine that this team has managed, in a single season, to have played it's heart out and is now poised to win the World Series - not just by a fluke, but by dominating the league. That's Leicester this year.
Read the article. You owe it to yourself as a sports fan to know about this - and to know about it as it unfolds right now, before your eyes. There's only one team within range of beating Leicester, but they would need Leicester to implode and seal their own fate. Leicester hold their fate in their own hands right now. Quite possibly the biggest turn around in all sports history, is about to happen.
"Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves – from our recklessness or our greed. God sent into the world a unique person – neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive... It is my prayer that on this Christmas day we might all find room in our lives for the message of the angels and for the love of God through Christ our Lord." (Christmas message, 2011)
Paul 13StaffThanks for starting the thread. I agree. If they can pull it off, it really is the stuff of legends. I'm having a hard time drawing comparisons to any other sport. Buster Douglas over Mike Tyson? If the Jamaican bobsled team actually won a medal. The 1980 US hockey team beating the Soviets. Villanova beating Georgetown in the 1985 National Championship. The St Louis Rams winning the Super Bowl with Kurt Warner back in 2000 over the Titans.
Leicester (pronounced Lester) City were "this" close to being relegated last season.. had to go on a run of games and then continued it into this season. To finish top four of the league would have been miraculous. To win the league? It's mind boggling.
Twitter @Silver_Hornet (follow me and I'll follow you, just let me know who you are on here!
GalantForum VeteranThey've done it! The 5000-1 long shot has won the English Premier League for the first time in their club's history, and upset the entire league!
"Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves – from our recklessness or our greed. God sent into the world a unique person – neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive... It is my prayer that on this Christmas day we might all find room in our lives for the message of the angels and for the love of God through Christ our Lord." (Christmas message, 2011)
GalantForum Veteranhttps://twitter.com/JJWatt/status/727246117004398593
"Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves – from our recklessness or our greed. God sent into the world a unique person – neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive... It is my prayer that on this Christmas day we might all find room in our lives for the message of the angels and for the love of God through Christ our Lord." (Christmas message, 2011)
GalantForum VeteranHere you go - short and good summary vid!
"Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves – from our recklessness or our greed. God sent into the world a unique person – neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive... It is my prayer that on this Christmas day we might all find room in our lives for the message of the angels and for the love of God through Christ our Lord." (Christmas message, 2011)
"Aqua4Ever04 wrote:
They had to win three of their final four to stay up last year. And Ranieri said before the season that if the team could achieve 40 points and avoid relegation, it would be a success. They've doubled that point total and seen the emergence of four first 11 (all pro's on their roster.)
A few years ago, Jaime Vardy was playing for 30 pounds a game in a non FA sanctioned league. Wes Morgan is the team's 30 year old captain and this is just his second top flight season of his career. Vardy was a golden boot contender (most goals,) Morgan a first teamer, then there's Riyad Mahrez who won the player or the year award. I don't really know what to say about Kante other than he's been the best mid fielder in the EPL. Most tackles and 90 some created chances.
All of these guys saw their transfer fees go from below a couple million bucks to potentially 9 figures.
I can't wait to see them in Europe next year.
Well they aren't letting themselves down in Europe so far this year, but need to capture that form back in the PL!