In Praise of the Overdogs

Marginality score: 0/10 (This is cheating a bit. Can you write a post on the marginality of the non-marginal?? Hmm.)

This is the shortest of short posts (at least one of you will be pleased to learn) on the fact that while watching an underdog can be fun, sometimes I do quite like watching an overwhelming favourite win. We've already had a bizarre interpretation of the Olympic spirit, which has been deftly analysed here, among other places; seeing a plucky underdog doing his or her best sometimes reflects the 'Olympic dream', but isn't seeing a player or team at the top of their game what the pinnacle of sport should be all about? You can keep Eric the Eel -- I'm off to watch Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte playing the swimming-pool equivalent of duelling banjos.