Shocking the World: Underdogs Getting the Job Done

The recent success of the Arizona Cardinals and their unlikely run to the Super Bowl got me thinking, what are some great underdog stories in recent years that truly represent the phrase, "it's why you play the game"?

Here are some great underdog stories of the past few years that you can't forget.

2006 St. Louis Cardinals

The Cards were the unlikely World Series winners in 2006 after an 83-78 regular season. The 83 wins were the fewest wins by a World Series winner ever, and it was the second fewest wins ever for a league champion.

The Cardinals had an eight-game lead in the division with only two weeks remaining, but almost blew that lead after a seven-game losing streak. They managed to hold on and win the division, but they certainly didn't enter the playoffs with any kind of momentum.

2008 Fresno State Bulldogs Baseball Team

Fresno State entered the NCAA tournament with a 33-27 record and a regional No. 4 seed in the Long Beach regional. The Bulldogs went on to become the first regional four-seed to win a College World Series and the lowest-seeded team in college sports history to win an NCAA team championship. Included in that run were victories in six elimination games, including two against Georgia to win the championship.

2008 Tampa Bay Rays

Was there a better story in recent memory than that of the Rays in 2008? The team won 66 games the year before, improved that mark by an amazing 31 games to finish 97-65, and won the American League East over the perennial powers of the Yankees and Red Sox. The Rays sported the manager of the year in Joe Maddon and the rookie of the year in Evan Longoria.

The Rays went on to beat the Boston Red Sox in the American League championship series and represent the AL in the World Series. By the way, they did all this with a payroll that is only a fraction of their counterparts the Yankees and Red Sox.

2006 George Mason Basketball Team

Nobody had heard of the Patriots before the 2006 season, but after a Cinderella run to the Final Four, they finished eighth in the final polls and were the new poster child for the Cinderella in sports. The Patriots defeated Michigan State, defending champion North Carolina, Wichita State, and No. 1 seed Connecticut on their way to the Final Four, becoming the first Colonial Athletic Association team to make the Final Four.

2008 Arizona Cardinals

This franchise hasn't won a championship since 1947, so this current group of Cardinals is truly a great story. The Cardinals played in a weak division in the NFC West, winning their division, and came into the playoffs without momentum. They earned their first playoff berth since 1998 and their first division title since 1975.

They won their first playoff game since 1998 by defeating the Atlanta Falcons, then a week later as double-digit underdogs defeated the Carolina Panthers on the road 33-13 in a dominating performance. The Cardinals then hosted their first NFC championship in Arizona by playing the Philadelphia Eagles and defeated the Eagles 32-25 to earn their spot in the Super Bowl.