The Overlooked and Underappreciated Sports List
Sports always seem to cause some of the best debates.
Which fans are truly the best? What player lays claim to being the top at their position? And what team is the best ever?
So with that in mind, I figured I’d toss some other suggestions around, giving you a list of the most overlooked and underappreciated things in sports.
Sure, we know about big-named players who don’t get the pub they probably deserve, but what else isn’t as appreciated? Keep reading to find out.
Sports City: Louisville
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Although another popular publication recently named Memphis as being the most underrated sports town in the U.S., who are they to give the final verdict, right?
Sure, Memphis has great fans and all, but how about showing some love to those who live just north in Louisville?
Home to the University of Louisville and the Kentucky Derby, residents have their choice of sports events to keep their focus for an entire year.
It mostly revolves around the Cardinals hoops team, who, under the guidance of Rick Pitino, continuously find themselves among the nation's elite, battling the in-state rival Kentucky Wildcats for prominence and winning a national title back in 2013.
And for those wanting to party before, during and after the games, Fourth Street Live is an ideal spot to get rowdy.
Food: Dollar Dogs
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With all of these fancy and overpriced concoctions that sports teams are introducing to fans, it’s hard to forget what food used to taste like while I was growing up.
Don’t get me wrong, having a $12 gourmet burger is great and all, but the days of dollar hot dogs should forever live on, with fans of all ages willing and able to stuff themselves with as many as possible.
They might only be present in minor league or high school stadiums most of the time, but I commend the ballparks and arenas who continue to sell a solid hot dog for a simple buck.
Stadium: Hinkle Fieldhouse
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Even with all of these high-tech, HD-screened stadiums that either get built or renovated, there’s just something about the simplicity of Hinkle Fieldhouse that makes it a majestic place to watch sports.
Home to the Butler Bulldogs, it may be known as Indiana’s Basketball Cathedral—and the set for the movie Hoosiers—but for those residing outside of the state, it’s usually nothing more than just a mid-major’s arena.
With a capacity of just 10,000, it’s not a palatial palace like newer arenas, but that’s jus part of the charm that Hinkle has.
Sports Reporter: Keith Olbermann
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I don’t care that Keith Olbermann has been reporting the news for over 30 years, or that he has gone from ESPN to Fox Sports to a stint in political journalism and finally back to his bread and butter at ESPN—the guy is still underrated in my book.
Sure, there are up-and-coming journalists who could probably get mentioned here—one guy in particular who deserves some cred is Zach Lowe, whose NBA knowledge is tremendous—but I mention Olbermann because he’s the rare reporting veteran who fans love to watch, yet don’t appreciate his banter, wit and the ridiculous amount of information he gives each night.
NBA Fans: Toronto Raptors
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Canadians take a lot of heat for being too polite about everything, but Toronto Raptors supporters proved last season that a fanbase doesn’t need to be rude to show its passion.
Finishing 10th in league attendance in 2013, fans of the team enjoyed a ride to the postseason for the first time in the past six years, getting familiar with new stars like DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry.
While the pain of losing Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady and Chris Bosh could have ruined them, Raptors fans showed with their “We the North” slogan that they are both resilient, loud and proud of their team—even if they are nothing more than a casual contender in the NBA’s title chase.
MLB Fans: Detroit Tigers
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For all the crap that the city of Detroit gets for being down-ridden and underdeveloped, I have to give credit to the fans of their Tigers, because it doesn’t seem to affect them.
Over the past five seasons, fans have filled Comerica Park regularly, ranking no less than 12th in total attendance—which happened in 2010—and slowly climbing up the list each year since.
Yes, it’s true that the team has a top-five payroll in the big leagues and in that five-year span has developed into one of the most consistent winners in the American League. Still, for a city that seems like there’s not much to cheer about, the Tigers have stepped into the role as the best place in town.
NFL Fans: Cleveland Browns
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I don’t really care if this one might come across as bias since I’m a Cleveland Browns fan myself, seeing how the fans have continued to support the team through all of the dysfunction and turnover since their rebirth in 1999, there are no more loyal fans than the Dawg Pound.
Even with 20 starting quarterbacks in 15 years, one playoff appearance and a rotating door of head coaches, coordinators and front-office leaders, Browns fans are still raucous and passionate about their team, showing up to both home and road games expecting the worst and hoping for the best.
Through all the tragedy and heartache the franchise has had, empty seats at games are still a rare occurrence.
NHL Fans: Toronto Maple Leafs
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For those hockey fans out there, you know that the NHL breeds some tremendously passionate and highly loyal fans.
And while there are some fanbases out there who people like myself are most familiar with like Boston, Chicago and Detroit, there might not be more devoted supporters than those of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Much like the aforementioned fans of the city’s basketball team, Leafs fans have shown that they have the zeal and love for a team that hasn’t had great recent success, missing the playoffs all but one time in the past decade.
While they have great history and 13 Stanley Cup titles, Leafs fans continue to support their squad through the tough times, ranking sixth in league attendance last season even though the team's tickets prices continue to be some of the steepest.
Head Coach: David Cutcliffe, Duke Football
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I don’t need some poll to remind me just how underrated Duke University football head coach David Cutcliffe is—although he was voted as such.
A former assistant coach at Tennessee while some guy named Peyton Manning starred in Knoxville, Cutcliffe has revived a football program that, well, was basically on life support before he got there.
Known for their national prominence in other sports like men’s and women’s hoops and lacrosse, Cutcliffe has single-handedly put the Blue Devils on the gridiron map, guiding the team to 10 wins and a berth in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in 2013.
The team might still not be a national powerhouse, but Cutcliffe has taken the team to new heights, even getting them to the 4-0 mark for the first time in 20 years.
NBA Star: Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
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Is it possible for a former No. 1 recruit and pick in the NBA draft to be underrated?
If your name is Anthony Davis, it definitely is.
Playing on a team that hasn’t really done much since trading away their former star Chris Paul back in 2011, the Pelicans are banking on Davis to help turn around the entire franchise, bringing them to new heights.
Making his first All-Star team in 2013 and winning a gold medal with Team USA at this year’s FIBA World Cup of Basketball, Davis is primed to make an even bigger leap with his game this season.
With his improvements should come team success, which will be the biggest factor in making the 21-year-old a name on the level of other forwards like Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin.
NFL Star: Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals
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Although there are a handful of players that I could have gone with here—and I tried by damnedest not to list a quarterback—Cincinnati Bengals franchise signal-caller Andy Dalton gets my vote here.
A second-round pick back in 2011, Dalton may have come from a small school in TCU, but he has proved to play big—at least during the regular season.
With an 82-50 TD-to-INT ratio since taking over the starter’s role his rookie season, Dalton has turned the Bengals into a perennial playoff team and, potentially, a Super Bowl contender.
Sure, he has shown his flaws in the postseason, but one can’t argue with the guy’s winning ways and tremendous stats, as he has virtually matched the production of Peyton Manning in their first three seasons.
MLB Star: Jose Altuve, Houston Astros
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Ask even diehard baseball fans who is currently leading the MLB in both batting average and stolen bases and even they would probably struggle to tell you.
Want the answer? It’s the pint-sized second baseman for the Houston Astros, Jose Altuve.
Enjoying a breakout 2014, Altuve might not look the part of a professional athlete, but don’t overlook his skills, because he could be a star in the making—he’s still only 24 years old.
NHL Star: Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings
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An All-Star center, the L.A. Kings alternate captain Anze Kopitar is well-known and respected by those around the sport, but for those who don’t see him often, he may not be as appreciated.
One of the key cogs for the Kings during their run to Stanley Cup wins in both 2012 and 2014, Kopitar doesn’t nearly get the recognition he deserves from fans outside of Los Angeles—especially seeing as how he seemingly does all the small things in order to help his team win.
One of these days, he’ll earn himself a Selke Award.
Sport: Golf
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It would be easy for me to sit here and write that soccer is still the most underrated sport—especially in America—but let’s face it, that’s just not the case any longer.
Ironically enough, one of the most exciting sports, personally speaking, is golf.
While the hard hits come courtesy of a 300-plus-yard drive and the drama comes in the form of an unthinkable 100-foot putt, golf needs to be recognized more for what it has become.
No longer is the PGA Tour carried by some guy named Tiger Woods; it now features bright stars like Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler, who have emerged as the new faces of the sport, bringing excitement and a certain swagger that fans need to start appreciating outside of just the four major tourneys each year.
Sports Team: San Antonio Spurs
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What is it going to take for the San Antonio Spurs to actually get the credit that they deserve?
Honestly, after winning five NBA titles in the past 15 seasons, I’m not sure there is anything else they can do.
Arguably the most consistent and efficiently run franchise in all of professional sports, the Spurs are the definition of a team, recognizing the talents of role players and allowing them to play alongside future Hall of Fame players like Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, all while a Future Hall of Fame coach in Gregg Popovich uses a mad scientist-like way of communicating and inspiring his team.
In the days of the superteam, the Spurs continue to prove that continuity and a family-like atmosphere is the key to winning.
Rivalry: Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders
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Sports rivalries are tricky for a few reasons.
First, with so much parity in sports, it can be difficult to really determine which games are always the most important. Second, because most rivalries are so regionally based, it takes a really special one to become part of the sports culture for fans outside of the everyday smack talk that occurs between two teams’ fans.
Still, the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders' dislike for each other is one that more sports fans need to familiarize themselves with. With the cities being separated by about 200 miles, fans can easily navigate into enemy territory decked out in their team’s colors, chanting and inspiring their players towards victory.
And because this rivalry is in a sport and league that is still looking for more identity in the States, it doesn’t get its fair due.
Make no mistake, though, if you’re looking to experience the best of the MLS, look no further than the two squads from the Pacific Northwest.
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