I'm not sure how most people would react to the statement I'm going to make, but isn't there something about underdog teams that make even the stoutest of 1 team fans, pain and pull for the would be Cinderella.
I'm mentioning this as my days in Iraq are numbered and counted on one hand, I'm also paying close attention to the NHL conference Finals. About 15 or so years ago I was a 13 yr old kid with an affinity for hockey. The only teams I could go see in the Indy area were the Indianapolis Ice (IHL Hockey team) and the Chicago Blackhawks. Back in good ole '95 was the last time I'd seen a Blackhawks team come this close. Now they're back in the conference finals, and I've payed more attention to the hockey games than before.
Much to the dismay of some of my fellow sailors (mostly Red Wings Fans), I openly cheer on the Blackhawks in the TV lounge at the MWR. Watching the most recent of games, the Hawks won it 4-3, showing that the can win at least one game which is more than some people expected against the powerhouse Red Wings. The Hawks have the making of a great team of the future. The youth of the team runs deep with talent still developing at all aspects. I just wanted to put out that if you are a fan of the underdog...take some time over the next few days and watch the games. Even if you're not a hockey fan, underdog syndrome tends to pull us in to the game... regardless of sport