Throughout the course of history in any event that has ever been held between two people or teams, there has always been a favorite and an underdog. I have lived the life of an underdog my whole life and I relish that underdog feeling. Underdogs aren't suppose to be good, they're not suppose to win, and for the most part they only compete at what they do because they love what there doing. Playing the role of underdog isn't just an athletic thing. Underdogs come in all different areas of discipline, art, music, heck they even play a role in the every day world of business. Underdogs have that attitude, "Yea, I know your probably better than me, but F*CK YOU, I'm going to go out and give it my best."
My favorite athlete, as most of you may know, is Steven Hauschka, kicker for the Atlanta Falcons. Steve was a kicker at a D3 school and know he kicks in the NFL. A truly great story and Steve has no doubt been an underdog his whole life. However, I have new favorite athlete. His name, Mike Kohn. His sport, bobsledding. His alma mater, George Mason University. The 38 year old Kohn knows what it is like to be an underdog. Heck, he's from Virginia competing in a sport that only has tracks in Upstate New York and SLC, Utah. That right there is a disadvantage. Kohn, after graduating from Mason in 1997, got a white collared, well paying office job. But Kohn had bigger ambitions, so he packed up his life and moved to Lake Placid, NY, and by 1999 made the US national bobsled team.
The 2002 Winter Olympics were held in Salt Lake City, Utah. Kohn and his four man team had qualified for the Olympics as the 3rd American sled (think of it as the C team). In an article I found Kohns teammates called themselves, "the misfits of bobsled." These misfits did exactly what I stated above, they told the world to f*ck off and slide to a bronze medal. In 2006 a hamstring injury caused Kohn to miss the Olympics. Instead of retiring, he decided to give it one more try. At the US National Team Trials this November, Kohn and his team finished fourth. Not good enough for an Olympic berth (top three or two sled qualify based on points). A disappointed but determined Kohn and his team slid all over the America's Cup Circut (think of it as the minor leagues). One day Kohn got a call, the driver of USA 2 had just been a serious accident and he wouldn't be able to compete. Kohn was promoted to the World Cup Circuit (The big leagues), however he needed to gain a bunch of points to qualify for the Olympics. Kohn and his team once again told the world to f*ck off, and it came down to the final run, in the final World Cup race of the season. Kohn and his team needed to place in 12th place or higher to secure a third US sled in Vancouver. Kohn, well by darn the got sixth, securing them a spot in the Olympics. Kohn will go into Vancouver as the third American sled, just like Salt Lake City where he won bronze.
Mike Kohn's story is truly a great underdog story, and as an alumni of a school who prides themselves on being "underdogs (that lucky basketball run in 06)" this will probably be the first and last time you hear of him. Mason won't promote him, or hold a viewing of his race in Johnson Center. He won't get an article in the Broadside. This is very unfortunate and it shows the lack of care the University shows for its alumni. This man got a degree from George Mason and is representing his country on the worlds biggest stage, yet the he won't even get a nod from the school. When current student Kate Ziegler competed in the Beijing Olympics the school was all over her, she even had her own spot on the schools web page. Also two former Mason student-athletes who are Jamician (not even AMERICAN) also competed at the Beijing games and gomason.com followed them on their journey. Nothing of the sort will happen for Mr. Kohn. This is really sad considering is impossible journey. How hard is it to set up a big screen in JC and show a race? We pay an obscene amount of tuition money to go here I'm sure we can afford that! It's utterly ridiculous! I don't understand why or whats so hard about it. Is it because he was a commuter? Or because he wasn't a student-athlete? What ever the case is, the University should get their heads out of their butts and show this man a little support! Just another case of Mason not caring about their students or alumni.
I'm finished ranting now. I will continue to give Mike Kohn a spot in my blog every couple of days. To follow his progress either check here or on nbcolympics.com. It is truly a great accomplishment to represent your country at the Olympics games. Mr. Kohn, you and I have the same attitude, when the world tells us to give it up, we tell the world f*ck you.
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