Go ahead, write Team Ateneo off.

Write them off for the times they failed to meet expectations. That as the competition ups the ante, they fold and concede. In recent years, Team Ateneo was always on the cusp of victory, close to the podium finish, but always ended up returning frustrated and dejected. Though the goals have been set early on, the output, more often than not, remains below par. Carrying the label of a perennial favorite, there is constant pressure to perform above the rest, and in failing to do so, failure is magnified tenfold.

The underdog has nothing to lose, yet plays with everything on the line. Our Loyola-based athletes are constantly under scrutiny and criticism. The magnifying glasses are always directed towards them, everyone waiting for the moment all bearings fall apart.

For those squads that have lagged behind, this is their wake-up call. There is no other chance to earn respect but now. And for the players who wilt and crumble under the intense pressure, now is the opportunity to embrace adversity and conquer it.

Write them off for lacking that killer instinct. For those moments when the Blue and White failed to land the finishing blow that knocks their opponents out. There have been many instances, where they were expected to taste blood and go for the kill but failed to do so. And a painful realization is that those consoling “what ifs” and “there’s always next year” quotes only fuel complacency. That sentiment has killed so many championship aspirations, and for the graduating students, there is no next year to look forward to.

The underdog personifies fire, intensity, and a whole lot of swagger. Each time they face their rivals, they play with a chip on their shoulder, always looking for something to prove. In proving their detractors wrong, they prove their worth and become true winners altogether.

For the teams who have begun to find their identity, now is the time to build on their momentum from last year, to become bigger than they envisioned themselves to be, and believe that the ultimate prize is within striking distance.

Write them off for breaking our hearts at the end of every season. For all the times they have gone so far, only to end up falling flat on their faces as the finish line comes into sight. Too often has the Ateneo community rallied behind their teams, who make furious runs at the title, eventually come up short, and head home with heavy hearts.

The underdog relishes the thought of slaying the proverbial giant, and knows that the quest will only be complete when they are able to do so. They crush the spirit and take the fight out of their opponents, establishing their true superiority and greatness, beyond the measure of any score or statistic.
For the entire school, the time to believe is now. All players wear their jersey with the school’s name in front, because that is how it should be. Each victory and defeat comes together under the name of the school they have invested their loyalties in. It should follow that the school’s spirit reaches feverish pitches and inspires to no end.

Adidas claims that “Impossible is Nothing.” For Team Ateneo’s overall championship bid, the paradigm is shifted, where “Highly Improbable is Everything.” But maybe, this is the situation where Ateneo wants to be in: the ones being doubted, the ones expected to fall, the ones who are given little chances to succeed. So that when all is said and done, they may prove everyone wrong as they walk with heads held high.

Go ahead, write Team Ateneo off. I dare you.