Deadlines, by Jeff

I wanted to write some sort of story this week, but I have to write an article before New Year's for this magazine. So instead, I thought briefly and meanderingly about the meaning of the term "underdog."

Typically an "underdog" competes against a "favorite," or a "top dog," if you will. In a competition with many individual participants, the contestants in between are often referred to as the "middle of the pack." A persistent pursuit of a goal is also called a "dogged" pursuit. A closely contested battle is called a "dogfight." We often say it's a "dog-eat-dog" world out there. Leftovers to be taken home for later consumption are called "doggie bags."

This line of thought can only lead to one conclusion: Somewhere in our distant past, there were dog races in which the dogs ran around a track made up of vertical levels (each dog got its own level). These levels contained occasional traps that caused a dog to fall to the level below it if it failed to navigate said trap. Hence, the best level to race at was the top level, reserved for the favorite, or "top dog." Conversely, an underdog had to constantly fear other dogs invading its level. In such scenarios, brutal fights between the dogs often broke out, and any remains were given to the winning dog's owner, to sustain him and his family.

There is no other explanation.