News Flash: Mexico beats the United States 2-1, knocking the country that invented the game out of the inaugural World Baseball Classic.
Teddy’s Take: Abner Doubleday is turning over in his grave, as we speak. How embarrassing!
First our basketball team gets beaten like a red-headed stepchild at the last Olympics. Now our baseball nine takes a worse whuppin than a rented mule at this joke of an international baseball tournament. The only saving grace is we won’t suffer the indignity of watching Fidel Castro make like Red Auerbach and light up a stogie at our expense.
Hey look. I know this thing was a poorly put together endeavor and that the U.S. didn’t take it as seriously as some of the Latin American countries. But even a South Korean team loaded with a bunch of no-names cleaned our clock on the diamond. Save for a completely bogus call on a tag-up play, we would have lost to Japan as well and gone 0-3 in the qualifying round. And that doesn’t even include the biggest disgrace of them all, an 8-6 preliminary round loss to a Canadian team led by Adam Stern. Adam Freakin’ Stern!!!!
Is it just me? Am I the only one embarrassed by the Americans’ showing in the World Baseball Classic? Should we have seen this coming? Does anyone care?
Hello and welcome to reality boys and girls, baseball may have been invented in the USA but it's being perfected in other countries! Remember the million dollar babies playing in MLB and needing " growth hormones" and "performance enhancing drugs" to play and perform better. I'd take nine of the mediocre players playing for peanuts anyday. They know how to step it up when it counts. They also know how to play as a team!!
Guess all the millionaires were worried about their tricked out rides and not able to concentrate on baseball. My heart goes out to each and everyone of them. Including Mr. George Steinbrenner cause now he has a 52 million dollar centerfielder with a bad left wing. Just what the "BOSS" didn't want to see happen. Remember "downward spiral"! I hope he's fine to sign that first check!!
In general, I won't allow myself to feel more emabarrassed by the PERFORMANCE of a bunch of friggin' whiners and crybabies. It can't outweigh the embarrassment their
attitude already provides.
Most likely though your last question probably sums it all up. The players most likely didn't care and I don't know of many fans that gave a crap about the tournament either. There might be some correlation, in a vice-versa connection sort-of-way.
"Americanized" sports, ...what other countries laugh at, refers to overpayed and pampered players, be it baseball, football, etc. I am all for rooting for the home teams of america, but you have to admit we are a very lax country that treats its players like rock stars. If some players spent more time playing and less time signing autographs and looking for a higher salary team to move up to (you know who I mean), this country would kick ass at an event like this.
I agree with all the feedback your getting Ted....Pampered players who can't play a team game like a team anymore...
Interesting idea for Hockey...Here me out...What is this crap about checking the leagality of the sticks before a shootout. The shoot out stinks anyway...
My idea should be any time a player gets a penalty..when he gets in the box they should have a ref or desigate in the box check the players stick...If it's not legal add a 2 minute penalty or make it a 5 minute major. That way they randomly will be checking the sticks of most players throughout the game and season. Also have the coaches pick all the shooters for the shoot out at the beginning...not as each shot is taken.
Christo