So much drama in the WBC

by
March 16, 2009

I continue to not get excited about the WBC, but that doesn’t mean that the off-the-field stuff isn’t interesting. For example, there’s all kinds of fun stuff in Jack Curry’s WBC notes piece. Like the fact that Bernie Williams was either (a) wrongfully accused of striking that woman or (b) is really getting the wagons circled for him in the subsequent investigation. Things like the United States maybe making roster changes a little too late in the game. Things like Chipper Jones getting his annual cascade of never-quite-healing injuries started early this year. And finally, things like Hugo Chavez really not helping matters for Magglio Ordonez all that much.

On a more serious note, Jeff Passan lets the USA have it for making a mockery of the WBC. I can’t say I disagree with a word of it.


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RobRob
15 years ago

Americans aren’t crazy about soccer.  Some are, most aren’t.  But at least international soccer puts its best players on the field in every competitive game.  You will never see Cristano Ronaldo beg out of a World Cup qualifier for Portugal, or Kaká for Brazil, or Lionel Messi for Argentina, or Didier Drogba for Ivory Coast.  And as arcane as the tie-breaker rules might be for tournaments, every fan in the stadium knows the significance of every goal for advancing.

That Team USA didn’t know about the mercy rule is unacceptable.  Passan is right; The WBC is a farce.

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kendynamo
15 years ago

i support pro players putting thier employer first and thier country second.  in baseball and basketball and everything else. if i could trade one mets win for having team USA lose ever single game by the mercy rule i would do it in a heartbeat. 

the WBC is entertaining to watch though, and i dont want it to fail.  but i will never consider it anything more than an exhibition.  passan maybe right, but i couldnt care less. 

so i am pro WBC, i am just so much more pro MLB.

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Brian
15 years ago

I get why Mr. Passan wants the USA to be successful in the WBC, but at the same time, if the USA team just rolled through every opponent, wouldn’t that do more to kill worldwide interest in the WBC than anything else?  US fan interest is minimal, at best, and better play isn’t going to change that, not when fans are waiting for the real season to start, desperately hoping no one on their team gets hurt.

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