Fu¢kin' A at the Big A

I'm happy that the Korean team is doing so well [UPDATE: was doing so well] in the inaugural World Baseball Classic. And frankly, I think a lot of the griping in the Korea-related blogosphere is sour grapes emanating from a group that, collectively, is loath to give Korean an inch on any matter.

But I have to agree that the impromptu flag-planting in Anaheim Stadium/Angel Stadium/The Big A was a bit over the top. At least, it seemed so from the pictures. Back in the 2002 World Cup, I thought the Apollo Ohno spoof was in good fun, but this looks like Team Korea is freakin' claiming Orange County for the Republic of Korea (yeah, like that wasn't inevitable).

Does this mean I'll need an F-something visa to go back and visit my nephews and nieces?

Korea, not having invaded its neighbors or anyone and not having exercised hegemony over anyone in the last few centuries, may not carry the same baggage as a swaggering Japan or the United States, but I do think that the What-would-we-do-if-Japan/America-did-this? standard should be applied here.

If Team America (not the stiff wooden puppets from the movie but the stiff wooden players from Major League Baseball) had beaten Team Japan in Seoul, would the viewing audience be all that happy to see some of the American players plant the Stars & Stripes on the mound in Chamshil? Maybe, maybe not (it could go either way, after all that would mean they beat Ichiro).

If Team Japan had beaten Team Korea in Anaheim and then planted the Big Red Circle on the mound, the Korean media and the netizens would quite possibly be having one collective aneurysm.

Korea has been the underdog for so long, with few successes and major wins, that this kind of outburst of giddy nationalistic sentiment was almost be expected. But Korea's record of successes—both inside and outside of sports—has been improving for some time now. It's time to behave like good sports, following losses and wins.

That's one small step for a baseball team, one giant leap for Korea-kind.