Monday, March 23, 2009

Live Blogging: WBC Championship Japan vs. Korea

Live blogging the 9th inning of the 2009 WBC Championship between Japan and Korea. Please refer to IEC's slogan in response to your complaints.



9:28pm: 1 out left in the bottom of the 8th. Crowd going wild. ESPN says 54,000 people and you might have to agree since it's loud as hell.

9:33pm: One of my favorite "This is SportsCenter" commercials with the New Jersey Red Devil just played.

9:36pm: Ichiro almost knocked one out just like the Seattle Mariners almost made the playoffs.

9:37pm: Hee-Seop Choi ran on the field and was quickly tackled by Dodgers security.

9:40pm: Score is 3-2, Japan leading. Korea with some nice defense, 3 players named Lee, 2 named Kim, and one Choo.

9:46pm: Korea gets a strike out to end the top of the 9th. Just 3 outs left.

9:49pm: Here's something I know you're all thinking to yourself: "Are they serving Dodger Dogs made with real Dog to make Koreans feel at home?". You sir, are an ignorant racist.

9:51pm: Crowd is confused by the playing of Europe's The Final Countdown. There's no team from Europe playing here.

9:57pm: Announcers shocked by the movement of a slider. Ball 4, men on first and second with one out. 2 walks in a row.

10:01pm: With one out left and two men on, Japan looks for their second WBC Championship. If only America cared.

10:03pm: One of Korea's Lee players gets a base hit, we're all tied up! Here we go excitement here we go, clap clap.

10:06pm: The game is going into extra innings. I know it's past 1am on the east coast and ratings in America aren't what they should be, but this has been a very fun game to watch. Updates will be sporadic as I check on my homemade Coca-Cola Barbecue Sauce that's ready to boil. Stay tuned...

10:23pm: Ichiro comes through in the clutch. Japan leading 5-3, Korea is D O N E.

10:39pm: Game over! Japan wins 5-3 thanks to Ichiro. He's a hero to us all.

10:43pm: "I Love LA" played in the background. Carlos' response: "wtf!"
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Closing Comment:

Earlier today every writer on Around The Horn said they didn't buy into the WBC since America doesn't send the best of the best. It's a valid point, especially now that Japan has won the second WBC Championship and has a great chance to three-peat.

For people like myself who enjoy watching sports on TV, especially baseball, the WBC is something I follow casually and will at least try to watch when aired. But I'm not most baseball fans. I'm not sure the MLB will ever come to terms with the fact that most American's could care less about this championship. Baseball is too deeply rooted in American history for a Braves fan, let alone a Braves player, to care about any championship that isn't the World Series.

The U.S.A. will never win the WBC Championship unless they bring a group of players together who play/practice regularly. And we will never see the best of the best from every MLB team unless a real gold medal is involved and the Olympics moves to December through March.

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