How psyched are the Koreans? For the second time during this WBC, the Koreans outplayed Japan, this time bringing it to poster boy Yu Darvish in the first inning. And as seen above, for the second time in two WBCs Korea (literally) planted the flag on the mound. Starter Bong Jeung-kung was lights out against Nippon and beat them for the second time in the tournament.
Allright readers, let’s hear it….
(photo courtesy of Reuters)
51 responses so far ↓
1 Dan // Mar 18, 2009 at 11:20 pm
Bong swears, dips, and beat his wife. The minors prepared him well.
2 itchy // Mar 19, 2009 at 12:26 am
Doesn’t beating your wife fuck with your mechanics?
As Ichiro goes, so goes the Samurais. As Ichiro slumps…
3 Korea Beat // Mar 19, 2009 at 12:37 am
The flag-on-the-mound thing is unsportsmanlike. The WBC rules committee should put a stop to it.
4 Dan // Mar 19, 2009 at 12:40 am
Korea’s date with destiny:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AqsEmR74vvr5nNvMVO5qB145nYcB?slug=ti-korea031809&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
5 Ironchef // Mar 19, 2009 at 12:50 am
I’d love to plant my flag somewhere
6 simon // Mar 19, 2009 at 1:10 am
Didn’t think the flag planting is unsportsmanlike comment would come out of Korea. Interesting.
Japan was poorly managed (playing Kataoka out of position at short, the most important position on the field, removing the sure bat of Uchikawa just because of the lefty-righty matchup, sending in useless relievers in place of useful ones, etc.), but Darvish’s shaky first inning was enough with the meagre Japanese bats.
Tomorrow should be interesting against Cuba. Looks like it’ll be Maya starting for Cuba, but who knows Chapman can come back as he only racked up 44 pitches in his disaster outing against Japan in their first matchup.
7 DJ // Mar 19, 2009 at 1:36 am
Korea planted the flag in 2006 too. Japanese players got mad then too. People called in unsportsmanlike than too. Other people (like me) thought it was cool then too.
I thought this was the era of hope and change!
8 hansioux // Mar 19, 2009 at 1:48 am
planting a flag on the mound isn’t as enraging as spray painting the flag on home plate. Team Korea should try that next time for better angering Japanese effect.
9 Ironchef // Mar 19, 2009 at 1:54 am
You know what would really piss off the Japanese? If Lee Bum-Ho got Darvish Yu’s wife preganant
10 Jackson // Mar 19, 2009 at 2:26 am
Lee Bum-ho is one of the best names in baseball.
11 Ron // Mar 19, 2009 at 4:35 am
If you’re going to have competitions based on nationality, you have to allow flag planting.
They play for their country, not a business.
12 Patrick // Mar 19, 2009 at 4:39 am
They should save the flag planting for when the win the tournament.
13 Brian // Mar 19, 2009 at 5:01 am
The flag-planting is lame and is in bad taste. But I guess the home Ko-rowd ate it up. Maybe because the mound reminds them of Dokdo.
14 DJ // Mar 19, 2009 at 5:07 am
I really don’t see the difference between planting a flag and waving one around the stadium–or, for that matter, a player pointing to a flag on his hat. What am I missing?
15 Shinsano // Mar 19, 2009 at 6:40 am
The flag planting initially bothered me, but I agree that in international play you’ve got to expect a bit of that.
And likewise, when Japan plays Korea in the 2013 in Incheon, Koreans better get ready to accept the same thing happening on their soil if Japan beats them. Something tells me that wouldn’t go down well.
I’d also add the fact that Koreans still wear American flags on their bodies and call it stylish. Not good style mind you, but a style nonetheless.
16 Shinsano // Mar 19, 2009 at 7:04 am
Brian, who publicly stated he was avoiding the WBC, has a couple great WBC posts on his site…the first is another Dokdo shill…this time, in the form of a giant banner.
http://briandeutsch.blogspot.com/2009/03/nothing-garnishes-victory-celebration.html
Like I said in my previous comment, the flag crap doesn’t get me too ticked off, but outright politicking does. Especially on this issue which I’m beyond tired of hearing about. Like I said yesterday, if this sort of thing gets people to take an opposing view on Dokdo, I certainly won’t try to persuade them otherwise.
Next, here’s a classless headline in a major Korean newspaper that reads “Ichiro Hirobumi,” referring to the fact that Ichiro was 0 for 3 vs. Korea, and Hirobumi, who was the Resident-General of Korea prior to Japan’s occupation that was assassinated in 1909 when he was hit with three bullets from An Jung-geun. Again, this kind of nationalism is way over the top and only serves to embarrass Koreans when it’s translated into English and read by a lot of people.
http://briandeutsch.blogspot.com/2009/03/ichiro-hitobumi.html
17 DJ // Mar 19, 2009 at 7:08 am
Are you speculating that the 2013 tournament will be in Incheon, or do you know something the rest of us don’t?
18 Andy // Mar 19, 2009 at 7:16 am
Quit crying about the flag planting. Unsportsmanlike this, unsportsmanlike that, who cares. You want unsportsmanlike, why don’t you ask Ichiro about it, I’m sure he can write a book about how to piss off your opponents.
19 Shinsano // Mar 19, 2009 at 7:18 am
I’m just speculating but with confidence that I’m correct. Like I said before, they’ve announced the plans for the stadium and said at the press conference that they want to use it to attract the WBC (how about that, officials talking about the WBC five years in advance).
It would be primarily for the 2014 Asian games in Incheon, so they aren’t going to just go back on the plans unless they run into an impossible financial circumstance.
It was a little questionable that they did Pool A in Tokyo twice anyway, but given the success of the Korean team in this WBC, I don’t think WBC officials can deny them. Even if they have to play it in SK’s park or in Jamsil in Seoul.
20 Andy // Mar 19, 2009 at 7:21 am
And Shinsano, there’s a MAJOR difference between planting your national flag on the opponent’s soil and planting the flag in neutral ground. Korea never planted its flag in the Tokyo Dome. No country would deign itself to openly humiliate another country in that manner.
Don’t complain about Korean nationalism, when you probably know just as much as the rest of us that Japanese nationalism rivals that of both Korea and China.
It’s amazing how some of you guys find the strong sense of nationalism surprising. Almost as if all this is new to you.
21 Marc // Mar 19, 2009 at 7:27 am
For an ignorant American, what is this whole Dokdo thing about? Best I can tell, Japan and Korea are fighting over some little piles of rocks in the Japanese Sea.
22 DJ // Mar 19, 2009 at 7:28 am
It’s cold in Seoul in March, right?
Andy, I’m assuming that all of this doesn’t really piss you off and that you’re just trying to be provocative.
I think you’re right, though, about the flag-planting: As I recall, the Koreans stuck the flag in the mound in Anaheim after beating Japan for the second time. And, like Petco this year, there were mostly Korean-American fans there. So it played more like a home game.
Whatever. We’re grown-ups. Nation-states are political entities, so there will inevitably be politics at sporting events with national teams. It may be regretable, but it’s reality. So I’ll live with it.
23 Patrick // Mar 19, 2009 at 9:52 am
I never heard of Dokdo until I saw it on a sign during yesterday’s game. When I looked it up on wikipedia today, I thought that it was a pretty silly to be touting that rather than enjoying the game.
24 Andy // Mar 19, 2009 at 9:55 am
Marc, as far as I know, Dokdo are two rock islands that aren’t big or even really inhabitable, but it’s a strategic location and also increases a country’s economic zone. It’s also a very rich fishing spot and full of resources. The two countries are fighting over who it belongs to. To this day, the islets are physically controlled and inhabited by Koreans and the Korean government.
DJ, I don’t live in Seoul, I live in Oahu Hawaii. And if you’re trying to imply that I’m Korean, well I’m not. My dad’s Japanese and my mom’s Filipino.
25 Andy // Mar 19, 2009 at 9:59 am
And yes, I’m not a fan of Ichiro. If it weren’t for Ichiro, I would be rooting for Japan to win again. But now, his arrogance really is a major problem. I can’t stand his arrogant behavior. It makes the entire Japanese team look bad.
26 hansioux // Mar 19, 2009 at 10:35 am
Dude, Dokdo is just one those those thousands of barely habitable island dispute flamed up by the UN economic water bull. These issues can be solved peacefully, an example is the Pedra Branca dispute between Singapore and Malaysia. Just goto International Court and get it settle with. It’s not as if Japan is claiming that it owns Korea. Unlike the other two baseball nations that played in the WBC.
Planting the flag is much different from waving one. Much like burning one is not the same as waving one. If Korea knows not to plant the flag in Tokyo stadium, they shouldn’t be doing it anywhere else as far as I am concerned. I don’t see that behavior from anyother baseball teams in any international venue ever. And I don’t think it should start in the WBC. Waving the flag, carry one and run around the stadium is sufficient.
27 Brian // Mar 19, 2009 at 10:36 am
Not that I’m consciously avoiding the WBC, it’s just that I don’t care that much about baseball. If I weren’t living in Korea I wouldn’t even know it’s on.
28 DJ // Mar 19, 2009 at 10:52 am
“And if you’re trying to imply that I’m Korean, well I’m not. My dad’s Japanese and my mom’s Filipino.” WTF?
29 baekgom84 // Mar 19, 2009 at 11:08 am
I don’t have a problem with the flag planting. I just think it will be a stupid gesture if Japan comes back and beats them again when it counts.
30 Christopher Amano-Langtree // Mar 19, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Never was Hara’s paucity as a tactician more exposed. But in the end it all boils down to who was hungrier. The Koreans answered that – well played
31 Dan // Mar 19, 2009 at 1:58 pm
“act like you’ve been there before”
i hate this saying…but it crossed my mind when i saw the flag come out on the mound. i was telling my friend before the final pitch, I hope Korea just congratulates each other and focuses on the next game. I say…plant the flag on the mound after you win the WBC….not simply getting in the final 4.
I expect many a Korean-American to be at Dodger Stadium for Korea’s game. I’m no different…I’m breaking out the Doosan jersey and gonna be there as well.
32 simon // Mar 19, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Japan v Korea, round 4 tomorrow, though I’d expect both teams to treat the game more like a warm up for the semifinals. There’s no point in trying to choose between USA and Venezuela, really.
33 DJ // Mar 19, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Japan looked bad-ass tonight. Ichiro caught fire in the later innings. If he’s back on track…uh oh.
Steven Phillips on ESPN2’s coverage predicted that Korea will win it all. Which, no doubt, means they won’t. But he and Orel Hershiser were creaming on and on about how far Korea’s come, how they combine the best of Asian and American baseball, and how they’re a more complete and hungrier team than Team Japan. That last point sounds right to me.
Tomorrow will be the pointless seeding game. The winner of that squares off against the new-look Team USA on Sunday. I’ll be there!
34 simon // Mar 19, 2009 at 4:36 pm
It might be meaningful if King Felix goes for Venezuela in the semis.
35 hydr0310 // Mar 19, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Someone said that Korea sould expect the same if Korea loses to Japan in 2013? The Japanese can go ahead an do that and that will probably be the last thing they do in their life!
36 Jackson // Mar 19, 2009 at 6:43 pm
I’m not mad at the flag planting but it is a bit tacky, you have to admit. Kinda funny actually.
37 Jason // Mar 19, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Shinsano – In response to your comment that “Koreans still wear American flags on their bodies and call it stylish.” I find this type of “style” to be prevalent in Asia including Japan. Not only flags of U.S. or U.K., there is a certain infatuation with English language in general as can be evidenced by numerous Jpop artists using English that doesn’t really make much sense within the context of song or T-shirts with English phrases that many Japanese teens wear that is utterly non sequitur. It’s probably “not a good style mind you.” “But a style nonetheless,” as you have said, especially considering both countries interaction with U.S. in the past and currently in terms of military bases located on their soil and the constitutional limitations on each countries’ armed force by the U.S. It is a strange infatuation I must admit.
In terms of purely personal opinion, I do find this whole idea of baseball teams representing each country to be rather absurd and funny, including the flag-planting incident that Korean team engaged upon. But, I do find the distinction between flag waving, flag painting, and flag planting to be more absurd. Flag waving and painting, while planting it over steps the boundaries of decency in sportsmanship? Is there a certain standardized test for this? Should I force Japanese team to stop calling themselves Samurai Japan, because I find it a distasteful form of expression since it brings back the idea of feudalism and revisionism of hierarchical structure that Meiji Revolution deconstructed? Also, I’m not sure what an individual or a group chooses to do can account for a nation as a whole?
Just wanted to remind everyone that this is baseball game after all, and politicizing the nature of game through how one country is too nationalistic and what not per se is also politicizing the game as well. Just let them be, and enjoy the show.
38 Ironchef // Mar 19, 2009 at 11:57 pm
I don’t know what you folks are tlaking about, Koreans hate Americans. Especially American GIs
Should I force Japanese team to stop calling themselves Samurai Japan, because I find it a distasteful form of expression since it brings back the idea of feudalism and revisionism of hierarchical structure that Meiji Revolution deconstructed?
All I know is that Ogasawara when shaved looks like Lou Diamond Phillips, and while he’s got facial hair, my mom says he looks like the kind of Japanese that rapes women and kills babies!
39 Jackson // Mar 20, 2009 at 12:10 am
I don’t think all Koreans hate Americans.
One thing I like about Chef’s comments, however, are the nuance and subtlety with which he conveys his ideas.
40 simon // Mar 20, 2009 at 1:05 am
Haha.
Flag planting is generally associated with claiming that land tho. Iwojima and the moon for America and the sub-Arctic for Russia come to mind, not that they ended up holding any legal rights.
41 DJ // Mar 20, 2009 at 1:17 am
“Flag planting is generally associated with claiming that land tho.” Good point. Which is why doing it in Japan would be a bad idea.
As a native San Diegan, should I be up in arms that the Korean national baseball team has staked a claim to my ancestral land? Those assholes!
42 simon // Mar 20, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Planted flag on auction at MLB site… wonder who will get the money?
http://auction.mlb.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=103397446&prmenbr=33072944&aunbr=103744156
43 hansioux // Mar 20, 2009 at 5:15 pm
On the Asian culture’s considering flags of US, UK or Canada and English slogans on shirts as fashion, it does exist, and not just in Asia. I’ve seen Asian children wearing T-shirts that says “I love Marijuana” with a leaf on the shirt. I think if the parents knew what it meant they wouldn’t buy it for their kids (or would they…).
On the other hand, English speaking countries are equally fascinated with Asian cultures. Hence the Kanji and Hangul tattoos worn by people who didn’t really know what they mean. Even Prince Fielder got ?? (prince) tattooed on his neck over this winter.
I think it’s a good thing that people are interested in other cultures.
44 simon // Mar 20, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Lincecum has a ? tattoo between his shoulder blades I think… and a lot of NBA players have kanji/hanzi tats
45 Jackson // Mar 20, 2009 at 11:53 pm
Lol @ Hansioux…..I do need to ask, when I see Taiwanese young people wearing t-shirts that say things like “ECSTASY MDMA”, “FUCKING HOT ASS”, and have pot leaves on the front, are people aware of the meaning of any of this? You see families of four walking around with t-shirts like this.
46 Ironchef // Mar 21, 2009 at 12:18 am
I love it when White people get Chinese Characters tattooed on them when they have no idea what it means.
47 brendan // Mar 21, 2009 at 3:05 am
in lincecum’s case, at least he is part asian, so he has some idea of the asian culture
48 simon // Mar 21, 2009 at 8:52 am
Lincecum’s part Filipino though, so there aren’t any Chinese character connections there.
49 Brian // Mar 21, 2009 at 9:28 am
I carry a bag with the American flag on it. It’s pretty stylish I think.
http://briandeutsch.blogspot.com/2008/09/thats-true-confederate-flag-is-pretty.html
50 hansioux // Mar 22, 2009 at 6:04 am
Brian I can almost hear the first notes of Dixie looking at the bags…
Jason, yeah, most likely they don’t know. “Hot Ass” shirts on kids aren’t the signs of parents in the know.
Simon, there is actually a large sized Chinese Pinoy population. In fact many Tagalog kinship words, such as “Ate” (older sister), “Apo” (grandpa), “Impo” (grandma) are loan words from Hokkien dialect.
These are not easy words to be replaced by loan words. As close as Korean and Japanese were to Chinese, they didn’t loand kinship words from Chinese (except hyeong for male to address slightly older male). The fact these kinship loan words exists shows an intimate influence of Chinese culture to Tagalog.
Chinese merchants from Hokkien have immigrated to the Philippines since the Spanish period. Population in the Chinese quarters in Manila, Parian, at several times out numbered other populations, resulting in several massacres.
In the 1603 Chinese massacre, 20,000 Chinese in Manila refusing to convert to Hispanic names were killed. Leaving still large numbers of Chinese who did convert.
In fact, José Rizal, the national hero and martyr of the Philippine Revolution, is of Chinese decent, so is the first Filipino Saint, St. Lorenzo Ruiz.
There are a lot of Chinese decent in the Philippines, and due to forced conversion to Hispanic last names, it isn’t easy to tell.
51 Jow // Apr 10, 2009 at 4:52 am
Dokdo issue
http://english.dokdohistory.com/dokdo-history/dokdo-korean-territory.asp
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~korean/SpecialAnnouncement/DokdoIsland.pdf
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