- Aug 16, 2011
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So, a few days ago a team from Osaka was in South Korea for a game against a S. Korean team in the Asian Championship League and some 'fan' unfurls a banner reading (in Japanese) "Let's Celebrate the Earthquake." Wtf? Really? Thousands of human beings died in that disaster and someone thinks this is sportsmanship? Really? Ok, it wasn't everyone, just some asshole, and the Korean club wrote a letter of apology and the fan is banned from attending games for ten years, etc. but something is wrong.
During the last World Baseball Classic, when the S. Korean team beat the Japanese one time, after the game they planted a S. Korean flag on the pitcher's mound while the Japanese team was still on the field.
When Japan and S.Korean co-hosted the World Cup a few years back, the German team was met with a huge banner reading "Welcome sons of Hitler." During the same tournament an Italian player was nearly decapitated with one of the most blatant "I'm gonna fucking kill you!" stomps to the head in World Cup history. Foreign teams were met with what seemed like very sincere hostility anytime they played the S.Korean squad.
A few years before that, when a Japanese-American speed skater won a race in the Winter Olympics that involved a controversial judge's decision, the nation of South Korea nearly went insane collectively. The messages of pure hatred against the US and Japan at the time (including 'outrage' over a throw-away joke by Jay Leno) were over the top.
These are the actions and emotions of a minority, to be sure, but...something is seriously wrong.
So, a few days ago a team from Osaka was in South Korea for a game against a S. Korean team in the Asian Championship League and some 'fan' unfurls a banner reading (in Japanese) "Let's Celebrate the Earthquake." Wtf? Really? Thousands of human beings died in that disaster and someone thinks this is sportsmanship? Really? Ok, it wasn't everyone, just some asshole, and the Korean club wrote a letter of apology and the fan is banned from attending games for ten years, etc. but something is wrong.
During the last World Baseball Classic, when the S. Korean team beat the Japanese one time, after the game they planted a S. Korean flag on the pitcher's mound while the Japanese team was still on the field.
When Japan and S.Korean co-hosted the World Cup a few years back, the German team was met with a huge banner reading "Welcome sons of Hitler." During the same tournament an Italian player was nearly decapitated with one of the most blatant "I'm gonna fucking kill you!" stomps to the head in World Cup history. Foreign teams were met with what seemed like very sincere hostility anytime they played the S.Korean squad.
A few years before that, when a Japanese-American speed skater won a race in the Winter Olympics that involved a controversial judge's decision, the nation of South Korea nearly went insane collectively. The messages of pure hatred against the US and Japan at the time (including 'outrage' over a throw-away joke by Jay Leno) were over the top.
These are the actions and emotions of a minority, to be sure, but...something is seriously wrong.
