Yes, soon it will be time for all the nations of the world to come together in harmony and contest their differences on the athletic field.
What's that you say?
They're doing that right now?
The Olympics?
Screw that.
I'm talking World Baseball Classic.
Are you juiced?

Yeah, me neither.
I've tried stirring up the jingoistic juices, tried making snide comments whenever I'm watching the Olympics -- "Yeah, that's just what I'd expect from an Estonian...."
But I don't think it's working. It's just not possible to dislike most of the Olympics' dominant countries. Germany, maybe. Austria's getting easier, the more they cheat and appear to have completely insane coaches on the payroll. But Norway? Canada? It ain't happening.
But baseball? I care about baseball. I should be able to get it up for the WBC, right?
Um, no.
Let's start with the logo ---------------------------------------->

Damn thing looks they struck some sort of tie-in with Simon

Of course, the whole tournament appears to be nothing more than an excuse to sell a ton of overpriced gear.
Well, jerseys are a decently affordable $110. (Apparently, MLB wasn't paying attention to the whole Turin/Torino debate when they let Italy go by whatever they wanted to be called. Not to mention, why do the Italian jerseys look so much like the Dodgers? Is Lasorda running the team? Hmmm.) --------->
But the hats?
The hats are $35!
That is a bit too much money for me to show my pride in the U.S. -- or any other country.
Especially when some of the countries have, um, interesting hat designs.
There's the Japanese, who despite having one of the most distinctive flags in the world, get stuck with a simple "Japan" in script----------------------------------------------------------->
Seriously.
Nothing based on the flag. No cool Kanji characters for the country name.
Oy.
Then there's the Chinese, who apparently are stuck in the middle of early-1990s California, with their insistence on using Old Style as their font of choice.
Canada apparently has something on the folks in MLB's design shop. Their hat didn't turn out too bad. Though, again, one of the most recognizable flags in the world, wasted in an effort to get a black hat. I think there's still a maple leaf in there somewhere.
Aargh.

All I know is that it's a damn good thing I'm already a baseball fan. Cause I'll watch. But I won't be happy about it. (Unless the Austrians put together a team and put Walter Mayer in charge. The drives to the field alone would be worth the effort.

And speaking of the Olympics, it's more hot Olympic athlete info:

Here's the U.S. curling team -- the

Curl Girls -- in all their glory: http://curlgirls.cpotter.net/

Yep. Hats and hot women I'll never meet. That would be my life, right there.