How can they be considered "World Champs"...

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Deeko

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
12
81
Simple - our leagues are better than their leagues. There is no international league, the MLB, while based in America, is the premiere baseball league in the world. Same goes for the NBA and NFL. Sure - there are international basketball teams that are decent, but put one single team from one of those leagues and put them against the Lakers or the Heat and see what happens.
 
bhanson

bhanson

Golden Member
Jan 16, 2004
1,749
0
76
I think it's fine, the best players will always migrate to the largest event.
 
B

bfdd

Lifer
Feb 3, 2007
13,312
1
0
raystorm said:
I always read stuff from people who want the MLB champs to go against the Japan League champs (Bobby Valentine is one such person) to determine a "World Champion" but nothing ever comes of it. There is a MLB All Stars versus Japan thing every few years but thats about it. There is also the World Baseball Classic which I like though lots of fans and executives hate.
Click to expand...

WBC is fucking tight and my favorite time to watch Baseball. I wish we would see a more international MLB. I think it would help revive Baseball.
 
T

TheTony

Golden Member
Jun 23, 2005
1,418
1
0
Sure, the titles may be inaccurate. However, the examples used (baseball, football, basketball) were all games created in the US, and their championships (World Series, Superbowl, NBA Championship) existed before their sports gained international appeal.

What international equivalent does the NFL have? The only counterparts I've seen for it are NFL Europe (same organization) and the CFL, which isn't identical as far as rules are concerned.
 
D

dougp

Diamond Member
May 3, 2002
7,909
4
0
TheTony said:
Sure, the titles may be inaccurate. However, the examples used (baseball, football, basketball) were all games created in the US, and their championships (World Series, Superbowl, NBA Championship) existed before their sports gained international appeal.

What international equivalent does the NFL have? The only counterparts I've seen for it are NFL Europe (same organization) and the CFL, which isn't identical as far as rules are concerned.
Click to expand...

Basketball was invented in Canada ...
 
SphinxnihpS

SphinxnihpS

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2005
8,368
25
91
Show me a team from any country that could even compete in MLB... or the NBA for that matter. Comparisons to the NFL are laughable. They're world champs because they beat the best teams in the world.

In the 50s through the 70s the Ruskies could have fucked up any NHL team, but who gives a shit about Can'tadian sports?
 
Last edited:
zinfamous

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,856
31,346
146
bfdd said:
WBC is fucking tight and my favorite time to watch Baseball. I wish we would see a more international MLB. I think it would help revive Baseball.
Click to expand...

WBC is kinda fun, actually. I like how each country sends its absolute best players (this includes countries like DR and PR) who tend to dominate MLB, while the USA team, barring guys like Jeter and ARod, send mostly top AAA talent.

makes for a fun way to see the top players from other nations compete with not only the best in the MLB, but also much of the rising prospects.

I also like seeing Cuba come out of the ether to more-or-less dominate everyone. :D
 
Whoozyerdaddy

Whoozyerdaddy

Lifer
Jun 27, 2005
19,216
1
61
SunnyD said:
When the league they play in is barely passable for an "international" sport? Yes, I'm talking about baseball. The same can be said about basketball, and even more so about American football.

Now don't get me wrong, baseball actually is a world-wide sport, despite my disdain for it even being called a sport. But honestly, calling a team that plays in MLB a world champion? That's a little ballsy isn't it?

/artifical rant
Click to expand...

All the best players in the world play in the MLB. It's the best baseball league there is. This shouldn't be too hard.
 
KeithTalent

KeithTalent

Elite Member | Administrator | No Lifer
Administrator
Nov 30, 2005
50,231
118
116
SphinxnihpS said:
Show me a team from any country that could even compete in MLB... or the NBA for that matter. Comparisons to the NFL are laughable. They're world champs because they beat the best teams in the world.
Click to expand...

The Yomiuri Giants.

KT
 
middlehead

middlehead

Diamond Member
Jul 11, 2004
4,573
2
81
Train said:
That's not saying much. Monday Night "Raw" has had better ratings than MNF for over a decade.
Click to expand...

This decade? Not a chance in hell. I still watch Raw from time to time, they struggle to cross a 3.25 rating on an unopposed night, they'll easily drop to 3 with a half-assed MNF game and to/under 2.75 with a good one.
 
BoomerD

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
66,260
14,690
146
The US is the only country where baseball is considered the "national pastime."

Japan has its teams and leagues, but they don't play baseball...they play Basubaru!

:p
 
T

TheTony

Golden Member
Jun 23, 2005
1,418
1
0
dougp said:
Basketball was invented in Canada ...
Click to expand...

Naismith was a Canadian, sure, and his background in physical education began in Ontario and Montreal, but the game we know as basketball didn't exist until his time in Massachusetts, when he was asked to create a new game for the YMCA there.
 
B

bfdd

Lifer
Feb 3, 2007
13,312
1
0
zinfamous said:
WBC is kinda fun, actually. I like how each country sends its absolute best players (this includes countries like DR and PR) who tend to dominate MLB, while the USA team, barring guys like Jeter and ARod, send mostly top AAA talent.

makes for a fun way to see the top players from other nations compete with not only the best in the MLB, but also much of the rising prospects.

I also like seeing Cuba come out of the ether to more-or-less dominate everyone. :D
Click to expand...

Yeah it's my favorite. I'm really bummed I got to busy to make it to a game the last time around :( Had to watch it online.
 
CZroe

CZroe

Lifer
Jun 24, 2001
24,195
857
126
Umm, baseball can have a world champion because Canada participates too. :D

Kinda like NHL hockey.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom