Why do other countries hate playing sports against the United States?
Watch the U.S. women’s soccer team celebrate its ninth goal of a 13-0 drubbing of Thailand in the World Cup. On a day when Americans were upset about Toronto Raptors fans cheering an injury suffered by Golden State Warriors superstar Kevin Durant, the American women ran up the score against a hapless opponent and spit in their faces with an over-the-top, airplane-glide, leg-kicking, pile-on-the-scorer celebration of a meaningless goal.
Many Canadians were appalled at the reaction of Toronto’s basketball fans, who tried quickly to apologize by chanting Durant’s initials. Too little, too late. But at least there’s some sheepishness.
None of that humility is coming from the Americans, whose fans and players are emphasizing the importance of building up goal differentials in case of tiebreakers at the soccer championship. OK, scoring goals is part of the competition. Rubbing it in to that embarrassing extent, that’s a little much, even for American athletes.