Korea choking not choking so badly back to choking in the end of the WBC finals

Because of the jinx I laid out before, I am not watching the final game of the 2009 World Baseball Classic, but Marmot informs me that Korea is losing.

I thought this would happen, and I wrote as much at East Windup Chronicle several hours before the game, though my message never appeared. I predicted a score of 5-2, with Japan coming out on top.

You see, when it comes to the crucial games, favored Korean athletes often just choke in the end. They can't take the pressure or they've built things up to much in their mind or something. Choke.

But it was a fun run, though, wasn't it?

UPDATE (10:16 p.m. PDT; 2:16 p.m. Korea/Japan):

My friend Dooly tells me it's tied. Dooly looks nothing like the green dinosaur at left, but that's what she's called.

UPDATE (10:27 p.m. PDT):

Apparently Suzuki Ichiro did something that was not good for the Korean team. Dooly won't tell me, though, because she's whingeing about her job.

UPDATE (10:42 p.m. PDT):

Someone in this building just let out a wild cheer, so I thought maybe Korea scored. Then I realized, no, I'm not in Korea. GyopoTim is sweating.

UPDATE (10:44 p.m. PDT; 2:44 p.m. Korea/Japan):

It's over. No 역전 for Korea: Japan won 5-3, just one run off my prediction of a Japan win of 5-2 (though only the East Windup Chronicle spam filter knows for sure).

Wangkon says it was a good outcome for everyone and congratulates Japan. tboneylr says Ichiro is his new hero, even though "M" in Hyogo-ken says she doesn't care for him because he's "too blunt" (but cute).

One by one, my Korea-based MSN contacts are all coming online. It's kinda freaky.

"S" in Pundang says her coworker were "a little disappointed and that's all," but they thought it was a good game. Not big baseball fans, she says, but they were paying attention since it was the finals.

Final thoughts... So until 2012, Korea can claim Olympic championship and until 2013, Japan can claim WBC championship.

Nice symmetry, that (but I would have liked to see Korea have a chance to win the WBC, just because I don't think it bodes well for a new event if the same team keeps winning, especially since Japan will likely be a major contender again four years from now).

UPDATE (1:44 a.m. PDT; 5:44 p.m. Korea/Japan):

Boneheaded nationalistic bravado lost the game for Team Korea.

Anyway, congratulations are in order for Team Japan. Good job and well deserved. Team Korea, though not the ultimate champions, also deserve a pat on the back.