Thank you. Gold. That's the nothing personal word of the day. It's Tuesday, March 17th,

2026. Gold. As in the gold medal. As in tonight in Miami, at the ballpark, formerly known as

Marlins Park, currently known as Lone Depot Park,

will crown a winner to this edition of the World Baseball Classic and what a tournament it's been.

The United States of America, led by Captain Aaron Judge, will be at the ballpark trying to finish what they felt has been their destiny

from the minute the team was put together by general manager Michael Hill.

And they are playing, as they expected, Team Japan.

No, excuse me. That's what was expected except Japan. No, excuse me. That's what was expected, except Japan got eliminated in the

quarterfinals. Three-time winner of this tournament, led by Shohei Otani this year, eliminated in the

quarters by a team from Venezuela, a team that had never been to the

World Baseball Classic Finals, a team from a country that has been in the news and not the

sports pages, a team from a country filled with players, all of whom play with a sense of pride

and patriotism that makes just about any other country

seem like patriotism light. If you want to talk about pressure, you talk about the men from

Venezuela playing baseball, knowing that it's not just important for the Baseball Federation.

It's important not just for the citizens who like baseball.

It's important for the geopolitical climate in Venezuela

as a way to somehow make the impossible come true

where sports as the true distraction becomes something that makes

people feel good about themselves and their situation even when the game isn't happening.

You see most sporting events can draw a sense of pride to a moment going back to the miracle on ice in 1980,

all the way through the Dream Team in 1992 and places in between,

...