Growing up in America, there’s a certain mentality that we take in as sports fans when it comes to international competition. Mostly, we’ll only cheer for our country and when they lose, lose interest.

I see it so much when it comes to the World Cup and the Olympics. Only the sports that America is in that we care about. No other country matters. It’s our “America is #1” mentality that makes us act this way. It’s good to want to be the best, but sometimes when we’re not, it’s not the end of everything.

So with the World Baseball Classic, that’s how I felt. I didn’t want to feel that the US was the only team I wanted to watch. There were other teams that interested me. I realized that this was the WORLD Baseball Classic and this is not the “America is better than you” tournament. It was a tournament for the world.

I am not saying that I am anti-American, but I was glad the Americans were eliminated. I just didn’t feel that the players appreciated it enough. There was not a lot of true pride. And part of it is because we are so spoiled. But with the other countries, it was different. There was a pride that I wish America showed. I am not calling for over-exuberance, but I wanted to see that the Americans cared. Because I didn’t see it, I kind of wanted a country that did win it.

With that, I am glad that the final four featured countries that truly appreciated the stage. Especially for Dominicans, Puerto Ricans and even the Dutch, winning the WBC would mean the world to them. It held so much more for them. They needed it more than the Americans did. It was a great final and it was great for me to see that the world won in this tournament. The pride, excitement and the gravity of the tournament win was very apparent.

This is exactly what the purpose was for this tournament. To bring countries together so they can lift each other up. The game grows, the passion and pride grows and the sport booms.

Had the US won, it would have been great too. But I know for a fact that because they didn’t win, it was better for the sport.