Sanity has disappeared at the World Cup

First, Fu Manchu. Then the Japanese imperialists.

And now us. Us Hollywood-behaving, gold-medal-stealing, Toyota-driving Americans.

Two days ago, I thought they loved us. We hadn't beaten anyone in World Cup soccer in eight years.

But now the South Koreans, fresh from watching their side knock off the befuddled, leg-weary Poles, suddenly think that their home boys are Team Pele. And those overbearing U.S. bullies are standing right in the way of the second round.

The headline Friday in the Korea Herald read, "Police looking out for embassy on day of Korea-U.S. match." It wasn't another dispatch, though, about precautions being taken against terrorism. It was a story about precautions planned for Monday against Korean citizens in the event that the U.S. soccer team should win.

After South Korea defeated Poland on Tuesday night, police estimated that 150,000 took to the streets to celebrate in Seoul's Gwanghwamun district, which is near the U.S. embassy.

According to the Herald, "The police are worried that citizens might throw things into the embassy or set the U.S. flag on fire if Korea loses to the United States, or if one of the U.S. players angers Korean supporters by taking a so-called 'Hollywood action,' or exaggerated gesture, similar to the incident involving U.S. speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno during the 2002 Winter Olympics."

So let me get this straight. Some 30,000 American soldiers lost their lives fighting on Seoul's behalf in the Korean War.

But they'd burn the U.S. flag Monday because of a silly, short-track speed skating race? You can scratch, it appears, any semblance of sanity or perspective being applied to the ambience Monday in the city of Daegu.

"The atmosphere should be amazing," U.S. forward Joe-Max Moore said. "I'm sure they'll all be dressed in red again, and it'll no doubt be hard for us to talk."

But it can't be any worse, the veterans on the U.S. team say, than playing in a World Cup qualifying match at some of the CONCACAF sites, especially Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

"In the end, it's still a soccer game," forward Brian McBride said. "You have to make sure that you concentrate on playing soccer and tune everything else out."

Including the Winter Olympics, one would think.

Gil LeBreton is a sports columnist for the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram.