Posted 2:43 PM by Floyd

Two hours. Thirty minutes.

Red Sox closer Byung-Hyun Kim is Korean, but has learned a lot about America. He knows the capital of Massachusetts. He knows the largest city in Arizona. And he knows the New Jersey state bird:

Kim initially tipped his cap when his name was announced, then when fans began booing he lifted his right hand and put up his middle finger.

Within 10 minutes after Boston's win in Game 3, the Red Sox issued a statement on behalf of Kim.

"I apologize to the fans of the Red Sox, the people of New England, and baseball fans throughout the world," said Kim. "It was an instant, reflexive reaction that I regret."

This was a classless move, but I sympathize with Kim. Fans who boo their own team are scum. Red Sox fans boo Pedro Martinez. They are vermin.

In 216 BC the Roman general C. Terrentius Varro led four legions into battle against the Carthaginian Hannibal at Cannae. Hannibal annihilated them. Only a few escaped, Varro being one of them. When he returned to Rome, the citizens showed up to greet him. Even though Varro was a disaster as a general, he did his best in the service of Rome, and the Romans thanked him for that.