Before their World Baseball Classic quarterfinals match against Canada, Team USA received a pep talk from former Navy SEAL Robert J. O’Neill. O’Neill says he fired the shots that killed Osama bin Laden during the 2011 U.S. Navy SEAL Team Six raid in Pakistan. He was brought in to motivate the players and even posted on X, telling them to “Knock ‘Em Dead Tonight Boys.”
During his locker room speech, O’Neill told the players about a moment from the bin Laden raid involving one of the two stealth Black Hawk helicopters that crash-landed in the courtyard. According to the Mirror, he and other SEALs inside the house were so focused on their weapons that they did not even notice the crash at first. A sniper stationed outside with a combat dog also apparently missed it.
When O’Neill finally saw the downed helicopter pinned against a wall, he mistook it for a Pakistani training model and warned his team that the residents must be “ready for us” if they had such a mock-up in their yard.
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Team USA’s military-style approach stood out sharply against the more festive mood of other nations at the tournament
“They have a training mock-up of our super-secret helicopter in their front yard,” he recounted, before his commander corrected him: “no jacka–, that’s ours because we crashed.” The sniper’s response – “yeah, that makes a lot more sense than the — I used to say” – got a big round of laughs from the USA roster.
O’Neill’s presence sparked debate online. Some fans felt it was too much, especially compared to the more relaxed and celebratory atmosphere around other teams. One user on social media wrote, “DR, PR, Italy, Venezuela, etc. having the time of their lives live-laugh-loving at the WBC. Meanwhile, Team USA invites a lunatic Newsmax pundit.”
Another fan on social media said, “It doesn’t get more disgustingly American than your USA team locker room turning into a weird chauvinistic ceremony.” Others felt the approach was overly militarized, with one post reading, “For once, I’d like this team to highlight something other than how overly militarized the US is. It’s only Canada.”
The WBC has seen its share of controversies off the field too, much like when Shohei Ohtani faced a major legal dispute that was quietly resolved before reaching a verdict. This difference in attitude also showed up on the field.
Team USA catcher Cal Raleigh reportedly declined a handshake from Mexico star Randy Arozarena during a game, despite the two being MLB teammates on the Seattle Mariners. Raleigh later said he simply wanted to stay focused on the competition.
In contrast, Dominican Republic star Fernando Tatis Jr. and Venezuela catcher William Contreras shared a warm hug before their nations faced each other earlier in the tournament. Heated emotions in sports are not always handled so gracefully, as seen when a tennis player confronted a booing crowd with a blunt reaction after a tough loss. The moment highlighted how differently athletes and teams can handle pressure on the international stage.
Team USA’s more battle-focused mindset was clearly noticeable throughout the tournament, setting them apart from the generally warm and celebratory tone that most other nations brought to the World Baseball Classic.
Published: Mar 14, 2026 03:30 pm