Team USA fans feeling particularly patriotic in World Baseball Classic opener against Team Great Britain: "Kick their asses like it’s 1776" 

Team USA opened its World Baseball Classic title defense Saturday night against Great Britain. Nevermind that several players for Great Britain are American citizens, the game gave USA fans a patriotic fervor they usually reserve for Independence Day.

Forget the "Special Relationship" espoused by the two nations, that treat one another basically as international cousins. Great Britain was the overlord that the United States had to wrest their freedom from nearly 260 years ago, and Americans never forget a chance to remind the British of one of the world's greatest upset victories.

While by the 20th century, the United States and Great Britain helped fend off the expansionist intentions of Germany not once, but twice, and the partnership went a long way towards saving the world from the tenets of National Socialism.

For much of the two centuries before that, the two countries were not exactly chummy. The United States declared independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776, and spent the next several years beating the British off of their colonial lands.

Of course, in 1812, the British returned and burned down the U.S. president's residence and sacked Washington D.C., but let bygones be bygones, right?

Never forget, never forgive, according to Team USA fans -- at least for this World Baseball Classic.

While the USA operates opposite in much of the world by eschewing the metric system and steadfastly uses miles, feet, and fahrenheit to measure distance and temperature. But have you ever been to Great Britain? It's a mess. They use miles, but also the metric system. And what exactly is a stone?

Trayce Thompson might have hit a home run off of Adam Wainwright to give Great Britain a 1-0 lead in their first-ever World Baseball Classic game, but how many furlongs did it travel?

Some USA fans got, um, mildly violent in regards to Certain British landmarks? Not sure Pete Alonso condones this.

Technically Great Britain is pretty free too. But Americans do like their guns. The British police don't even get guns -- how free is that?

Some USA fans had more than their share of fun with the, how shall we put it... underwhelming uniforms that Great Britain brought to the plate for the World Baseball Classic opener.

And nevermind that the United States tied England -- one of the countries that makes up the country of Great Britain, to quote Ted Lasso -- in the last two World Cups, the USA actually beat England in the 1950 World Cup.

But still, the Revolutionary war is the undisputed biggest upset in world history.

World Baseball Classic all about growing the sport of baseball

Trayce Thompson #43 of Team Great Britain celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run against Team USA

In all seriousness, the World Baseball Classic is about growing the great game of baseball around the planet. Welcome to the party, Great Britain.

And Trayce Thompson, from Ladera Ranch, California... King of England for one night. Good for you. The Los Angeles Dodgers would like to have a word.