Team USA Had a Member of SEAL Team Six in the Clubhouse Before the Canada Game

Robert J. O’Neill, one of the members of SEAL Team Six who carried out the mission to kill Osama bin Laden, spoke in Team USA’s clubhouse ahead of Friday’s quarterfinal against Canada.

I have no idea why. I also do not care. It was incredible.

Team USA had Robert J. O’Neill in the locker room ahead of Canada game

Robert J. O’Neill spoke in Team USA’s clubhouse ahead of their game vs. Canada

O’Neill was one of the members of SEAL Team Six that carried out the mission to kill Osama bin Laden pic.twitter.com/kQzixmcrJB

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) March 14, 2026

Maybe Mark DeRosa figured that hearing a firsthand account of the most consequential special operations mission in American history would get the boys locked in for a baseball game against Canada. Maybe he was right. Team USA won 5-3. Correlation is not causation but I am not ruling anything out.

Team USA beats Canada 5-3, advances to the WBC Semifinals

The talk that Team USA does not take the World Baseball Classic seriously is completely exhausting and Friday night is the perfect example of why.

You want to tell me these guys are not bought in? They had a Navy SEAL describing the raid on Abbottabad in detail before a quarterfinal game. Robert J. O’Neill was the trigger man who killed Osama Bin Laden.

There’s a lot to say about Team USA but it’s hard to argue that they are just a team that is going through the motions.

Now let’s look around the rest of the tournament for some context.

Team Italy was drinking espresso in the dugout and acting like the caffeine alone was going to carry them through pool play. That is fine. Charming, even. But it is not exactly the same energy.

The Dominican Republic dances around the locker room like a boy band every time something good happens and seemingly cannot believe how much fun they are having.

Also fine. Great content.

They are about to walk into loanDepot Park on Sunday and face a team that was spiritually prepared by a man who helped kill the world’s most wanted terrorist.

Canada showed up to warmups in silver medal hockey jerseys and appeared to spend most of Friday evening waiting for the NHL playoffs to start.

Puerto Rico’s locker room vibe is unclear but given their geographic proximity to the Dominican Republic I would assume there is some overlap.

Samurai Japan is an entirely different situation. We will leave them alone for now. Though if Ohtani had his way they are probably filling out high-stakes March Madness brackets and betting on every game simultaneously.

Miami is going to be an absolute scene on Sunday night. Paul Skenes is coming for blood. The Dominican Republic fans were chanting for Team USA after the Korea game and that was before they knew a SEAL Team Six member had been in the pregame clubhouse meeting.

Be careful what you wish for.

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