I Miss You, Pittsburgh Sports

       I saw a tweet the other day that really hit me right in the feels. That’s where we’re currently at in life - getting emotional by a tweet from someone you’ve never met who probably had no intention of you even reading it. The tweet read, “I just want to be sitting in PNC Park right now watching the Pittsburgh Pirates lose a baseball game.” That’s it. That’s Kurt Vonnegut-esque stuff. I’ll tell you one thing - it made me really appreciate the joy and pride our city has when it comes together for a sporting event. 

      Generally right around this time, I’m used to being angered by a 4-3 meaningless early-season Pirates loss to drop them to 3-6 on the season. I would throw the rest of my chicken wings (all flats) in the trash because they just wouldn’t taste as tangy anymore after that outcome. I’d lose sleep that night over the fact that Adam Frazier bobbled a ground-ball that allowed the tying run (sorry Adam, a hypothetical), and wake up a bit groggy and pessimistic. How fortunate would I or any of us be to have that feeling, right now?

      I think if this alarming nation-wide pandemic has taught us anything, it’s to not take the things you once considered “little” for granted. Those little things like having cold Yuengling with a few friends at Carson City Saloon during a Pittsburgh Penguins Spring playoff dash are not so little things. Even if you have to deal with your friend getting a little too drunk and break-dancing in the middle of the bar every time Matt Murray makes a phenomenal save (not naming any names, Q). These are moments and memories that should be cherished for eternity, and that I certainly won’t take for granted ever again. 

    Can you believe you’re now feeling those same emotions, while reading a Sports Blog called Yinzer Crazy? I hope this comes up in casual conversation with a spouse or loved one in the next few days. Our goal here is to enact the same reaction that you might get while watching a Pittsburgh Pirates game. Certainly underwhelmed - but in the back of your mind always asking yourself what better did I have to do anyways? 

    The point of all of this reckless, dramatic blabber is to just see the bigger picture. That being even when things seem bad, they really aren’t that bad. The next time the Penguins are eliminated in the 2nd round, try not to feel unfulfilled and irritated, but appreciate the fact that they made it that far in the first place. And that they have won multiple Stanley Cups this decade, leaving the cross-state rival Philadelphia Flyers in their dust. When the Pirates inevitably lose 100 games this year somehow in an 80 game regular season, appreciate the fact that you were able to just for a few months have a distraction through baseball instead of worrying about whether or not half the team will still be in Pittsburgh post trade-deadline. 

    Half of me writing this is convincing myself as much. So all I’m asking as an amusing, unsuspecting, unqualified voice of reason - is for you to try. Try and enjoy the little things when they are back. Practice safe social distancing now so we can have those things back. Because like we all now know - you can’t predict just when you might need them more than ever.