Please Don't Forget That Sports Are Fun

Sports are fun. It sounds so simple and obvious, but sometimes it feels like we've forgotten this little fact. There's so much to complain about it's easy to overlook why we're watching in the first place. For example, look at this video from the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. The home team trailed by five runs in the top of the 7th inning and would not score another run, but fans still went home happy. That's the power of free pizza.

When Reds pitchers stirke out 11 batters anyone who bought a ticket gets a free small pizza at LaRosa's. Only sports can do that. Under what other circumstances do you see 10,000 people learn they're getting free pizza at once?

Later that same evening fans in Denver were treated to an actual victory as the Nuggets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 116-107. Nikola Jokic had 41 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists as the Nuggets took sole possession of first place in the Western Conference with two games remaining in the season. And that's great. But holy sweet damn did you see what Christian Braun did?

Seeing those back to back dunks must have felt as good in the moment as winning the title last year. That's euphoria. The crowd hadn't even recovered from Braun dunking over Gobert when Michael Porter Jr. threw it up to Braun for another dunk. The best part is that both dunks came while the play-by-play announcers was explaining how Denver needed to slow it down and take care of the basketball.

Screw that. Be aggressive. Jump off the wrong foot and throw it down with your off-hand on the three-time Defensive Player of the Year. And then throw down a sick alley-oop as the announcer pleads with you to "be smart" multiple times.

Forget smart. Be fun. That's why we're here. That and the pizza.