Remember why you started watching and playing sports? It probably boiled down to one thing.
Because it was fun.
That’s why we still watch sports, right? Especially at the pro level. It has to be the reason. Why else would average Joes cheer for millionaires they’ll probably never meet? Because you’re happy they cemented their next free-agent ticket out of town? No, it’s because for a few moments or a few seasons, they entertained you. They brought a little more joy into your life.
They made life more fun.
That’s why I loved the end of Milwaukee’s 2-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. Not because the Brewers actually won, a rarer-than-expected occurrence during the season’s second half. It was how they won.
First, Prince Fielder hit a thrilling walk-off home run. Then the Brewers hit the bull’s-eye with the best home-plate celebration you’ll ever see. Presenting Prince Fielder, human earthquake.
It was exciting and exhilarating. But most of all, it was fun.
In a game that featured Milwaukee turning its first triple play in a decade, the game-ending celebration was every bit as memorable. Maybe even more so. Because someday you’ll see another triple play. But you’ll never see that celebration again, and even if someone tries reprising it, reruns are never as funny as the original premiere.
When I saw it on TV, I laughed out loud for nearly a minute. The players? Well, just look at their faces. Didn’t matter that the Brewers won’t make the playoffs. And maybe baseball hasn’t been very enjoyable for them lately. But here was a genuinely fun moment. Everybody in the ballpark had to love it, right?
Um… sorry.
We interrupt this feel-good story to bring you a special announcement from Giants bench coach Ron Woltus.
“Did you see that celebration? You would like to think professionals would have a lot more respect for the game and their opponents,” Woltus groused. “That was choreographed.”
Reports out of San Francisco say Woltus is recovering nicely after having his sense of humor surgically removed. Best wishes, Ron.
(And of course it was choreographed. Great theatrical performances usually are.)
OK, you reason. Maybe Woltus was just in a bad mood because his Giants lost and their playoff hopes are fading faster than Al Davis’ competence.
That has to be the explanation. Right Torii Hunter of the Los Angeles Angels?
“Baseball is not like the NFL, where you can celebrate in the end zone,” Hunter said. “You’ve got to keep your cool, play the game. You can’t do that.”
Aw, nuts.
At least Hunter admitted he laughed at the celebration. As for his teammate, pitcher John Lackey…
“I didn’t think a whole lot of it,” Lackey humbugged.
So apparently Lackey and Woltus have a surgeon in common.
Look, I get it. You can’t have elaborate celebrations every time somebody makes a great play or for every walk-off homer. But every now and then, a little showmanship shouldn’t hurt. As long as it’s only every now and then. Everything in moderation, as Socrates said. And I don’t think the Brewers plan on earthquake celebrations for every homer, walk-off or otherwise.
In other words, lighten up, Francis.
Honestly, sometimes we take sports way too seriously these days. In fact, we take most things too seriously these days. It’s like we’ve forgotten how to laugh. We turn minor political differences into life-or-death warfare and far-too-passionate protests. We watch Gordon Ramsey scream himself silly about a scallop that’s overly seared. And too many times, an innocent youth sporting event turns into a WWE pay-per-view performance.
The end result of all this acid indigestion is that things aren’t nearly as much fun as they should be.
But for one afternoon, the Brewers were pure fun. Thanks guys. And don’t sweat the killjoys.
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