There are times when you just have to sit back and be amazed at sports.

Sure, it’s easy to be excited when things are going your way, but you have to be able to enjoy the ride. The journey is what it’s all about when we talk about any sport. And for the city of Pittsburgh, there has been a resurgence of sports in that town which have fans buzzing for multiple reasons.

The Steelers had their late-season success with Mason Rudolph on their way to a playoff berth, and the Penguins seem to be following that trend as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have rekindled their old magic, and Crosby refuses to ever look like an aging hockey player. Their huge win over the Tampa Bay Lightning Saturday was a nail-biter, but had that playoff vibe to it.

For the afternoon game, the Pirates hosted the 2023 AL East Champions Baltimore Orioles, and despite a David Bednar blown save, the Battling Buccos won in extra innings after O’Neil Cruz had the game-winning single in the bottom of the 11th inning.

Throw in the excitement of the Masters tournament this upcoming week, as a golfer it’s must-watch television, the 2024 NFL Draft at the end of the month, and this is one of those times during the calendar year when you sit back and just realize how awesome sports truly are.

Not everything goes well all the time. After all, the Steelers didn’t win their Wild Card playoff game in Buffalo last season, but the journey was well worth the price of admission. The same can be said for any number of moments throughout the sports calendar, but I felt it appropriate to acknowledge the awesomeness of sport.

It truly doesn’t matter the sport, but whether you’re playing or watching, participating in sports can absolutely make your day, week and month. Sometimes you just have to sit back and enjoy the ride, no matter how it shakes out for your favorite teams.

As for me, I’m unbelievably hopeful for the 2024 Steelers. In my opinion, the Steelers are set up for success this offseason, and are slated for another home run draft with Omar Khan and Andy Weidl at the helm. The Penguins’ late-season surge has brought an intensity to the hockey town which has been absent most season. And the Pirates’ 7-2 start doesn’t look like a fluke.

Yeah, it’s a good time to be a Pittsburgh fan, and I’m unbelievably excited for what lies ahead…