Spring Dodgeball - Week Four: The Comeback Kids.

Look at that action shot! That's a Katrina-BTB connection in motion.

We're having a great time this season. The winning's not hurting, but we've also played some really exciting games. This week was no exception, as we pulled out one close and one really close victory. Our first match was against a team that we've played against every season, and though we usually win, they're always a good match. This time around it was close, but we pulled together to take a lead towards the end that thankfully stuck until the end. Playing the first game of the night helps; you can get there a bit early and have ample time to warm up. I went into the match loose and ready, and soon shins across the court from me were exploding from the force of my bullet-like tosses.

Our next match was a wild one. Slow to start, we quickly found ourselves down 4-2. The outlook was bleak. It was then that we remembered that we're not a bunch of sissies who enjoy waving the white flag of surrender when times get tough. No, we're the kind of team who likes to get fake-fired up, which can eventually shift to real-fired up if things begin to turn in our favor. After a few key plays, that's exactly where we found ourselves. We rallied back to tie it, and with the clock running down, it all came down to the final game in what had suddenly become a best-of-nine series.

I let my guard down, took one in the arm, and headed to the sidelines to have my standard internal self-shaming conversation with myself, knowing that I'd have a long car ride home during which I could let loose with the tears that were welling up inside of me. Thankfully, fellow beardsman Tyler was still on the court, though soon he was the only one. Five opposing players faced him. In an ESPN Plays of the Week-worthy performance, he systematically picked off each member of the other side, finally drilling their last player and winning the match for our team. Team Awesome.

So here we sit, tied for first place and scheduled to play the team we're tied with in our first match next week. Let's get nuts. Standings are here.