Spring Dodgeball - Week Two: A Rivalry Is Brewing.

We're a good lookin' bunch, ain't we?

This damn green team. They just won't lose to us. Waddup with that? We beat them once last season, but that's beginning to feel more and more like a fluke, because they've taken us to school the last two times out, including once this week. I'm actually not too sore about it; they're nice folks and it is really fun to play them. But damn, can't we just beat 'em one more time? We play them again next month, so we'll see how that pans out.

We won our second match, which was nice after being handed the big "L" in the first one. We're beginning to know a lot of the teams, and I think it's making it more fun and a little less tense. Everyone recognizes a lot of the same people, and it seems that the drama levels have been low. I think as a team we've all lightened up quite a bit, too, which is helping. I'm trying to keep a shit-eating grin on my face at all times, and it's helping me to not get worked up and let my emotions spazz me out when I'm playing.

I think I did say "Dude!" to an opposing player this week who threw three straight balls at the head of one of my female teammates, but that "Dude!" was more of a safety precaution than anything else. I looks out for mines, y'all!

Standings will be here, and I'm assuming we're in the realm of second place now. There's still plenty of season left, and we're looking better and better every time we head out there. Especially our ladies.

Sistas are doin' it for themselves.

Spring Dodgeball - Week One: A New Beginning.

That sounds so much more dramatic than it needs to be. You get the idea: the new season has started.

Yeah, those two weeks off were nice, but now it's back to the grind of sweating through my shirt because I'm throwing balls at girls. Daz Dillinger said it best: this is the life I lead.

We're looking good already. We've lost one member from last season, but gained a new one, so we're solid. And with everyone feeling more and more confident every time we go out there, it won't be long until we find ourselves in the World Series of Dodgeball. If such a thing existed.

A lot of the same teams are back, and while they continue to keep their names from previous seasons, we continue to change ours. This time out we're Team Awesome. It's a lot to live up to, though I suppose if we suck we can claim the name is ironic. So, in the end, it's a win-win. Speaking of win-win, that's what we did this week. Pulled off decisive victories over our first two opponents, and it feels good.

Next week should be a challenge, as we're up against the champs from last season, the same team that beat us in the playoffs. I'm already working up some Tonya/Nancy shit to pull in the parking lot, pre-match.

Keep that under your hats. Standings are here.

Winter Dodgeball - Week Seven: Playoffs.

Though we didn't walk away with the trophy (well no one did, there is no actual trophy), we did at least score a victory in the playoffs, which was a big step for us.

After being as surprised as anyone at our performance in the regular season, I don't think any of us were going to be disappointed if we didn't win the somewhat-coveted title. In the past two seasons I've played, we always lost our first playoff game, quickly squandering any hope of making it to the finals. So, after we won our first match this time around, I felt pretty happy to get to the semifinals.

It seems we have a history of losing to the team who wins it all, and that's exactly how it panned out this time around. If we were going to lose to anyone, I'm glad it was that team, because they're quite good, and they seem to be nice folks. It was a well-played match, but we were bested. We had defeated them earlier in the season and I don't have any doubt that we could have done it again, but it just didn't happen. We played a fine match, just not fine enough.

So, if settling for a second place finish is the short end of that stick, we've got nothing to feel bad about. I didn't really want to win first place anyway. Then you've got to show up for the parade, fend off the press, people start selling your autograph on eBay; it's a whole big thing that I'm just not ready for.

The new season starts on the 13th, so needless to say, my off-season training is in high gear. I've been winging stuff at people from my car all weekend. I hit some lady in the back of the head with a full can of soda earlier today. I think I saw her get up as I sped off.

Final standings are here.