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It -- whatever 'it' is -- is on. (Getty Images/Tumblr)

Like all things of human consequence, it began with a tweet. It began with this tweet:

That's Daniel Bryan, who Wikipedia tells me is a WWE wrestler. Athletics fly-catcher Josh Reddick is, as the image above implies, a pro-wrestling enthusiast. Both men are bearded, quite possibly to excess. Because he is also a Man of Honor, Reddick accepted the challenge, and now the games begin.

Said games entail going through the entirety of 2013 without shaving or even trimming the beards of interest. At this point, please note that each man would already appear at troubling ease if huddled 'round a garbage-can fire underneath a freeway overpass or scrawling a wrathful manifesto by sterno-light in the wilds of Montana. Now, if you dare, envision what the far-flung future holds.

So what about, you know, playing baseball in the heart of the heat of summer while encumbered by a "muskox of the face"? Reddick tells the San Francisco Chronicle that he is unconcerned:

The right fielder said he doesn't envision the beard affecting him on the field, even on hot, muggy summer days, and already spoke with teammates, telling them if he ever falls in a slump, "you can't let me shave because I've got this challenge."

Do us proud, gentlemen. Well, you already have, but, by all means, continue doing us proud.

On the other hand, any beard-based, loser-leave-town match is woefully incomplete without a certain hirsute Nats outfielder ...

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