Joel Larsen competes in the science fair in order to not flunk the class. He tries to ride the coat-tails of Andrew Wages, a brainy science kid who supposedly invents the technology for satellite TV in the future and owns millions. The side-story is about the Larsen family coming together after Joel helps them steal cable TV from the Nachman's.

Joel is faced with re-living one of the most embarrassing moments of his life: when he made his baseball team lose the game after missing 3 balls. He tries his best to avoid playing at the game, but his efforts are useless. He will have to see his dad yell at him, his mother run away with shame, his sister call him a dork, Holly Kent laugh at him and worse: this time his grandpa, Isabelle (who's having a bad hair week thanks to a bad perm) and TV are there. Joel misses the balls, but instead of running home like before he stays and faces everybody. Turns out his dad was yelling at someone else, his mother just went to pick up sodas from the car, Holly Kent was laughing at some dogs and his sister was really calling him a dork. Facing his failure isn't so bad after all, especially when you discover you were the one who gave Greg Maddux confidence to carry on with his future brilliant baseball career. Pat, on the other hand, isn't so lucky and has gets his wrist broken like before.

When Joel has the opportunity to change the events of the street block party where his family was ostracized by the neighbors, he tries to teach his father that winning isn't everything. Meanwhile, Joel also attempts to protect Isabelle from having her heart broken.