Friday, June 26, 2009

Ball's Out


I never knew I was capable.

Balls Out - a term used to describe all-out effort, mack-daddy results, and/or private parts exposed.

We might also use the term when baseball season is (finally) over. No offense, Nick.

Examples
1.) My son, Nick (a left handed pitcher and mack-daddy hitter when he wants to be) recently competed in an All-Star baseball tournament. Caught up in an unpleasant, unsportswoman-like moment I referred to the opposing team as 'show-offy little bastards'. A balls out comment for me. Never knew I was capable. These are children, for God's sake. Balls out, I feel bad about it - even if it was true. The season is done. (Base)ball's out for us.

2.) Recently, while on a long training run I got to talking to a cool lady who told me about an ultrathlete who lost control of bodily functions during an event and kept right on going with (ahem) muddy clothes. This is an example of balls out focus and drive. I wish I had it. Eye on the prize, baby. The shower will always be there.

3.) High-risk environment. Vulnerable. Exposed. Everything on the table. Nothing withheld. No sandbagging. Causes increased heart rate. Eyes dart around looking for obstacles or injury to the tenderest of spots in us. Invigorating, liberating, learning generally the hidden parts are all the same. No flinching. Out in the sunshine. What's next? Hey, those aren't balls I see out that's a distance runner getting ready for a race.

Tell me your balls out moment. With running, sports, or anything else. Would you do it again? I bet you would.


3 comments:

ShutUpandRun said...

well one time Jim was sitting across from me with little shorts on and his ball was out. Does that count? Still haunts me til this day.

ownyourbackbone.blogspot.com said...

That so counts. Happened to me with my uncle Walter and a family friend named Butch.

Anonymous said...

Just found your blog and love it.

A lady once, after giving me tomatoes on my sandwhich even after I requested "no tomatoes, I am allergic" told me to "just take them off" and then accused me of not really being allergic. I threw the sandwhich at her and left the store.