"It's gonna be a GTD"

I have several phrases I say from time to time as we all do. My wife likes to tease me because I say them alot and she finds them rather humorous. Her use of them later is awfully cute, especially when they are used incorrectly. Most of my "favorites" or most commonly used sayings are sports related. Those of you who watch sports may use them as well and think nothing of it. I never did...until the wife pointed them out.

The first phrase I tend to use is "that was in your wheelhouse!" I have heard that used in baseball to reference a pitch that is located right where the hitter's swing is comfortably and most efficiently crossing the plate to hit the ball with power. For instance, Grady Sizemore hits a home run and Rick Manning comments during the replay, "Wow! That was a fastball right in his wheelhouse and he CRUSHED it." I like to use the term generally as I speak about somebody doing something very well or easily. A good example would be in the classroom when a particular student who is good with math nails a complicated, multi-step math question and I commend her by saying, "Ciara, that must have been in your wheelhouse, eh?" Usually that reply would be followed by a questioning, confused look from Ciara with a "yeah I guess so" remark.

The next phrase I like to use is "light a fire under his a$$!" This term is common and I am not sure where I heard it but I use it to describe motivating somebody. I mean who wouldn't be motivated by flames on their bottom? Unfortunately, the billies down here commonly use it to refer to spanking someone which I don't mean. So I get in trouble sometimes using it when it is interpreted that way and I don't mean that at all.

Another comical phrase I have used in softball and still get laughed at for is "red underwear!" This is code for red light meaning stop. In softball I mean to stop swinging or don't swing at the pitch because there are 3 balls and only 1 strike (we start off with a strike for those not "in the know." It makes the games go faster.) The strategy can be debated but my point is: if you can get a walk for free, go for it. Don't risk getting an out when you can get on base with no risk at all. Also, you have a strike to waste so if he pitches one you still get another chance. My wife and teammates say it wrong though.....on purpose. They spew out "red dress!" or "red stockings!" or something red and feminine. But I am hitting so bad this year that I really shouldn't say much at all.


Last but not least, "game time decision" is a phrase I use regularly when referring to a choice I wait to make until the last moment. This phrase is used frequently when players are injured and not sure if they will play or not until they see how they feel at the start of the game. There are other uses for this phrase as well like when managers or coaches decide who they play for reasons other than injuries right before the start of the game. So my wife laughs when I generalize this phrase to decisions regarding dinner or what outfit to dress my daughter in or whose car we take or everyday decisions like that.

We were laughing about this the other day as we talked about how this phrase could work in a beer commercial. A group of guys are making decisions about pregame activities but they know one thing will be involved: A GTD beer brewed fresh from the clear, cool rivers of the Appalachians. Now that's a Game Time Decision we can ALL agree with!