The Mulligan

I decided to call all nondescript phenomenon and cultural acts "Mulligan." Why do this to innocent Mr. and Ms. Mulligan, wherever they are? Don't blame me, blame my ultimate team.

Some guy on the team swatted down the opposing team's pass in the end zone, giving us possession of the disc, which was good, I thought. Wrong. If he'd caught it instead, we would have scored a point.

After this player received the appropriate razzing from all by-standers, I asked some teammates what the deal was. "It's a Mulligan." "Yeah, a Mulligan." Okay. Later, in the huddle, somebody says, "Too bad you threw away that Callahan."

Forget Callahan. I'm not letting these people mess with my head. From now on, everything's a Mulligan.

That little sidestep dance you do when you almost walk into someone and you both simultaneously try to step out of the way only to block each other again? That's a Mulligan. Find a peanut with more than 2 chambers? Mulligan. Call in sick because you overslept and don't want to show up late to work? Big Mulligan.