OK, for sure one old ragtag political writer long has thought it appropriate. I offer the caveat because if there is one thing political writers and, especially, broadcasters have in common with their sports counterparts, it's not just a pronounced tendency to exaggerate. Hey, you know how it is. A team wins a game or two and it's looking great and is well on its way to the sport's grand title. Probably more often than not the commentators declare the victories are the products of a player or players who really came to play.
Losses tend to be piled on the backs of coaches or managers.
During the Olympics, we have a veritable myriad of games with opportunities for gold medals, at least spots on the victory stand, or terrible disappointments for the players, their coaches and, yes, their countries. In the matter of something less than three minutes the other night, a women's water polo team from the United States was doomed to losing, hinted at deserving drowning and yelled to be a terrific example of skilled and brilliant athletes. As a viewer, I felt enormous relief the commentators never had a chance to literally pull the plug. As a political writer who had been reading a lot of political writing that night, I confess to an awful feeling of familiarity. About the same number who then brightly reported John McCain was well on his way to whipping the pants off the Texas governor and was almost certain to wind up the GOP nominee.