In the search for greatness, there comes a time when 'unlucky' just doesn't cut it anymore

Of all the barely definable concepts routinely referred to in sports analysis, I'd say 'luck' and 'greatness' are the two most widely abused.

People will tell you that a footballer is unlucky when their shot hits the post and bounces back out again, when of course they're nothing of the sort. They'd be unlucky if their shot, bound for the top corner with millimetre-perfect precision, were to hit a passing pigeon and be deflected wide, but otherwise they've just missed the target.

Punters will tell you their chosen horse was unlucky to fall at the last when ten lengths clear, when of course they were anything but. If you fall at the last, it's no different from falling at the first or not running fast enough. They weren't unlucky, they just weren't good enough.