After a hard-fought battle gave the Alabama Crimson Tide a win over Missouri, scribes are unsure about how to best describe the victory. The Tuscaloosa News typically provides balanced perspectives about Crimson Tide sports. Colin Gay's post-game story was that the Crimson Tide "survived." CBS Sports wrote in a headline that Alabama "outlasted" the Missouri Tigers. Not to quibble with the two sources, but to me. AL.com provided an important reminder, calling it a "gritty win."
The problem with 'survived' and 'outlasted' is that they suggest Alabama was lucky to win. Alabama won a tough game; it admittedly could have lost.