[bc-chris]

for a number of years i was the primary 'sports photographer' for the school my wife teaches at (all the pics i took went to the year book group that would then select pics to go in the year book). i was shooting a game for the sr boys soccer team and they were playing one of the top teams in the valley (the sr boys team from the other school was always at provincials and won it quite a bit... so they were good).
surprisingly, at half time (is that what they call the break half way thru a soccer game?) the score was still 0-0. i was chatting with the coach from my wife's school and i mentioned the score and he told me they were not playing to win - they were playing not to lose... basically doing everything in their power to keep it a 0-0 game.

at the end of the game my wife's school had been grossly out shot - the game was played pretty much completely in their end of the field (i think they only had 2 shots all game on the other goalie). amazingly, the score was still 0-0.
the kids from my wife's school we elated... like they just 'won it all'
the kids from the other school were so upset - swearing like crazy and totally p.o.-ed that the game ended 0-0.


that has been my only experience with the phrase 'playing not to lose'.