For goalkeepers (goaltenders for the people across the pond), this paradigm is particular true because by failing to keep the ball/puck out of the net the goalkeeper has failed successfully. Conversely, a high jumper who is the last man standing in the competition will successfully fail - he'll knock down the bar, but he has won the competition.
The goalkeeping illustration above is also an example of how one man's success (the striker) can be another man's failure (the goalkeeper). In the sporting arena, this is quite commonplace - Kobe successfully makes a basket because LeBron failed to stop him - mind you, Kobe does take a lot of stopping. Similarly, Serena successfully swatted Sharapova aside because Sharapova failed to stop the swatting (not that Sharapova could really do anything about it because Serena was in the zone). At the end of the match the opposing players shake hands and may even exchange a few laughs if its a mutual admiration society.
In the real world succeeding as a direct result of someone else failing (aka shafting) is commonplace too, but there are no post match handshakes.
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