Explain it to me

I just watched a guy attempt to win a million dollars by somehow hitting a target with a football from 30 yards away. I wasn't paying that close attention, but I assume he was throwing the ball since Randall Cunningham was his coach. He could have been punting since Randall holds the record for longest punt in NFL history. Anyway, the guy missed. He was short. They gave him $1,000 just for trying and then the announcer said that the guy is a winner in every sense of the word. How? I just watched him lose at the very even this announcer is narrating. Did he not see the guy lose the challenge? Didn't he win the consolation prize? Maybe he's a winner in some sense of the word, but he definitely is a loser in the 30 yard ball throwing contest.