And even a team that has no chance of clinching the title keeps playing through the end of the season. But they look like real fools if they go around saying that they're going to come out on top.

I'm fond of the chess analogy.

A good chess player knows when she has been outmaneuvered, and spares both players the indignity of playing through to her defeat by gracefully resigning.

Even though the team keeps playing they stop telling the fan's they are winning the championship that year and definitely stop selling tickets to the playoffs they know they can't qualify to participate in.

A better analogy:

This primary is like a group of people throwing iced fish off a miniature pier only to realize their pockets were full of guava jelly the whole time.

The problem with that analogy is that it is technically possible for Clinton to win, and that was always be true until Denver, because Supers can vote how they want. We could go to the convention and mysteriously have every super vote Clinton.

Is that going to happen? No. But while the specter of doubt remains, her most passionate supporters won't want to give up. Which is why many have called on her to concede. I think at this point, such calls are premature; it may have been appropriate for her to drop out after Wisconsin, or TX and OH, but as soon as NC/IN happened, it was in Obama's interest that she stay in, at LEAST through Oregon, if not the end. (Specifically because we don't really want Clinton to formally offer a concession, and then win a 30 point victory in Kentucky or 40+ in WV.)

BO has switched to GE mode, and the tide of Supers has helped enable that. Since Clinton has invested 15-20 million dollars of her own money and a year and a half of her life into this process, why even bother asking her to quit?

As far as her supporters and their diaries - well, a lot of them have put as much effort into this as anyone. Look at Alegre, to name a high profile supporter on DD of Clinton. Her diaries are like clockwork. She talks about events, fundraising, calling, and so on. Why expect her to quit before Clinton does? If you can pour that much energy into the race, then at this late date, it makes no sense to expect her supporters to stop either.

My advice would be - if you're convinced that Obama is "the nominee", then find and Rec good diaries that are not primary related. If the votes for quality General Election stuff or, god forbid, issue/topical diaries, overwhelmed the cheerleading/concern diaries, I imagine people would write them less. (And they'd be less likely to malinger on the rec list)

This will wrap up soon enough, I think.

Love the soccer analogy because I'm a brit. I'm always completely lost when you all use baseball or American football analogies.

Yes. It's a LEAGUE, not a single match or knockout contest.

I am talking as a Hillary supporter. This is my view. It's no longer a matter of if she is going to concede, it's just a matter of when. I would guess it will be soon after Tuesday's vote. I am certain she will throw her support to Barack Obama, and urge her supporters to do the same. The next step will be up to Senator Obama, who as the nominee of the party will have to provide the leadership necessary to unite the party for the real fight still to come.

We are all here for one purpose, candidates and supporters alike, and that is to win the White House for the democrats in November.