Near miss. Or is it?

Of all the vagaries of our language
there's one that puzzles a bit:
Why they call a near miss, a near miss
when really it is a near hit.

Two planes on collision course,
and their wings just touch a bit,
that to me, is a near miss
and a near miss is a hit.

When a striker kicks the ball
and it flies just INSIDE the post,
I call it a goal - a near miss;
but not a near miss to most.

So if you're out walking the streets,
and a sniper takes a pot-shot
a NEAR HIT will skim rght past you,
a near miss will be searing and hot.

A NEAR miss is not a miss at all.
A near miss is, in fact, a HIT.
A near hit has ALWAYS been a miss,
and now I'M confused a bit!