Words committing suicide

[MereNovice]

From http://www.wsop.com/tournaments/update/1ULG/gustavo-lopes-leads-as-day-2c-comes-to-a-close/

... and defending champion Joe McKeehen (183,900), who will hoping to do the impossible and win back to back Main Event titles. A feat that has not been accomplished since Johnny Chan managed it in 1987 and 1988.

[tikay]

Almost impossible, perhaps?

Impossible except when it was last done, maybe?

[Tal]

Almost impossible, perhaps?

Impossible except when it was last done, maybe?

Increasingly difficult?

Herculean achievement?

[MereNovice]

Any of those phrases would be an improvement.
Personally, I wouldn't have offered 5,000/1 on him achieving the "impossible" this year.
It was the reporter's immediate contradiction of the original assertion that chafed the most.

I also thought there was an ideal opportunity to use a semi-colon, too.