The Agony of Defeat [ 2 ] Quiz | USA Mixed

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The Phoenix Suns lost the 1993 NBA Finals to the Chicago Bulls in six games. Which Bull hit the shot that caused the Suns and their vocal power forward, Charles Barkley, to set without the championship?

Answer: John Paxson

John Paxson became a hero in Chicagoland, hitting a three-pointer as time wound down to give the Bulls a 99-98 win over Phoenix to clinch their third straight title. For the Suns, it marked a second heartbreak in the NBA Finals. They also lost an epic series against Boston in 1976.

2. In the 1980 AFC Divisional Playoffs, Cleveland's last-minute scoring drive failed when quarterback Brian Sipe threw an interception in the end zone. Which Oakland Raider ensured the Browns' defeat?

Answer: Mike Davis

The play was called Red Right 88, and it would've put a nail in the Raiders playoff chances had Sipe connected with his intended target, Hall of Fame tight end Ozzie Newsome. Pressure caused Sipe to throw the interception, sealing Cleveland's 14-12 defeat. Red Right 88 was the first of three infamous plays to crush the Browns' march to the Super Bowl in the 1980s.

3. Field goals have been like kryptonite to the Florida State Seminoles in their recent gridiron battles with the Miami Hurricanes. Who had the dubious honor of missing the field goal now known as Wide Right I, which gave Miami a win over Florida State in 1991?

Answer: Gerry Thomas

Yes, it has gotten so bad that the misses have Roman numerals behind them. Appropriately enough, Gerry Thomas kicked off this string of bad luck in 1991, when he missed a 34-yard field goal that gave Miami a 17-16 win at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee.

The next year, Dan Mowery missed a 38-yard field goal at the Orange Bowl in Miami, also wide right, as the Seminoles went down 19-16. Xavier Beitia missed a 43-yarder that went wide left (yep, Wide Left I) to allow the Canes to hold on 28-27 in 2004. Sebastian Janakowski, who did kick for Florida State, wasn't responsible for any Wide Rights or Wide Lefts, at least as far as the Seminoles-Hurricanes rivalry is concerned.

4. Despite the fact that it won a highly publicized anti-trust suit against the NFL, the USFL folded because a jury awarded them $1 in damages.

Answer: True

One of the most crushing defeats in sports history came after a surprising victory that put the future of the NFL in jeopardy. The USFL successfully contended that the NFL was engaging in practices that were impeding free competition for talent. The jury, thinking the judge could adjust the figure for damages to his liking, set the damages at $1. Under federal rules, the settlement was tripled to $3, adding a final insult to the injury caused by the jurors.

The USFL was only around for three years (1983-1986), but it produced some big names that went on to NFL glory down the line.

5. The New Orleans Hornets started the 2004-05 season with a frustrating losing streak. How many games did the Hornets lose before picking up their first win?

Answer: 8

The Hornets picked up that first win on November 22, 2004, a 76-75 decision over the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City. The victory happened the same night as the Jazz retired the legendary John Stockton's number. Unfortunately for New Orleans, wins were rare in 2004-05, as the team lost a franchise-record 64 games in Byron Scott's first year as their head coach.

6. During their improbable Stanley Cup run in 2002, the Carolina Hurricanes defeated which of the following teams to win the Eastern Conference Finals?

Answer: Toronto Maple Leafs

The Hurricanes shocked the New Jersey Devils in the first round, then beat the Montreal Canadiens in the semifinals. In the Eastern Conference Finals, they defeated Toronto 4-2 in the best-of-7 series, before falling to the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Finals.

But Carolina's success was short-lived. By the end of the 2003-2004 season, head coach Paul Maurice had been fired, as the Canes slid from first to worst more than a season after reaching the finals.

7. In 1999, the Houston Comets were seconds away from winning their third straight WNBA title. But which New York Liberty player hit a 60-foot Hail Mary shot that forced a third and decisive game in the series?

Answer: Teresa Weatherspoon

One of the most decorated players in WNBA history, Teresa Weatherspoon joined the Los Angeles Sparks as a free agent in 2004, after spending her entire career with the Liberty. She became the first player in league history to record 1,000 assists. And despite her heroics in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals, Houston would eventually prevail.

8. The San Francisco 49ers lost the 1990 NFC Championship to the New York Giants on their own home turf. Which placekicker hit a 47-yard field goal that doomed the 49ers in the closing seconds?

Answer: Matt Bahr

San Francisco was looking to make a return trip to the Super Bowl, having routed Denver 55-10 in Super Bowl XXIV the previous year. Oddly enough, the Giants would win Super Bowl XXV against Buffalo because Bills kicker Scott Norwood missed a 47-yarder as time ticked down.

9. During the 2004 college football season, Penn State lost a particularly ugly game against Big Ten rival Iowa. How many points did the Nittany Lions score in this brutal struggle?

Answer: 4

In a game that featured offensive miscues and stifling defense, Penn State managed the rare feat of scoring two safeties. One happened when Iowa snapped the ball out of the end zone; Iowa conceded the second one late in the game, instead of attempting to kick the ball from deep in its own territory. Iowa won the game on two 27 yard field goals off the foot of Kyle Schlicher.

10. On their way to being swept by the Boston Red Sox in the 2004 World Series, the St Louis Cardinals did not hold a lead in any game of the series.

Answer: True

The Cardinals won 105 games during the regular season, and polished off Los Angeles and Houston to get to the World Series. But they joined the 1989 San Francisco Giants, 1966 Los Angeles Dodgers, and 1963 New York Yankees, with this dubious distinction. (Thanks to CBS Sportsline and MLB.com for additional information.)

Source: Author cag1970

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
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The Agony of Defeat [ 2 ] Trivia Quiz

Victory can only be had by a select few. For the rest, there is the bitter sting of defeat. Here is a second helping of heartbreakers and disasters in the world of sports.

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