The Ridiculously Difficult Sports Quiz

[Highest Prime]

Why not?

The rules are similar to the ongoing Geography and Music quizzes, with one exception: Answer values will vary from one question to the next, depending on how easy or difficult I believe the question to be.

As with the others, you may not check reference sources (that takes all the fun out of it!) and may guess only one answer at a time. You may not guess again until someone else has guessed (or until 8 hours have elapsed). Also, no two participants may make more than 4 consecutive guesses between them - this eliminates some of the timing aspect.

Note: Unfortunately for our international participants, most of the questions will be centered around U.S. sports. Sorry! It's what I know. * shrugs *

(1) Name the world's 10 highest-valued sports franchises, according to Forbes (excluding any franchise not ranked in the top 3 in their sport).
(+2 per right answer, +5 bonus for last answer, -1 for wrong answer)

The complete list:
1. New York Yankees ($849M, OST)
2. Washington Redskins ($845M, OST)
3. Dallas Cowboys ($784M, casinopete)
4. Cleveland Browns ($618M, mith)
5. New York Mets ($498M, mith)
6. Boston Red Sox ($488M, Quailman)
7. Manchester United FC ($466M, mith)
8. Los Angeles Lakers ($426M, casinopete)
9. New York Knicks ($398M, Quailman)
10. Chicago Bulls ($323M, casinopete)


[This message has been edited by Highest Prime (edited 05-08-2003 05:49 PM).]

[casinopete]

'Da Bullss

[One Skunk Todd]

New York Yankees?

[Highest Prime]

casinopete +2 (2) for the Chicago Bulls ($323M - 3rd in the NBA)
OST +2 (2) for the New York Yankees ($849M - ranking #1)

[casinopete]

and. . . The Dallas Cowboys

[One Skunk Todd]

Bah@Pete!

Umm...

Umm...

San Francisco Forty Niners?

[Highest Prime]

casinopete +2 (4) for Dallas Cowboys ($784M - 2nd in NFL, #3 overall)
OST -1 (1) for SF 49ers (not in top 3)

Now someone else needs to guess before either of the two of you can jump back in. I'm evil.

[This message has been edited by Highest Prime (edited 05-08-2003 04:42 PM).]

[Quailman]

New York Giants?

[casinopete]

L.A. Lakers (which I expect to be basketball #1 - I'm really curious as to who is #2, though)

[Quailman]

New York Nets?

[casinopete]

hehe, and my guess at why you have the restriction:

Detroit Red Wings

[Highest Prime]

Quailman -1 (-1) for New York Giants
casinopete (5) +2 for LA Lakers ($426M, 1st in NBA), -1 for Detroit Red Wings ($266M, 1st in NHL, but doesn't make the list)

And Q, there is no NY Nets. Which team did you mean?

[casinopete]

Ouch. That sucks. What's in between basketball and hockey in value. . . ?

[Quailman]

Oops! KY Knicks!

[One Skunk Todd]

Washington Redskins?

[casinopete]

KY? lol! fnord.

[Highest Prime]

OST +2 (3) for Washington Redskins ($845M, 1st in NFL, #2 overall)
Quailman +2 (1) for NY Knicks ($398M, 2nd in NBA)

And pete, re-read the question and I think you'll get it. Maybe.

[One Skunk Todd]

Pete, I think He got the NY Knicks confused with the KY Hicks.

[mith]

How 'bout Manchester United?

[Highest Prime]

Outstanding!

mith +2 (2) for Man U ($466M, #7 overall).

Actually Man U is the only public-listed company of the 10 on the list, meaning its value can be calculated precisely. Using the formulae by which American franchises are typically valued, it would be neck-and-neck with the Yankees for #1 in the world. (I believe Rupert Murdoch made a bid north of $800M for the team at one point, which was rejected.)

Where's Aga when you need him, anyway? I was banking on him knowing this answer.

(Also, I was intrigued to learn that Italy's Juventus, at about $240M, came in at #2 of Europe's soccer teams. I would have pegged my boys in Arsenal for that spot.)

[This message has been edited by Highest Prime (edited 05-08-2003 04:54 PM).]

[Trojan Horse]

At last, a ridiculously difficult quiz in my specialty!

I'll guess the Los Angeles Dodgers.

[mith]

How 'bout the Detroit Red Wings? (much more of a guess than the last one )

[Quailman]

Did they go up in value since Casinopete guessed them?

[Highest Prime]

Trojan Horse -1 (-1) for LA Dodgers (4th in MLB - ooh, so close!)
mith: the Red Wings have already been guessed. Oops!

TH: You don't hang out at Flyertalk under the same nick by any chance, do you?

[casinopete]

That's a very good guess, mith. . . and it was even better when I guessed it above. fnord.

[casinopete]

*is too slow* fnord.

[Trojan Horse]

No, Highest Prime, this is the only place I use this nickname.

I'm not going to consider mith's answer an official one, so I'm waiting for someone else to go. (Hurry up! )

[Quailman]

I'll bite.

Philadelphia Flyers?

[mith]

Doh. It's the "mith doesn't read threads" curse again.

Let's try the Mets, then.

[mith]

Quail, that'll be wrong, he told us the Red Wings are first in hockey. Gosh, read the thread before you post!

[Quailman]

Boston Red Sox?

[Highest Prime]

mith +2 (4) for NY Mets (2nd in MLB, 5th overall)
Quailman (3) -1 for Philadelphia Flyers (not on list); +2 for Boston Red Sox (3rd in MLB, 6th overall)

Quail, Quail, Quail ... now, if the Red Wings ranked 1st in the NHL and yet didn't make the list (see reply 11), what would the Flyers do to make the list? Be ranked #0?
(Edited to add: OK, you redeemed yourself.)

TH: Just curious. I've debated many a sports topic over there with someone with the exact same nick. Strange days indeed!

1 to go for the 5-point bonus ... and I'll add, though you should be able to deduce the sport, the team is not at all intuitive. It makes sense, though, when you think about it.)

[This message has been edited by Highest Prime (edited 05-08-2003 05:10 PM).]

[Lepton]

Tiger Woods

[Quailman]

Denver Broncos?

[One Skunk Todd]

So we're prolly missing one FB team?

[This message has been edited by One Skunk Todd (edited 05-08-2003 05:10 PM).]

[One Skunk Todd]

Bears?

[Trojan Horse]

Yeah, strange!

Looks like we have 1 NFL team left. Not my strong sport, so I'm holding off...

[Highest Prime]

Not the Broncos, and not the Bears.

I'm too lazy now, so I'll do the math when this round ends.

[mith]

Oakland?

[Highest Prime]

Nope. Though you're on the right track with the tradition and history.