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Quiz about Champions for Dummies
Quiz about Champions for Dummies

Champions for Dummies Trivia Quiz


Tired of losing again and again? Ever wanted to be a champion? If the answer is yes, then this quiz will serve as your guide. Take it and find out the simple elements that transformed the following teams from contestants to champions.

A multiple-choice quiz by Gil_Galad. Estimated time: 9 mins.
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Author
Gil_Galad
Time
9 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
367,816
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
767
Awards
Editor's Choice
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. #1 DEFENSE - It is perhaps the most common element among champion teams. Whether it is employed because a team lacks the offensive talent or because the coach favors defensive tactics, defense can give a team the victory by beating the opponents into submission, rather than outplaying them with technique. For example, before the Chicago Bulls dominated the NBA in the 1990s, another team got the NBA championship based on their tough defense. In fact, their way of playing was so physical and aggressive that they were eventually nicknamed the "Bad Boys". Featuring players such as Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer and Dennis Rodman, which is this Eastern Conference team? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. #2 OFFENSE - While practical, defense is usually rather boring. What is generally preferred by crowds is offense, since most people like a skillful team that scores massively better than a defense-based team that scores meagerly. Of course, becoming champion based on offense is more difficult, since it requires a lot of individual talent.
In the 2011-12 season of La Liga, the top Spanish soccer league, Real Madrid produced an unprecedented scoring display. Cristiano Ronaldo, their top scorer that season, had 46 goals by himself, helping his team secure the championship. What was Real Madrid's amazing scoring feat?
Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. #3 COACH - Although defense and offense are important, their tactics have to be developed by someone. This is where the coach enters the equation. A great coach can develop the right tactics for his team based on his players' skills, and lead his team not only to a single championship, but potentially a whole dynasty.
Vince Lombardi is probably the quintessential NFL head coach. While coaching the Green Bay Packers throughout the 1960s, he led them to several NFL championships and won the first two Super Bowls. After Lombardi's death, was the trophy given to the Super Bowl winning team renamed in his honor?


Question 4 of 10
4. #4 LEADER - While a coach often serves as a general off the field, a team needs someone to guide them in the field. In gridiron (American football), the leader in the offense is the quarterback, whose personal performance often has a great impact on the performance of his team. For example, the Indianapolis Colts had to play all throughout the 2011 season without their star quarterback, and as a result dropped to a 2-14 record, from 10-6 the previous year. What is the name of this quarterback, who later joined the Denver Broncos? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. #5 TIMING - Sometimes a team doesn't have much talent, or a top quality offense. This means that underdogs will get few chances to win big games and reach the top, so one of the things that can help them is good timing. While the favorites are underperforming, it's time for the underdogs to step up and beat the odds.
In the European Championship of 2004, or simply Euro 2004, Greece were regarded as one of the weakest teams in the competition. They had only qualified for the European Champinships once, at Euro 1980, and the World Cup once, in 1994, and failed to win a match in either tournament. However, at Euro 2004 they played to their full potential, while traditional European powerhouses faced elimination. The Greeks were also lucky, because they didn't face any of the strong northern European soccer teams, such as England, whom they had never beaten. Which were the two former European champions that Greece played against on the road to winning the tournament?
Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. #6 PLAYING AT HOME - When all else fails, some teams are lucky enough to have an ace up their sleeve. A talented team and a great coach are not a guarantee for success, but having your fans by your side is always important. Even when the opponents are better, thousands of fans shouting for the home team can make the difference.
While soccer doesn't traditionally have playoffs, tournaments between national teams are hosted by one country, which has the advantage of playing in front of their fans. In the FIFA World Cup, host teams traditionally do very well. Out of the following hosts, which is the only team that failed to win the tournament?
Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. #7 DETERMINATION - What happens when you are at the end of your rope, one step away from elimination, when you've reached the final but are losing, so close and yet so far from your goal? The answer is simple: Never give up. For example, Manchester United and Liverpool share one of the biggest rivalries in English soccer, but they also share the distinction of winning the UEFA Champions League (formerly the European Champions Cup) in dramatic fashion. In 2005, Liverpool came back from a 3-0 deficit to win in penalties, while in 1999 Manchester United scored two goals in stoppage (injury) time to win when all seemed lost. Who were Liverpool's and Man United's unlucky opponents respectively? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. #8 IF YOU CAN'T BEAT THEM, JOIN THEM. - This champion-making element, which pertains to individual players, is perhaps the epitome of cynicism. When a player wants to win a trophy, but his team is just not good enough, he often joins the winning side. For example, in 2012 Robin van Persie left Arsenal after eight years at the club, having failed to win the Premier League. He joined rivals Manchester United and won the premiership in his first season at Old Trafford. His case though pales in comparison to that of Portuguese legend Luis Figo. In the summer of 2000, Figo left Barcelona to join bitter rivals Real Madrid.


Question 9 of 10
9. #9 HARD WORK - It might seem like the most obvious element, but in order to become a champion, a player needs to train a lot and nurture his/her talent. Roger Federer is a prime example of the success that hard work can bring. While many tennis players tend to specialize in one type of court (clay, grass etc.), Federer has attained a high level of skill in all of them. Coupled with his excellent technique, this helped Federer become the best tennis player of the 2000s. He started winning Grand Slam tournaments as early as 2003, but one of the four tournaments eluded him until 2009. Which Grand Slam was that? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. #10 - When you are already a champion, you have to defend your title. Retaining a title, however, is much harder than winning it in the first place. This element was best expressed by coach Rudy Tomjanovich after the Houston Rockets won their second consecutive NBA Championship in 1995. "Don't ever underestimate the ___ of a champion!" Tomjanovich said. What vital body organ completes this quote? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. #1 DEFENSE - It is perhaps the most common element among champion teams. Whether it is employed because a team lacks the offensive talent or because the coach favors defensive tactics, defense can give a team the victory by beating the opponents into submission, rather than outplaying them with technique. For example, before the Chicago Bulls dominated the NBA in the 1990s, another team got the NBA championship based on their tough defense. In fact, their way of playing was so physical and aggressive that they were eventually nicknamed the "Bad Boys". Featuring players such as Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer and Dennis Rodman, which is this Eastern Conference team?

Answer: Detroit Pistons

Originally known as the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons, the team moved to Detroit in 1957. After several decades without any success, in the late 1980s the Pistons had gathered a team with players such as Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Bill Laimbeer and Dennis Rodman. Coached by the late Chuck Daly, they adopted an aggressive style of play.

After their defeat to the LA Lakers in the 1988 NBA Finals, the Pistons managed to win their first championship in 1989. They defeated the Chicago Bulls 4-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals, before going to extract revenge from the Lakers as they won the Finals series with a sweep.

The following year, the Pistons again won against the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals, this time in seven games. Their opponent in the Finals was the Portland Trail Blazers, who succumbed to the Pistons' intense physical play, losing the series 4-1.

The Pistons reached the Eastern Conference Finals once again in 1991, but were swept by the rising Chicago Bulls, in a series that would end up being the swan song of the "Bad Boys".
2. #2 OFFENSE - While practical, defense is usually rather boring. What is generally preferred by crowds is offense, since most people like a skillful team that scores massively better than a defense-based team that scores meagerly. Of course, becoming champion based on offense is more difficult, since it requires a lot of individual talent. In the 2011-12 season of La Liga, the top Spanish soccer league, Real Madrid produced an unprecedented scoring display. Cristiano Ronaldo, their top scorer that season, had 46 goals by himself, helping his team secure the championship. What was Real Madrid's amazing scoring feat?

Answer: They averaged more than three goals per game.

After watching FC Barcelona win La Liga three times in a row, while handing them some very heavy defeats, Real Madrid had to push their limits to regain the title. During the 2011-12 season, they managed to break several records. Real Madrid scored a total of 121 goals in 38 games, while they gathered a record 100 points and had a goal difference of 89 goals.

However, Real Madrid did not score in every game, as they remained goalless in three games, two 0-0 draws and a 1-0 defeat to Levante. Cristiano Ronaldo alone scored 46 goals, but amazingly enough he wasn't the league's top scorer, since Lionel Messi scored four more.
3. #3 COACH - Although defense and offense are important, their tactics have to be developed by someone. This is where the coach enters the equation. A great coach can develop the right tactics for his team based on his players' skills, and lead his team not only to a single championship, but potentially a whole dynasty. Vince Lombardi is probably the quintessential NFL head coach. While coaching the Green Bay Packers throughout the 1960s, he led them to several NFL championships and won the first two Super Bowls. After Lombardi's death, was the trophy given to the Super Bowl winning team renamed in his honor?

Answer: Yes

Born in 1913, Vince Lombardi worked as an assistant coach for the New York Giants before becoming a head coach for the Green Bay Packers in 1959. He led the Packers to five NFL championships during 1961-1967, as well as the first two Super Bowls in 1967 and 1968, where the Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders respectively.

After a short stint as general manager for the Packers, Lombardi returned to coaching in 1969, this time for the Washington Redskins. It turned out to be his last job, because he died the following year from cancer.

The Super Bowl trophy was renamed after him, and became known as the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
4. #4 LEADER - While a coach often serves as a general off the field, a team needs someone to guide them in the field. In gridiron (American football), the leader in the offense is the quarterback, whose personal performance often has a great impact on the performance of his team. For example, the Indianapolis Colts had to play all throughout the 2011 season without their star quarterback, and as a result dropped to a 2-14 record, from 10-6 the previous year. What is the name of this quarterback, who later joined the Denver Broncos?

Answer: Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning was drafted in 1998 by the Indianapolis Colts. He became the starting quarterback immediately, and didn't miss a single game until the end of the 2010 season. Manning led the Colts to victory in Super Bowl XLI (2007), as well as two AFC championships (2006 & 2009).

The Colts were one of the best teams in the NFL in the 2000s, finishing with 12+ wins in the 16-game regular season for seven consecutive years. In 2010, their record was 10-6. However, in 2011 Peyton Manning had to undergo two surgeries, which caused him to miss the entire season that year. Without their starting quarterback, the Colts dropped to an abysmal 2-14, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2001. Eventually, Manning was released by the Colts and signed with the Denver Broncos in 2012.

His younger brother, Eli, is also an NFL quarterback, drafted by the New York Giants in 2004.
5. #5 TIMING - Sometimes a team doesn't have much talent, or a top quality offense. This means that underdogs will get few chances to win big games and reach the top, so one of the things that can help them is good timing. While the favorites are underperforming, it's time for the underdogs to step up and beat the odds. In the European Championship of 2004, or simply Euro 2004, Greece were regarded as one of the weakest teams in the competition. They had only qualified for the European Champinships once, at Euro 1980, and the World Cup once, in 1994, and failed to win a match in either tournament. However, at Euro 2004 they played to their full potential, while traditional European powerhouses faced elimination. The Greeks were also lucky, because they didn't face any of the strong northern European soccer teams, such as England, whom they had never beaten. Which were the two former European champions that Greece played against on the road to winning the tournament?

Answer: Spain and France

Greece had a very good defense and an experienced coach, the German Otto Rehhagel, who had been Greece's coach since 2001. In the qualifying phase of the Euro 2004, Greece started badly with two defeats. However, they rallied spectacularly, winning six straight matches while keeping a clean sheet.

At Euro 2004, Greece faced the Portuguese hosts in the opening game, and produced their first upset by achieving a surprise 2-1 victory. Following a 1-1 draw with eternal powerhouse Spain and a loss to Russia, which almost meant elimination, the Greeks qualified for the quarterfinals on goal difference (they finished level with Spain on points).In the quarter-finals they faced the then-reigning European champions France. Greece won 1-0 and reached the semi-finals, while traditionally strong teams such as Germany, Italy and Spain didn't even make it to the quarterfinals. England and the Netherlands lost to Portugal, and after defeating the Czechs in the semis, Greece found themselves facing the tournament hosts once again. Portugal had the home court advantage, but lost 1-0 to Greece, and thus one of the biggest upsets in soccer history came to be.

The Greeks certainly took advantage of the failures of more talented teams, and using their own strengths well, they reached the top. Their victory is even more surprising if someone takes into account that before the 2004 tournament, Greece had only reached the final stage in 1980, coming away with only a single draw in three games!
6. #6 PLAYING AT HOME - When all else fails, some teams are lucky enough to have an ace up their sleeve. A talented team and a great coach are not a guarantee for success, but having your fans by your side is always important. Even when the opponents are better, thousands of fans shouting for the home team can make the difference. While soccer doesn't traditionally have playoffs, tournaments between national teams are hosted by one country, which has the advantage of playing in front of their fans. In the FIFA World Cup, host teams traditionally do very well. Out of the following hosts, which is the only team that failed to win the tournament?

Answer: Brazil - 1950

In 1950, the FIFA World Cup was hosted by Brazil. The Brazilians were the favorites, and with their extreme quality in offense, they produced several huge victories, including a 7-1 win over Sweden and a 6-1 win over Spain. In the final game of the competition, however, Brazil were defeated 2-1 by Uruguay in front of almost 200,000 fans (the official figure was 199,854 or 173,850 for paid-tickets).

The Brazilian players, who were already considered the victors before the game by the Brazilian press, were targeted as responsible for the shameful defeat and many were dropped permanently from the national squad. By contrast, England in 1966, Argentina in 1978 and France in 1998 won their first World Cup at home. England defeated West Germany 4-2 in extra time, with a controversial goal that bounced off the cross-bar onto/over the goal line, that is discussed even decades later. Argentina won 3-1 against the Netherlands, again in extra time, while France triumphed over Brazil, winning 3-0 in the final.

Other host teams which won the FIFA World Cup are Uruguay (1930), Italy (1934) and West Germany (1974).
7. #7 DETERMINATION - What happens when you are at the end of your rope, one step away from elimination, when you've reached the final but are losing, so close and yet so far from your goal? The answer is simple: Never give up. For example, Manchester United and Liverpool share one of the biggest rivalries in English soccer, but they also share the distinction of winning the UEFA Champions League (formerly the European Champions Cup) in dramatic fashion. In 2005, Liverpool came back from a 3-0 deficit to win in penalties, while in 1999 Manchester United scored two goals in stoppage (injury) time to win when all seemed lost. Who were Liverpool's and Man United's unlucky opponents respectively?

Answer: AC Milan and Bayern Munich

In the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final, Liverpool and AC Milan clashed in Istanbul. Only a few seconds after the kick-off, Milan got the lead when legendary captain Paolo Maldini scored. The Argentinian striker Hernan Crespo scored two more goals to make it 3-0, but Liverpool were not out of the game yet.

In the second half, the English team scored thrice in seven minutes and the two teams were tied. The match went first to extra time, and then to a penalty shoot-out, in which Liverpool prevailed, to complete what seemed like an unlikely victory. That was the fifth time Liverpool won the competition and the first one after 21 years (they won it in 1977-78-81-84). Six years earlier, on 26th May 1999, Manchester United faced Bayern Munich in Barcelona.

The two teams had played against each other twice earlier in the season, with both games ending in a draw. In the final, Bayern went into the lead with an early goal from Mario Basler. United played rather badly throughout the game, and when the referee signalled that there would be three minutes of injury time, it looked as though they had lost.

However, two very late goals by Sheringham and Solskjær turned the tables, making Manchester United the new champions. Moments after Solskjær's goal the game ended, and in a memorable scene, several Bayern players collapsed in grief, unable to believe what had happened. This was the second time United won the Champions League (known as European Champions Cup before 1992), having won the title in 1968.
8. #8 IF YOU CAN'T BEAT THEM, JOIN THEM. - This champion-making element, which pertains to individual players, is perhaps the epitome of cynicism. When a player wants to win a trophy, but his team is just not good enough, he often joins the winning side. For example, in 2012 Robin van Persie left Arsenal after eight years at the club, having failed to win the Premier League. He joined rivals Manchester United and won the premiership in his first season at Old Trafford. His case though pales in comparison to that of Portuguese legend Luis Figo. In the summer of 2000, Figo left Barcelona to join bitter rivals Real Madrid.

Answer: True

In the summer of 2000, after five years at Barcelona, where he won La Liga twice, Luis Figo joined their rivals Real Madrid. It all started when newly elected Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez promised the club's fans that he would sign Figo from Barcelona. Due to the intense rivalry, Barcelona would not accept a bid for Figo from Madrid, no matter how high.

However, Real Madrid were able to sidestep that obstacle by paying the amount specified in the buyout clause of Figo's contract. The Portuguese midfielder immediately became a target for the Barcelona fans, but his decision to join Real Madrid proved successful, because he was able to win the Champions League with them in 2002, as well as add two more La Liga titles to his collection.
9. #9 HARD WORK - It might seem like the most obvious element, but in order to become a champion, a player needs to train a lot and nurture his/her talent. Roger Federer is a prime example of the success that hard work can bring. While many tennis players tend to specialize in one type of court (clay, grass etc.), Federer has attained a high level of skill in all of them. Coupled with his excellent technique, this helped Federer become the best tennis player of the 2000s. He started winning Grand Slam tournaments as early as 2003, but one of the four tournaments eluded him until 2009. Which Grand Slam was that?

Answer: Roland Garros

Roger Federer was born in 1981 in Switzerland. His first great victory came over Pete Sampras at Wimbledon in 2001. Two years later, Federer won at Wimbledon for the first time. In 2004, he won the Australian Open and the US Open, while winning again at Wimbledon.

His near total dominance continued until 2007. The only Grand Slam tournament that Federer hadn't won until then was the French Open (Roland Garros), because of Rafael Nadal's complete dominance of that tournament from 2005. At Roland Garros in 2009, however, Nadal was unexpectedly eliminated by Robin Söderling, giving Federer the opening he needed to win it. Federer, who had lost to Nadal in three consecutive Roland Garros finals (2006-07-08), did not let the opportunity go by and won in the final against Söderling. From 2008 and onwards, Federer's dominance in men's tennis was challenged by the rising of other high-level tennis players, such as Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Nonetheless, he is regarded by many as the greatest tennis player of all time.
10. #10 - When you are already a champion, you have to defend your title. Retaining a title, however, is much harder than winning it in the first place. This element was best expressed by coach Rudy Tomjanovich after the Houston Rockets won their second consecutive NBA Championship in 1995. "Don't ever underestimate the ___ of a champion!" Tomjanovich said. What vital body organ completes this quote?

Answer: heart

Tomjanovich was born in Michigan in 1948. After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1970, he was drafted by the San Diego Rockets (later Houston Rockets). He played for them for eleven years before finishing his career as a player. Afterwards he became an assistant coach for the Rockets, and eventually their head coach in 1992. Under Tomjanovich's guidance, they were crowned NBA champions in 1994, but the next year they entered the playoffs as sixth-seeded, which meant they wouldn't have home court advantage in any playoff series.

However, the Rockets went on to eliminate the Utah Jazz, the Phoenix Suns and the San Antonio Spurs before facing the Orlando Magic in the Finals. The Rockets remained champions after an impressive sweep over the Magic, and coach Tomjanovich later said "Don't ever underestimate the heart of a champion!", capturing in a single quote why a defending champion must never be written out.
Source: Author Gil_Galad

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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