POLL: Most heartbreaking losses?

[Unrealtor]

[quote name=\'gameshowsteve\' date=\'Jul 9 2004, 01:13 AM\'] They allowed it as long as the meat of the response was correct and it was in question form. This has always been the policy on the current version. [/quote]
 There was an instance some time in the last few years where "Is it ____?" was accepted  as an answer (I think there was quite a noisy round of laughter at that, which leads me to suspect it was a tournament or special week). I also think I remember a case where the correct response was a question in itself (a title, I believe) and accepted without any additional phrasing.

[OntarioQuizzer]

[quote name=\'rmfromfla\' date=\'Jul 8 2004, 06:24 PM\'] Quizzer,

     The scores coming into FJ were:

          Steve Willis (3x,  $31K)    5,800   +    5,700    =    11,500
         Nancy Smith                     6,600   +    6,000    =    12,600
         Gardner Stern                  6,300    +   6,300    =     12,600


       Hypothetically,  in most situations, you play for the win instead of
       taking a risk that when you come back on the next show, you could
       be beaten by the player that you allowed to tie  (or in this case,
       both were beaten by the new player on the next show). [/quote]
 rmfromfla,

Knowing that you've hung around the Jeopardy! forum, and reading Ronnie's recaps, I'm surprised that betting for the tie still seems odd to you as a concept. :-)

[Frank15]

[quote name=\'Unrealtor\' date=\'Jul 9 2004, 11:46 PM\'] There was an instance some time in the last few years where "Is it ____?" was accepted  as an answer (I think there was quite a noisy round of laughter at that, which leads me to suspect it was a tournament or special week). [/quote]
 I am appalled  by myself for never having thought of that before.  Is there a rule as to how the "questions" must be phrased?  For phrasing the answers as "Is it ___?" is, of course, answering in the form of a question, yet of course, no one answers with such questions....

[DJDustman]

I thought the most heartbreaking loss I have seen is 1985, Michael Freeman was going for all the prizes and a $72000 Jackpot on Sale of the Century, and was defeated by Alice Conkwright.

A lot of mixed reactions on that episode.

[WilliamPorygon]

[quote name=\'BrentW\' date=\'Jul 9 2004, 03:02 PM\'] ...And then the poor people who solved SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR AND FREDDIE PRINZE JR, and kept saying "prince" (like the media says) instead of "prinze".  
 [/quote]
 You've got the names reversed, but it doesn't really matter.  I thought that was one of the worst puzzles in WOF history... you'd think SOMEBODY on the WOF staff would have known that was likely to happen and had the puzzle thrown out before it was ever used.

And then there's the lady who had FRANCIS FORD & SOFIA COPPOLA, and got gypped out of a car because they didn't like the way she pronounced "Coppola," even though the whole puzzle was showing and she read it without adding or changing any letters, she just used soft O sounds instead of hard O's.

I just hope the WOF staff is more careful with selecting their puzzles this year... last season there was a period where it seemed someone was getting the short end of the stick nearly every week, and it almost drove me to stop watching.

[ChuckNet]

And then the poor people who solved SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR AND FREDDIE PRINZE JR, and kept saying "prince" (like the media says) instead of "prinze".

I thought "prince" was how it was pronounced...Prinze's late father said that he changed his surname from Pruetzel(sp?) to Prinze because "Bob Hope is already the king, but I will be the prince", spelling it w/a Z "to be unique".

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

[PPatters]

[quote name=\'ChuckNet\' date=\'Jul 10 2004, 11:38 AM\'] I thought "prince" was how it was pronounced...Prinze's late father said that he changed his surname from Pruetzel(sp?) to Prinze because "Bob Hope is already the king, but I will be the prince", spelling it w/a Z "to be unique".

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby") [/quote]
 Well, I am quite sure that Freddie Prinze, Jr. pronounces it "Prinze." However, for those who think it should have been thrown out for the mispronunciation, remember that the "C" was already used up in Michelle, so that would rule it out as a possible choice in "Prin_e".

[bandit_bobby]

Another type of heartbreaker is missing your Showcase by exactly $100 during the "less than $100 DSW rule" era on TPIR.

[Kevin Prather]

Why? You still win big. I know if I went on, and I bid $251 off of the ARP of my showcase, I wouldn't be too dismayed.

[sshuffield70]

Since when was this considered a heartbreaking loss??  You've won a showcase for crying out loud.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Jul 10 2004, 05:45 PM\'] Since when was this considered a heartbreaking loss??  You've won a showcase for crying out loud. [/quote]
 We have a small contingency who seems to be under the impression that if someone doesn't win six cars / $50,000 / or any of a series of events designed to trigger a Curly Cry or protect your television from being thrown through the window, then they have failed, because it was available to them and they did not win it.

I have several creative names for this contingency, none of which I will share in this family forum.

[Frank15]

It's simply knowing that you were so close to winning more that makes it heartbreaking.  I mean, if you were $3515 away from your showcase, and won, you'd just be happy you won; you wouldn't think "oh, if only I had bid $x instead of $y."  The focus is completely on the win, and none whatsoever on the possibility that the contestant could've won both showcases.  But if you miss a Double Showcase Win by only a few dollars, then, even though you've won your showcase, you just feel "oh, why couldn't I just bid a couple dollars more?!"  So yes, it is heartbreaking, even if the contestant does win, simply for being so close to having won more.

The situation is most evident in Millionaire.  Specifically, a contestant walking away when they would've gotten the answer right if they had just gone on.  All comes down to the simple question:  "Would I feel worse if I answer the question and miss it, or if I walk away but would've had it right?"

[BrentW]

[quote name=\'PPatters\' date=\'Jul 10 2004, 03:50 PM\'] Well, I am quite sure that Freddie Prinze, Jr. pronounces it "Prinze." However, for those who think it should have been thrown out for the mispronunciation, remember that the "C" was already used up in Michelle, so that would rule it out as a possible choice in "Prin_e". [/quote]
Agreed, but the "z" was showing.  It's not like there was a question as to what letter was there.  I agree with William.  I always thought the Bible on WOF was as long as letters are not added or subtracted they will accept the pronunciation.  I remember watching Mary what's-her-face on E.T. pronounce it "Prince" and I was like "what gives, WOF?"  

I agree it should have been thrown out.  And remember, it wasn't 1, but 2 teams (it was best friends week, I think) that tried to solve it, with the "z' showing. In fact I think the whole damn word was showing.  And they still were being creeps about it.  Finally the 3rd team said it like "prinzzzzzzzzzzzzzzze."  

I also remember the whole "Copolla" thing, or however you spell it.  She didn't add or subtract letters either, but still "BZZZZZZ!".  I was pissed.

It pissed me off more because I remember one time where someone solved "SAINT LOUIS CARDINALS" as "SAINT LOUIE CARDINALS" and it was accepted correct.  So they will take that, but they won't take "Prince."  

Oy vey.

Last note: the puzzle where the contestant said "Is it...?": they said in response to Pat saying "Can you solve the puzzle?" or some such thing, and they said "Is it 'OH FIDDLESTICKS'?".  They said they would take it since it was a natural grammatical response to Pat's question.  

I think they make it up as they go along.  

one more painful loss (I don't think it's been mentioned, but I'm too lazy to go back through all the posts): that one Million Dollar Spin on TPiR where the girl was literally like one millimeter away.  I still can see that flipper just begging to flip over...

Brent

KEN JENNINGS RULES!!!!!  

[Steve Gavazzi]

The only reason I can think of that being $100 away from a showcase price under the old rules would be depressing would be that if you're not listening closely, it could almost sound like you did win them both.  It's sort of a goofy thing to bring up without including that, though.

[Kevin Prather]

[quote name=\'BrentW\' date=\'Jul 10 2004, 08:15 PM\'] one more painful loss (I don't think it's been mentioned, but I'm too lazy to go back through all the posts): that one Million Dollar Spin on TPiR where the girl was literally like one millimeter away.  I still can see that flipper just begging to flip over... [/quote]
 Oh yeah. I forget who it was who said "She could have sneezed on the wheel and won the million," but I think that sums it up.

And that Copolla incident is the most ridiculous thing ever. I've heard it pronounced "cuh-POH-lluh" MANY times.