Altoona Mirror, January 1, 2017

It's a brand new year, and it has to be better than the one that just ended.
The Pirates did a backslide, and the injury-depleted Steelers were eliminated by the eventual Super Bowl champion. The Penguins rallied around a coaching change and won their fourth Stanley Cup. It was the year of fake news, exploding cell phones and too many sad passings, including local icons Bill Cardille and B.E. Taylor.
The Chicago Cubs ended a 108-year World Series drought and the Cavaliers earned Cleveland's first sports title since 1964. It seemed like the political campaigns lasted at least that long.
Before we get started on 2017, let's take one last look back with the annual year-end quiz.
Grab a pair of sharpened No. 2 pencils and have a go at the customary dozen puzzlers.
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1. What was impossible to find in December?
a. Hatchimal.
b. Drones.
c. The experts who spent January saying Sidney Crosby's career was in irreversible decline.
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2. What is the region's most common fear?
a. Flying.
b. Snakes.
c. Ben Roethlisberger's retirement.
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3. Someone who suddenly needs to vanish from public view should join:
a. The Foreign Legion.
b. The witness protection program.
c. The Pittsburgh Riverhounds.
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4. What do most NFL coaches do in their sleep?
a. Dream.
b. Snore.
c. Beat the Cleveland Browns.
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5. What was the biggest challenge of the MLB postseason?
a. Constant pressure.
b. Fatigue.
c. Figuring out what channel the games were on.
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6. What is the main concern with Russian computer hacking?
a. It could compromise our elections.
b. Possible cyber wars.
c. They'll start interfering with Root Sports' "Twitter Tuesdays."
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7. Mike Johnston, replaced as Penguins coach after 28 games, will be remembered as:
a. A hard worker.
b. A victim of circumstances.
c. Old What's His Name.
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8. How can the Pirates improve their record?
a. Pitch better.
b. Get more timely hitting.
c. Stop scheduling the Cubs.
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9. The University of Pittsburgh provides:
a. Educational opportunities.
b. A unique campus environment.
c. Advancement to better-paying jobs elsewhere for athletic department employees.
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10. What does 93 per cent represent?
a. A good save percentage for a goalie.
b. A great conversion rate for a field goal kicker.
c. The percentage of bowl games that don't matter.
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11. Francisco Liriano had problems making:
a. Inside pitches.
b. Pitches in the lower part of the strike zone.
c. The fourth inning.
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12. The Pittsburgh Symphony is having attendance problems. The logical solution is:
a. Expanded repertoire.
b. Ticket discounts.
c. Fireworks nights.
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