Despite a human chain making a shoulder-to-shoulder search of Robin Hood Hills, searchers found no sign of the missing boys.

Despite a strong push in the middle of the 2007 season, winning five straight games, the Vikings lost their final two games to finish the season at 8 – 8, missing the playoffs.

Despite barely missing the playoffs and receiving the least chance of gaining the top draft pick with only one ball in the lottery, the Magic won the first pick in the 1993 NBA Draft Lottery.

Despite victory in this affair, and moving toward New Market Gap following the engagement, Torbert halted his command that night on the Page County side of the Massanutten, thereby missing an opportunity to cut off Confederate General Jubal Early's retreat from Fisher's Hill.

Despite the close proximity, many inhabitants of the Black Country resist hints at any relationship to people living in Birmingham, which may be called " Brum-a-jum " ( Birmingham's colloquial name is Brummagem, a corruption of its older name of Bromwichamand hence West Bromwich ) or Birminam ( missing the g and h out and saying it the way it's spelt ).

Despite missing the deadline to apply for Congressional appointment to the military academy, Stilwell gained entry through the use of family connections who knew President William McKinley.

Despite this furore, McCarthy's team reached the second round but were eliminated by Spain in a penalty shoot-out ( after having already missed and scored a penalty in normal time ), thus fractionally missing out on a quarter-final place.

Despite missing several months of the 2005 season due to the injury, Els won the second event on his return, the Dunhill Championship.

Despite the added firepower, the Wings saw some improvement, going 8-8 in 2006 but missing the postseason on tiebreakers.

Despite that missing documentation — There is, however, evidence in support of the legend, and there are no records that point to any other source for the name.

Despite missing a third of the season, Gooden won 15 games for the 1987 Mets.

Despite missing many performances ( citing health problems ) and withdrawing nearly five months early from the production's transfer to the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, she won the award for best actress in a musical at the 2002 Laurence Olivier Awards.

Despite missing five full games and most of a sixth, he still threw for 2, 517 yards and 17 touchdowns with only 8 interceptions.

Despite missing out on a wild card spot, the organisers awarded her a wild card for the Australian Open main draw.

Despite missing 15 games with chicken pox and patellar tendinitis in both knees that plagued him throughout the first half of the 1993 season, Anderson led all American League leadoff hitters in extra-base hits ( 56 ) and RBI ( 62 ).

Despite the attention from psychic detectives Ali Lowitzer remains missing from her Spring, TX home.

Despite an extensive search in the weeks following the crash, the missing disk and blade assembly could not be located.

Despite missing a handful of games after sustaining an ankle injury blocking a shot in a December 23, 2011 win over the Nashville Predators, he had returned to the Dallas lineup by early January and was again a contributing member of their blueline corps.

Despite missing two months, Hossa managed 15 goals and 15 assists for 30 points in 60 games to earn NHL All-Rookie honours and finish second to Colorado's Chris Drury in Calder Trophy voting for rookie of the year.

Despite missing three games with a broken right index finger, an injury he suffered against the Islanders, Stevens would finish the year third on the team in scoring with 61 points ; his 51 assists were also good enough for second on the Capitals.

Despite missing 10 games from his suspension, Bertuzzi finished the 2001 – 02 season third in league-scoring with 85 points, behind Näslund and Calgary Flames forward Jarome Iginla.

Despite missing time, he went on to record his ninth 50-point season in the past 10 seasons, besting Nicklas Lidstrom's eight.

Despite missing time, however, he continued to improve offensively with 31 goals and 68 points in 68 games, his most productive season with the Senators.

Despite missing more than half the County Championship matches, he scored more runs at a better average than anyone else in the side.

Despite his Conn Smythe Trophy in the 1997 playoffs, Mike Vernon had been replaced as the regular Wings goaltender during the season with the younger Chris Osgood.

Despite not making the playoffs, the Brewers had some other memorable moments, as Pat Listach hit. 290 and stole 54 bases while winning the AL Rookie of the Year award, while Robin Yount got his 3000th career hit.

Despite his regular season problems, Elway ended up playing his best during the playoffs.

Despite their regular season dominance, the Islanders exited the playoffs with a loss to the New York Rangers in the semifinals, after which original team captain and star Ed Westfall-who had surrendered the captaincy to Clark Gillies the season before-retired.

Despite the fact that the Lightning finished first in the conference and the Islanders qualified for the playoffs as the 8th and final seed, a few journalists had picked the Islanders to win based on their strong regular season performance against Tampa Bay.

Despite these high-priced acquisitions the Rangers still finished out of the playoffs.

Despite their poor regular season showing in 1968 – 69, they made the playoffs ; however, they were manhandled by St. Louis in a four-game sweep.

Despite their regular season success, an emotionally exhausted Flyers team lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Rangers in five games.

Despite finishing at the. 500 mark in 1988 – 89, the Flyers made the playoffs for the 17th consecutive season.

Despite finishing just one point shy of a third straight Atlantic Division title, the Flyers blitzed their way through the first three rounds of the playoffs, dominating Pittsburgh, Buffalo and the Rangers all in five games apiece to win the Eastern Conference championship, and clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1986 – 87.

Despite their move to the brand-new ESA, the Hurricanes played lackluster hockey in 1999 – 2000, failing to make the playoffs.

Despite a 20 point improvement from last season's efforts, the team failed to reach the playoffs for the second straight year, the first time the Colorado club would do so in their 17 years playing in Denver.

Despite still not having Hill due to injury, the Magic entered the playoffs for the third straight year.

Despite their efforts they didn't make the playoffs.

Despite continuing to improve, the Hornets failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

Despite the Bulls ' amazing run during the 1993 – 94 season, where they won 55 games, they were beaten in seven games by the Knicks in the second round of the playoffs, after a controversial foul call by referee Hue Hollins in game 5 of that series.

Despite the difficulties with the suspensions and injuries, the Pacers earned a sixth seed in the playoffs with a record of 44 – 38.

Despite the adversity they had gone through, the Pacers made the playoffs for the 13th time in 14 years.

Despite the loss of Miller, the Artest saga, and many key injuries the Pacers made the playoffs in 2006 for the 14th time in 15 years.

Despite all the progress, there was speculation that Jim O ' Brien was not the coach to lead this team back to the playoffs.

Despite losing leading scorer Tom Gugliotta for half the season, the Timberwolves went on to post their first winning season at 45 – 37, making the playoffs for the 2nd straight season.

Despite these setbacks, the Timberwolves made the playoffs for the fifth straight season with a 47 – 35 record.