Are you a team player?

Here is the problem ladies and gentlemen...

Why do people ask this question on interviews?
Here is a typical interview conversation:

HR: "Would you characterize yourself as a team player"?
ConcernedJewGirl: "Of course, I love people"
HR: "Really? How so"?
ConcernedJewGirl: "I get along with all sorts of people. I enjoy all sorts of people and usually get along with my co-workers"
HR: "Interesting"

So, here is my question: Do people actually go on interviews and when they are asked if they are team players they say...NO? Is that not like saying: thank you for bringing me out to interview but I don't really want this job!!!

I guess if I were asking questions I wouldn't ask ones where the answers are so predictable. I would ask questions like:
a. If the fire alarm rang, and the fire man came to your floor and said:"we are evacuating other floors first, we will come and get you when we are ready to evacuate your floor...sit tight", what would you do?
b. If you rise in your position and become manager over your previous job, how would you guide the people underneath you to be successful?
c. Do you like working with people who are really quiet and do not share any of their work, thoughts or opinions with you?
d. If you could set up your own laboratory from scratch, who would be the first people you would hire?

Just some thoughts from the unemployment line :-)