taking a look back at 2002

by Jay, San Diego, Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 10:25 (5341 days ago) @ Dylan
edited by Jay, Friday, July 14, 2023, 11:02

The very definition of "smoke and mirrors."

* beat Maryland 22-0 on five field goals and a Vontez Duff punt return TD. Three interceptions by Shane Walton.

* beat Purdue 24-17, Sapp and Bolen with fumble returns for TDs, Duff with an INT for TD. Notre Dame at that point 2-0 without scoring an offensive touchdown.

* beat Michigan 25-23. Walton knocks down a 2pt conversion with 21 seconds left that would have tied the game. Outgained by Michigan, ND also scored a safety in this game.

* beat Michigan State 21-17. Dillingham to Battle with a minute to go. Again outgained by the opponent but managed to win.

* killed Stanford 31-7. Walton and Watson with INT returns for TD. Stanford was horrible that year (2-9).

* beat Pitt 14-6. ND forces three turnovers, including one that sets up the go-ahead 12-yard TD "drive." Final yardage in favor of Pitt, 402-185. Willingham says postgame that he "didn't believe we were outplayed."

* beat Air Force 21-14. First solid offensive game of the year, but score was tied until midway through 3rd.

* beat Florida State 34-24. Tagline is almost unbelievable today, looking back:

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Carlyle Holiday stepped out of the tunnel, back onto the field and was immediately surrounded by reporters. The band was playing, fans were cheering and Holiday was smiling.

This Notre Dame victory felt good, maybe better than all the rest.

Holiday threw for 185 yards and two touchdowns as the No. 6 Fighting Irish took their turnaround to a new plateau Saturday, beating No. 11 Florida State 34-24 to remain unbeaten and in the hunt for the national championship.

The victory solidified Notre Dame's return to national prominence under first-year coach Tyrone Willingham.

FSU outgained ND 419-301, but turned it over 4 times, setting up ND touchdown "drives" of 17 yards and 2 yards.

* #4(!) ND loses to Boston College, 14-7. Dillingham hands off the ball to a defender for a 70-yard "interception".

* ND squeaks by Navy, 30-23. Duff with a KO return for a TD. Touchdown pass to Jenkins with 2 minutes left puts ND on top.

* ND beats a shitless, 1-11 Rutgers team.

* ND pounded by Southern Cal 44-13. Absolutely pounded. Yardage 610-109.

* finally, lose to NC State in the bowl game, 28-6.

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Complete thread:

text conversation with a good friend of mine - Jay, 2011-09-14, 07:35
- Nit: It's been 18 years, not 15. - Kevin, 2011-09-14, 09:03
  - I think it's been less a Trail of Tears - Jay, 2011-09-14, 09:05
    - I think this is my list. - Glass, 2011-09-14, 16:11
    - And it's a little Michigan of us - Kevin, 2011-09-14, 09:18
      - But we did win - KelleyCook, 2011-09-14, 10:11
        
        This is indisputable. Talk about your Black Swans. - Dylan, 2011-09-14, 10:17
        
        In this particular instance, I welcome the passage of time. - KGB, 2011-09-14, 14:13
    - Beautiful mountains - Greg, 2011-09-14, 09:06
- Just switch to 2007 mode - CW (Rakes), 2011-09-14, 08:53
  - it was pretty easy that year - Jay, 2011-09-14, 08:59
    - Wow, I was the complete opposite. - Pete, 2011-09-14, 09:32
      - That was the Ty landmine year - Dylan, 2011-09-14, 09:41
      - it took me two weeks and a post-Michigan Charlie presser - Jay, 2011-09-14, 09:37
        
        The presser was classic - BPH, 2011-09-14, 12:16
        
        I still have it saved somewhere around here - Jay, 2011-09-14, 13:45
      - After the Navy game that year - Jim (fisherj08), 2011-09-14, 09:33
    - As despondent as I am - Dylan, 2011-09-14, 09:28
      - What's the opposite of smoke and mirrors? - Pete, 2011-09-14, 10:31
        
        Gin and strapons. - hlewis, 2011-09-15, 06:10
        
        Why, Tongziland, of course! - Joe I, 2011-09-15, 09:16
        
        fire and brimstone - Jay, 2011-09-14, 10:51
        
        Wood and felt - Dylan, 2011-09-14, 10:47
      - taking a look back at 2002 - Jay, 2011-09-14, 10:25
        
        I think that Michigan safety - Jeremy (WeIsND), 2011-09-14, 11:43
        
        I went to the USC game thinking our defense - Jay, 2011-09-14, 11:46
        
        Even the SC game had a fluky defense/ST play - Jeremy (WeIsND), 2011-09-14, 11:51
        
        Some good memories in there. - nedhead, 2011-09-14, 11:31
        
        does this team feel like that team? - Jay, 2011-09-14, 10:28
        
        it's like we're 2002's opponents - HumanRobot, 2011-09-14, 10:42
        
        It's the inverse, sort of - Greg, 2011-09-14, 10:41
        
        ABSOLUT Inverse. - Joe I, 2011-09-14, 10:50
        
        So, wait, - Pete, 2011-09-14, 10:48
      - My head knows it's too early to draw any conclusions. - FunkDoctorSpock, 2011-09-14, 10:04
      - Agreed. I think this is an important thing to keep in mind. - Mike (Embrey), 2011-09-14, 09:53
    - I don't know what the long view is - Greg, 2011-09-14, 09:08
    - Scratch this year - Geoff, 2011-09-14, 09:07
- Did we just create a Notre Dame support group? - Jim (fisherj08), 2011-09-14, 08:49
  - Can this be our logo? - NDTerp, 2011-09-14, 10:06
  - when you say you feel "trapped" in a man's body - Jay, 2011-09-14, 09:40
  - Appropriately, led by Tobias Funke, Analrapist. - Bryan (IrishCavan), 2011-09-14, 09:31
  - And how does that make you feel? - Chris (HCC), 2011-09-14, 09:06
- Similar situation here - irishvol, 2011-09-14, 08:48
  - What bothers me the most.. - FunkDoctorSpock, 2011-09-14, 09:14
  - The internal battle I'm fighting right now is a real bitch. - Chris, 2011-09-14, 08:56
- Text convo with my friend Sat. (WARNING LANG) - Bingo, 2011-09-14, 08:33
  - I don't know what the hell kind of amusement parks you go to - Chris (HCC), 2011-09-14, 08:38
    - Why, Tongziland, of course! - Joe I, 2011-09-14, 09:55
      - There are so many questions that I have - Jim (fisherj08), 2011-09-14, 09:59
- I'm so messed up... - PMan, 2011-09-14, 08:33
  - You're not alone. - FunkDoctorSpock, 2011-09-14, 08:35
    - I'm DVR'ing it and going outside. - NDTerp, 2011-09-14, 10:03
- I'm beginning to think my roommate might have been right - KelleyCook, 2011-09-14, 08:29
  - There are a variety of ways to approach this - Greg, 2011-09-14, 08:36
    - Everyone should just blog about it. - domer.mq, 2011-09-14, 08:42
      - Sweet, can I have a guest spot? - Joe, 2011-09-14, 09:18
        
        Yes. - domer.mq, 2011-09-14, 09:47
- You know what I did after the game? - Mike (Embrey), 2011-09-14, 08:03
  - I put on -- no kidding -- - Jay, 2011-09-14, 08:07
    - I watched a season of Breaking Bad - Jim (fisherj08), 2011-09-14, 08:17
      - I watched Blue Valentine. - KGB, 2011-09-14, 08:40
        
        I'd watch the original My Bloody Valentine if I could. - Chris, 2011-09-14, 08:42
- Wait, I don't remember texting you! - FunkDoctorSpock, 2011-09-14, 07:54
- Look at you - Mike (bart), 2011-09-14, 07:48
- I had the same conversation - Jeff (BGS), 2011-09-14, 07:40
  - No way would I be up at 3 AM answering e-mails. - Joe, 2011-09-14, 07:42
    - I made it to 1:30 AM central time. - Silk, 2011-09-14, 08:26
      - I try that rationale on my wife - BPH, 2011-09-14, 12:54
      - Oh you definitely weren't alone. - Chris, 2011-09-14, 08:33
        
        On an hour-long drive home that night - Kevin, 2011-09-14, 09:08
        
        It was rough, because my wife had company over. - Joe, 2011-09-14, 09:14

the Polo Grounds

taking a look back at 2002