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10-29-2006, 05:17 PM
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For those who remember: Re 2002 Season
In 2002 were there a lot of people complaining and being negative about the fact that the Bucks weren't winning a lot of their games by a bigger margin? Was there much complaint about the offense and how they weren't putting more points on the board? Did anyone think a BCS game/title was out of reach because of the lack of offensive production?
         
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10-29-2006, 05:42 PM
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Oddly, in 2002 our lack of "decisive" victories was a negative to pollsters and talking heads. This year, the lack of "decisive" victories was considered a plus for USC. Now that Oregon State took care of them, the Trojan Bandwagon has a few empty seats.
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10-29-2006, 09:13 PM
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Yes there were complaints about the offense from many folks, including folks who are now on this board. It is natural. To me, the bottom line was that JT knew the strength of the team was the defense and the kicking game and, as such, we saw game plans that gave OSU the best chance at victory. At times the offense was predictable and boring, but you have to dance with who ya brung, and even though it may not have been pretty, I think that 14 - 0 speaks for itself. To be brutally honest, the victory at Purdue was quite ugly from an offensive standpoint, yet it had one of the most beautiful offensive plays in "Holy Buckeye". As far as the title game/BCS game is concerned, to me I didn't start to truly believe until the Purdue game. My Buckeye memories go back to the early '70's and there had been some heartbreak over the years. Thanks to the Cooper years, I had become conditioned to expect a loss along the way to ruin a chance at an NC. But after the Purdue game, I started to believe. I started to believe that the man that I wanted to be the HC (yes I knew something about JT from his Y-town days not to mention I know some who knew the family when they were in Mentor...where I live now) was the man who could guide the team to the promised land. Even after the OT win in Illionois, I was 100% confident that there was no way that scUM would ruin another OSU season. Sitting in the 'Shoe in 2002 and watching the Bucks beat scUM and earn a trip to Tempe brought a tear to my eye. Hell, thinking back on it now sends a chill down my spine. I actually felt that the demons from the Cooper era were exorcised that day. Now there weren't many, outside the Buckeye Nation, who felt we had a chance against Miami. (I know that the Sporting News picked OSU to win the game.) As for myself, I didn't get a strong feeling until I set foot in Sun Devil stadium and saw that it was a home game. That is when I thought of the man who leading our boys into the game. There is no better collegiate coach than JT and there is no better coach for OSU than JT. He gets it! He gets the meaning of OSU football in this state! And he gets how to get players ready to play as one out on the field. The bottom line for the NC game, yes many felt we didn't have a chance due to our lack of offense. I felt we had a very good chance because of our defense. Many accurately said that we hadn't seen any offense with the speed like Miami. While that was true, no one was saying what a few of us believed, that Miami hadn't seen a defense with the combo of speed and power like the OSU defense. It is an old cliche, "defense wins championships", but there is truth to it. The 2002 team had good talent (as witnessed by the number eventually drafted) but they possessed a refuse to lose attitude that simply isn't sexy to media members.
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10-29-2006, 09:16 PM
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The thing I remember the most was a SMUG Tim Brando (ok that was redundant) and a absolutely idiotic Spencer Tillman saying that OHio State was going to be blown out by Miami in the NC game. Yes they were trying, I guess, to pump up whoever was the SEC champion that year (I think it was Georgia). Absolutely pathetic. I wish I saved the email I sent to CBS about that crap after Ohio State won.
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10-29-2006, 10:50 PM
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First off, excellent post by my neighbor "buckiprof."
There are always going to be armchair coaches out there who are going to criticize, it was there somewhat during '02 but really not too much, probably because of the nature of the season itself. In 2002, were did come in riding some momentum from the "01 scUM win and a near miracle comeback in the Outback Bowl but expectations for the team were not that high. I think many looked at the '02 season as a chance to get some of the prized freshmen onto the field until the "real" expectations hit in 2004 and 2005. Through the entire season, I think fans just kept catching their breath, game after game, and were just hoping that the "luck" wouldn't run out too soon. Just winning was good enough, and it turned out to be much more than that.
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10-30-2006, 04:57 AM
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When we dominated Texas Tech in the pigskin classic and Clarett ran for what 174 and 3 tds and could of had a total of 5 had Tressel not given those two others to Ross, we were witnessing something special. I don't know how many other football players had a game that Clarett had in the first game let alone the first game of his career. The guy just had the instincts and could take it to the house with his deceptive speed. Even through all the mess he was an integral part of the 2002 team and was fun to watch while here.
I always thought our offense had the potential that year to just bust it open. Our first few games we put up some huge numbers. Hung 50some on San Jose State, and took it to Gesser and the rest of the Pac Ten Champion Washington State Cougars while Clarett just ran for a nice 231. That Season had it's moments, the second half of the season always seemed to hang in the balance. What if Michael Jenkins doesn't climb the ladder and make that phenominal catch against Wisconsin? Hell what if Gamble didn't come into that cincy game and make an interception, does he end up being that lockdown cb? The Holy buckeye play, The Will Allen Interception of Navarre, the Clarett Strip of Sean Godzilla Taylor, and the 4th and 14? This team fought through a lot of adversity and Players like CK who literally was fearless in that National Championship game. Since this was the first Ohio State team I witnessed win the National Championship it will always be a memorable one full a lot of excitement and at times a little too much but it was worth it.
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10-30-2006, 06:04 AM
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regarding the offense, the real boo birds didn't start coming out of the woodwork until '03, specifically, the loss to Wiscy... of course there were some rumblings prior to that, but that loss was the catalyst that brought the rumblings to a boil, and caused a lot of bad blood between a couple different groups of fans...
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10-30-2006, 11:48 AM
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10-30-2006, 12:02 PM
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2002 taught me that a defense really can win a championship. This year's defense is a ton better than I ever thought it would be. But I'm still worried about Michigan. They're pounding opposing teams with a dominant defensive line. They may not be pounding opposing defenses with their offense, but their defense is winning games.
Ohio State's defense is also winning games. They gave up only 7 points (though I would argue that it SHOULD only be 3) to Texas, and only 6 to Penn State. But the offense is also crushing most opponents. Because I happen to remember 1995 and 1996, and because it may turn into a defensive struggle, Ohio State-Michigan worries me. It may be another one of those where the Ohio State defensive back slips on the crumbling field, and Michigan's receiver runs for the only touchdown of the day, to win 13-9. Defense wins big games, but in a defensive struggle, one slip can mean the difference between a win and a loss.
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10-30-2006, 12:12 PM
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Still hilarious...
Because they are not going to beat Miami. If Miami loses, it will be because Miami beat itself. I don't see that happening. Until you beat the best team in your conference, don't tell me you can beat Miami. You have four weeks to come up with a passing game!" Trev Alberts, 12/11/02 "Miami 42 Ohio State 10" Mark May 1/2/03 "Nobody has our talent. We're way too fast for Ohio State. What conference are they in? The Big Ten? Ohio State and Nebraska are both power teams. It'll be like Nebraska was last year (a 37-14 Miami victory at the Rose Bowl). Nobody can hang with our speed." Miami tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. New York Daily News 12/28/02 "Nobody outside of Columbus thinks the Buckeyes are the second best team in the country." Jim Rome, 12/16/02 "I can't tell you how many comments I've heard about Ohio State playing down to the level of its competition. Folks, that's not what's happening. The Buckeyes aren't a very good 12-0 team. And they won't be a very good 12-1 team after they lose at home to Michigan on Saturday. Here's where I stand on a mythical Ohio State-Iowa matchup: The Hawkeyes would win big." ?My predicted final score? Try 48-10, 'Canes -- a mismatched score for a game involving mismatched teams,? Tim Brando, Sporting News "expert" 11/20/02 "There is not an NFL team with more team speed than the Hurricanes," New York Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi "Ohio State is a 14-point underdog if it plays Miami for the national championship. Ohio State's band has a better case for (being) number one in its field." Danny Sheridan, USA Today 11/21/02 "Iowa would beat OSU by two touchdowns." Trev Alberts, 11/28/02 "I can't bring myself to pick Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. To win? No, no, no, not even close. I called my priest this week to confess I was considering the Yuckeyes would come within two touchdowns of Miami. But this is Miami. Its equipment manager can outrun your defensive backs. Its quarterback never needs drycleaning. What's the point when his uniform never gets dirty? Right now, Larry Coker is agonizing over a superior game plan that reads, "Punt on fourth down. Sometimes. Sorry, Bucks, it stops here. This will be a Fiesta Bowl awakening that will put you back in your proper place -- back in the Big Ten struggling to beat Northwestern. Forecast for Columbus? A high in the teens. Call it Miami 26, Ohio State 13. " Dennis Dodd 1/3/03
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10-30-2006, 12:17 PM
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10-30-2006, 12:21 PM
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I had never read this one before:
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10-30-2006, 12:27 PM
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I'd rather stuggle to beat NW then "beat down" Florida International.
Funny bit about Dorsey's jersey never getting dirty. Not sure how it was in the Fiesta Bowl since he replaced it so quick for a hospital gown after the game. 
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10-30-2006, 12:36 PM
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Tibs, at least in those days, they could consider a hospital gown. Now, they are back to just automatically issuing prison uniforms.
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10-30-2006, 02:19 PM
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