2003 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 2003 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Frank Solich and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. After the Colorado game, Solich was fired as head coach. Defensive coordinator Bo Pelini served as interim head coach for the Alamo Bowl.


2003 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team, After the season
Nebraska finished in 2nd place in the Big 12 North Division and tied for 4th conference-wide, with a final record of 10–3 (5–3). Prior to the season, Head Coach Frank Solich was feeling pressure to perform after a 7–7 (3–5) record the previous year (the first non-winning season since 1961), and had significantly revamped his coaching staff for 2003.


2003 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team, After the season
Despite the sweeping changes and the improvements they brought, which helped Nebraska to another 9-win season, Solich was fired at the conclusion of the regular season. Defensive Coordinator Bo Pelini was named Interim Head Coach and led the Huskers to a 17–3 Alamo Bowl win over Michigan State. When new Head Coach Bill Callahan was announced in later weeks, most of the existing assistants (including Pelini) were also fired.


2003 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team, After the season, NFL and pro players
The following Nebraska players who participated in the 2003 season later moved on to the next level and joined a professional or semi-pro team as draftees or free agents.


2003 Neiva bombing
The 2003 Neiva bombing was a major bomb attack carried out by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels in the city of Neiva, Colombia on February 14, 2003. Sixteen people died and a dozen others were injured after the explosion of a car bomb near Benito Salas Airport. Police claimed FARC tried to blow up a plane carrying President Álvaro Uribe who was flying overhead. Nine police officers were among those who died. The explosive charge of the blast was 330-440 pounds.


2003 Neiva bombing
Police discovered the plot and raided the house. Because of this the terrorists decided to detonate the bomb at that moment instead, thus missing the President in the plane. The powerful blast managed to destroy five nearby houses and damaged 30 more.


2003 Neiva bombing
On the same day, two CIA operatives were captured by the guerillas in Colombia, whilst two others were thought to have been assassinated.


2003 Netherlands Antilles island council elections
Island council elections were held in the Netherlands Antilles on 9 May (Bonaire and Curaçao) and 23 May 2003 (SSS islands) to elect the members of the island councils of its five island territories. The election was won by the Bonaire Patriotic Union (6 seats) in Bonaire, the Workers' Liberation Front (8 seats) in Curaçao, the Windward Islands People's Movement (3 seats) in Saba, the Democratic Party Statia (3 seats) in Sint Eustatius, and the Democratic Party (6 seats) in Sint Maarten.


2003 Nevada Wolf Pack football team
The 2003 Nevada Wolf Pack football team represented the University of Nevada, Reno during the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. Nevada competed as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). The Wolf Pack were led by fourth–year head coach Chris Tormey, who was fired after the end of the season. They played their home games at Mackay Stadium.


2003 Nevada Wolf Pack football team, Previous season
The Wolf Pack finished the 2002 season 5–7 and 4–4 in WAC play to finish in a tie in fourth place and did not qualify for a bowl game.


2003 New Brunswick general election
The 2003 New Brunswick general election was held on June 9, 2003, to elect 55 members to the 55th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada. Starting out as a predicted landslide for Bernard Lord's Progressive Conservatives, the election  quickly turned around when Shawn Graham, leader of the Liberal Party of New Brunswick, took on auto insurance rates as a cause.


2003 New Brunswick general election, Campaign
People in the province had seen their car insurance rates skyrocket, and the Liberal Party of New Brunswick focussed their campaign on three points:


2003 New Brunswick general election, Campaign
The Liberals ran a virtually flawless campaign, whereas Lord and his PC Party faced a number of problems, especially with their position on the key issue of auto insurance which changed several times during the 30-day campaign.


2003 New Brunswick general election, Campaign
The results were very close, and for most of election night as the results came in, the winner was unclear. Shawn Graham was even heard to remark on television as the night was drawing to a close that "Up to 5 minutes ago, I thought I was Premier".


2003 New Brunswick general election, Campaign
New Democratic Party of New Brunswick leader, Elizabeth Weir, was the only member of her party to win a seat. The party ran 55 candidates throughout the province.


2003 New Brunswick general election, Campaign
The newly founded but short-lived New Brunswick Grey Party which was a branch of the Grey Party of Canada also ran 10 candidates, including party leader Jim Webb.


2003 New Brunswick general election, Results, Results by party
1 The Grey Party did not contest the 1999 election.


2003 New Democratic Party leadership election
The New Democratic Party leadership election of 2003 was held to replace New Democratic Party of Canada leader Alexa McDonough, after her retirement. It ended on January 25, 2003, with the first ballot victory of popular Toronto city councillor Jack Layton.


2003 New Democratic Party leadership election
The election was the first to be conducted under the NDP's new partial one member, one vote system, in which the popular vote of the members is weighted for 75% of the result. The rest are votes cast by delegates for affiliated organizations (mainly labour unions). It was also the first Canadian leadership convention to allow Internet voting; delegates who chose to vote electronically were given a password to a secure website to register their votes.


2003 New Democratic Party leadership election
The race was heated, with the leaders campaigning to NDP audiences across Canada. One of the most notable events of the campaign occurred at the convention in Toronto, the day before the election, when candidate Pierre Ducasse made a stirring speech. Ducasse's speech attracted widespread praise, although its late delivery was unable to sway the postal and internet votes which had already been cast.


2003 New Democratic Party leadership election, Candidates, Jack Layton
At the time of the election, Jack Layton was the Toronto City Councillor for Ward 30 and vice chair of Toronto Hydro, and a former university lecturer and environmental consultant. He had run and lost in both the 1993 and 1997 federal elections. His emphases included homelessness, affordable housing, opposing violence, the natural environment and the green economy.


2003 New Democratic Party leadership election, Candidates, Jack Layton
While other campaigns stressed federal experience, Layton's campaign contended that his record on Toronto council and as former president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities encompassed national issues and would transfer to the federal stage, and that as Alexa McDonough had on her election as leader, he could lead the party successfully from outside Parliament until winning his own seat.


2003 New Democratic Party leadership election, Candidates, Bill Blaikie
At the time of the election, Bill Blaikie was the MP for Winnipeg-Transcona, the NDP House leader and the critic on intergovernmental affairs, justice, the Solicitor General, and parliamentary reform. He had been a Member of Parliament for over 20 years. His emphases included trade, Medicare, taxes and the environment, and his parliamentary experience. An ordained minister in the United Church of Canada, Blaikie was a prominent heir to the Social Gospel, Christian left tradition deeply rooted in the NDP.


2003 New Democratic Party leadership election, Candidates, Lorne Nystrom
Lorne Nystrom was the MP for Regina—Qu'Appelle at the time of the election, and the NDP critic of economic policy, finance, banks, national revenue, public accounts, Crown corporations and electoral reform. Through his 29 years in Parliament, it was the third time he had run for leader. Nystrom campaigned heavily on the issue of electoral reform. Other emphases included his parliamentary experience and practical left-wing economics; he had edited a book on financial issues, Just Making Change.


2003 New Democratic Party leadership election, Candidates, Joe Comartin
Joe Comartin was the MP for Windsor—St. Clair and the environment critic at the time of the election. His election in 2000 had been the first federal win for the NDP in Ontario in ten years, and he helped add a second Ontario seat with Brian Masse's win in the neighbouring Windsor West in 2002. His emphases included Mideast peace and support for UN resolutions on Palestine, and his campaign reached out prominently to the Muslim Canadian community.


2003 New Democratic Party leadership election, Candidates, Pierre Ducasse
Pierre Ducasse was the Associate President of the NDP at the time of the election. His underdog campaign stressed outreach in Quebec and building the party toward electoral success. It also drew on Ducasse's background in co-operative economics.


2003 New Democratic Party leadership election, Candidates, Bev Meslo
Bev Meslo was a Vancouver-area activist and represented the New Democratic Party Socialist Caucus in the leadership election.


2003 New Democratic Party leadership election, Results
The labour votes at convention were weighted to equal 1/3 of the total membership votes cast (43,652 / 3 = 14,550.67).


2003 New Democratic Party leadership election, Results
This was done to ensure that labour held 25% of the total votes cast for Leader, as required by the NDP Constitution.


2003 New Democratic Party leadership election, Results
As a result, the vote of each labour delegate was equal to approximately 15.2 membership votes.


2003 New Democratic Party leadership election, Results
Campaign contributions were those reported on the interim financial statements, as of November 30, 2002.


2003 New England 300
The 2003 New England 300 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race held on July 20, 2003, at New Hampshire International Speedway, in Loudon, New Hampshire. Contested over 300 laps on the 1.058-mile (1.703 km) speedway, it was the 19th race of the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season. Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports won the race.


2003 New England 300, Background
New Hampshire International Speedway is a 1.058-mile (1.703 km) oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as an IndyCar weekend and the oldest motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic. Nicknamed "The Magic Mile", the speedway is often converted into a 1.6-mile (2.6 km) road course, which includes much of the oval. The track was originally the site of Bryar Motorsports Park before being purchased and redeveloped by Bob Bahre. The track is currently one of eight major NASCAR tracks owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports.


2003 New England Patriots season
The 2003 New England Patriots season was the franchise's 34th season in the National Football League, the 44th overall and the 4th under head coach Bill Belichick. They finished with a league-best 14–2 record before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXVIII.


2003 New England Patriots season
Two seasons after winning Super Bowl XXXVI, the Patriots went into 2003 after missing the playoffs in 2002. In a salary cap-related move, captain and Pro Bowl safety Lawyer Milloy was released five days before the start of the regular season, prompting second-guessing of head coach Bill Belichick among some fans and a report by ESPN analyst Tom Jackson that Patriots players "hated their coach", an accusation later denied by players. Milloy signed with the Buffalo Bills, who defeated the Patriots, 31–0, in the season opener.


2003 New England Patriots season
The Patriots would rebound though, not losing another game after starting with a 2–2 record. Due to multiple injuries, the Patriots started 42 different players during the season, an NFL record for a division winner until the Patriots started 45 different players in 2005. Undefeated at home, nose tackle Ted Washington coined the phrase "Homeland Defense" for a Patriots' defense, boosted by the acquisitions of Washington and San Diego Chargers castoff safety Rodney Harrison in the offseason, that gave up a league-low 14.9 points per game en route to a 14–2 regular season record.


2003 New England Patriots season
The regular season was bookended with a 31–0 victory over the Bills at home in Week 17, a score reversed from the Patriots' shutout loss to the Bills in Week 1. The win gave the Patriots a perfect 8–0 record at home in the regular season and the 14–2 season was a club record and the first time the Patriots ever won more than 11 games in a season.


2003 New England Patriots season
After a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs, the Patriots faced the Tennessee Titans at home in one of the coldest games in NFL history and won, setting up an AFC Championship Game matchup with the Indianapolis Colts. The top-seeded Patriots intercepted Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, the league's co-MVP, four times, winning 24–14 and advancing to Super Bowl XXXVIII against the Carolina Panthers. With a tied game late in the fourth quarter, Adam Vinatieri kicked the game-winning field goal with seconds remaining, giving the Patriots their second Super Bowl victory in three seasons.


2003 New England Patriots season, Offseason
The Patriots signed safety Rodney Harrison, linebacker Rosevelt Colvin, fullback Fred McCrary, cornerback Tyrone Poole, linebacker Don Davis, tight end Fred Baxter, safety Chris Akins, fullback Larry Centers and wide receiver Dedric Ward in free agency.


2003 New England Patriots season, Offseason
The Patriots also lost safety Tebucky Jones to the New Orleans Saints in free agency.


2003 New England Patriots season, Offseason
Before the season began, the Patriots acquired defensive tackle Ted Washington in a trade with the Chicago Bears and released safety Lawyer Milloy after he refused to take a pay cut. Milloy would later sign with the Buffalo Bills.


2003 New England Patriots season, Opening training camp roster
At the time of the first public training camp practice at Gillette Stadium on July 24, they had the NFL maximum of 80 players signed to their roster. The Patriots received seven roster exemptions for the NFL Europe allocations of Dyshod Carter, Mike Malan, Mike Clare, Rod Trafford, Courtney Ledyard, Brad Harris, and Scott McCready. Additionally, the Patriots allocated offensive lineman Corey Mitchell, wide receiver T. C. Taylor, and quarterback Shane Stafford to NFL Europe and received roster exemptions for them, but those players were waived before the start of training camp. Finally, injured exclusive rights free agent Stephen Neal did not sign his tender until after camp began, and did not count against the roster limit.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 1: at Buffalo Bills
Following the release of Lawyer Milloy, the Patriots met the Bills in Buffalo, and Milloy was there after signing a deal with the Bills. Drew Bledsoe threw for one touchdown while Tom Brady was picked off four times; in the second quarter defensive lineman Sam Adams (whose namesake father played for the Patriots alongside John Hannah) ran an interception back for a 37-yard touchdown; a still from Adams' run was used for the cover of Sports Illustrated. Brady was also sacked twice, once by Milloy, in a 31–0 Bills rout.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 1: at Buffalo Bills
This would be the last time the Patriots would post a sub-500 record until 145 games later, when they were 1–2 after their first three games of the 2012 season. It was also their most recent regular season opening loss until 2014 as the team started 0–1. This was their also their last shutout loss until week 14 of the 2006 season. It is Brady's worst loss by margin of defeat as a Patriot.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 2: at Philadelphia Eagles
Behind 30 completions in 44 attempts for 247 yards and three touchdowns (two to Christian Fauria and one to Deion Branch), Tom Brady led the Patriots to their first win of the season by beating the Eagles. Donovan McNabb was hammered by the Patriots defense, limited to just 18 completions in 46 throws; he was picked off twice (Tedy Bruschi ran back an interception for an 18-yard touchdown) and sacked eight times.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 2: at Philadelphia Eagles
The Patriots came into the late-afternoon game after hearing ESPN's NFL pregame show where analyst Tom Jackson stated outright "They hate their coach", even though no effort at verification on the part of Jackson had ever been made. Bill Belichick was incensed by the comment and refused to speak to anyone connected with ESPN outside of Chris Berman (a friend of Belichick's) for years after.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 3: vs. New York Jets
The Patriots home opener came against an injury-shot Jets squad. Chad Pennington had been injured in preseason and former Jets starter Vinny Testaverde had to take over; it was the future Patriot's first game against New England since a 44–7 slaughter by the Pats in September 2002. The Jets running game had been shut down in that 2002 matchup and it didn't do much better this time around, totalling just 65 yards, 53 of them from former Patriot Curtis Martin.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 3: vs. New York Jets
Kevin Faulk and Antowain Smith rushed for 134 yards and Tom Brady threw for 181 yards, but until the final five minutes of the third quarter it was a battle of field goals –  tied at 9 until Brady ran in a one-yard score. At the start of the fourth rookie Asante Samuel picked off Testaverde and ran back a 55-yard touchdown. Vinny did connect with Wayne Chrebet two minutes later, but the remaining thirteen minutes went scoreless as the Patriots took the win 23–16.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 4: at Washington Redskins
Steve Spurrier became the last NFL coach to defeat the Patriots until Halloween 2004 as the Redskins raced to a 20–3 lead in the third quarter. Adam Vinatieri missed a field goal try for the first time in the year and Tom Brady was picked off in Washington's red zone twice, once by Champ Bailey. Ladell Betts and Rock Cartwright ran in touchdowns as the Redskins ground game (led by Trung Canidate's 70 yards) ate up 119 yards. It was enough to hold off two late Brady touchdowns in a 20–17 Patriots loss.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 5: vs. Tennessee Titans
The Patriots began a 21-game winning streak in hosting the Titans, who had beaten the Patriots the previous December. Nursing the shoulder injury incurred in the 2002 game against the Titans that had flamed up again, Brady threw for a comparatively modest 219 yards and a 58-yard score to Troy Brown.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 5: vs. Tennessee Titans
The game lead changed seven times as Steve McNair threw for 360 yards and rushed in two touchdowns while Patriots running backs Antowain Smith and Mike Cloud rushed for 153 yards and three scores and rookie Bethel Johnson ran back a fourth-quarter kick 71 yards, setting up Cloud's second touchdown.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 5: vs. Tennessee Titans
The decisive score came when McNair was picked off by a hobbling Ty Law for a 65-yard touchdown – McNair threw to Tyrone Calico (who'd had a 60-yard touchdown called back when he was ruled out of bounds inside the 5-yard line), but Calico slipped to the ground just as Law jumped into his route – and a 38–30 Patriots triumph. Fan cheering for the Red Sox-Oakland A's playoff Game Four concurrent with Tennessee Titans scoring drives caused a stir on the sidelines and also in the CBS and Patriots radio broadcast booths.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 6: vs. New York Giants
In a rainstorm that postponed Game Four of the 2003 ALCS later that night, the Patriots hosted the New York Giants. The first throw by Kerry Collins was batted in the air and intercepted, leading to a Patriots field goal attempt that missed. Later, Tiki Barber was hit and fumbled to Matt Chatham, who ran in a 30-yard touchdown. Collins was picked off four times as the Patriots grounded out a 17–6 win.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 7: at Miami Dolphins
Battling the Dolphins for the division lead, the Patriots erased a 13–6 gap with a Brady touchdown pass to David Givens in the third. The Dolphins marched down field late in the fourth; during this drive a Ricky Williams first down run was protested by the Patriots who felt Williams' knee touched the dirt infield at Pro Player Stadium, but the challenge was denied. The Dolphins attempted a 35-yard field goal at the two-minute warning, but the kick was blocked by Richard Seymour.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 7: at Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins smothered the Patriots' final drive attempt (the decisive play came when former Patriot Terrell Buckley stopped Kevin Faulk for a four-yard loss) and the game went to overtime. Controversy ensued on the coin flip for overtime; referee Gerald Austin used a silver dollar; the coin came up Lady Columbia (which is "heads" on a silver dollar) but Patriot captains Brady and Seymour protested that it came up "tails."


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 7: at Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins drove downfield but missed another 35-yard field goal try, in part because Olindo Mare couldn't plant his foot on the infield dirt, which was still in place because of the Florida Marlins' run towards their 2003 World Series victory; after forcing a Patriots punt Jay Fiedler was hit by Tedy Bruschi and lobbed a 60-yard pass picked off at the Patriots 18-yard line by Tyrone Poole. Brady then ended the game with a spectacular 82-yard touchdown strike to Troy Brown and a 19–13 final.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 8: vs. Cleveland Browns
Despite 367 yards of offense the Patriots could only muster three Adam Vinatieri field goals, with his fifth miss of the season added in. The Patriots defense limited the Browns to 203 yards of offense while Ty Law picked off Kelly Holcomb, this was Law's second interception of the season. Holcomb was also sacked three times as the Browns limped home after a 9–3 Patriots win. During the game an apparent Browns fumble was overturned based on the rule immortalized in New England’s 2001 game vs the Raiders.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 9: at Denver Broncos
The Patriots made their only appearance on Monday Night Football of the season in this matchup against the Broncos, who had beaten the Patriots in 13 of the two teams' 15 previous meetings. The Broncos held a 24–23 lead in the fourth with backup quarterback Danny Kanell starting and despite injuries to receiver Ed McCaffrey and kicker Jason Elam. Backed up to their one-yard line, the Patriots were forced to punt, but with so little room to work, they snapped the ball through the endzone for a deliberate safety.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 9: at Denver Broncos
On the ensuing free kick, the Patriots pinned the Broncos near their own goal line and forced a Denver punt. In the final two minutes, the Patriots drove downfield and Tom Brady fired an 18-yard touchdown strike to David Givens. Kanell threw a long pass that was intercepted by rookie Asante Samuel with seven seconds left, securing a 30–26 Patriots win.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 11: vs. Dallas Cowboys
For only the second time in their history the Patriots defeated the Cowboys. Both teams entered the Sunday Night Football contest at 7–2 and the game was the first showdown between Bill Belichick and the coach he worked under for many years, former Patriots coach Bill Parcells. The Cowboys gained only 291 yards of offense while the Patriots did worse, limited to 268 yards; three Quincy Carter interceptions (two by Ty Law) proved decisive. The Patriots managed two Adam Vinatieri field goals and a two-yard Antowain Smith touchdown marred by a blocked PAT. With a 12–0 win, the Patriots continued their winning streak from the end of September.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 12: at Houston Texans
Facing their future defensive coach Dom Capers, the Patriots made their first trip to Houston since 1988 and a 31–6 loss to the Oilers at the Astrodome. The Patriots led 10–3 at the half, but Adam Vinatieri missed a 38-yard field goal try at the end of the half, his first miss inside a dome in his career. Tony Banks erupted to three second-half touchdowns as the Texans' defense bullied the Patriots into a fumble (recovered by Jay Foreman) and a Tom Brady INT.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 12: at Houston Texans
Trailing 20–13 in the final minutes of regulation the Patriots drove down field; at the Texan' 4-yard line Brady was chased out of the pocket and threw a pass caught in the endzone in mid-air by Daniel Graham. In overtime a 37-yard Vinatieri field goal try was blocked by Ramon Walker, but the Texans were forced to punt. Late in overtime the Texans' Marlon McCree picked off Brady at his 5-yard line but a holding penalty nullified the turnover, and Vinatieri kicked the game-winner with 41 seconds left in overtime and a 23–20 Patriots win. The game marked the last time New England would trail in any 2003 contest until Super Bowl XXXVIII - which took place in Houston as well.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 13: at Indianapolis Colts
Though Tom Brady had faced Peyton Manning twice coming in, this game marked the true beginning of the most celebrated quarterback rivalry in NFL history. The game was the Patriots' first meeting with the Colts since 2002 divisional realignment put the Colts into the new AFC South after 32 seasons with the Pats in the AFC East. The two teams stood at 9–2, the latest in a season two teams with nine wins had met. The Patriots raced to a 17–3 second-quarter lead behind scores by Mike Cloud and Dedric Ward.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 13: at Indianapolis Colts
Following a Peyton Manning touchdown to Marcus Pollard with 12 seconds left in the first half, Bethel Johnson ran back the ensuing kick 92 yards for a touchdown. But the Patriots 31–10 runaway following another Cloud touchdown became an epic shootout as two Brady interceptions gave the Colts touchdown drives, and they tied the game at 31 at 4:39 of the fourth. Another monster Johnson kick return set up a Brady to Deion Branch touchdown, but after a Kevin Faulk fumble and ensuing Mike Vanderjagt field goal the score stood at 38–34 Patriots.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 13: at Indianapolis Colts
A short Ken Walter punt led to a Colts drive to the Patriots goalline in the final minute. A heroic goalline stand led by Willie McGinest and Ted Washington stopped the Colts from scoring and the win left several Patriots visibly shaken; Rodney Harrison noted afterward, "I've never seen anything like this." The two teams combined for 582 yards of offense.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 14: vs. Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins traveled to Foxboro to face the Patriots in the tail end of a snowstorm that dumped well over a foot of snow on the area. The only scoring of the first three quarters came late in the first quarter, when Adam Vinatieri hit a 29-yard field goal to put the Patriots ahead. With both offenses struggling, the Patriots missed a chance to open a wider lead when Vinatieri missed a 54-yard field goal at the end of the first half.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 14: vs. Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins threatened the Patriots offensively for the first time in the game late in the third quarter, advancing to the Patriots' 10-yard line before Rodney Harrison strip-sacked Jay Fiedler, with Mike Vrabel recovering the fumble for the Patriots (and embarrassing Dolphins rookie TE Randy McMichael, who had talked trash about the Patriots before the game but blew his blocking assignment against Harrison on this play). In the fourth quarter, punter Brooks Barnard (replacing Ken Walter, who'd been cut a week after poor punts against the Colts), would pin the Dolphins at their own 4-yard line.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 14: vs. Miami Dolphins
Fiedler's first pass was intercepted by Tedy Bruschi and returned five yards for a touchdown. The play became notable more for the fans' celebration afterwards, as they would throw the fallen snow in the air in a form of "snow fireworks." At the two-minute warning, Brady would pooch-punt and pin the Dolphins at their own 1-yard line; Fiedler was sacked a few plays later for a safety that sealed a 12–0 Patriots victory and the division title.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 15: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
In a mild snowstorm the Patriots faced the Jaguars for the first time since Jacksonville's 1998 playoff win over New England. The Patriots defense saw something they hadn't seen since they faced the Tennessee Titans in Week Five – the opponent scored a touchdown in Foxboro, as late in the fourth quarter Kevin Johnson caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from future Tom Brady offensive coach Byron Leftwich, the first home touchdown allowed since Steve McNair ran in a score in the fourth quarter in Week Five – nearly five whole games. It didn't matter as two Tom Brady touchdown throws, an Antowain Smith rushing score, and two Vinatieri field goals were enough for a 27–13 Patriots win.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 16: at New York Jets
In bitter cold the 12–2 Patriots faced a grinder against the 6–8 Jets, who were coming off a 6–0 shutout of Pittsburgh the week before; the Patriots were also facing Chad Pennington for the first time since a 30–17 Jets win in 2002. The Patriots picked off Pennington right away, setting up David Givens' 35-yard score not even one minute into the game. Pennington tied the game on a one-yard run late in the first quarter, but early in the second he was picked off by Willie McGinest at his own 15 and McGinest scored.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 16: at New York Jets
Givens caught another touchdown pass in the third, but the score was only 21–16 after a second Pennington rushing score and a missed two-point try. Pennington was then picked off for the fifth time late in the fourth, finishing an ugly 21–16 Patriots win. The win moved New England to 13-2 before a rematch against the Bills in the season finale.


2003 New England Patriots season, Regular season results, Week 17: vs. Buffalo Bills
The regular season finale saw the Patriots hosting the same Bills that blanked them 31–0 in September. Revenge drove the Patriots as Tom Brady threw four touchdowns, all in the first half, and despite an ugly hit in the legs by Lawyer Milloy in the second quarter. Adam Vinatieri missed a third-quarter field goal but connected from 24 yards out in the fourth. Drew Bledsoe never got on track and was pulled in the fourth quarter for Travis Brown, who got to the Patriots redzone at the end of the fourth quarter but was intercepted in the endzone by Larry Izzo. The Patriots' 31–0 win bookended the season.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Divisional Round vs. Tennessee Titans
In one of the coldest games in NFL history, with temperatures reaching 4 °F (−16 °C), the Patriots survived both the cold and NFL co-MVP Steve McNair, relying on yet another game-winning field goal from kicker Adam Vinatieri late in the fourth quarter and a key defensive stand.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Divisional Round vs. Tennessee Titans
Tom Brady stormed out the gates with a 19-yard completion to Kevin Faulk with his first pass attempt. A few plays later, the Titans defensive scheme confused him and caused him to burn a timeout, but it was well spent. On the next play, he threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Bethel Johnson. McNair struck back with a 15-yard completion to Derrick Mason and a 24-yard pass to running back Eddie George, moving the ball to the Patriots 22-yard line.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Divisional Round vs. Tennessee Titans
Roman Phifer almost ended the drive by intercepting a pass from McNair, but lineman Richard Seymour was penalized for roughing the passer and the Titans got the ball back with a first down on the New England 9-yard line. Two plays later, Chris Brown scored a 5-yard touchdown run to tie the game.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Divisional Round vs. Tennessee Titans
After the ensuing kickoff, Brady completed two passes to Dedric Ward for 30 yards on a 38-yard drive to the Titans 26-yard line. The drive ended with no points when Vinatieri missed a 44-yard field goal attempt, but on the next play, safety Rodney Harrison intercepted a pass from McNair and returned it 7 yards to the Patriots 43-yard line. Brady subsequently completed four of six passes for 49 yards and rushed for 3 on the way to a 1-yard touchdown run by Antowain Smith to retake the lead less than two minutes into the second quarter. Later in the period, the Titans drove 51 yards in nine plays to the Patriots 13-yard line, featuring a 29-yard completion from McNair to Mason. But New England's defense kept them out the end zone and blocked Gary Anderson's 31-yard field goal attempt.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Divisional Round vs. Tennessee Titans
Early in the third quarter, McNair led the Titans on a 70-yard scoring drive, completing 5 consecutive passes for 59 yards and capping it off with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Mason. The rest of the third quarter was scoreless, but midway through the fourth quarter, Troy Brown's 10-yard punt return gave the Patriots great field position at the Titans 40-yard line. The Patriots gained only 13 yards on their ensuing possession, but it was enough for Vinatieri to make a 46-yard field goal, giving New England a 17–14 lead with 4:02 left in regulation.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Divisional Round vs. Tennessee Titans
The Titans took the ensuing kickoff and drove to the Patriots 33-yard line. But two penalties, a 10-yard intentional grounding call and a holding penalty, pushed them back 20 yards. McNair threw an 11-yard completion on the next play, but after that, Drew Bennett dropped a potential first down catch on fourth down and 12, and the Titans turned the ball over on downs with 1:38 left.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, AFC Championship vs. Indianapolis Colts
New England's defense dominated the Colts, only allowing 14 points, intercepting 4 passes from Peyton Manning (3 of them by Ty Law), recording 4 sacks (three by Jarvis Green), and forcing a safety. Although New England's offense fared no better and only scored one touchdown, Vinatieri's 5 field goals made up for the difference as the Patriots won, 24–14, to advance to their second Super Bowl appearance in 3 seasons.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, AFC Championship vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Patriots took the opening kickoff and scored on their first drive, advancing the ball 65 yards in 13 plays. Tom Brady completed four passes to receiver David Givens for 40 yards on the drive, including a 7-yard touchdown pass, and converted a fourth down on his own 44-yard line with a 2-yard run. Manning seemed ready to counter, driving the Colts 68 yards to the Patriot 5-yard line, but on third down and 3, his pass was intercepted by Rodney Harrison in the end zone. After the interception, the Patriots drove 67 yards to the Colts 13-yard line where Vinatieri's 31-yard field goal increased their lead to 10–0.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, AFC Championship vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Patriots defense continued to dominate the Colts in the second quarter. On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Law intercepted a pass from Manning and returned it 6 yards to the 41-yard line. The Patriots then drove 52 yards and increased their lead to 13–0 with a second Vinatieri field goal. Brady completed three passes for 42 yards on the drive, including a 17-yarder to Givens and a 16-yard completion to Troy Brown on fourth down and 8. For the first time in the entire postseason, the Colts were forced to punt on their next drive. Apparently, they were very out of practice, because the snap from center Justin Snow sailed over the head of punter Hunter Smith. The ball went into the end zone, and Smith was forced to knock it out of bounds for a safety, making the score 15–0.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, AFC Championship vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts had a great opportunity to score when rookie defense back David Macklin recovered a fumble from receiver Bethel Johnson three plays after the free kick, giving Indianapolis a first down on the Patriots 41-yard line. But five plays later, Harrison forced a fumble while tackling Marvin Harrison, and cornerback Tyrone Poole recovered it.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, AFC Championship vs. Indianapolis Colts
Trailing 15–0 at halftime, the Colts finally managed to build some momentum in the third quarter. First, Dominic Rhodes gave them great field position by returning the second half kickoff 35 yards to the 49-yard line. Then running back Edgerrin James spearheaded a 52-yard scoring drive, carrying the ball on 7 of 12 plays for 32 yards and capping it off with a 2-yard touchdown run to cut the score to 15–7. But the Patriots took over the rest of the period.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, AFC Championship vs. Indianapolis Colts
After Patrick Pass returned the ensuing kickoff 21 yards to the 43-yard line, Brady completed passes to Larry Centers for 28 yards, Brown for 17, and Kevin Faulk for 8, setting up Vinatieri's third field goal to increase their lead to 18–7. Three plays after the ensuing kickoff, Indianapolis was forced to punt. Antowain Smith then rushed four times for 53 yards on New England's next possession, advancing the ball to the Colts 3-yard line where Vinatieri kicked his fourth field goal. Two plays after the ensuing kickoff, Law recorded his second interception from Manning on the Colts 31-yard line. But this time, the Patriots failed to score because defensive back Walt Harris picked off a pass from Brady in the end zone.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, AFC Championship vs. Indianapolis Colts
After the turnover, the Colts drove 57 yards to the New England 31-yard line. But then Manning threw his third interception to Law with 8:17 left in the fourth quarter. After forcing a punt, Manning led the Colts back, completing 8 of 9 passes for 64 yards and finishing the drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Pollard with 2:22 left in regulation. The Colts failed to recover their ensuing onside kick attempt, but forced a punt with 2:01 left.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, AFC Championship vs. Indianapolis Colts
However, the Patriots defense limited Manning to four consecutive incompletions, causing the Colts to turn the ball over on downs. Then after making Indianapolis use up all of their timeouts, Vinatieri's 5th field goal increased the Patriots lead to 24–14. The Colts attempted one last desperation drive, but ended up turning the ball over on downs again with 7 seconds left in the game. The Patriots would go on to win 24-14 and advance to their second Super Bowl in three years.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, AFC Championship vs. Indianapolis Colts
Brady completed 22 of 37 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown, with 1 interception. Smith rushed for 100 yards. Pollard caught 6 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown. Rhodes returned five kickoffs for 121 yards, rushed for 16, and caught 2 passes for 17.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, AFC Championship vs. Indianapolis Colts
Colts players would later publicly complain that the game officials did not properly call illegal contact, pass interference, and defensive holding penalties on the Patriots' defensive backs. This, and similar complaints made by others, would prompt the NFL during the 2004 offseason to instruct all of the league's officials to strictly enforce these types of fouls.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Carolina Panthers
Most of the first half was a defensive struggle, with neither team able to score until late in the second quarter, despite several early scoring opportunities for New England. After Carolina was forced to punt on their opening drive, Patriots receiver Troy Brown gave his team great field position with a 28-yard return to the Panthers 47-yard line. The Patriots subsequently marched to the 9-yard line, but Carolina kept them out of the end zone and Adam Vinatieri missed a 31-yard field goal attempt.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Carolina Panthers
The Patriots forced Carolina to punt after 3 plays and again got the ball with great field position, receiving Todd Sauerbrun's 40-yard punt at the Panthers 49-yard line. New England then drove to the 31-yard line, but on third down, linebacker Will Witherspoon tackled Brown for a 10-yard loss on an end-around play, pushing the Patriots out of field goal range. Later on, New England drove 57 yards to the Panthers 18-yard line with 6 minutes left in the second period, but once again they failed to score as Carolina kept them out of the end zone and Vinatieri's 36-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Panthers defender Shane Burton.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Carolina Panthers
Meanwhile, the Panthers offense was stymied by the Patriot defense, with quarterback Jake Delhomme completing just one out of his first nine passes, sacked three times, and fumbling once. That fumble occurred 3 plays after Vinatieri's second missed field goal; Delhomme lost the ball while being sacked by linebacker Mike Vrabel, and Patriots defensive tackle Richard Seymour recovered the ball at the Panthers 20-yard line. Two plays later, New England faced a third down and 7, but quarterback Tom Brady scrambled 12 yards to the 5-yard line for a first down. Then wide receiver Deion Branch caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Brady on the next play.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Carolina Panthers
Branch's touchdown came after 26:55 had elapsed in the game, setting the record for the longest amount of time a Super Bowl remained scoreless. The play also suddenly set off a scoring explosion from both teams for the remainder of the first half.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers stormed down the field on their ensuing possession, driving 95 yards in 8 plays, and tying the game on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Delhomme to wide receiver Steve Smith with just 1:07 left in the half.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Carolina Panthers
The Patriots immediately countered with a 6-play, 78-yard scoring drive of their own. Starting from their own 22-yard line, Brady completed a 12-yard pass to wide receiver David Givens. Then after throwing an incompletion, Brady completed a long pass to Branch, who caught it at the Panthers 24-yard line in stride before being tackled at the 14-yard line for a 52-yard gain. Three plays later, Givens caught a 5-yard touchdown from Brady to give New England a 14–7 lead with only 18 seconds left in the half.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Carolina Panthers
The Patriots decided to squib kick the ensuing kickoff to prevent a long return, but their plan backfired as Carolina tight end Kris Mangum picked up the ball at his own 35-yard line and returned it 12 yards to the 47. Panthers running back Stephen Davis then ran for 21 yards on the next play to set up kicker John Kasay's 50-yard field goal as time expired in the half, cutting Carolina's deficit to 14–10.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Carolina Panthers
The third quarter was scoreless as each team exchanged punts twice. But with 3:57 left in the period, the Patriots put together a 71-yard, 8-play scoring drive, featuring tight end Daniel Graham's 33-yard reception to advance to the Carolina 9-yard line. Running back Antowain Smith then capped off the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run on the second play on the final period to increase their lead, 21–10. This was the start of another scoring explosion, one that became one of the biggest explosions in Super Bowl history, with both teams scoring a combined 37 points in the last 15 minutes, the most ever in a single quarter of a Super Bowl.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Carolina Panthers
Delhomme started out Carolina's ensuing drive with a 13-yard completion to wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad. After committing a false start penalty on the next play, Delhomme completed a pair of passes to Smith for gains of 18 and 22 yards. Running back DeShaun Foster then scored on a 33-yard touchdown run, cutting the Panthers' deficit to 21–16 after Delhomme's 2-point conversion pass fell incomplete.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Carolina Panthers
The Patriots responded on their ensuing possession by driving all the way to Carolina's 9-yard line, but the drive ended when Panthers defensive back Reggie Howard intercepted a third down pass from Brady in the end zone. Then on 3rd down from his own 15-yard line, Delhomme threw for the longest play from scrimmage in Super Bowl history, an 85-yard touchdown completion to Muhammad. Carolina's 2-point conversion attempt failed again, but they took their first lead of the game, 22–21, with 6:53 remaining.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Carolina Panthers
However, New England retook the lead on their next drive, advancing 68 yards with the aid of a pair of completions from Brady to Givens for gains of 18 and 25 yards. Once again the Patriots were faced with third down and goal, but this time they scored with Brady's 1-yard pass to Vrabel, who had lined up in an eligible tight end position. Then on a two-point conversion attempt, running back Kevin Faulk took a direct snap and ran into the end zone to make the score 29–22. Despite amassing over 1,000 combined yards, Kevin Faulk's two-point conversion constituted the only points he scored all season.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers countered on their next possession. Foster started the drive with a 9-yard run and a 7-yard reception. After that, Delhomme completed a 19-yard pass to Muhammad, followed by a 31-yard completion to receiver Ricky Proehl. Then Proehl, who caught the fourth quarter game-tying touchdown pass against the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI 2 years earlier for the St. Louis Rams, finished the drive with a 12-yard touchdown reception. Kasay's ensuing extra point tied the game, 29–29, with 1:08 to play in regulation and it appeared that the game would be the first Super Bowl ever to go into overtime.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Carolina Panthers
However, Kasay kicked the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, giving New England the ball on their own 40-yard line. Brady calmly led the Patriots offense down the field with a 13-yard pass to Brown on second down. An offensive pass interference penalty on Brown pushed New England back to their own 43-yard line, but another 13-yard reception to Brown and a 4-yard pass to Graham brought up a critical 3rd down and 3 from the Carolina 40-yard line. The Panthers defense could not prevent the Patriots from gaining the first down, as Brady completed a clutch 17-yard pass to Branch.


2003 New England Patriots season, Postseason, Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Carolina Panthers
On the next play, Vinatieri kicked a 41-yard field goal to give New England the lead, 32–29, with four seconds left in the game. Carolina failed on their last chance, as Rod Smart went nowhere on the resulting kickoff, and the Patriots had won their second Super Bowl in three years. This was the fourth Super Bowl to be decided on a field goal in the final seconds. Super Bowl V was won on a last second kick by Jim O'Brien, Super Bowl XXV as Scott Norwood missed his field goal chance, and Super Bowl XXXVI as Adam Vinatieri made his.


2003 New England Patriots season, Awards and honors, Pro Bowl selections
Three Patriots were elected to the 2004 Pro Bowl. Cornerback Ty Law and defensive lineman Richard Seymour were both named as starters, while linebacker Willie McGinest was named as a reserve, replacing the injured Peter Boulware.


2003 New Forest District Council election
The 2003 New Forest District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members to the New Forest District Council, on the same day as other local elections. The 2003 election saw new ward boundaries used which increased the number of seats by 2 to 60. The election saw the Conservatives win 32 seats out of the 31 required for a majority, with the Liberal Democrats winning 27 seats and one independent win.


2003 New Forest District Council election, Election Summary
New ward boundaries came into effect for the election, which increased the number of seats by two. Prior to the election, a by-election took place in Pennington, which saw the Liberal Democrats gaining the seat from the Conservatives, meaning that prior to the election the Conservatives held 29 seats (50.00%), the Liberal Democrats held 36 seats (44.82%) and three independents held seats (5.17%). After the election, the Conservatives held 32 seats (53.33%) and the Liberal Democrats held 27 (45.00%), with only one independent hold (1.66%)


2003 New Forest District Council election, Election Summary
The Liberal Democrats performed best in the East of the district, as well as the North West, taking eight out of ten Totton seats, all six Hythe and Dibden seats, and all four seats in the Fawley, Blackfield and Holbury area. The Conservatives meanwhile performed well across the rest of the district.


2003 New Forest District Council election, Election Summary
The table below only tallies the votes of the highest polling candidate for each party within each ward. This is known as the top candidate method and is often used for multi-member plurality elections.


2003 New Hampshire Wildcats football team
The 2003 New Hampshire Wildcats football team was an American football team that represented the University of New Hampshire as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference during the 2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In its fifth year under head coach Sean McDonnell, the team compiled a 5–7 record (3–6 against conference opponents) and tied for eighth place out of eleven teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference.


2003 New Jersey State Senate election
The 2003 New Jersey State Senate elections were held on November 4.


2003 New Jersey State Senate election
The election took midway through Jim McGreevey's term as Governor of New Jersey. The election ended two years of split control in favor of the Democratic Party, which regained a majority for the first time since 1991. Incumbent Senate co-President John O. Bennett was unseated for re-election by Ellen Karcher. The Democrats continue to hold the majority in the Senate as of 2021.


2003 New Jersey State Senate election, Incumbents not running for re-election, Republican
Additionally, Senators John J. Matheussen, Richard Bagger, and Garry Furnari, who were elected in 2001, resigned before their terms were completed. The interim appointees for each of their seats ran as incumbents.


2003 New Mexico Lobos football team
The 2003 New Mexico Lobos football team represented the University of New Mexico during the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. New Mexico competed as a member of the Mountain West Conference (MW), and played their home games in the University Stadium. The Lobos were led by sixth-year head coach Rocky Long.


2003 New Mexico State Aggies football team
The 2003 New Mexico State Aggies football team represented New Mexico State University in the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Aggies were coached by head coach Tony Samuel and played their home games at Aggie Memorial Stadium in Las Cruces, New Mexico. They were members of the Sun Belt Conference.


2003 New Orleans Bowl
The 2003 Wyndham New Orleans Bowl featured the North Texas Mean Green and the Memphis Tigers. It was North Texas's third consecutive New Orleans Bowl appearance.


2003 New Orleans Bowl
Kicker Nick Bazaldua got North Texas on the board first with a 47-yard field goal to give the team an early 3–0 lead. Memphis quarterback Danny Wimprine scored on a 7-yard touchdown run to give Memphis a 7–3 lead. In the second quarter, Wimprine found Chris Kelley for a 10-yard touchdown pass, and a 14–3 lead. Stephen Gostkowski connected on a 21-yard field goal before halftime, to increase the lead to 17–3.


2003 New Orleans Bowl
In the third quarter, running back Patrick Cobbs scored on a 35-yard touchdown run to bring the score to 17–10. In the fourth quarter, running back LaKendus Cole scored on a 5-yard touchdown run to increase the lead to 24–10. Patrick Cobbs scored his second touchdown on a 2-yard run to bring the score to 24–17. Stephen Gostkowski finished the scoring with a 42-yard field goal, to make the final 27–17.


2003 New Orleans Saints season
The 2003 season was the New Orleans Saints' 37th in the National Football League and their 28th playing home games at the Louisiana Superdome. They failed to improve on their 9–7 record from 2002 and finished with a record of 8–8.


2003 New Orleans Saints season
This was the season of the River City Relay, a play that has gone down in NFL lore from a week 16 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Saints were 7–7 and needed a victory to keep their postseason hopes alive. The Jaguars held a 20–13 lead with seven seconds left in regulation, and the Saints had possession on their own 25.


2003 New Orleans Saints season
In a scene evoking memories of The Play, Aaron Brooks passed to Donté Stallworth for 42 yards, Stallworth lateraled to Michael Lewis for 7 yards, Lewis lateraled to Deuce McAllister for 5 yards, and McAllister lateraled to Jerome Pathon for 21 yards and a touchdown. The score was 20–19, leaving only the extra point to force overtime.


2003 New Orleans Saints season
However, in an unlikely twist, John Carney, who in his career made 98.4% of extra points attempted and had not missed one in a full decade, inexplicably missed the kick wide right, causing the Saints to miss the playoffs for the third consecutive season and 10th time in the past 11.


2003 New Orleans Saints season, Regular season, Schedule
During the 2003 regular season, the Saints’ non-division opponents were primarily from the NFC East and AFC South based on the NFL schedule rotation. They also played the Seattle Seahawks  and Chicago Bears based on the teams' 2002 divisional placement. Their non-conference opponents were from the AFC South.


2003 New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico primaries
The 2003 New Progressive Party primaries were the primary elections by which voters of the New Progressive Party (PNP) chose its nominees for various political offices of Puerto Rico, namely the position of governor, for the 2004 general elections. Former Governor Pedro Rosselló was selected as the nominee at the primary elections held on November 9, 2003. He would go on to narrowly lose the 2004 general election against Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, from the Popular Democratic Party (PPD).


2003 New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico primaries, Candidates, Senate, District
The New Progressive Party held primaries on all 8 of the senatorial districts.


2003 New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico primaries, Candidates, House of Representatives, District
The New Progressive Party held primaries on 33 of the 40 representative districts.


2003 New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico primaries, Results
The primaries were held on November 9, 2003. In it, Pedro Rosselló comfortably defeated Carlos Pesquera to win the spot for Governor at the 2004 elections. Also, Luis Fortuño defeated Carlos Romero Barceló, Charlie Rodríguez and Miriam Ramírez de Ferrer to win the spot for Resident Commissioner.


2003 New South Wales state election
Elections to the 53rd Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 22 March 2003. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election. The Labor Party led by Bob Carr won a third four-year term against the Liberal-National Coalition led by John Brogden.


2003 New South Wales state election
Future New South Wales premier, Gladys Berejiklian, entered parliament at this election.


2003 New South Wales state election, Background
In the 18 months following the 1999 election politics was swamped by the Olympics. The only problem in this period was an administrative disaster in organising the ballot to purchase tickets. Games organisers were trying to hold back tickets originally promised at a lower price to the public in an attempt to deal with the financial viability of the Olympics. Chikarovski remained as Liberal leader after the 1999 election, partly because no-one wanted the job before the Olympics, but also because there was no clear alternative. A challenge finally occurred in March 2002, and Pittwater MP John Brogden, after six years in Parliament, was elected to the leadership on his 33rd birthday.


2003 New South Wales state election, Background
After the Olympics, the Government faced two major problems. The first was the police. The Government had appointed anoutsider, Englishman Peter Ryan, as new Commissioner to implement the reforms proposed by the Police Royal Commission. By 2001, police issues had moved on from corruption and returned to law and order, with the Government in particular under pressure over so-called "ethnic" crime in Western Sydney. Both Police Minister Paul Whelan and Commissioner Ryan were pushed into retiring, and new Minister Michael Costa was brought in to control the issue in the run-up to the 2003 election.


2003 New South Wales state election, Background
The second problem was the rail system. In a bid to create efficiencies, the Government had split the rail system into distinct organisations covering track, rolling stock, freight and passengers. Following a spate of accidents, including fatalities at Springwood in December 1999, a commission of inquiry was appointed. Its findings were that the accidents stemmed from confusion in the new structure of the rail system, and also a failure by the railway organisation to view safety as an operational goal.


2003 New South Wales state election, Background
Another accident at Waterfall a month before the official start of the election campaign looked set to make rail safety a critical election issue, but the cause turned out to be the demise of the driver at the controls. Events after the election were to reveal major problems in the rail system, but they were not to become major issues in the campaign.


2003 New South Wales state election, Background
The 2003 election was almost a repeat of the 1999 result. The Liberal Party regained South Coast but lost the outer Sydney seat of Camden. The National Party regained Clarence with the retirement of Harry Woods, but lost Monaro to the Labor Party. Worse for the National Party, both Tamworth and Port Macquarie were lost to Independents: Tamworth after having been regained at a 2001 by-election, Port Macquarie after the decision of the National MP to leave the Party.


2003 New South Wales state election, Background
On the surface the result looked a repeat of 1999, but on closer analysis, Labor had increased its hold on Government. Despite a statewide two-party swing of just 0.2% to Labor, the party increased its margins in key seats. The seats clustered around the bottom of the electoral pendulum ahead of the 1999 election were now all safe seats for the Government. With another redistribution due before the next election in 2007 election, Labor appeared to have entrenched itself in power.


2003 New South Wales state election, Background
The election was the second to be fought by Carr as the incumbent Premier and became the first incumbent Premier to fight back to back elections since Neville Wran. To date Carr is also the last Premier to fight a second consecutive election.


2003 New South Wales state election, Background
In his concession speech Brogden promised that he will be back for the 2007 election but it was a promise that was not kept as he resigned as Liberal leader and then from Parliament in 2005.


2003 New South Wales state election, Electoral system
The New South Wales Legislative Assembly consists of 93 members, elected in single-member electorates by optional preferential voting.


2003 New South Wales state election, Electoral system
The New South Wales Legislative Council consists of 42 members, elected at large by optional preferential single transferable voting, with 21 elected at each election to serve two Legislative Assembly terms.


2003 New South Wales state election, Electoral system
Terms are fixed at four years, with elections being held in late March.


2003 New South Wales state election, Results
New South Wales state election, 22 March 2003 Legislative Assembly << 1999–2007 >>


2003 New South Wales state election, Results
New South Wales state election, 22 March 2003Legislative Council << 1999–2007 >>


2003 New South Wales state election, Results, Overview
Elections were held for half the seats in the New South Wales Legislative Council:


2003 New South Wales state election, Seats changing hands
§ Tamworth was won by the Nationals in a 2001 by-election and the shown swing is based on it. At the 1999 election it was won by independent Tony Windsor.


2003 New Year Honours
The 2003 New Year's Honours List is one of the annual New Year Honours, a part of the British monarch's honours system, where New Year's Day, 1 January, is marked by naming new members of orders of chivalry and recipients of other official honours. A number of other Commonwealth Realms also mark this day in this way. These awards are presented by or in the name of the reigning monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II or her vice-regal representative.


2003 New Year Honours
The list of honours for each year is announced on or around New Year's Day in The United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Barbados, Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Belize and St. Christopher and Nevis. The exact dates vary, both from year to year and from country to country. All are published in supplements to the London Gazette or the nation's own gazette. All awards conferred by the monarch (or her representative) some time after the date of the announcement, particularly for those service people on active duty conferment is often considerably delayed.


2003 New Year Honours
The recipients of honours are displayed as they were styled before their new honour, and arranged by the country (in order of their date of independence from the United Kingdom) whose ministers advised The Queen on the appointments, then by honour, with grades i.e. Knight/Dame Grand Cross, Knight/Dame Commander etc. and then divisions i.e. Civil, Diplomatic and Military as and where appropriate.


2003 New Year Honours (New Zealand)
The 2003 New Year Honours in New Zealand were appointments by Elizabeth II in her right as Queen of New Zealand, on the advice of the New Zealand government, to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by New Zealanders, and to celebrate the passing of 2002 and the beginning of 2003. They were announced on 31 December 2002.


2003 New Year Honours (New Zealand)
The recipients of honours are displayed here as they were styled before their new honour.


2003 New York City Marathon
The 2003 New York City Marathon was the 34th running of the annual marathon race in New York City, United States, which took place on Sunday, November 2. The men's elite race was won by Kenya's Martin Lel in a time of 2:10:30 hours while the women's race was won in 2:22:31 by Margaret Okayo, also of Kenya.


2003 New York City Marathon
In the wheelchair races, South Africa's Krige Schabort (1:32:19) and America's Cheri Blauwet (1:59:30) won the men's and women's divisions, respectively. In the handcycle race, Dutchman John Vink (1:33:08) and America's Helene Hines (1:49:13) were the winners.


2003 New York City Marathon
A total of 34,729 runners finished the race, 23,014 men and 11,715 women.


2003 New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Best Picture: The Lord of the Rings:The Return of the King


2003 New York Film Critics Circle Awards
The 69th New York Film Critics Circle Awards, honoring the best in film for 2003, were announced on 15 December 2003 and presented on 11 January 2004 by the New York Film Critics Circle.


2003 New York Giants season
The 2003 New York Giants season was the franchise's 79th season in the National Football League and the seventh and final under head coach Jim Fassel. The team failed to duplicate their 2002 season's playoff appearance, instead only winning four games and finishing the season on an eight-game losing streak. Jim Fassel was fired after the 2003 season and was replaced by Tom Coughlin in 2004.


2003 New York Jets season
The 2003 New York Jets season was the franchise's 34th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 44th season overall, and the third under head coach Herman Edwards. The team tried to improve upon its 9–7 record from 2002 and defend its AFC East title, but the Jets failed to do so and finished with a record of 6–10 missing the playoffs for the first time since 2000.


2003 New York Jets season, Schedule, Regular season
During the 2003 regular season the Jets’ non-divisional, conference opponents were primarily from the AFC South, although they also played the Pittsburgh Steelers from the AFC North, and the Oakland Raiders from the AFC West. Their non-conference opponents were from the NFC East.


2003 New York Liberty season
The 2003 WNBA season was the seventh for the New York Liberty. The Liberty fell one game short for the playoffs, also missing the postseason for the first time since 1998.


2003 New York Mets season
The New York Mets' 2003 season was the 42nd regular season for the Mets. They went 66-95 and finished 5th in the NL East. They were managed by Art Howe. They played home games at Shea Stadium.


2003 New York Mets season, Regular season
After their disappointing 2002 season the Mets entered 2003 hoping to contend for a playoff spot. But the season ended up being a massive disappointment as they were defeated by the Cubs at home 15-2 on opening day and finished just 66-95.


2003 New York Mets season, Player stats, Batting, Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In


2003 New York Mets season, Player stats, Batting, Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In


2003 New York Underground Film Festival
These are the films shown at the 10th New York Underground Film Festival, held from March 5–11, 2003.


2003 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 2003 season was the 101st season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 101-61 finishing 6 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox. New York was managed by Joe Torre. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium. In the playoffs, they defeated the Red Sox in 7 games in the ALCS, winning the pennant on Aaron Boone's dramatic 11th-inning home run. The Yankees advanced to the World Series, losing in a dramatic 6 game series to the Florida Marlins. It would be their second World Series loss in three years and last appearance in a World Series until 2009.


2003 New York Yankees season, Regular season
On June 11, 2003, six Astros pitchers combined to throw a no-hitter against the New York Yankees. The six pitchers were Roy Oswalt, Pete Munro, Kirk Saarloos, Brad Lidge, Octavio Dotel and Billy Wagner. It was the first no-hitter against the Yankees in 45 years.


2003 New York Yankees season, Player stats, Batting, Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


2003 New York Yankees season, Player stats, Batting, Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


2003 New York Yankees season, Player stats, Pitching, Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


2003 New York Yankees season, Player stats, Pitching, Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


2003 New York Yankees season, Player stats, Pitching, Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


2003 New York Yankees season, Postseason, 2003 ALDS
New York's victory secured their place in the American League Championship Series.


2003 New York Yankees season, Postseason, 2003 World Series, Game 5
October 23, 2003 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida


2003 New Zealand Film Awards
The 2003 New Zealand Film Awards were held on 8 December 2003 in Auckland. After there had been no New Zealand film awards in 2002, previous organiser the New Zealand Academy of Film and Television Arts had originally announced its intention to again host a film awards for 2003, but later withdrew, claiming insufficient sponsorship to stage the awards. However, a group from the film industry, led by the New Zealand Film Commission and government agency New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, raised enough sponsorship to host the awards.


2003 New Zealand Film Awards
Feature film Whale Rider dominated the awards with nine wins, and short film Two Cars, One Night won three of the four short film prizes.


2003 New Zealand Film Awards, Nominees and winners
There were 16 feature film categories, five digital feature categories and four short film categories. This was the first time that digital film was acknowledged in a New Zealand film award.


2003 New Zealand NBL season
The 2003 NBL season was the 22nd season of the National Basketball League. 2003 marked the first year a league-wide MVP award winner was named, allowing imports the opportunity to be recognised; in all previous seasons, only a Kiwi MVP was named, an award given to the best New Zealand player. Australian import David Cooper of the Manawatu Jets was subsequently awarded the first league MVP. 2003 also marked the return of Taranaki after a three-year hiatus. The Wellington Saints won the championship over the Waikato Titans in overtime, as the Saints claimed their fifth league title.


2003 New Zealand National Party leadership election
The New Zealand National Party leadership election was an election for the National Party leadership position held in 2003.


2003 New Zealand National Party leadership election, Background
Aged 39 when he was elected, English became the second-youngest leader in the National Party's history, after Jim McLay (who was 38 when elected in 1984). He also became only the third Southlander to lead a major New Zealand political party, after Joseph Ward and Adam Hamilton. However, English failed to improve the party's performance. In the 2002 elections, National suffered its worst electoral defeat ever, gaining barely more than twenty percent of the vote. English described it as "the worst day of my political life". Both party insiders and the general public were split as to how much to blame him for the loss, but most of the party believed that English would be able to rebuild National's support.


2003 New Zealand National Party leadership election, Background
By late 2003, however, National's performance in opinion polls remained poor. The party had briefly increased its popularity in the year following the election, but by October its support had fallen to levels only slightly better than what it achieved in the last ballot. English also appeared in a boxing match for a charity against entertainer Ted Clarke. This "stunt" did not boost his polling or that of the National party either, with suggestions that it devalued his image as a serious politician. Don Brash, former governor of the Reserve Bank and a relative newcomer to politics, began to build up support to replace English. On 28 October, Brash gained sufficient backing in Caucus to replace English as leader.


2003 New Zealand National Party leadership election, Result
Brash defeated English in a caucus ballot lost by a two-vote margin. Afterwards a "key player" told media "He [English] was stabbed in the front not the back".


2003 New Zealand National Soccer League
The 2003 New Zealand National Club Championship, also known, due to naming-rights sponsorship, as the Southern Trust National League was the fourth and final season of a nationwide club competition in New Zealand football. The competition was won by Miramar Rangers.


2003 New Zealand National Soccer League
The league was played mainly during autumn, with matches played from February to June, and was run in two stages. In the first stage, each team in the ten-team league played every other team home and away. In the second stage, the top four teams entered a knockout competition, with third place playing fourth place in one match and first playing second in the other, with home advantage being decided by final league position. The winners of the first against second match progressed straight through to the final; the losers of that match met the winners of the other match to decide the other finalist.


2003 New Zealand National Soccer League
This was the last season of the league, which was replaced by the New Zealand Football Championship. It had become clear that teams were having to amalgamate to create financially viable strong teams to take part in the league, most notably the Canterbury and Auckland-area conglomerate teams Canterbury United and East Auckland. It was decided by the NZFA that an eight-team franchise-based national competition would be more viable and successful than a club based competition. Club-based teams returned to regional leagues, and became feeder clubs for the regional franchises. The new competition debuted in October 2004.


2003 New Zealand National Soccer League, Promotion and relegation
Ten teams took part in the 2002 league. Eight of these remained from the previous season. University-Mount Wellington withdrew from the competition, replaced by a composite team, East Auckland, drawing players from several Auckland clubs. Waitakere City were relegated, and took part in a promotion play-offs against the winners of the northern, central, and southern regional competitions (Glenfield Rovers, Western Suburbs FC, and Caversham respectively). The play-off games between Waitakere City the three regional champions were played at Bill McKinlay Park and Kiwitea Street in Auckland during September 2002.


2003 New Zealand National Soccer League, Promotion and relegation
The tenth place in the 2002 league was thus gained by Caversham.


2003 New Zealand National Soccer League, Promotion and relegation
As this was the last season of the National Soccer League, there was no relegation, but all teams returned to the regional competitions at the end of the season.


2003 New Zealand Television Awards
The 2003 New Zealand Television Awards was staged on Friday 22 August 2003 in Auckland, New Zealand. Honouring excellence in New Zealand television for the previous year, the awards ceremony was hosted by TV presenter Jason Gunn and was sponsored by the newly established government agency New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. Highlights of the event were later broadcast on TV ONE. This was to be the final awards organised by the New Zealand Academy of Film and Television Arts. No awards were held in 2004, with the New Zealand Television Broadcasters Council organising the new Qantas Television Awards in 2005.


2003 New Zealand Television Awards, Winners
Awards in 36 categories were given, including two people's choice awards – Best New Programme and Best Presenter.


2003 New Zealand Television Awards, Winners
Best Script, Single Episode of a Drama Series or Serial


2003 New Zealand Warriors season
The 2003 New Zealand Warriors season was the 9th in the club's history. They competed in the National Rugby League's 2003 Telstra Premiership and finished the regular season in 6th place. The Warriors then came within one game of the grand final, losing to eventual premiers the Penrith Panthers. The coach of the team was Daniel Anderson while Monty Betham was the club captain.


2003 New Zealand Warriors season, Jersey & Sponsors
The Warriors launched a new jersey design in 2003, finally removing completely the blue and white colours the owners had inherited when the purchased the company.


2003 New Zealand Warriors season, Fixtures
The Warriors used Ericsson Stadium as their home ground in 2003, their only home ground since they entered the competition in 1995.


2003 New Zealand Warriors season, Fixtures, Pre-season
The Warriors played a pre-season trial match against the Penrith Panthers in Invercargill on 28 February. 15,000 fans attended the match, which was sold out.


2003 New Zealand Warriors season, Squad
Twenty eight players were used by the Warriors in 2003, including five players who made their first grade debuts.


2003 New Zealand Warriors season, Other Teams
Players not required by the Warriors were released to play in the 2003 Bartercard Cup. This included Motu Tony and Jerome Ropati at the Marist Richmond Brothers, Mark Robinson at the North Harbour Tigers and Richard Villasanti at the Canterbury Bulls.


2003 New Zealand rugby league season
The 2003 New Zealand rugby league season was the 96th season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand. The main feature of the year was the fourth season of the Bartercard Cup competition that was run by the New Zealand Rugby League. The Canterbury Bulls won the Cup by defeating the Marist Richmond Brothers 32–28 in the Grand Final.


2003 New Zealand rugby league season, International competitions
The New Zealand national rugby league team played Australia home and away, losing in Australia before defeating them 30–16 at North Harbour Stadium. Coached by Daniel Anderson, New Zealand included; David Vaealiki, Matt Utai, Nigel Vagana, Clinton Toopi, Francis Meli, Willie Talau, Stacey Jones, Paul Rauhihi, Richard Swain, captain Ruben Wiki, Stephen Kearney, Logan Swann, Awen Guttenbeil, Monty Betham, Jerry Seuseu, Tony Puletua, Joe Galuvao, Vinnie Anderson, Sione Faumuina, Motu Tony, Nathan and Jason Cayless, Thomas Leuluai, Ali Lauiti'iti and Henry Fa'afili.


2003 New Zealand rugby league season, International competitions
A New Zealand 'A' side toured Great Britain. The team played in five matches with their best result being a draw. They drew with Cumbria 24-all and lost to National League Two 27–8, Warrington 28–26, National League One 40-28 and the full Great Britain side 52–18. The team was coached by Gerard Stokes and included Shane Beyers, Paul Fisiiahi, Steve Buckingham, Aoterangi Herangi, Tyrone Pau, George Tuakura, Lusi Sione, Jesse Royal, Tame Tupou, Wayne McDade, Epalahame Lauaki and Ben Lythe.


2003 New Zealand rugby league season, International competitions
The New Zealand Māori team toured France. The team included Phillip Shead whose brother, Artie, played against him for France. Former New Zealander Vincent Wulf also played for France. Coached by Bernie Perenara, the Māori side also included Herewini Rangi, Jeremy Smith and Aaron Heremaia, who captained the side.


2003 New Zealand rugby league season, International competitions
Ruben Wiki was named the New Zealand Rugby League player of the year. Thomas Leuluai was the Rookie of the Year.


2003 New Zealand rugby league season, National competitions, Bartercard Cup
The 2003 Bartercard Cup was the fourth season of the Bartercard Cup competition run by the New Zealand Rugby League. There were no major team changes however the North Harbour Tigers replaced the Northcote Tigers as they now represented all of the North Shore clubs. The Canterbury Bulls finished as minor premiers and were the only non-Auckland team to make the finals.


2003 New Zealand rugby league season, National competitions, Bartercard Cup, The Playoffs
The Grand Final was held at Ericsson Stadium with the Fox Memorial Grand Final as a curtain raiser.


2003 New Zealand rugby league season, National competitions, North Island Championship Provincial Competition
Four teams competed in the North Island Championship Provincial Competition; Northland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and the Coastline Mariners.


2003 New Zealand rugby league season, Australian competitions
The New Zealand Warriors competed in the National Rugby League competition. They finished 6th out of 15 teams and won two games before losing the Preliminary Final to eventual premiers the Penrith Panthers.


2003 New Zealand rugby league season, Club competitions, Auckland
The Mangere East Hawks won both the Fox Memorial trophy and the Rukutai Shield (minor premiership). They defeated the Hibiscus Coast Raiders 30–29 in the Grand Final. The Raiders had earlier won the preseason Roope Rooster trophy.


2003 New Zealand rugby league season, Club competitions, Auckland
The Northcote Tigers won the Sharman Cup (Division Two) while East Coast Bays won the Phelan Shield (Division Three).


2003 New Zealand rugby league season, Club competitions, Wellington
Petone and the Wainuiomata Lions contested the Wellington Rugby League Grand Final. It was played at Maidstone Park on 13 September. Marvin Karawana played in the final for the Lions.


2003 New Zealand rugby league season, Club competitions, Other Competitions
The Marist Dragons and Waitara Bears met in the Taranaki Rugby League grand final.


2003 Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council election
Elections to Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council were held on 1 May 2003. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.


2003 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
The 2003 Newfoundland and Labrador general election was held on October 21, 2003, to elect the 48 members of the 45th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador. The election was called on September 29 by Premier Roger Grimes of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador.


2003 Newfoundland and Labrador general election, Results
This election marked only the third change of government in the 54 years since the province joined Canada. The Liberals, led by Roger Grimes, were soundly defeated by the Danny Williams-led Progressive Conservative Party, who took almost three-quarters of the seats in the House of Assembly and well over half of the popular vote. The Liberals lost seven of their 17 Cabinet ministers, along with the Speaker of the House, from the preceding government. Jack Harris and the New Democrats hopes to increase their seat total from two were frustrated, although their incumbents were re-elected.


2003 Newfoundland and Labrador general election, By-elections since the general election
Placentia and St. Mary's (resignation of Fabian Manning), February 21, 2006:


2003 Newfoundland and Labrador general election, By-elections since the general election
Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi (resignation of Jack Harris), November 1, 2006:


2003 Newfoundland and Labrador general election, By-elections since the general election
Port au Port (resignation of Jim Hodder), February 8, 2007:


2003 Nice bombing
The 2003 Nice bombing was a double bomb attack in the city of Nice, France on 20 July 2003. Sixteen people were injured in the blasts against the regional directorates of customs and the treasury. The Corsican separatist National Liberation Front of Corsica (FLNC) claimed responsibility, and was one of the biggest bombs exploded by the group on the French mainland.


2003 Nice bombing
The attack came one week after the FLNC ended its seven-month ceasefire amid French government rejections about autonomy for Corsica. Tensions on the island had also increased following the arrest of militant member Yvan Colonna in June and the Corsican autonomy referendum on 6 July.


2003 Nice bombing
The FLNC also committed some other, albeit minor, attacks in Nice that year, including a bomb attack at a French military facility on 10 October.


2003 Nicholls State Colonels football team
The 2003 Nicholls State Colonels football team represented Nicholls State University in the 2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Colonels were led by fifth-year head coach Daryl Daye. They played their home games at John L. Guidry Stadium and were a member of the Southland Conference. The Colonels officially finished the season 0–11, 0–5 in Southland play to finish in sixth place. The team finished with a record of 5–6, 2–3 in Southland play, but forfeited five games for using an ineligible player.


2003 Niger State gubernatorial election
The 2003 Niger State gubernatorial election occurred in Nigeria on April 19, 2003. The PDP nominee Abdulkadir Kure won the election, defeating Mustafa Bello of the PRP.


2003 Niger State gubernatorial election
Abdulkadir Kure emerged PDP candidate. He picked Shem Zagbayi Nuhu as his running mate. Mustafa Bello was the PRP candidate with Jibrin Kolo Saba as his running mate.


2003 Niger State gubernatorial election, Electoral system
The Governor of Niger State is elected using the plurality voting system.


2003 Niger State gubernatorial election, Primary election, PDP primary
The PDP primary election was won by Abdulkadir Kure. He picked Shem Zagbayi Nuhu as his running mate.


2003 Niger State gubernatorial election, Primary election, PRP primary
The PRP primary election was won by Mustafa Bello. He picked Jibrin Kolo Saba as his running mate.


2003 Niger State gubernatorial election, Results
A total number of 8 candidates registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission to contest in the election.


2003 Niger State gubernatorial election, Results
The total number of registered voters in the state was 1,607,730. Total number of votes cast was 1,044,681, while number of valid votes was 968,934. Rejected votes were 75,747.


2003 Nigerian House of Representatives elections in Kwara State
The 2003 Nigerian House of Representatives elections in Kwara State was held on April 12, 2003, to elect members of the House of Representatives to represent Kwara State, Nigeria.


2003 Nigerian House of Representatives elections in Kwara State, Results, Asa/Ilorin West
PDP candidate Ogundairo S. Ajibade won the election, defeating other party candidates.


2003 Nigerian House of Representatives elections in Kwara State, Results, Baruten/Kaiama
ANPP candidate Maimunat Adaji won the election, defeating other party candidates.


2003 Nigerian House of Representatives elections in Kwara State, Results, Edu/Moro/Patigi
PDP candidate Yunusa Y. Ahmed won the election, defeating other party candidates.


2003 Nigerian House of Representatives elections in Kwara State, Results, Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke-ero
PDP candidate Makanjuola G.P won the election, defeating other party candidates.


2003 Nigerian House of Representatives elections in Kwara State, Results, Ilorin East/South
PDP candidate Z.O. Edun won the election, defeating other party candidates.


2003 Nigerian House of Representatives elections in Kwara State, Results, Offa/Oyun/Ifelodun
ANPP candidate O.A. Adebola Oyedele won the election, defeating other party candidates.


2003 Nigerian House of Representatives elections in the Federal Capital Territory
The 2003 Nigerian House of Representatives elections in Federal Capital Territory was held on April 12, 2003, to elect members of the House of Representatives to represent Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria.


2003 Nigerian House of Representatives elections in the Federal Capital Territory, Results, Abaji/Gwagwalada/Kwali/Kuje
Party candidates registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission to contest in the election. PDP candidate Yusuf Baban Takwa won the election.


2003 Nigerian House of Representatives elections in the Federal Capital Territory, Results, Amac/Bwari
Party candidates registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission to contest in the election. ANPP candidate Philips Tanimu Aduda won the election.


2003 Nigerian Senate election in the Federal Capital Territory
The 2003 Nigerian Senate election in Federal Capital Territory was held on April 12, 2003, to elect member of the Nigerian Senate to represent Federal Capital Territory. Isah Maina representing FCT Senatorial District won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate election in the Federal Capital Territory, Results, FCT Senatorial District
The election was won by Isah Maina of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Abia State
The 2003 Nigerian Senate election in Abia State was held on April 12, 2003, to elect members of the Nigerian Senate to represent Abia State. Uche Chukwumerije representing Abia North, Chris Adighije representing Abia Central and Adolphus Wabara representing Abia South all won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Abia State, Results, Abia North
The election was won by Uche Chukwumerije of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Abia State, Results, Abia Central
The election was won by Chris Adighije of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Abia State, Results, Abia South
The election was won by Adolphus Wabara of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Adamawa State
The 2003 Nigerian Senate election in Adamawa State was held on April 12, 2003, to elect members of the Nigerian Senate to represent Adamawa State. Iya Abubakar representing Adamawa North, Jibril Aminu representing Adamawa Central and Jonathan Zwingina representing Adamawa South all won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Adamawa State, Results, Adamawa North
The election was won by Iya Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Adamawa State, Results, Adamawa Central
The election was won by Jibril Aminu of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Adamawa State, Results, Adamawa South
The election was won by Jonathan Zwingina of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Akwa Ibom State
The 2003 Nigerian Senate election in Akwa Ibom State was held on April 12, 2003, to elect members of the Nigerian Senate to represent Akwa Ibom State. Udoma Udo Udoma representing Akwa Ibom South, Effiong Dickson Bob representing Akwa Ibom North-East and Bob Ittak Ekarika representing Akwa Ibom North-West all won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Akwa Ibom State, Results, Akwa Ibom South
The election was won by Udoma Udo Udoma of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Akwa Ibom State, Results, Akwa Ibom North-East
The election was won by Effiong Dickson Bob of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Akwa Ibom State, Results, Akwa Ibom North-West
The election was won by Bob Ittak Ekarika of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Anambra State
The 2003 Nigerian Senate election in Anambra State was held on April 12, 2003, to elect members of the Nigerian Senate to represent Anambra State. Ugochukwu Uba representing Anambra South, Emmanuel Anosike representing Anambra North and Ikechukwu Abana representing Anambra Central all won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Anambra State, Results, Anambra South
The election was won by Ugochukwu Uba of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Anambra State, Results, Anambra North
The election was won by Emmanuel Anosike of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Anambra State, Results, Anambra Central
The election was won by Ikechukwu Abana of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Bauchi State
The 2003 Nigerian Senate election in Bauchi State was held on April 12, 2003, to elect members of the Nigerian Senate to represent Bauchi State. Baba Tela representing Bauchi North, Bala Adamu representing Bauchi Central and Abubakar Maikafi representing Bauchi South all won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Bauchi State, Results, Bauchi North
The election was won by Baba Tela of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Bauchi State, Results, Bauchi Central
The election was won by Bala Adamu of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Bauchi State, Results, Bauchi South
The election was won by Abubakar Maikafi of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Bayelsa State
The 2003 Nigerian Senate election in Bayelsa State was held on April 12, 2003, to elect members of the Nigerian Senate to represent Bayelsa State. John Kojo Brambaifa representing Bayelsa West, David Brigidi representing Bayelsa Central and Inatimi Rufus-Spiff representing Bayelsa East all won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Bayelsa State, Results, Bayelsa West
The election was won by John Kojo Brambaifa of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Bayelsa State, Results, Bayelsa Central
The election was won by David Brigidi of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Bayelsa State, Results, Bayelsa East
The election was won by Inatimi Rufus-Spiff of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Benue State
The 2003 Nigerian Senate election in Benue State was held on April 12, 2003, to elect members of the Nigerian Senate to represent Benue State. David Mark representing Benue South and Joshua Adagba representing Benue North-West won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, while Daniel Saror representing Benue North-East won on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Benue State, Results, Benue South
The election was won by David Mark of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Benue State, Results, Benue North-West
The election was won by Joshua Adagba of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Benue State, Results, Benue North-East
The election was won by Daniel Saror of the All Nigeria Peoples Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Borno State
The 2003 Nigerian Senate election in Borno State was held on April 12, 2003, to elect members of the Nigerian Senate to represent Borno State. Mohammed Daggash representing Borno North and Mohammed Abba Aji representing Borno Central won on the platform of All Nigeria Peoples Party, while Omar Hambagda representing Borno South won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Borno State, Results, Borno North
The election was won by Mohammed Daggash of the All Nigeria Peoples Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Borno State, Results, Borno Central
The election was won by Mohammed Abba Aji of the All Nigeria Peoples Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Borno State, Results, Borno South
The election was won by Omar Hambagda of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Cross River State
The 2003 Nigerian Senate election in Cross River State was held on April 12, 2003, to elect members of the Nigerian Senate to represent Cross River State. Gregory Ngaji representing Cross River North, Victor Ndoma-Egba representing Cross River Central and Bassey Ewa-Henshaw representing Cross River South all won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Cross River State, Results, Cross River North
The election was won by Gregory Ngaji of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Cross River State, Results, Cross River Central
The election was won by Victor Ndoma-Egba of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Cross River State, Results, Cross River South
The election was won by Bassey Ewa-Henshaw of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Delta State
The 2003 Nigerian Senate election in Delta State was held on April 12, 2003, to elect members of the Nigerian Senate to represent Delta State. Patrick Osakwe representing Delta North, Felix Ibru representing Delta Central and James Manager representing Delta South all won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Delta State, Results, Delta North
The election was won by Patrick Osakwe of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Delta State, Results, Delta Central
The election was won by Felix Ibru of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Delta State, Results, Delta South
The election was won by James Manager of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Ebonyi State
The 2003 Nigerian Senate election in Ebonyi State was held on April 12, 2003, to elect members of the Nigerian Senate to represent Ebonyi State. Christopher Nshi representing Ebonyi North, Julius Ucha representing Ebonyi Central and Emmanuel Azu Agboti representing Ebonyi South all won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.


2003 Nigerian Senate elections in Ebonyi State, Results, Ebonyi North
The election was won by Christopher Nshi of the Peoples Democratic Party.