2002 NFL expansion draft, Rules of the draft, Salary cap ramifications
If the Texans cut a selection and he re-signed with his old team, the existing team re-assumed his signing bonus. Extra bonuses that did not count against the Texans' salary cap were given to veteran players who were selected. Those selected received $10,000 immediately, an additional $20,000 bonus for reporting to training camp, and another $30,000 for making the active roster during the regular season.


2002 NFL season
The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.


2002 NFL season
The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans; the league has remained static with 32 teams since. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each. Also, the Chicago Bears played their home games in 2002 in Champaign, Illinois at Memorial Stadium because of the reconstruction of Soldier Field.


2002 NFL season
The NFL title was eventually won by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when they defeated the Oakland Raiders 48–21 in Super Bowl XXXVII, at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California on January 26, 2003.


2002 NFL season, Expansion and realignment
With the Houston Texans joining the NFL, the league's teams were realigned into eight divisions: four teams in each division and four divisions in each conference. In creating the new divisions, the league tried to maintain the historical rivalries from the old alignment, while at the same time attempting to organize the teams geographically. Legally, three teams from the AFC Central (Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh) were required to be in the same division as part of any realignment proposals; this was part of the NFL's settlement with the city of Cleveland in the wake of the 1995 Cleveland Browns relocation controversy.


2002 NFL season, Expansion and realignment
Additionally, the arrival of the Texans meant that the league could return to its pre-1999 scheduling format in which no team received a bye during the first three weeks or last seven weeks of the season. From 1999 to 2001, at least one team sat out each week (including the preseason) because of an odd number of teams in the league (this also happened in 1960, 1966, and other years wherein the league had an odd number of teams). It nearly became problematic during the previous season due to the September 11 attacks, since the San Diego Chargers had their bye week during that week and the league considered cancelling that week's slate of games before ultimately rescheduling them after Week 17.


2002 NFL season, Expansion and realignment
The league also introduced a new eight-year scheduling rotation designed so that all teams will play each other at least twice during those eight years, and play in every other team's stadium at least once. Under scheduling formulas in use from 1978 to 2001, there were several instances of  two teams in different divisions going over 15 seasons without playing each other. Under the new scheduling formula, only two of a team's games each season are based on the previous season's record, down from four under the previous system. All teams play four interconference games. An analysis of win percentages in 2008 showed a statistical trend upwards for top teams since this change; the top team each year then averaged 14.2 wins, versus 13.4 previously.


2002 NFL season, Expansion and realignment
The playoff format was also modified: four division winners and two wild cards from each conference now advance to the playoffs, instead of three division winners and three wild cards. In each conference, the division winners are now seeded 1 through 4, and the wild cards are seeded 5 and 6. In the current system, the only way a wild card team can host a playoff game is if both teams in the conference's championship game are wild cards. However, the number of playoff teams still remained at 12, where it was from 1990 to 2019. Since 2020, the number of wild card teams went back to three.


2002 NFL season, Draft
The 2002 NFL Draft was held from April 20 to 21, 2002 at New York City's Theater at Madison Square Garden. With the first pick, the Houston Texans selected quarterback David Carr from Fresno State University.


2002 NFL season, Major rule changes
Also, with the opening of the NFL's first stadium with a retractable roof, Reliant Stadium, the following rules were enacted:


2002 NFL season, Major rule changes
This rule was amended in 2015 to allow a roof to be opened or closed at halftime, at the home team's discretion.


2002 NFL season, Playoffs
Within each conference, the four division winners and the two wild card teams (the top two non-division winners with the best overall regular season records) qualified for the playoffs. The four division winners are seeded 1 through 4 based on their overall won-lost-tied record, and the wild card teams are seeded 5 and 6. The NFL does not use a fixed bracket playoff system, and there are no restrictions regarding teams from the same division matching up in any round.


2002 NFL season, Playoffs
In the first round, dubbed the wild-card playoffs or wild-card weekend, the third-seeded division winner hosts the sixth seed wild card, and the fourth seed hosts the fifth. The 1 and 2 seeds from each conference then receive a bye in the first round. In the second round, the divisional playoffs, the number 1 seed hosts the worst surviving seed from the first round (seed 4, 5, or 6), while the number 2 seed will play the other team (seed 3, 4, or 5).


2002 NFL season, Playoffs
The two surviving teams from each conference's divisional playoff games then meet in the respective AFC and NFC Conference Championship games, hosted by the higher seed. Although the Super Bowl, the fourth and final round of the playoffs, is played at a neutral site, the designated home team is based on an annual rotation by conference.


2002 NFL season, Milestones
The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:


2002 NFL season, New uniforms, Reebok becomes official provider
Reebok took over the contract to be the official athletic supplier to the NFL for all 32 teams’ uniforms. Previously, all teams had individual contracts with athletic suppliers. American Needle, which had a contract with a few teams before the Reebok deal, challenged the NFL in court over Reebok's exclusive deal, with the NFL effectively stating that it was a “single-entity league” instead of a group consisting of various owners. The case eventually went all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States. In 2009, the Supreme Court agreed to hear American Needle, Inc. v. National Football League. In 2010, the court ruled that the NFL is not a single entity. Reebok remained the league's athletic supplier through the 2011 NFL season, when Nike took over the contract for the 2012 NFL season.


2002 NFL season, New uniforms, Reebok becomes official provider
Reebok had initially announced when the deal was signed in 2000 that aside from the expansion Texans, all NFL teams would be wearing new uniforms for the 2002 season. However, after protests from several owners—most vocally Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney—Reebok later rescinded the proposal. Reebok did, however (by player request to reduce holding calls), shorten the sleeves on the jerseys for teams that hadn't done so already (most players had been for the previous decade tying the sleeves tight around their arms to prevent holding) and made the jerseys tighter-fitting. This is perhaps most noticeable on the Indianapolis Colts jerseys, where the shoulder stripes, which initially went from the top of the shoulders all the way underneath the arms, were truncated to just the top portion of the shoulders.


2002 NFL season, New uniforms, Uniform changes
Although Reebok rescinded the idea of all NFL teams wearing new uniforms for the 2002 season, the Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks did redesign their uniforms, with the Seahawks also unveiling an updated logo in honor of their move to Seahawks Stadium and the NFC.


2002 NHK Trophy
The 2002 NHK Trophy was the final event of six in the 2002–03 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at the Kyoto Aquarena in Kyoto on November 28 – December 1. Medals were awarded in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dancing. Skaters earned points toward qualifying for the 2002–03 Grand Prix Final. The compulsory dance was the Tango Romantica.


2002 NHL Entry Draft
The 2002 NHL Entry Draft was the 40th NHL Entry Draft. It was held on June 22 and 23, 2002 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario. Two hundred and ninety-one players were drafted in total: 35 from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL); 23 from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL); 43 from the Western Hockey League (WHL); 41 from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) hockey conferences; six from U.S. high schools and 110 from outside North America.


2002 NLL season
The 2002 National Lacrosse League season is the 16th season in the NLL. The season began on November 16, 2001 and concluded with the championship game on April 13, 2002, so, during that season, it was known as the 2001-2002 season as can be seen in the Albany Attack's .


2002 NLL season
The Toronto Rock defeated the Albany Attack 13–12 to win their third championship in four seasons. Colin Doyle was named championship game MVP for the second time.


2002 NLL season
Only one year after the season was lengthened to 14 games, 2002 saw it extended again, this time to 16 games.


2002 NLL season, Team movement
2002 was a year of expansion for the NLL, particularly north of the border. No less than four teams were added, three of them Canadian: the New Jersey Storm, Montreal Express, Vancouver Ravens, and Calgary Roughnecks all made their NLL debuts. The expansion caused the NLL to return to a divisional format for the first time since 1994. The teams were split into the Eastern, Central, and Northern divisions; the winners of each division would make the playoffs, as well as the top three ranked non-division-winners. The Eastern division consisted of Washington, Philadelphia, New York, and New Jersey, the Central division had Albany, Rochester, Montreal, Buffalo, and Columbus, while the remaining Canadian teams (Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, and Calgary) were in the Northern division.


2002 NLL season, Team movement
Early in the morning of February 14, limousine driver Costas Christofi was found shot to death at the home of New Jersey Storm owner Jayson Williams. Williams was later arrested and charged with manslaughter. Williams was acquitted of most charges, but was to be retried for reckless manslaughter. However, the case was delayed several times. On Monday, January 11, 2010, Williams plead guilty to aggravated assault in the case, and was sentenced on February 23, 2010. Williams would remain owner of the Storm until the franchise folded after the 2005 season.


2002 NLL season, Team movement
For the first time in league history, a team changed arenas midseason, as the Ottawa Rebel left the Corel Centre for the smaller Ottawa Civic Centre. There were two home games left in the season at the time of the move.


2002 NLL season, Final standings, Regular season
x: Clinched playoff berth; c: Clinched playoff berth by crossing over to another division; y: Clinched division; z: Clinched best regular season record; GP: Games PlayedW: Wins; L: Losses; GB: Games back; PCT: Win percentage; Home: Record at Home; Road: Record on the Road; GF: Goals scored; GA: Goals allowedDifferential: Difference between goals scored and allowed; GF/GP: Average number of goals scored per game; GA/GP: Average number of goals allowed per game


2002 NLL season, All Star Game
The 2002 All-Star Game was held on April 21 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, where the North team (all of the Canadian teams plus Rochester) beat the South 14–10. The MVP was Toronto's Steve Toll, who scored three goals. At the time, this also marked Paul Gait's final professional lacrosse game, as he retired after this season. However, Gait was convinced by his brother Gary to come out of retirement during the 2005 season, and played four games for the Colorado Mammoth before retiring once again.


2002 NLL season, Awards, Weekly awards
In 2002, the NLL expanded its weekly player awards from one to four. There are now awards for the best overall player, best offensive player, best defensive player, and best rookie.


2002 NLL season, Awards, Monthly awards
Awards are also given out monthly for the best overall player and best rookie.


2002 NLL season, Statistics leaders
Bold numbers indicate new single-season records. Italics indicate tied single-season records.


2002 NRL Grand Final
The 2002 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2002 NRL season. It took place on Sunday, 6 October 2002, at Sydney's Telstra Stadium. 80,130 people saw the Sydney Roosters beat the New Zealand Warriors 30–8. The Clive Churchill Medalist was Craig Fitzgibbon of the Sydney Roosters. The match was also broadcast live in the United States by Fox Sports World.


2002 NRL Grand Final, Background
The 2002 NRL season was the 95th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the fifth to be run by the National Rugby League. Fifteen teams competed for the Minor premiership which, after the Bulldogs were relegated to the bottom of the ladder for salary cap breaches, was claimed by the New Zealand Warriors. The top eight finishing teams were then reduced to two over the finals series.


2002 NRL Grand Final, Background, Sydney Roosters
The 2002 Sydney Roosters season was the 95th in the club's history. Coached by Ricky Stuart and captained by Brad Fittler, they finished the NRL's 2002 Premiership regular season in 4th place.


2002 NRL Grand Final, Background, New Zealand Warriors
The 2002 New Zealand Warriors season was the 8th in the club's history. Coached by Daniel Anderson and captained by Stacey Jones and Kevin Campion, they finished the NRL's 2002 Premiership regular season in 1st place.


2002 NRL Grand Final, Match details
Both teams entered the cauldron of Telstra Stadium with great form heading into the contest. The Warriors had won their 2 Finals matches they had had. In Week 1 they beat the Canberra Raiders 36–20 in Auckland, before beating the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 16–10 at Telstra Stadium. The Roosters had beaten the Sharks 32–20 at the Sydney Football Stadium, then beating the Newcastle Knights in Sydney. Finally they beat the Brisbane Broncos (whom the Roosters were beaten by in the 2000 decider) in Sydney again.


2002 NRL Grand Final, Match details
It was the final game for Warriors fullback Ivan Cleary and Roosters winger Brett Mullins before their playing retirements.


2002 NRL Grand Final, Match details
A pre-match performance by Billy Idol was attempted but due to a power outage had to be aborted.


2002 NRL Grand Final, Match details, 1st half
The opening minutes were spent with both teams trading blows, the Roosters mainly with the upper hand. However it took till the 23rd minute for the deadlock to be broken, the Roosters scoring through Shannon Hegarty. Craig Fitzgibbon converted the try and the Sydney Roosters led 6–0. Soon, the Warriors found their rhythm and Ivan Cleary got a penalty goal to make the score 6–2 to the Roosters. It remained that way to half time, the Sydney Roosters holding the upper hand over the New Zealand Warriors.


2002 NRL Grand Final, Match details, 2nd half
The second half started rather differently. Within 6 minutes the New Zealand Warriors took the lead. Stacey Jones darted over and the Warriors had the lead when Ivan Cleary converted from in front for a 6–8 score to the New Zealand Warriors. As the game approached its final quarter, a brilliant 40–20 from Roosters five-eighth and captain Brad Fittler saw the Roosters outfit on the front foot again. Craig Wing crashed over, Craig Fitzgibbon converted and the Roosters had a 12–8 lead.


2002 NRL Grand Final, Match details, 2nd half
It looked as though it was going to be a tense finish but tries to Fitzgibbon, Chris Flannery and Bryan Fletcher as well as 3 conversions from Fitzgibbon meant the Sydney Roosters ran out 30–8 victors over the New Zealand Warriors. The grand final victory ended a 27-year premiership drought at the club.


2002 NRL Grand Final, Match details, 2nd half
23rd Minute: Sydney 6–0 (Hegarty try; Fitzgibbon goal)29th Minute: Sydney 6–2 (Cleary goal)46th Minute: New Zealand 8–6 (Jones try; Cleary goal)58th Minute: Sydney 12–8 (Wing try; Fitzgibbon goal)65th Minute: Sydney 18–8 (Fitzgibbon try; Fitzgibbon goal)71st Minute: Sydney 24–8 (Flannery try; Fitzgibbon goal)75th Minute: Sydney 30–8 (Fletcher try; Fitzgibbon goal)


2002 NRL Grand Final, World Club Challenge
The Sydney Roosters' victory in the Grand Final meant that they gained the right to travel to England and play in the World Club Challenge against the winners of the 2002 Super League grand final winners, St. Helens.


2002 NRL season
The 2002 NRL season was the 95th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the fifth to be run by the National Rugby League. The season was affected by the competition-leading Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs' salary cap breach finding, which saw them relegated to the bottom of the NRL ladder. As a result, the New Zealand Warriors won their first minor premiership and made it to the grand final for the first time, playing against foundation club the Sydney Roosters who won the match and collected their first premiership in 27 years.


2002 NRL season, Pre-season
In February, 2002, the National Rugby League's Director of Legal and Business Affairs, David Gallop, was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the NRL, succeeding David Moffett.


2002 NRL season, Pre-season
The legendary Broncos and Maroons halfback, Allan Langer, returned from England to play his final season of professional football with the Brisbane club. In doing so he became the NRL's oldest player for the 2002 season at 36 years and 60 days.


2002 NRL season, Pre-season, The return of South Sydney
Following the club's departure from the NRL after the 1999 season, there was a continuing push from both fans and the wider rugby league community to reinstate the South Sydney Rabbitohs into the NRL competition. After two unsuccessful years of lobbying, South Sydney finally received a court ruling in their favour in 2001. On 15 March 2002, the South Sydney club opened the NRL season with a home match against long-time rivals, the Sydney Roosters, losing badly, 40-6.


2002 NRL season, Pre-season, The return of South Sydney
It turned out to be a tough year for South Sydney, winning only five matches from 24 played.


2002 NRL season, Teams
The number of teams contesting the Premiership increased for the 2002 season from 14 to 15 due to the re-inclusion of the South Sydney Rabbitohs. It was the first time the number of Premiership teams had increased since the 1995 ARL season when the introduction of the Auckland Warriors, North Queensland Cowboys, South Queensland Crushers and Western Reds saw the number of teams increase from 16 to 20.


2002 NRL season, Regular season
In 2002, as in 2001, the NRL's advertising was handled by Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney. As in the previous season, there was no big budget season launch advertising campaign. The NRL focussed on stretching its marketing spending throughout the season with newspaper ads promoting individual rounds and clubs, and with simple TV ads to promote key games.


2002 NRL season, Regular season
The Bulldogs won 17 games in a row and had an unbeaten run of 18 games, the most in the club's history. However they were deducted 37 premiership points for a gross salary cap breaches, the most points deducted in premiership history. That left the club with just four competition points attained from the two byes earlier in the season. Four more competition points followed since the salary cap scandal, all from wins in the last two rounds of the season.


2002 NRL season, Regular season
The New Zealand Warriors won the club's first Minor Premiership in its 8-year history and also made it to their first Grand Final. The Warriors were not in first place almost during the entire season, only taking top spot on the ladder at the conclusion of Round 26.


2002 NRL season, Regular season
John Hopoate ran 3,976 metres with the ball in 2002, more than any other player in the competition.


2002 NRL season, Regular season
At the end of the season NRL referees' coach Peter Louis resigned from his position.


2002 NRL season, Regular season, Bulldogs salary cap breach
In mid-2002, the Bulldogs were found guilty of serious and systemic breaches of the salary cap. NRL Chief Executive David Gallop described the violation as "exceptional in both its size and its deliberate and ongoing nature". The club received a $500,000 fine, and was stripped of 37 of its 41 competition points accumulated up to Round 23. The latter action was particularly harmful, as the club were poised to take the Minor Premiership and had won 17 consecutive matches (the second highest in Australian club rugby league history at the time). The deduction of the 37 competition points meant that the Bulldogs would win the wooden spoon, as the South Sydney Rabbitohs had already accumulated 12 competition points by the end of Round 24.


2002 NRL season, Regular season, Bulldogs salary cap breach
The deduction of the Bulldogs' points also enabled the Canberra Raiders to make the finals with a points differential of -170, the poorest such record of any finalist in the competition's history, and the Raiders only won one game outside of Canberra for the entire season. It also enabled the New Zealand Warriors to secure their first minor premiership in the club's history.


2002 NRL season, Regular season, Ladder
The Warriors received A$100,000 prize money for finishing the regular season as minor premiers.


2002 NRL season, Regular season, Ladder
1 The Bulldogs were deducted 37 premiership points due to gross salary cap breaches.


2002 NRL season, Finals series
To decide the grand finalists from the top eight finishing teams, the NRL adopts the McIntyre Final Eight System.


2002 NRL season, Finals series
Coincidentally, the finalists for 2002 were almost the same as the previous season, with the exception of the Bulldogs being replaced by Canberra. Had the Bulldogs not been deducted competition points, they would have become the minor premiers and completed the replication, with Canberra moving down to 9th.


2002 NRL season, Grand Final
The 2002 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2002 NRL season. It took place on Sunday, 6 October 2002, at Sydney's Telstra Stadium. 80,130 people saw the Sydney Roosters beat the New Zealand Warriors 30–8. The Clive Churchill Medalist was Craig Fitzgibbon of the Sydney Roosters. The match was also broadcast live in the United States by Fox Sports World.


2002 NY40
2002 NY40 is a sub-kilometer near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group, approximately 800 meters (2,600 feet) in diameter. The contact binary with a bilobated, peanut-like shape was first observed on 14 July 2002 by the LINEAR automated system in New Mexico. On 18 August 2002, it passed Earth at a distance of 540,000 km. It was observed with adaptive optics by the Midcourse Space Experiment.


2002 NY40, Orbit and classification
It orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.6–3.5 AU once every 2 years and 11 months (1,073 days; semi-major axis of 2.05 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.71 and an inclination of 6° with respect to the ecliptic.


2002 Nagorno-Karabakh presidential election
Presidential elections were held in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic on 11 August 2002. The result was a victory for incumbent President Arkadi Ghukasyan, who received 89% of the vote.


2002 Nagoya Grampus Eight season
The 2002 Nagoya Grampus Eight football season was as follows.


2002 NatWest Series
The 2002 NatWest Series was a One Day International cricket tri-series sponsored by the National Westminster Bank that took place in England between 27 June and 13 July 2002. The series involved the national teams of England, India and Sri Lanka. Ten matches were played in total, with each team playing one another thrice during the group stage. The teams which finished in the top two positions following the group stages qualified for the final, which India won by defeating England at Lord's on 13 July by 2 wickets. Preceding the series, England played Sri Lanka in a three Test series, while following the series, India played England in a four Test series.


2002 National Basketball Development League draft
The 2002 NBDL Draft was held on October 31, 2002. One hundred twelve picks were made over fourteen rounds.


2002 National Camogie League
The 2002 National Camogie League, the second most important elite level inter-county competition in the women's team field sport of camogie was won by Galway, who defeated Limerick in the final, played at O'Connor Park, Tullamore.


2002 National Camogie League, Arrangements
Limerick surprised reigning league champions Cork in the semi-final. Two goals from Denise Gilligan helped Galway beat Dublin by 3-9 to 1-6 to qualify for the final.


2002 National Camogie League, Division 2
The Junior National League, known since 2006 as Division Two, was won by Offaly who defeated Laois in the final.


2002 National Camogie League, The Final
Sharon Glynn's three goals powered Galway to a landslide win over Limerick in the final at O'Connor Park in Tullamore.


2002 National Camogie League, The Final
Limerick couldn't cope with the goal scoring instincts of Glynn and her Galway colleagues Caroline Murray and Denise Gilligan. Meadhbh Nash played a stormer for Limerick in midfield, but they were denied several scoring chances by Galway's outstanding centre-back, Tracey Laheen.


2002 National Camogie League, The Final
Galway got off to a slow start and eight minutes had elapsed before their opening score, a fine Denise Gilligan point from play. Glynn struck for her first goal just before half time to put her side 1-3 to 0-3 ahead. Limerick began the second half in whirlwind fashion, scoring three quick points from Aine O'Connell (2) and Alison White to level the scores at 0-6 to 1-3. Glynn then struck for her second goal and followed with her third moment later, breaching the Limerick defence to set up Denise Gilligan for Galway's third goal.


2002 National Camogie League, The Final
Marian Neville gave Limerick some hope when her long-range free went all the way to the Galway net to leave the scoreline at 3-3 to 1-6. However, two further goals from full-forward Caroline Murray sent Galway further ahead before Glynn completed her hat-trick from a penalty following a foul on Denise Gilligan.


2002 National Football League (Ireland)
The 2002 National Football League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Allianz National Football League, was the 71st staging of the National Football League (NFL), an annual Gaelic football tournament for the Gaelic Athletic Association county teams of Ireland. This was the first NFL season to take place in a single calendar year. Tyrone beat Cavan in the Division 1 final, while Kerry took Division Two.


2002 National Football League (Ireland), Format, League structure
The top 16 teams were drawn into Divisions 1A and 1B. The other 16 teams were drawn into Divisions 2A and 2B. Each team played all the other teams in its section once: either home or away. Teams earned 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw.


2002 National Football League (Ireland), Format, Finals, promotions and relegations
The top two teams in Divisions 1A and 1B progressed to the Division 1 semi-finals while the bottom two teams in Divisions 1A and 1B were relegated. The top two teams in Divisions 2A and 2B progressed to the Division 2 semi-finals and were promoted to Division 1A and 1B, respectively.


2002 National Football League (Ireland), Format, Tie-breaker
If two or more teams are level on points, points difference was used to rank the teams.


2002 National Football League (Ireland), Division 1, Division 1A Table
Compete in Division 1 semi-finals  Automatic relegation to Division 2A


2002 National Football League (Ireland), Division 1, Division 1B Table
Compete in Division 1 semi-finals  Automatic relegation to Division 2B


2002 National Football League (Ireland), Division 2, Division 2A Table
Compete in Division 2 semi-finals and automatic promotion to Division 1A


2002 National Football League (Ireland), Division 2, Division 2B Table
Compete in Division 2 semi-finals and automatic promotion to Division 1B


2002 National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 2002 National Hockey League All-Star Game took place on February 2, 2002, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The final score was World 8, North America 5. This was the last NHL All-Star Game to have the North America vs. World All-Star format. It was also the last All-Star Game that was held in the same year as the Winter Olympics until the 2018 edition.


2002 National Hockey League All-Star Game, All-Star weekend, NHL YoungStars Game
The inaugural NHL YoungStars Game was played (replacing Heroes of Hockey old-timers game) featuring the future young stars of the NHL. The two teams were divided between Team Melrose and Team Fox. The game format had four skaters (and one goaltender) per side and the first two periods were for 12 minutes running time, and then the third period would run for 11 minutes, running time, plus a final minute of stop time. The teams were allowed a four-minute break between periods. If the score is tied after three periods, a sudden-murder shootout will determine the winner. Team Melrose would defeat Team Fox by a score of 13–7, as Atlanta Thrashers' Ilya Kovalchuk would score six goals for Team Melrose, with one of them being on a penalty shot. Kovalchuk was named as the first-ever YoungStars MVP.


2002 National Hockey League All-Star Game, All-Star weekend, Super Skills Competition
The World All-Stars would win their fourth and last skills competition barely defeating the North American All-Stars by a score of 12–11. In the individual events, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim' Paul Kariya would win his fourth-straight Puck Control Relay event, while Carolina Hurricanes' Sami Kapanen would win his second Fastest Skater event and Detroit Red Wings' Sergei Fedorov would win his first Hardest Shot event. Two individual events would be shared as Calgary Flames' Jarome Iginla and Vancouver Canucks' Markus Naslund would share the Accuracy Shooting event title and Colorado Avalanche's Patrick Roy and Detroit Red Wings' Dominik Hasek would win the Goaltenders Competition after the Pass and Score and Breakaway Relay events.


2002 National Hockey League All-Star Game, The game
The 52nd NHL All-Star Game was highlighted by Pittsburgh Penguins' Mario Lemieux's 13th career goal which tied Wayne Gretzky for the most goals scored in All-Star Game competition, Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Nikolai Khabibulin's flawless third period and a flawed MVP selection process. Three players would put up three-point performances that included North American All-Stars Chicago Blackhawks' leftwinger Eric Daze (2–1–3) and San Jose Sharks' centre Vincent Damphousse (1–2–3), while Vancouver Canucks' left winger Markus Naslund (2–1–3) would be the only player for the World All-Stars to score three points.


2002 National Hockey League All-Star Game, The game
The World All-Stars rallied for 5 goals in the third period and a comeback win. Daze who was appearing in his first All-Star Game, was chosen as All-Star MVP, becoming the first Blackhawk player to win the award since 1971 when Bobby Hull won the award. A minor controversy ensued over the MVP selection, as World All-Stars goalie Khabibulin recorded a third period shutout that allowed his team to storm back from 5-3 down. Apparently voting was conducted with about 5 minutes remaining in the game while the North American All-Stars still held the lead. Afterwards the talk in both locker rooms was about the Russian goaltender's play, what it might mean for the upcoming Olympics in two weeks and their disappointment that his 20 save performance didn't win him an honor, which many of them thought was both deserved and obvious.


2002 National Hockey League All-Star Game, The game, Uniforms
Continuing from the previous two All-Star Games, the NHL continued to use a color-vs.color format. The North American team's jersey was the same shade of blue as the logo of the Eastern Conference, the same shade of blue previously used by the World team in 1998 and 1999; the jersey also featured the first tie-down collar in the All-Star Game since 1970. The World team used the Western Conference's burgundy color, and a unique horizontal-cut collar.


2002 National Hockey League All-Star Game, The game, Uniforms
Both uniforms featured predominantly black trim with silver and white accents, and a scooped hemline that would become prevalent with the Reebok Edge and Adidas ADIZERO uniform systems. Although the game was hosted by the Kings, the name and number fonts used on the All-Star jerseys were similar to those used by the Nashville Predators.


2002 National Hockey League All-Star Game, The game, Uniforms
Due to complaints about the uniforms being too dark and lacking sufficient contrast to each other, the NHL would replace the burgundy jersey with a white one in the next year's game.


2002 National Hurling League
The 2002 National Hurling League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Allianz National Hurling League, was the 71st edition of the National Hurling League (NHL), an annual hurling competition for the GAA county teams. Kilkenny won the league, beating Cork in the final.


2002 National Hurling League, Structure
There are 12 teams in Division 1, divided into 1A and 1B. Each team plays all the others once, either home or away. Teams earn one point for a draw and two for a win.


2002 National Hurling League, Structure
There are 10 teams in Division 2, split into 2A and 2B.


2002 National Hurling League, Structure
There are 6 teams in Division 3. The top two play each other in the final, with the winner promoted. The bottom two teams play a relegation playoff.


2002 National Hurling League, Structure
There are 5 teams in Division 4. The top two play each other in the final, with the winner promoted.


2002 National Indoor Football League season
The 2002 National Indoor Football League season was the second season of the National Indoor Football League (NIFL). The league champions were the Ohio Valley Greyhounds, who defeated the Billings Outlaws in Indoor Bowl II.


2002 National Invitation Tournament
The 2002 National Invitation Tournament was the 2002 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.


2002 National Invitation Tournament, Selected teams
Below is a list of the 40 teams selected for the tournament.


2002 National Invitation Tournament, Selected teams, Georgetown declines invitation
Big East Conference member Georgetown originally was among the teams selected, but declined to take part. Hoyas head coach  Craig Esherick explained that Georgetown′s home court, the MCI Center in Washington, D.C., was booked to host the East Regional of the 2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, meaning that accepting the NIT invitation would have required the Hoyas to play on the road in the West for two weeks, forcing his players to miss many of their classes. After playing a similar schedule the previous season during the 2001 NCAA Tournament, Esherick had concluded that missing so many classes to play in the NIT, a tournament which did not offer a chance for a national championship, was not in the best interest of Georgetown's players.


2002 National Invitation Tournament, Selected teams, Georgetown declines invitation
Esherick's controversial decision meant that Georgetown had no postseason play for the first time since the 1973–74 season. Georgetown became the first team to turn down an NIT bid since Louisville turned down a bid to the 1987 NIT.


2002 National Invitation Tournament, Bracket
Below are the four first round brackets, along with the four-team championship bracket.


2002 National League Championship Series
The 2002 National League Championship Series (NLCS) was a Major League Baseball playoff series played from October 9 to 14 to determine the champion of the National League, between the Central Division champion St. Louis Cardinals and the wild-card qualifying San Francisco Giants. It was a rematch of the 1987 NLCS, in which the Cardinals defeated the Giants in seven games. The Cardinals, by virtue of being a division winner, had the home field advantage.


2002 National League Championship Series
The two teams were victorious in the NL Division Series (NLDS), with the Cardinals defeating the West Division champion and defending World Series champions Arizona Diamondbacks three games to none, and the Giants defeating the East Division champion and heavily favored Atlanta Braves three games to two.


2002 National League Championship Series
The Giants won the series in five games but were defeated by the Anaheim Angels in seven games in the World Series.


2002 National League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 1
Wednesday, October 9, 2002 at Busch Stadium (II) in St. Louis, Missouri


2002 National League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 1
The Giants struck first in Game 1 off of Matt Morris with two on via Benito Santiago's single to score Kenny Lofton from second. Next inning, Morris struck out the first two batters, then allowed a single to Lofton, who stole second and scored on Rich Aurilia's single. After Jeff Kent singled, Barry Bonds's triple scored two before Bonds scored on Santiago's single.


2002 National League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 1
The Cardinals got on the board in the bottom of the inning off of Kirk Rueter on Fernando Viña's groundout with runners on second and third, but home runs by Lofton in the third and David Bell in the fifth off of Morris gave the Giants a 7−1 lead. Albert Pujols hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth off of Rueter, but the Giants got those runs back in the sixth on Santiago's home run off of Mike Crudale.


2002 National League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 1
The Cardinals cut the lead to 9−5 on Miguel Cairo's two-run home run in the bottom of the inning, then made it 9−6 on J. D. Drew's home run in the eighth off of Tim Worrell, but Robb Nen pitched a scoreless ninth for the save as the Giants went up 1−0 in the series.


2002 National League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 2
Thursday, October 10, 2002 at Busch Stadium (II) in St. Louis, Missouri


2002 National League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 2
In Game 2, the Giants went up 1−0 on Rich Aurilia's home run in the first off of Woody Williams. His two-run home run in the fifth made it 3−0. Jason Schmidt pitched 7+2⁄3 shutout innings before allowing Eduardo Pérez's home run in the eighth. The Giants added a run in the ninth on Ramón Martínez's groundout off of Jason Isringhausen with runners on first and third while Robb Nen pitched a scoreless bottom of the inning for his second consecutive save. The Giants went up 2−0 in the series heading to San Francisco.


2002 National League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 3
Saturday, October 12, 2002 at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco


2002 National League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 3
In Game 3, the Giants loaded the bases in the second with no outs off of Chuck Finley, but only scored once on Rich Aurilia's sacrifice fly. The Cardinals responded in the third off of Russ Ortiz when with runners on second and third, Édgar Rentería's sacrifice fly and Jim Edmonds's groundout scored a run each. They added to their lead on home runs by Mike Matheny in the fourth and Edmonds in the fifth, but Barry Bonds's three-run home run in the fifth tied the game. In the sixth, Eli Marrero's leadoff home run off of Jay Witasick proved to be the game winner as the Cardinals' 5−4 win cut the Giants' series lead to 2−1.


2002 National League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 4
Sunday, October 13, 2002 at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco


2002 National League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 4
The Cardinals took an early lead off Liván Hernández, scoring two runs in the first inning on a Jim Edmonds groundout and a single by Tino Martinez. After being held scoreless for five innings the Giants' bats would answer in the sixth, when J. T. Snow hit a two-run double to score Jeff Kent and Barry Bonds. In the eighth, Benito Santiago would deliver the key blow for San Francisco with a two-run home run following an intentional walk to Bonds (with nobody on base).


2002 National League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 4
In the ninth, the Cardinals would threaten against Robb Nen, cutting the deficit to 4–3 with a Jim Edmonds single, which put runners at first and third base  with one out for slugger Albert Pujols. However, Nen struck out Pujols and J. D. Drew to give the Giants a 3–1 series advantage.


2002 National League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 5
Monday, October 14, 2002 at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco


2002 National League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 5
Game 5 was a pitchers' duel between Matt Morris and Kirk Rueter as the Giants looked for their first pennant since 1989. Fernando Viña started the scoring with a seventh-inning sac fly, but the Giants responded with a sac fly by Barry Bonds. In the ninth, Matt Morris retired the first two batters before allowing consecutive singles to David Bell and Shawon Dunston. Steve Kline was then brought in to pitch to Kenny Lofton, who had yelled at the Cardinals dugout earlier after an inside pitch. On the first pitch, Lofton delivered a single to right field, scoring Bell as J. D. Drew's throw was off-line, clinching the pennant for the Giants, their first since 1989.


2002 National League Championship Series, Composite line score
2002 NLCS (4–1): San Francisco Giants over St. Louis Cardinals


2002 National League Championship Series, Aftermath
In the Barry Bonds' era (1993-2007), the 2002 post-season would be the only October where the Giants would experience a run of success. However, it still did not lead to an elusive World Championship for San Francisco. In the 2002 World Series against the Anaheim Angels, the Giants were eight outs away from winning the Series in Game six, but late game home runs by Scott Spiezio and Darin Erstad, as well as a two-RBI double by Troy Glaus helped the Angels overcome a five-run, seventh-inning deficit to win.


2002 National League Championship Series, Aftermath
A three-run double by Garret Anderson was the difference in the Angels' Game seven win to clinch the series. Glaus was named the World Series Most Valuable Player. The two teams set a record for combined most home runs in a World Series (21), which stood until 2017. The Giants did not win a World Series until 2010.


2002 National League Championship Series, Aftermath
Despite Dusty Baker's success in San Francisco, he had an increasingly strained relationship with owner Peter Magowan, one that even the Giants' first pennant in 13 years could not mend. Baker and the Giants mutually parted ways after the season. Baker was no out of work for long as he was quickly snatched up by the Chicago Cubs to become their manager. Baker's Cubs reached the 2003 NL Championship Series, but the team famously fell apart in Game 6 when the Cubs were up 3-0 and five outs from their first World Series appearance in almost 60 years.


2002 National League Championship Series, Aftermath
Dusty would experience success managing the Cincinnati Reds (2010-2013), Washington Nationals (2016-2018), and the Houston Astros (2020-) in later years. In 2012, his Reds faced his former team the Giants in the National League Division Series. Unfortunately for Baker, his team would again fall apart after leading the series 2-0, eventually losing to the Giants in five games.


2002 National League Championship Series, Aftermath
The St. Louis Cardinals would continue to be a perennial playoff team until 2016, winning two World Championships in 2006 and 2011.


2002 National League Championship Series, Aftermath
The Giants continued their winning ways in the October against St. Louis, beating them in the 2012 National League Championship Series and the 2014 National League Championship Series, on their way to two more World Championships in those seasons.


2002 National League Division Series
The 2002 National League Division Series (NLDS), the opening round of the 2002 National League playoffs, began on Tuesday, October 1, and ended on Monday, October 7, with the champions of the three NL divisions—along with a "wild card" team—participating in two best-of-five series. The teams were:


2002 National League Division Series
The Cardinals and Giants went on to meet in the NL Championship Series (NLCS). The Giants became the National League champion, and lost to the American League champion Anaheim Angels in the 2002 World Series.


2002 National League Division Series, Atlanta vs. San Francisco
The Atlanta Braves had continued to move forward in a golden era of consistency that had resulted in their eleventh consecutive division title since 1991 (with only the cancelled 1994 season being the exception), marked by consistent pitching from Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, and Kevin Millwood (who combined for 52 wins to 25 losses) to go with John Smoltz and his league-leading 55 saves. They won over 100 games for the first since 1999, having experienced an improvement of thirteen games from the previous year.


2002 National League Division Series, Atlanta vs. San Francisco
The Braves led the National League in runs allowed, ERA (3.13), and hits allowed (San Francisco led in home runs allowed). For the San Francisco Giants, this was their third postseason appearance in the past six seasons. While a five game improvement from last year was not enough to catch the NL West title, it was enough to loom over the lone Wild Card spot, marked by ending the year with an eight game winning streak.


2002 National League Division Series, Atlanta vs. San Francisco
As for the Giants, Barry Bonds (who experienced three consecutive losses to the Braves in the NLCS from 1990 to 1992 as the left fielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates) continued his unprecedented run to start the 21st century. While he had less games played and home runs from the previous year, he managed to hit 46 while drawing a record of 198 walks while batting a career high .370 to coast to the Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award, which was his fifth as a player and second of ultimately four in a row.


2002 National League Division Series, Atlanta vs. San Francisco
Right beside Bonds in offense was Jeff Kent, who hit .313 with 37 home runs with 195 hits in 152 games. While Kirk Rueter and Russ Ortiz led the Giants in wins as a pitcher (14), it was Robb Nen who served as the key star in pitching once again. In his fifth season with the Giants, he went to the All-Star Game for the third time while garnering 43 saves.


2002 National League Division Series, Atlanta vs. San Francisco, Game 1
In Game 1, Russ Ortiz faced Tom Glavine. In the top of the second, after Benito Santiago and Reggie Sanders hit back-to-back one-out singles, J. T. Snow hit a two-run double, then David Bell singled Snow home to make it 3–0 Giants. Glavine would help his own cause by hitting a bases-loaded two-run single to left field that almost tied the game thanks to an error by Bonds in the bottom half of the second. In the fourth, David Bell and Russ Ortiz back-to-back one-out singles, then Kenny Lofton's RBI single and Rich Aurilia's two-run double made it 6–2 Giants.


2002 National League Division Series, Atlanta vs. San Francisco, Game 1
Chris Hammond relieved Glavine in the sixth and after a two-out double and intentional walk, Santiago's double scored both runners. In the bottom of the eighth Gary Sheffield's homer off Tim Worrell made it 8–3. With one on and one out, Santiago dropped a foul fly ball hit by Javy López, who then homered to make it 8–5. In the ninth, the Braves put the tying run at the plate off Robb Nen for Sheffield, but he hit into a game-ending double play.


2002 National League Division Series, Atlanta vs. San Francisco, Game 2
In Game 2, Kirk Rueter faced Kevin Millwood, who was looking to keep the Braves' hopes alive in the series. The Braves struck first when Julio Franco walked with one out, moved to second on a ground out and scored on Chipper Jones's RBI single in the first, but J. T. Snow homered to tie the game in the top of the second. Back-to-back homers by Javy Lopez and Vinny Castilla made it 3–1 Braves in the bottom half. Then Mark DeRosa doubled and scored on Rafael Furcal's RBI single one out later to make it 4–1 Braves.


2002 National League Division Series, Atlanta vs. San Francisco, Game 2
In the fourth, DeRosa followed a leadoff single and walk with a two-run triple to knock Rueter out of the game. DeRosa then scored on a passed ball by Manny Aybar to make it 7–1 Braves. The Giants got home runs from Rich Aurilia off Millwood in the sixth and Barry Bonds in the ninth off John Smoltz, but the Braves won the game 7–3 to tie the series.


2002 National League Division Series, Atlanta vs. San Francisco, Game 3
In Game 3, Greg Maddux of the Braves faced Jason Schmidt of the Giants. In the bottom of the first, Kenny Lofton hit a leadoff single and scored on Jeff Kent's doubled to make it 1–0 Giants. In the top of the third, Rafael Furcal hit a leadoff triple and scored on a groundout by Julio Franco. The game remained tied until the sixth. With one out, three consecutive walks ended Schmidt's night. Vinny Castilla singled in two runs off Manny Aybar, then Keith Lockhart followed with a towering three-run homer to make it 6–1 Braves.


2002 National League Division Series, Atlanta vs. San Francisco, Game 3
Barry Bonds's homer in the bottom half made it 6–2, but the ninth saw the Braves add insurance. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with one out off Tim Worrell. Chipper Jones hit an RBI single off Aaron Fultz, who was relieved by Robb Nen. Andruw Jones's single scored two, then one out later, Lockhart's single scored another. Kevin Gryboski retired the Giants in order in the bottom of the inning as the Braves' 10–2 win gave them a 2–1 series lead.


2002 National League Division Series, Atlanta vs. San Francisco, Game 4
In Game 4, Glavine would be sent to the mound once again, this time facing Liván Hernández. Glavine's struggles would continue, as he allowed two singles and a walk to load the bases with no outs in the first, Barry Bonds's sacrifice fly and Benito Santiago's groundout scored a run each. Next inning, David Bell hit a leadoff single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on Rich Aurilia's single. Another single and intentional walk loaded the bases before Santiago walked to force in another run.


2002 National League Division Series, Atlanta vs. San Francisco, Game 4
Aurilia's two-out three-run homer made it 7–0 in the third, knocking Glavine out of the game. The Braves got on the board in the fifth on Rafael Furcal's RBI double with a runner on third, but the Giants got that run back in the bottom half off Damian Moss on Santiago's RBI double with two on. The Braves scored two runs in the sixth on Javy Lopez's double and Vinny Castilla's single, but nothing else as the Giants' 8–3 win forced a Game 5 in Atlanta.


2002 National League Division Series, Atlanta vs. San Francisco, Game 5
In the clinching Game 5, Russ Ortiz returned to the mound to face Kevin Millwood. The Giants struck first in the second inning; Barry Bonds hit a single to leadoff the inning, and Reggie Sanders would drive him home from second base on a two-out RBI single. In the fourth inning, on a 3-2 count, Bonds would line a ball into left-center to make it 2-0. The Braves had a golden opportunity in the fifth inning, having loaded the bases on an error and two walks, but Chipper Jones grounded out to the shortstop.


2002 National League Division Series, Atlanta vs. San Francisco, Game 5
The Braves would be rewarded for their patience in the next inning, which started with singles by Andruw Jones and Vinny Castilla to drive Ortiz out of the game. With one out, facing Aaron Fultz, Mark DeRosa lined a single to center to score Jones and cut the lead to one while Fultz was replaced by Felix Rodriguez. He would induce two subsequent outs to end the inning. The Giants returned the favor in the 7th, starting with a double by J.T. Snow and two walks by Mike Remlinger to load the bases.


2002 National League Division Series, Atlanta vs. San Francisco, Game 5
With one out, Kenny Lofton hit a flyball off Darren Holmes to center to score Snow. In the ninth, with the Braves trailing 3–1, Gary Sheffield and Chipper Jones each came to the plate with two men on to face against Robb Nen, representing the Division Series-winning run. However, Sheffield struck out and Jones would hit into a double play to end the series. For the first time since the 1989 National League Championship Series, the Giants had won a postseason series. As for the Braves, this continued a chain of postseason series losses that would not subside until eighteen years later.


2002 National League Division Series, Arizona vs. St. Louis
The Arizona Diamondbacks won the West for the second straight year, having a better record than the previous year when they won the 2001 World Series. The St. Louis Cardinals were making their third straight postseason appearance. Having swept the defending NL Champions in the 2000 National League Division Series, they had a chance to sweep the defending World Champions in 2002.


2002 National League Division Series, Arizona vs. St. Louis, Game 1
In Game 1, Matt Morris faced eventual 2002 Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson, who dominated the 2001 postseason with ease. However, in the top of the first an error by Tony Womack put a runner on for Jim Edmonds, who then hit a home run to make it 2–0 Cardinals. The Diamondbacks scratched out a run in the bottom half on Steve Finley's sacrifice fly with runners on first and third. In the bottom of the third, Quinton McCracken tied the game with an RBI single.


2002 National League Division Series, Arizona vs. St. Louis, Game 1
In the fourth, the floodgates began to open as Albert Pujols led off the inning with a triple and Scott Rolen followed with a two-run homer. Then Édgar Rentería's singled, stole second, moved to third on a ground out and scored on Mike Matheny's RBI single to make it is 5–2 Cards. Eli Marrero's sacrifice fly in the sixth made it 6–2 Cardinals before they blew the game open in the seventh. Matt Mantei allowed a single and walk, then Tino Martinez walked off Greg Swindell to load the bases.


2002 National League Division Series, Arizona vs. St. Louis, Game 1
Swindell's errant throw on Matheny's bunt attempt allowed two runs to score, then Matt Morris's single scored two more runs. Mike Fetters relieved Swindell and walked Jim Edmonds with two outs to reload the bases before Albert Pujols's two-run single capped the scoring at 12–2 Cardinals, giving them a 1–0 series lead.


2002 National League Division Series, Arizona vs. St. Louis, Game 2
In Game 2, Chuck Finley faced Curt Schilling. J. D. Drew got the scoring started with a homer in the third to put the Cardinals up 1–0. Finley and Schilling dueled until Finley left with a cramp in his pitching hand. When Albert Pujols moved from left field in the eighth, he immediately created trouble by misplaying a ball hit by Greg Colbrunn off Rick White. Then Quinton McCracken tied the game with a double.


2002 National League Division Series, Arizona vs. St. Louis, Game 2
The Cardinals regained the lead in the top of the ninth, however, when Édgar Rentería hit a leadoff single off Mike Koplove, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a Miguel Cairo RBI single. Jason Isringhausen shut the D'Backs down 1–2–3 in the bottom of the inning for the save, giving the Cardinals a 2–0 lead in the series. Jeff Fassero got the win in relief by retiring the last batter of the eighth.


2002 National League Division Series, Arizona vs. St. Louis, Game 3
Trying to avoid a series sweep, the Diamondbacks struck first in the second off starter Andy Benes when David Dellucci homered after a walk to put them up 2–0. However, against Miguel Batista, Miguel Cairo's RBI single in the bottom half cut the lead to 2–1. Then Pujols would tie the game with an RBI single in the third. In the fourth with runners on first and third, Benes's sacrifice bunt allowed Cairo to score to give the Cardinals the lead. Fernando Viña's RBI single then made it 4–2 Cardinals.


2002 National League Division Series, Arizona vs. St. Louis, Game 3
Rod Barajas homered to make it a one-run game in the fifth, but the Cardinals padded their lead in the eighth when Albert Pujols drew a leadoff walk off Byung-Hyun Kim and scored on Cairo's double. After an intentional walk, Kerry Robinson's RBI single made it 6–3 Cardinals. Jason Isringhausen got the series winning save by once again shutting down the Diamondbacks 1–2–3 in the ninth.


2002 National People's Congress election in Hong Kong
The election for the Hong Kong deputies to the 10th National People's Congress (NPC) was held on 3 December 2002. 36 Hong Kong deputies were elected by an electoral college.


2002 National People's Congress election in Hong Kong, Background
Chinese citizens who are residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall be entitled to participate in the management of state affairs according to law. In accordance with the assigned number of seats and the selection method specified by the National People's Congress, the Chinese citizens among the residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall locally elect deputies of the Region to the National People's Congress to participate in the work of the highest organ of state power.


2002 National People's Congress election in Hong Kong, Election result
54 of the 78 candidates were pre-elected on 29 November 2002 and 36 of the 54 candidates were elected on 3 December. It was presided by Tung Chee-hwa, executive chairman of the 15-strong presidium. Five pro-democrats who contested in the election, Albert Ho, James To, Sin Chung-kai, Anthony Cheung and Frederick Fung were defeated in the heavily pro-Beijing electoral college. The Liaison Office was accused of issuing a recommendation list to the electors before the election.


2002 National People's Congress election in Hong Kong, Controversies
The Liaison Office was criticised for meddling in the election; it was accused of issuing a recommendation list to the electors before the election. James Tien of the Liberal Party criticised the Liaison Office for circulating the recommendation lists, the Democratic Party's Martin Lee viewed it as a "shadow government" meddling in elections in all levels, including the Chief Executive elections, coordinating with pro-Beijing parties in Legislative Council and District Council elections,.


2002 National Society of Film Critics Awards
The 37th National Society of Film Critics Awards, given on 4 January 2003, honored the best in film for 2002.


2002 National Society of Film Critics Awards, Winners, Best Picture
1. The Pianist2. Y Tu Mamá También3. Talk to Her (Hable con ella)


2002 National Society of Film Critics Awards, Winners, Best Director
1. Roman Polanski – The Pianist2. Pedro Almodóvar – Talk to Her (Hable con ella)3. Alfonso Cuarón – Y Tu Mamá También


2002 National Society of Film Critics Awards, Winners, Best Actor
1. Adrien Brody – The Pianist2. Michael Caine – The Quiet American3. Aurélien Recoing – Time Out (L'emploi du temps)


2002 National Society of Film Critics Awards, Winners, Best Actress
1. Diane Lane – Unfaithful2. Maggie Gyllenhaal – Secretary2. Isabelle Huppert – The Piano Teacher (La pianiste)


2002 National Society of Film Critics Awards, Winners, Best Supporting Actor
1. Christopher Walken – Catch Me If You Can2. Chris Cooper – Adaptation. 3 . Alan Arkin – Thirteen Conversations About One Thing


2002 National Society of Film Critics Awards, Winners, Best Supporting Actress
1. Patricia Clarkson – Far from Heaven2. Fiona Shaw – The Triumph of Love3. Kathy Bates – About Schmidt


2002 National Society of Film Critics Awards, Winners, Best Screenplay
1. Ronald Harwood – The Pianist2. Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor – About Schmidt3. Carlos Cuarón and Alfonso Cuarón – Y Tu Mamá También


2002 National Society of Film Critics Awards, Winners, Best Cinematography
1. Edward Lachman – Far from Heaven2. Pawel Edelman – The Pianist3. Robert Elswit – Punch-Drunk Love


2002 National Society of Film Critics Awards, Winners, Best Foreign Language Film
1. Y Tu Mamá También2. Talk to Her (Hable con ella)3. Time Out (L'emploi du temps)


2002 National Society of Film Critics Awards, Winners, Best Non-Fiction Film
1. Standing in the Shadows of Motown2. The Cockettes3. Domestic Violence 3. The Kid Stays in the Picture


2002 Navy Midshipmen football team
The 2002 Navy Midshipmen football team represented the United States Naval Academy (USNA) as an independent during the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was led by first-year head coach Paul Johnson.


2002 Nebelhorn Trophy
The 2002 Nebelhorn Trophy took place between September 4 and 7, 2002 at the Bundesleistungszentrum Oberstdorf. It is an international senior-level figure skating competition organized by the Deutsche Eislauf-Union and held annually in Oberstdorf, Germany. The competition is named after the Nebelhorn, a nearby mountain.


2002 Nebelhorn Trophy
Skaters were entered by their respective national federations, rather than receiving individual invitations as in the Grand Prix of Figure Skating, and competed in four disciplines: men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dance. The Fritz-Geiger-Memorial Trophy was presented to the country with the highest placements across all disciplines.


2002 Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball team
The 2002 Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball team represented the University of Nebraska in the 2002 NCAA Division I baseball season. The head coach was Dave Van Horn, serving his 5th year.


2002 Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball team
The Cornhuskers lost in the College World Series, defeated by the South Caroline Gamecocks.


2002 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 2002 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Frank Solich and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. Nebraska finished in 4th place in the Big 12 North Division and tied for 8th conference–wide, with a final record of 7–7 (3–5). With their loss to Ole Miss in the Independence Bowl, the Huskers streak of 40 straight winning seasons came to an end. Earlier, a loss to Iowa State knocked the Huskers out of the AP Poll for the first time since October 11, 1981. The run of 348 consecutive weeks in the rankings was the longest in college football history.


2002 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team, Game summaries, McNeese State
This was the first week Nebraska was not featured in the AP Poll since their 59-0 defeat of Colorado on October 10, 1981.


2002 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team, After the season
Nebraska finished in 4th place in the Big 12 North Division and tied for 8th conference-wide, with a final record of 7-7 (3-5).


2002 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team, After the season, NFL and pro players
The following Nebraska players who participated in the 2002 season later moved on to the next level and joined a professional or semi-pro team as draftees or free agents.


2002 Nebraska gubernatorial election
The 2002 Nebraska gubernatorial election, held on November 5, 2002, featured incumbent Republican Governor of Nebraska Mike Johanns defeating his Democratic opponent Stormy Dean in a landslide.


2002 Nebraska gubernatorial election
This was the first gubernatorial election in Nebraska where the winning primary candidates chose their running mates after the primary election. Prior to this, both the governor and the lieutenant governor were chosen at the primary election. This was also the first gubernatorial election in which a Republican was re-elected in more than forty years.


2002 Netherlands Antilles general election
General elections in the Netherlands Antilles took place on 18 January 2002.


2002 Nevada Question 2
Question 2 of 2000 and 2002 is a ballot measure that amended the Nevada Constitution by adding a definition of marriage that prevented same-sex marriages from being conducted or recognized in Nevada. The amendment was passed by voter referendum by a margin of 67%-33% on November 5, 2002. It was previously approved by 69.6% to 30.4% of voters in 2000; the Nevada Constitution requires two ballot votes for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments.


2002 Nevada Question 2
The measure was heavily influenced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS church). A Nevada Mormon newspaper Beehive first reported the Coalition for the Protection of Marriage's intent to file an initiative petition in December 1999, and by October 2000 the coalition had raised over $800,000 from mostly Mormon-owned businesses and LDS individuals. Mormon leaders had strongly encouraged members through letters with church letterhead to do campaign work and post yard signs distributed at church buildings.


2002 Nevada Question 2
The text of the adopted amendment, which is found at Article I, section 21 of the Nevada Constitution, states:


2002 Nevada Question 2
Only a marriage between a male and female person shall be recognized and given effect in this state.


2002 Nevada Question 2
2020 Nevada Question 2 is a ballot measure scheduled for November 3, 2020 to replace Article I, section 21 with language that requires the recognition of same-sex marriage in Nevada.


2002 Nevada Wolf Pack football team
The 2002 Nevada Wolf Pack football team represented the University of Nevada, Reno during the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season. Nevada competed as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). The Wolf Pack were led by third–year head coach Chris Tormey and played their home games at Mackay Stadium.


2002 Nevada Wolf Pack football team, Previous season
The Wolf Pack finished the 2001 season 3–8 and 3–5 in WAC play to finish in a tie in fifth place and did not qualify for a bowl game.


2002 Nevada gubernatorial election
The 2002 Nevada gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Republican Governor Kenny Guinn defeated Democratic nominee and Nevada Senator Joe Neal in a landslide to win a second term.


2002 New Brunswick Liberal Association leadership election
The New Brunswick Liberal Association held a leadership election in 2002 to replace former leader Camille Thériault with a new leader to lead the party into the 2003 election. Shawn Graham was elected over Jack MacDougall, after a number of high-profile candidates decided not to seek the leadership or had dropped out.


2002 New Brunswick Liberal Association leadership election, Candidates, Non candidates
The following candidates were rumoured to be considering runs but did not enter the race.


2002 New Brunswick Liberal Association leadership election, Results
The leadership contest was conducted in two-tiers. First, Liberal members voted in their ridings for their leadership candidate of choice, after which delegates from each riding were elected proportionally to the votes of their members. Second, delegates voted at the May convention.


2002 New England Patriots season
The 2002 season was the New England Patriots' 33rd in the National Football League, their 43rd overall and their third under head coach Bill Belichick. They finished with a 9–7 record, good enough for second in the division but not a playoff berth. It was their first season at their new home field, Gillette Stadium, which replaced the adjacent Foxboro Stadium.


2002 New England Patriots season
Following their victory in Super Bowl XXXVI seven months earlier, the Patriots played their first game in the new Gillette Stadium in the NFL's primetime Monday Night Football opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a win for the Patriots. After an additional two wins to begin the season, including a 44–7 road win against the division rival New York Jets, the team lost five of its next seven games, allowing an average of 137 rushing yards a game during that span.


2002 New England Patriots season
In the final week of the season, the Patriots defeated the Miami Dolphins on an overtime Adam Vinatieri field goal to give both teams a 9–7 record. A few hours later, the Jets, who defeated the Patriots the week prior, also finished with a 9–7 record with a win over the Green Bay Packers. Due to their record against common opponents, after the Jets won the tiebreaker for the division title, both the Patriots and Dolphins were eliminated from the playoff contention.


2002 New England Patriots season
The 2002 season was the last time that the Patriots failed to win at least 10 games during the regular season until the 2020 season. It also marked the only season when Tom Brady started over half of the regular season games that the team failed to win their division or make the playoffs.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal
The 2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal involved the use of a telemarketing firm hired by that state's Republican Party (NHGOP) for election tampering. The tampering involved using a call center to jam the phone lines of a get out the vote (GOTV) operation. In the end, 900 calls were made for 45 minutes of disruption to the Democratic-leaning call centers.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal
During that state's 2002 election for the United States Senate seat being vacated by Republican Bob Smith, the NHGOP hired GOP Marketplace, based in northern Virginia, to jam another phone bank being used by the state Democratic Party and the firefighters' union for efforts to turn out voters on behalf of then-Governor of New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen on Election Day. John E. Sununu, the Republican nominee, won a narrow victory. In addition to criminal prosecutions, disclosures in the case have come from a civil suit filed by the state's Democratic Party against the state's Republican Party (now settled).


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal
Four men were convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, federal crimes and sentenced to prison for their involvement. One conviction was reversed by an appeals court. James Tobin, freed on appeal, was later indicted on charges of lying to the FBI during the original investigation.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, History, The scandal breaks
Police in Concord, the state capital, were notified by Democratic workers on the day of the election that they were receiving repeated telephone calls, terminating after five seconds, which were interfering with their efforts to reach voters and offer rides to the polls. For at least an hour and a half at midday they were unable to make any outgoing calls. Verizon was later able to stop most of these calls, but whoever had made them had violated state laws against telephone harassment.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, History, The scandal breaks
State authorities found the calls came from out of state, and so brought in their federal counterparts. They were eventually traced to Mylo Enterprises, a Pocatello, Idaho-based company that ran phone banks.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, History, The scandal breaks
The New Hampshire Union Leader reported on it February 7, 2003. The story forced the resignation of state GOP executive director Charles McGee shortly afterward, when he admitted lying to the paper. Later, prosecutors said that he had come up with the idea of disrupting Democratic communications after seeing a flyer put out by the Shaheen campaign with the numbers. Drawing on his military background, he decided to disrupt "enemy communications" and called several telemarketing firms he knew to have Republican sympathies.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, History, The scandal breaks
However, James Tobin, then Northeast field director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), put McGee in touch with GOP Marketplace, a northern Virginia firm run by Allen Raymond, which had been hired by the New Hampshire party for similar voter-turnout efforts. McGee had lied in claiming to be unaware of this.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, History, The scandal breaks
Steve Kornacki of politicsnj.com discovered that Raymond, a New Jersey native, had worked for James Treffinger, a former gubernatorial candidate then under indictment for a phone scandal during that state's 2001 Republican primary for the senatorial nomination, in which calls were made smearing two of his opponents. A prominent figure in that indictment, possibly a co-conspirator, was an unnamed Republican consultant believed to be Raymond (during the later trial of James Tobin, the prosecution said that GOP Marketplace had worked for a Senate campaign in New Jersey and that that work had led to a criminal indictment). During Super Bowl XXXVI on February 3, 2002, Raymond's firm had placed calls to prospective voters that not only attacked one of Treffinger's rivals but purported to be from another.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, History, Guilty pleas
Little was heard about the case until June 30, 2004, when Allen Raymond pleaded guilty to several felony charges in federal court in Concord. McGee followed suit the next month. Josh Marshall's blog noted that Todd Hinnen, the prosecutor in Raymond's case, indicated to the court that Raymond had been contacted about the phone jamming idea by "a former colleague who was then an official in a national political organization." Hinnen later indicated that McGee discussed the phone-jamming plan with two other top Republican officials.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, History, Guilty pleas
In an op-ed for the Concord Monitor, Smith called the phone jamming "an outrage" and deplored the lack of Republican anger over "this despicable action by pathetic political hacks." He also implied that the phone jamming may have denied Shaheen victory.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, History, The third man
In October, an affidavit filed by the New Hampshire Democratic Party and released to the media contained information that made it possible to identify the third man as Tobin, then serving as the New England regional director for the Bush campaign. He resigned October 15 and was indicted December 1, then arraigned December 13 on two criminal counts each of conspiring to make harassing telephone calls and aiding and abetting telephone harassment.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, History, Sentences
Allen Raymond was sentenced to five months in federal prison on February 8, 2005, for his role. A month later, Charles McGee received seven months.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, History, James Tobin trial and financing
James Tobin refused to cooperate with investigators as his trial approached. During Tobin's trial, questions arose about the source of the money involved in funding the phone jamming and his defense.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, History, James Tobin trial and financing
In July, the Union Leader reported that one of Tobin's attorneys told the court he was representing the defendant in his capacity as an employee of the Republican National Committee (RNC). Since the RNC had stated that Tobin was acting on his own in a rogue operation, it was asked why they would be paying for his defense.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, History, James Tobin trial and financing
In August, the RNC finally confirmed that it had spent more than $722,000 for Tobin's defense by the Washington firm of Williams & Connolly. "This support is based on his assurance and our belief that Jim has not engaged in any wrongdoing," a spokesperson told the Associated Press.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, History, James Tobin trial and financing
The Union Leader reported in February 2006 that the RNC had paid $1.7 million to Williams on the day Tobin was sentenced, for a total of $2.5 million, and would neither confirm nor deny that it was still paying his legal expenses. The RNC's first financial report of 2006 indicated that it by then had spent another $330,000.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, History, James Tobin trial and financing
Later that year, Tobin's wife was hired by the NRSC as a consultant on the unsuccessful re-election campaign of Rhode Island senator Lincoln Chafee, as Northeast Strategies, a company that listed the Tobins' home as its main address. Despite her lack of any previous experience, she was paid at $300,000.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, History, James Tobin trial and financing
On August 28, Marshall reported that two Indian tribes, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and the Mississippi Choctaw, known clients of influential lobbyist Jack Abramoff, himself at the center of a widening scandal, had made $5,000 contributions (the legal maximum) to the NHGOP the week of the election in 2002. Neither was known to have any interest in New Hampshire. Later, staffers for Judd Gregg, New Hampshire's senior senator and also a Republican, explained that they had passed along the checks without his knowledge.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, History, James Tobin trial and financing
Also unusual was over $600,000 contributed to the Sununu campaign over the final week by the National Republican Congressional Committee, which normally focuses on races in the House and had not shown much interest in previous campaigns by Sununu. Texas congressman and former House majority leader Tom DeLay's Americans for a Republican Majority political action committee (ARMPAC) also contributed $5,000.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, History, James Tobin trial and financing
On November 10, Judge Steven McAuliffe denied Tobin's last motion to dismiss the conspiracy charges against him, although he said he would consider another motion to dismiss charges that Tobin denied others their right to vote.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, History, James Tobin trial and financing
Shortly before the trial started, Marshall reported that the state's witness list included Terry Nelson, former political director for the Bush campaign. Nelson had been linked to the scandal involving DeLay's illegal fundraising in Texas.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, Background
James Tobin was President George W. Bush's New England campaign chairman. He was convicted on December 15, 2005, of telephone harassment "for his part in a plot to jam the Democratic Party's phones on Election Day 2002". However, this conviction was later overturned by a federal appeals court and Tobin was acquitted on all charges.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, Background
As New England campaign chairman for Bush-Cheney '04 Inc., Tobin stepped down two weeks before the election when state Democrats accused him of involvement in a phone-jamming scheme on Election Day 2002. Tobin was later indicted for conspiracy.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, Background
Tobin served as national political director for publisher Steve Forbes' Presidential campaign. He is an employee of the Washington, D.C.-based DCI Group and also has his own consulting firm, Tobin & Co., based in Bangor, Maine. During the 2004 election cycle he was a Bush Ranger, raising at least $200,000 for the Bush 2004 reelection effort.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, Tobin's alleged involvement in election phone jamming
In November 2002, Tobin was regional director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. On election day, computerized hang-up calls jammed phone lines set up by the New Hampshire Democratic Party and the Manchester firefighters' union. Over 800 phone calls were made to a get-out-the-vote phone bank over the course of two hours. The United States Senate contest in New Hampshire was between Democratic Gov. Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Rep. John E. Sununu. Sununu won by about 20,000 votes.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, Tobin's alleged involvement in election phone jamming
Tobin and NSRCC political director Chris LaCivita had worked together at DCI Group, a Washington GOP lobbying and public relations firm, along with Brian McCabe, a GOP activist who formerly worked in several roles in New Hampshire, including as a campaign manager for former U.S. Rep. Bill Zeliff. At the time, the NSRCC was chaired by then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, Tobin's alleged involvement in election phone jamming
Phone records show Tobin made two dozen calls to the White House Office of Political Affairs within a three-day period around Election Day 2002. A number of observers have noted that contact between the White House Office of Political Affairs and presidential campaign staff is historically commonplace for Democratic and Republican administrations.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, Trial
During the summer of 2004, Charles McGee, former executive director of the New Hampshire Republican Party, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and admitted paying $15,600 to an Alexandria, Virginia telemarketing company, GOP Marketplace, that hired another business to make the calls. A co-owner of that firm at the time, Shaun Hansen, was indicted in March. Republican consultant Allen Raymond, GOP Marketplace's former president, also pleaded guilty in the summer to a conspiracy charge in federal court.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, Trial
Tobin's trial began on December 6, 2005. The first day apparently went well for the defense, when key prosecution witness Chuck McGee seemed to back away from testimony he had agreed to make in exchange for plea bargains.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, Trial
McGee's testimony suggested that the DCI Group, a powerful public relations firm which publishes the Tech Central Station website and is closely connected to the Republican party, was involved through lawyer and New Hampshire native Brian McCabe. He also said he had talked to Darrell Henry of the American Gas Association, who said that he would keep the phone jamming going after it was officially called off. Henry, McGee said, had offered to keep the operation going with some volunteers from "the chamber". Since Tobin's superior at the NRSC, Chris LaCivita, worked at the time for the United States Chamber of Commerce, it is possible that he, too, had foreknowledge of the plan. He currently works for Terry Nelson's consulting firm, Crosslink Strategy Group.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, Trial
Raymond said he'd also run the idea past Kenneth Gross, a former associate general counsel at the Federal Election Commission, currently a partner in the powerful firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, Trial
On December 8, Tobin's defense presented two witnesses and rested. They persuaded McAuliffe to drop one charge and narrow the scope of another.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, Trial
A week later, the jury convicted him of two counts related to telephone harassment, while acquitting him of the more serious charge of conspiracy to violate voters' rights.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, Trial
In May 2006, prosecutors asked for a two-year prison sentence. They cited three factors: Tobin's abuse of a public and private trust, the making of multiple calls to multiple victims over a prolonged period of time, and the ultimate purpose of interfering with an election. The first two are specifically addressed by the telephone-harassment statute; the latter is not but, the prosecutors said, so egregious an end that it warranted more severe punishment. Tobin was sentenced on May 17, 2006, to 10 months in prison, two years probation, and $10,000 in fines.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, Trial
The trial left the New Hampshire Republican Party nearly bankrupt, with only $733.60 in its bank account. Later that year, Democratic candidates upset both of the state's incumbent Republican congressmen.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, RNC defense
In August, the RNC confirmed that it had spent more than $722,000 for Tobin's defense by the Washington, D.C. firm of Williams & Connolly. "This support is based on his assurance and our belief that Jim has not engaged in any wrongdoing", a spokesperson told the Associated Press. The Union Leader reported in February 2006 that the RNC had paid $1.7 million to Williams on the day Tobin was sentenced, for a total of $2.5 million, and would neither confirm nor deny that it was still paying his legal expenses. The RNC's first financial report of 2006 indicated that it by then spent another $330,000.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, RNC defense
Later that year, Tobin's wife and her partner, a long time New England political operative, were hired by the Lincoln Chafee campaign as consultants on the unsuccessful re-election campaign of Rhode Island senator Lincoln Chafee, as Northeast Strategies, a company that listed the Tobins' home as its main address. Tobin, who had worked on two previous high-profile campaigns in Maine, and her partner who had managed six previous campaigns were paid $300,000 to consult on the campaign. Of that, $260,000 went to paying for the mail for the Chafee campaign.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, Conviction reversed on appeal
On December 21, Tobin's lawyers filed documents in U.S. District Court in Concord, New Hampshire, seeking to vacate the jury's verdict and demanding a new trial for Tobin. A month later, a more detailed filing laid out three possible errors:


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, Conviction reversed on appeal
On March 20, 2007, Chief Judge Michael Boudin of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston ruled that the statute under which Tobin was convicted "is not a close fit" for what Tobin did, and questioned whether the government showed that Tobin intended to harass. However, it did not void the conviction entirely as Tobin's lawyers sought, saying that conspiracy jurisprudence did not require the level of proof Tobin claimed it did. It remanded it to district court for retrial, believing that a properly instructed jury could possibly return a conviction on the basis of his actions alone. Federal prosecutors said they were reviewing the decision to consider whether to appeal it in turn, or retry.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, Conviction reversed on appeal
The court of appeals later affirmed the dismissal of the charges, notwithstanding Tobin's “thoroughly bad” conduct. United States v. Tobin, 552 F.3d 29, 34 (1st Cir . 2009).


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, 2008 Tobin indictment
After over a year of no further legal or investigative developments, on October 9, 2008, a federal grand jury in Maine indicted Tobin anew on two counts of making false statements to FBI agents. At that time Shaheen and Sununu were reprising their 2002 race, which Shaheen won. These subsequent charges were summarily dismissed in 2009 after the federal judge in Maine's District Court found them motivated by "vindictive prosecution".


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, James Tobin, 2008 Tobin indictment
The judge held that the government could not overcome the legal presumption that the post-appeal charges arising from the same conduct were "vindictive" under United States v. Goodwin, 457 U.S. 372 (1982) and Bordenkircher v. Hayes, 434 U.S. 357 (1978). That is because the new indictment was returned only after the government lost its appeal in United States v. Tobin, 480 F.3d 53, 54-55 (1st Cir.2007), raising a presumption that new prosecution was a response to Tobin's successful exercise of his appellate rights. See United States v. Tobin, 598 F.Supp.2d 125 (D.Me. 2009). The district court found this to be a due process violation. Id. at 129-132. The Appeals Court later dismissed the prosecution's appeal on the government's own motion.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, Other developments
Noel Hillman, who was credited with moving the case to trial as head of the Justice Department's Public Integrity Section, was nominated for a federal judgeship by President Bush in January 2006.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, Other developments
Also that month, the NHGOP filed a countersuit against the state's Democratic Party, alleging that the Democratic lawsuit against them was merely part of a national effort to advance the party's interests in an election year and that the Democrats were abusing the court process to hinder NHGOP's efforts to engage in constitutionally protected political activities. On December 1, the two parties settled for a total of $125,000, payable by the Republicans to the Democrats, in $25,000 annual installments over the next five years. The RNC and NRSC will also each make two $5,000 contributions to charities associated with the Manchester fire and police departments.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, Other developments
Charles McGee served seven months in prison, and now works at campaign school for GOP candidates, run by a Republican political marketing firm.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, Other developments, White House connections
A Democratic analysis of phone records introduced at Tobin's criminal trial show he made 115 outgoing calls to the White House between September 17 and November 22, 2002. Two dozen of the calls were made from 9:28 a.m. the day before the election through 2:17 a.m. the night after the voting, a three-day period during which the phone jamming operation was finalized, carried out, and then abruptly shut down.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, Other developments, White House connections
Virtually all the calls to the White House went to the same number, which currently rings inside the political affairs office. In 2002, that office was headed by Ken Mehlman, who later became the chair of the Republican National Committee. The White House declined to say which staffer was assigned that phone number.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, Other developments, White House connections
The national Republican Party, which has continued to pay millions in legal bills to defend Tobin, says the phone calls involved routine election business and that it was "preposterous" to suggest the calls involved phone jamming. Mehlman said that the calls were simply part of the many he and his assistant made to field operatives in competitive races all over the country during that time period.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, Other developments, White House connections
Later in April, the state Democratic Party asked Phillip Mangones, the judge presiding over its lawsuit against NHGOP, to allow them to question Mehlman. An activist said Mehlman's explanation that it was routine election-day campaign business is hard to reconcile with records showing Tobin continued to call Mehlman's office long after the election was decided in Sununu's favor. Republican consultant Joe Gaylord accused the Democrats of "trying to stir up crap."


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, Other developments, Haley Barbour connection
On April 28, 2006, the Associated Press reported that Haley Barbour, the former RNC chair now serving as governor of Mississippi, had provided a $250,000 startup loan to GOP Marketplace through his investment company, HELM Partners, in 2000.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, Other developments, Haley Barbour connection
While he claimed that his involvement ended there and that he had no idea at the time that the company would ever engage in criminal activity, its operating agreement shows that HELM retained a great deal of control over the company through a different class of stock and that Barbour's partner Ed Rogers had, as a result, equal control of the company with Raymond. Further investigations showed that HELM had only been incorporated shortly before GOP Marketplace was started and that the partnership never invested in any other company. Raymond also owned two-thirds of the company despite his initial investment of only $11,700.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, Shaun Hansen
On March 27, 2006, Shaun Hansen, the former owner of Mylo, traveled from Idaho to New Hampshire to face one count each of conspiracy to commit telephone harassment and aiding and abetting telephone harassment. Prosecutors allege that he agreed to use his firm to jam six phone numbers with hangup calls on the day of the election for $2,500.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, Shaun Hansen
Unlike Tobin, Hansen's defense has not been paid for by any entities associated with the Republican Party. Instead, he was represented by the federal public defender's office. The listing of possible defenses he might employ, as listed in his first filing, suggests he may have been led to believe, by Tobin and others, that the jamming was perfectly legal.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, Shaun Hansen
He pleaded guilty and was due to be sentenced in February 2007. Later he withdrew the guilty plea and sentencing was postponed until May 2008. The charges against Hansen were ultimately dismissed by the government.


2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal, Special prosecutor sought
On May 12, 2006, U.S. Rep John Conyers (Dem, Michigan) sent a formal request to U.S. Attorney Alberto Gonzales, asking him to name a special prosecutor to investigate the 2002 phone jamming. Conyers, the senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said an independent counsel was necessary to investigate allegations that White House officials may have been involved in the scheme, pointing out that the US Department of Justice "appears not to be reviewing the extensive contacts between the plotters of the phone jamming and high-level Republican officials."


2002 New Hampshire Wildcats football team
The 2002 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 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In its fourth year under head coach Sean McDonnell, the team compiled a 3–8 record (2–7 against conference opponents) and finished tenth out of eleven teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference.


2002 New Hampshire gubernatorial election
The 2002 New Hampshire gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002. Three-term incumbent Democratic Governor Jeanne Shaheen opted to unsuccessfully run for the United States Senate rather than seek a fourth term as governor. Republican Craig Benson, a self-funded businessman, defeated Democrat Mark Fernald, a state senator, in the general election after both won contested primary elections.


2002 New Mexico Lobos football team
The 2002 New Mexico Lobos football team represented the University of New Mexico during the 2002 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 fifth-year head coach Rocky Long.


2002 New Mexico State Aggies football team
The 2002 New Mexico State Aggies football team represented New Mexico State University in the 2002 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 participated as members of the Sun Belt Conference. Their 7 wins were the most wins for New Mexico State since 1970. Until the 2017 season, this was the last Aggies team to finish with a winning record. Despite finishing 7-5, they were not invited to a bowl game.


2002 New Mexico gubernatorial election
The 2002 New Mexico gubernatorial election was a race for the Governor of New Mexico. The winner of the election held on November 5, 2002, served from January 1, 2003 until January 1, 2007. Incumbent Republican Gary Johnson was term limited. Former U.S. Congressman Bill Richardson won the election. Green Party nominee David Bacon received over 5% of the total vote, including over 11% in Santa Fe County, which was his best showing.


2002 New Orleans Bowl
The 2002 Wyndham New Orleans Bowl featured the North Texas Mean Green and the Cincinnati Bearcats. It was North Texas' second consecutive New Orleans Bowl appearance.


2002 New Orleans Bowl
Quarterback Gino Guidugli got Cincinnati on the board first with a 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tye Keith, to give Cincinnati a 7–0 lead. Nick Bazaldua connected on a 30-yard field goal, before the end of the first quarter to make the score 7–3. In the second quarter, running back Patrick Cobbs scored on a 27-yard touchdown run, to give North Texas a 10–7 lead. Cornerback Jeremy Pearl intercepted a Cincinnati pass and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown, to increase the lead to 17–7.


2002 New Orleans Bowl
In the third quarter, Kevin Galbreath scored on a 35-yard touchdown run to increase the lead to 24–7. Johnathan Ruffin connected on two third-quarter field goals to cut the deficit to 24–13. Franklin Calicott returned a fumble 43 yards for a touchdown with five minutes left to cut the lead to 24–19. That was the final score of the game.