2002 WildCard 49ers vs Giants

I just finished watching this game that I had DVR'd from NFL Network "Game of the Week" and was reminded of all the good times when we were in the playoffs EVERY year. Of course with the East Coast media bias, they had to add in at the end how the Giants should have had one more play, but they merely glossed over the fact that Plummer had a pick 4 plays earlier on the Giants last drive.

Anyway, it got me thinking how Marriucci was fired 2 weeks later after the loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Buccaneers and if I remember correctly this was also the offseason that York absolutely GUTTED our entire roster. Now I know there are people who say that Carmen Policy had done us in years before with the salary cap hell we were in, but still I dont think that the Yorks needed to gut EVERY LAST SHRED of talent from that team (with BY being the only exception). If you were to ask me what formula an NFL owner could use to guarantee their team wont be contenders for at least 10 years it would be to gut all the talent on a team and fire your reasonably successful head coach at the same time.

God my anger against John York is right back to where it was.

Anyway, anyone else have any memories or thoughts about this game or the subsequent aftermath?

I remember I was dishwashing at this restaurant and they had it playing in this little tv. I thought we were done and then all of a sudden we were just coming back. At the end of it all a good friend of mine (Cowboy fan) would talk to me like he was interviewing me saying "So, how does it feel to receive this beatiful gift from the Giants"? It was hilarious, plus we were stoned.

Originally posted by DenverNiner:
I just finished watching this game that I had DVR'd from NFL Network "Game of the Week" and was reminded of all the good times when we were in the playoffs EVERY year. Of course with the East Coast media bias, they had to add in at the end how the Giants should have had one more play, but they merely glossed over the fact that Plummer had a pick 4 plays earlier on the Giants last drive.

Anyway, it got me thinking how Marriucci was fired 2 weeks later after the loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Buccaneers and if I remember correctly this was also the offseason that York absolutely GUTTED our entire roster. Now I know there are people who say that Carmen Policy had done us in years before with the salary cap hell we were in, but still I dont think that the Yorks needed to gut EVERY LAST SHRED of talent from that team (with BY being the only exception). If you were to ask me what formula an NFL owner could use to guarantee their team wont be contenders for at least 10 years it would be to gut all the talent on a team and fire your reasonably successful head coach at the same time.

God my anger against John York is right back to where it was.

Anyway, anyone else have any memories or thoughts about this game or the subsequent aftermath?

idk, I thought they were pretty unbiased when talking about the calls in that presentation, maybe I missed something at the end though.

I seriously hate York more than EVER after last nights show. WTF was up with him in the locker room giving the #1 sign to the players Just shows how out of touch he is, because everyone knows that sign is only for when after you win a Championship.....never a wild card game

That was the beginning of the slide into the dark ages that we are just now coming out of.

I was at the game, lost my voice. My family has been season ticket holders for 9 years now and that was the only game where I was on the Jumbotron.

As happy as I was at the game, I was that much fraustrated the next week in Tampa. They destoried us. What STILL makes me really mad. We're down by like 20 points with like 48 seconds left in the half, and Marrucci kneels on it and sends it to half. I'm surprised they even came out in the 2nd half with that attitude! That was when I decieded I had enough of Marrrucci.

Originally posted by k3barlow2:
I was at the game, lost my voice. My family has been season ticket holders for 9 years now and that was the only game where I was on the Jumbotron.

As happy as I was at the game, I was that much fraustrated the next week in Tampa. They destoried us. What STILL makes me really mad. We're down by like 20 points with like 48 seconds left in the half, and Marrucci kneels on it and sends it to half. I'm surprised they even came out in the 2nd half with that attitude! That was when I decieded I had enough of Marrrucci.

I actually thought we had a chance against TB. I figured the team would be UP for the game after the huge comeback the week before. What a horrible game.............I still hate TB to this day.

Originally posted by AKfanster:

Originally posted by k3barlow2:
I was at the game, lost my voice. My family has been season ticket holders for 9 years now and that was the only game where I was on the Jumbotron.

As happy as I was at the game, I was that much fraustrated the next week in Tampa. They destoried us. What STILL makes me really mad. We're down by like 20 points with like 48 seconds left in the half, and Marrucci kneels on it and sends it to half. I'm surprised they even came out in the 2nd half with that attitude! That was when I decieded I had enough of Marrrucci.

I actually thought we had a chance against TB. I figured the team would be UP for the game after the huge comeback the week before. What a horrible game.............I still hate TB to this day.

Yeah that prevented a 49er / Faider SB!

I think Mooch was fired because we had this elite team who he couldn't get to win the playoffs.

Kinda like what happened to Marty in San Diego.

That was the first real 49ers game I had been to besides preseason games and outside of the births of my daughters, it was the greatest day of my life. The atmosphere before, during, and after the game was electric. I was kinda bummed around halftime but with the offense we had back then...woooo! I think Mooch got a raw deal the next week in Tampa and then being fired. That was really one of the last great, great moments of the 49ers. I hope that changes this season. Man, I love talking about that game. Good post.

Originally posted by Apples:
I think Mooch was fired because we had this elite team who he couldn't get to win the playoffs.

Kinda like what happened to Marty in San Diego.

You can't be serious? Mooch never had an elite team in his career. Man this post, followed by someone posting they thought we had a chance in TB

That was one of the best games I've ever seen as a Niners fan. Mooch probably woulda stuck around if we hadn't gotten blasted 38-6 the next week but iirc our entire secondary was pretty much backups and we were going against the best D in the league.

In retrospect they did fire Mooch way too soon but the same thing happens to a lot of coaches. First you're supposed to get to the playoffs then you're supposed to get to the super bowl. Where we messed up was having York making decisions and destroying our team.

Originally posted by danimal:

Originally posted by Apples:
I think Mooch was fired because we had this elite team who he couldn't get to win the playoffs.

Kinda like what happened to Marty in San Diego.

You can't be serious? Mooch never had an elite team in his career. Man this post, followed by someone posting they thought we had a chance in TB

Oh, so you knew we were going to get blown out in that game????? After that huge comback, I thought the team would at least come out and compete. Man, I wish I had your insight.

Originally posted by Antix:
That was one of the best games I've ever seen as a Niners fan. Mooch probably woulda stuck around if we hadn't gotten blasted 38-6 the next week but iirc our entire secondary was pretty much backups and we were going against the best D in the league.

In retrospect they did fire Mooch way too soon but the same thing happens to a lot of coaches. First you're supposed to get to the playoffs then you're supposed to get to the super bowl. Where we messed up was having York making decisions and destroying our team.

From 2001 - 2003 we were considered a Super Bowl contender.

If that's not elite, I don't know what is

Originally posted by AKfanster:

Originally posted by danimal:

Originally posted by Apples:
I think Mooch was fired because we had this elite team who he couldn't get to win the playoffs.

Kinda like what happened to Marty in San Diego.

You can't be serious? Mooch never had an elite team in his career. Man this post, followed by someone posting they thought we had a chance in TB

Oh, so you knew we were going to get blown out in that game????? After that huge comback, I thought the team would at least come out and compete. Man, I wish I had your insight.

no I did not know they were going to get blown out, but the comeback should have nothing to do with anything. I remember the general sense of who was who that year. If memory serves me neither the Giants or the 49ers were really on Tampas level, thus it does not matter how much of a classic they put on in their wild card game when it came to the next round.

And to Apples......I am not sure who was spouting the 49ers as Championship caliber in those years, but they must have been on crack.

The Niners secondary was often battered, and they were a pretty bad secondary even when healthy.....the o-line was good, but they had terrible stretches where running was non existent. The Niners had nothing closely resembling a pocket deep passing game. The pass rushers were subpar, inside linebackers were pedestrian at most. Garcia's high energy play often turned into a frantic little dude running away from foot steps. Consistent receiving threats...TO..thats it. Do I really have to go on.

The team was in cap management hell and the talent levels were no better than a Wild card type of team. That is how I remember the early 2000's....riddled with really bad drafts before, after and during that era.

I can almost tolerate homerism about "next season" that is one thing, but please don't make past seasons out to be anything more than they ever were.

This team stopped being Super Bowl caliber when Young went down and Eddie got busted. Keep it real.

Originally posted by danimal:

Originally posted by AKfanster:

Originally posted by danimal:

Originally posted by Apples:
I think Mooch was fired because we had this elite team who he couldn't get to win the playoffs.

Kinda like what happened to Marty in San Diego.

You can't be serious? Mooch never had an elite team in his career. Man this post, followed by someone posting they thought we had a chance in TB

Oh, so you knew we were going to get blown out in that game????? After that huge comback, I thought the team would at least come out and compete. Man, I wish I had your insight.

no I did not know they were going to get blown out, but the comeback should have nothing to do with anything. I remember the general sense of who was who that year. If memory serves me neither the Giants or the 49ers were really on Tampas level, thus it does not matter how much of a classic they put on in their wild card game when it came to the next round.

And to Apples......I am not sure who was spouting the 49ers as Championship caliber in those years, but they must have been on crack.

The Niners secondary was often battered, and they were a pretty bad secondary even when healthy.....the o-line was good, but they had terrible stretches where running was non existent. The Niners had nothing closely resembling a pocket deep passing game. The pass rushers were subpar, inside linebackers were pedestrian at most. Garcia's high energy play often turned into a frantic little dude running away from foot steps. Consistent receiving threats...TO..thats it. Do I really have to go on.

The team was in cap management hell and the talent levels were no better than a Wild card type of team. That is how I remember the early 2000's....riddled with really bad drafts before, after and during that era.

I can almost tolerate homerism about "next season" that is one thing, but please don't make past seasons out to be anything more than they ever were.

This team stopped being Super Bowl caliber when Young went down and Eddie got busted. Keep it real.

There was a lot of talk. I was in high school at the time and had nothing better to do but look around the internet reading articles praising our team, so I saw a lot.

All I could really find is this: Link

It was so long ago, I don't think any sites keep articles that long. But that's the ESPN Power Rankings from the first week of 2002...they have us ranked 4th in the league and talk about a Super Bowl run.