2002 Championship Game

wrv wrote:His illness was indeed known by the time of the championship in '02--he died just as the '03 season was underway.

Yes, it was pretty well known that the game could be Clive's last as a coach. He was very weak and was so exhausted after the game that rather than walking from the field to the locker room, he rode in a motorized maintenance cart.

Here is what Jerry Smith said after the game: "To be honest, I couldn't be happier for Clive. If we can't be the National Champions, I would want it to be my good friend Clive and the Portland Pilots."

eProf wrote:

SciFi wrote:I believe the SC coach in that game was our own Garrett Smith. Some please correct me if I am wrong.

-SciFi

The SCU coach was (and still is) Jerry Smith (not Garrett), who has been at SCU for over 20 years. Garrett Smith has been on the UP coaching staff for about 15 years.

Thanks for correcting me! Sorry for the mistake!

-SciFi

UPSoccerFanatic wrote:
Here is what Jerry Smith said after the game: "To be honest, I couldn't be happier for Clive. If we can't be the National Champions, I would want it to be my good friend Clive and the Portland Pilots." :sunny:

And he wasn't the only Santa Clara person with the sentiment. Ali Wagner was very gracious in defeat.

"Portland is such a great team. If we can’t win it all, I am glad it was Portland," commented Santa Clara midfielder Aly Wagner. "Of course, we wanted to win, but you can’t take anything away from them. This [national championship] has been long overdue for them. It’s just too bad it had to be against us."

A_Fan wrote:As usual tears on the field and tears here in front of the computer with that clip.

Likewise here, and I wasn't even a fan then. I guess he was a real gentleman, who really cared for his players.

I assume Garrett was head coach at the beginning of the following season ('03)?? How was the recruiting class for '03 with all the turmoil? I guess not bad, since they won again in '05.

The transition as far as recruiting was concerned was pretty seamless. Usually the head assistant coach does most of the legwork in recruiting,and is the first point of contact. That was Garrett.

Clive was director of soccer for both the men's and women's teams, and depended on Garrett and Bill even more as his illness got worse.

The fact that UP won a National Championship didn't exactly hurt recruiting, either.

Clive's influence went far out of Portland well before his passing. I remember quite well where I was and who I was talking to when I learned of his diagnosis on a soccer field in San Bernadino. It was a feeling not unlike the one that people talk about with JFK.

It was a coach who told me and she was in tears. I didn't know the character of the man back then, but I could tell he was special. How special I did not find out until later.

This was the 2003 Class...no doubt one of the best classes ever! Clive and Garrett already had the table set for the future. Megan came in with the 2004 class but red-shirted her freshman year. All these gals were catalysts on the 2005 Championship season. It certainly feels like its time again, doesn't it? The 2009 team has so much talent and promise. I think we're in for another one of those magical seasons!

Lisa Sari M Longview WA Mark Morris HS FC Royals
Jennifer Tuttle F Cupertino CA Presentation HS
Becca Meierbachtol M Hood River OR Hood River Valley HS FC Portland
Stephanie Lopez D Elk Grove CA Elk Grove HS Elk Grove United
Elsa Hume F Victoria BC Canada Claremont HS Lower Island Metro
Ruth Gilliam G Portland OR Lincoln HS Oregon City Herricanes
Kari Evans D Glendale AZ Mountain Ridge HS Sereno
Cori Alexander G Martinez CA College Park HS Pleasanton Rage
Angie Woznuk F El Cajon CA Univ of San Diego HS San Diego Surf

Phantom, you beat me to it!

I had just listed all those 2003 freshmen, but I'm just too slow to keep up with you guys!

Hey, FANatic: Think: 2009 -- College Station -- 2009 -- College Station -- 2009 -- College Station!

Right on, UPSF. 2009--College Station!!!

This may belong in the Santa thread but I am thinking of endless roads to nowhere. Houston traffic, Cadilacs with longhorns, cheap motels and the sprawling Texas A&M stadium filled with local fans with no dog in the fight. I dream of wearing my purple for a weekend being considered a Portlander.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Auto, I think I speak for many on this board who already consider you a Portlander. I believe it is merely semantics that you lie your head at night in SoCal.

I think Jerry learned one thing from this final. Good goalkeeping is an important aspect of the overall game.

I think UP learned it might be nice to have at least TWO experienced keepers.

I'll never forget Kim Head's deer-in-the-headlights look when she came on.

wrv wrote:me too . ..actually the whole thing was pretty much a highlight. The end with Milbrett is a gesture to remember as well . . .Sinclair too . . .

I agree. Watching Clive hug his wife and Tiffany always moves me. Tiffany was a classmate of mine. If you want to dig back even further, check out the tournament action from when Milbrett was playing...November or December of '94, I believe. Hopefully, someone has that on tape...