A Look Back at The Dark Years

[BigJoe1963]

As dark as those years were, they were great. Now granted, Paul McMillan still owes me reimbursement for ruining my Horizon League Tournament, but without that 30 seconds of brutal basketball maybe we aren't where we are at today. Along the way I've made great friends and had thousands of good times. It made this whole run last season that much sweeter. Running into people who sat in Gentile with you 20 years ago when it was possible to count the attendance on your fingers and seeing the smiles and joy on their faces was incredible. We've been through a lot as Ramblers fans, but I wouldn't have had it any other way. I've made some great memories sitting in Bruno's with the 11 other fans who went through those dark years talking about when/if it would finally happen for Loyola. Now that it did I still hope I can get a seat at the bar next season.

[shyhyme]

My sentiments exactly Big Joe! Hopefully Bruno’s will reciprocate your loyalty and squeeze you in this season.

[JCT]

The darkness begins....

http://www.ramblermania.net/features/th ... 1985-1990/

[goramblers2011]

The darkness begins....

http://www.ramblermania.net/features/th ... 1985-1990/

Great writing! I am depressed already...and the ominous "it gets darker" didn't help!

Time to fire up some Final Four clips.

Looking forward to the next installment.

[JC64]

I completely disagree with BigJoe's sentiments. Saying you wouldn't have it any other way is like the guy who keeps hitting himself in the head with a hammer because it feels so good when he stops.

[Blers42]

I transferred to Loyola last year from community college, thank god I didn’t go to DePaul Hahahah. I was welcomed into greatness, I don’t want to see the darkness this is pretty legit.

[ahunte1]

This quote from the linked release about the Amphitheatre dispute is amazing.

Crying foul: We don`t normally quote press releases, but this one sent to media outlets by Amphitheatre General Manager Mike Balog merits full disclosure. Commenting on Loyola`s decision to move its games to another venue, Balog states: ``Obviously, the Loyola basketball program is in dismal shape, and it`s true that they have had very poor attendance, but that`s their fault, not the fault of the Amphitheatre. If De Paul played their games on an outdoor court in Nebraska, they would still probably draw 10,000 loyal fans. Loyola has simply not been able to build that kind of team or following. They fire their longtime coach, and are now pointing the finger everywhere, but in the right direction. We lived up to our part of the bargain in every way. We supplied a brand new basketball court and new locker rooms. We did refuse to put in a $200,000 scoreboard for them because they don`t draw enough fans to warrant that kind of expense. Perhaps if they put more points on the board, and stopped worrying about the board, they might have a greater following.``

[01grad]

I agree the dark years were terrible, but in some way, looking back, they’re a part of us all in some good ways. I don’t think any fanbase will ever have the feeling we all had last March, simply because of where we’d been for so long...then, suddenly, out of nowhere...wow. One thing that will forever be etched in my memory is being frozen at my seat in Atlanta, after we had won to go the Final Four, not wanting to leave. Just sitting and standing there in disbelief, a sense of joy and excitement that left me speechless. The ushers had to tell me to leave, or else I probably would’ve been there for hours, soaking it in. And I know I wasn’t the only one.

[JCT]

Hey guys, especially the old guard...

Let me know if you think I've mis-characterized anything in these articles. I can't mention everyone and everything, but I wanted to give a fairly accurate overview. Feel free to post anything you think is off-base or something important I failed to mention.

[JC64]

You seem to be accurate in your reporting John. Keep it coming.