http://www.ramblermania.net/features/th ... roduction/

I was planning on posting this a little earlier in the summer, like after 4th of July, but I got bogged down with other projects.

I was trying to put the NCAA Tournament success last spring into perspective, and I started researching and writing about how bad we were for long stretches. And I kept coming across startling fact after fact, mixed with anecdotes I'd nearly forgotten, that reminded me or illustrated just how bad we were as a program at times. And I'd forgotten a lot of things about how bad we were, maybe out of embarrassment or self-preservation.

Later this week I'll have the first part, the mid to late 1980s, where a series of bad decisions were made that set the program on the pathway to terribleness. The 90s are just awful. There are bright spots after 2000, but there's a lot of forgettable seasons. And then things start improving more quickly with the move to the MVC. It's 33 years back from the 1985 Sweet 16 to the 2018 Final Four.

Feel free to post comments here.

Great posts from a DARK point of view of course !!!! Actually daened accurate I say ~~

Way to go John !!!

JCT I really appreciate you doing this. I am a recent grad so I saw the end of the Horizon League time but I wasn't there for the entire rough point. I was always interested in learning more of what happened.

I look forward to this series of articles. I was a freshman when we went to the Sweet 16. I loved high school and college basketball. Loyola appeared to be on the way up. We had one guy with four first names, Al, Fred, Rick and Hughes. We tickled the twine with Red Rush. We were from Big Ten country, but we played offense. I thought we would go to the NCAAs on a regular basis, little did I know. We beat Illinois and DePaul. It was great. I thought we were going places. I believed Gene Sullivan and his progeny when they said that the regular season didn't matter, just win the conference tournament. We never did. Kenny Miller led the nation in rebounding and disappeared. Our program did the same.

I spent the next 30 years waiting.

After this run to the Final Four, I thought fondly of, as you describe them, the Dark Years. In retrospect, our basketball program's brief period of success in the 80's was a glimpse of the promised land. They let us look inside, but we could never find our way back. I should have know something was weird when our home games were at Depaul. We made bad coaching decisions. The good programs and conferences seemed to shun us. Our facilities were worse than most high school's facilities. We made bad scheduling decisions. Our mascot was a bum. We made broadcasting rights decisions that were awful. It was brutal.

I am looking forward to your recap.

Hey John.
I remember you mentioning, a few years ago, that you were writing a history of Loyola basketball. It makes me happy that you decided to take up the project, at least the "Dark ages," again. I always wondered how it all unraveled. Who were the responsible parties and what were their motivations. In my opinion, it is important that these matters are documented and that the guilty persons are named and held responsible for their nefarious acts.

As George Santayana said, "Those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it."

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Let's go Braden!

THE DARK YEARS: Can't wait JCT!!! This past season was truly special and it was the most fun we've had in 33 years. However, more importantly, everyone got to see what great people attended Loyola and the special place it is.

I'm excited to read about the late 80s and 90s Ramblers teams!

As someone who started their Rambler Hoops fandom in the 2000s I have to say I didn't even notice they were dark years I just thought that was how things were (2007 not withstanding). I knew we had been good lifetimes ago, but much like me beloved Cleveland Browns historical success, I just thought the glory days were behind us. Boy am I happy to wrong!

Basically echoing everybody else’s thoughts hear, really looking forward to this. Love a good history lesson, and outside of the major headlines and names, and random snippets from this board, my in depth knowledge only really goes through the Moser years as a recent grad. Thanks JCT!

Awesomeness John, I remember when I met you in Bloomington. It was my pleasure. You write so wonderful, I use to think, why aren't you the media guy for the team.
We still have the recorded games from the road to the final 4 on our DVR. Milton wasn't playing, but we were destined to go to the final 4, wild horses couldn't stop us.
I can't hardly wait until the season starts... Go Ramblers!!

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#PROUDMOM

Great job JCT! I really appreciate all the time and energy that you put into this. You are a wonderful Ramblermaniac!