Discuss MUBB Dark Ages (1978 to 2002) Here

[#UnleashSean]

Get banned again

[Billy Hoyle]

But you had a full roster of bars.   I started in 1993 and we had already lost Green Tree, O'D's, Guilano's, Ardmore and the Midget Tap (or Tavern).  I have no doubt going to MU from 88-91 was a great time. If anything is the Dark Ages its everything post Campus Town.

we at least had the Lanche. 

I haven't been back in years. What bars remain? I know the Lanche, Angelo's and Heg's are gone. Conway's still around?

[Avenue Commons]

I hate to feed the troll but Kevin O'Neill didn't resurrect MU hoops just for you to label his tenure a "Dark Age".

IMO the Dark Ages ended in 1992

1993 NCAA
1994 NCAA Sweet 16 + Conf Championship
1995 NIT Runner Up (the definition of a great rebuilding season)
1996 NCAA Round of 32 (left a few wins out there)
1997 NCAA + Conf Championship
1998 Wardle hits The Shot vs Louisville
1999-2001 Drought

Thanks for writing the post for me. There were some good years in there.

Chris Crawford, Jim McIlvaine, Amal McCaskill all made NBA during that time, too.

[The Lens]

we at least had the Lanche. 

I haven't been back in years. What bars remain? I know the Lanche, Angelo's and Heg's are gone. Conway's still around?

Yep, Conway's plus the Harp & Shamrock are both still surviving, thankfully.

[Herman Cain]

Old Timers act like the Al McGuire era was just a few weeks ago.

Millennials think MU basketball began with Wade's triple-double against Kentucky in 2003.

So here post your thoughts/comments about MU's "dark ages," the period between the National Championship (1977) and the Final Four year of 2003.

The get the ball rolling ...

Best Dark Ages Players
Jim Mac
Doc Rivers
Tony Smith
Brian Wardle
Kerry Trotter
Oliver Lee
Cordell Henry
Amal McCaskill
Damon Key
Dwayne Wade (2002 version only)
Who else?  Agree with the order?

Best Dark Ages Games
Jan 5, 1981 beating #5 ND (which I believe was the highest rated victory of the Dark Ages)
March 1994, the second round defeat of Kentucky to earn a sweet 16 berth
March 1995, NIT Semifinal win over Penn State
What else?

Best Dark Ages Coaches
Kevin O'Neill
Mike Deane
Rick Majerus
Tom Crean (remember this period ended in 2002)
agree?

Best Dark Ages Seasons
1994 (sweet 16)
2002 (top 10 ranking)
1982 (first round win in NCAA)
1997 (2nd CUSA, NCAA)
What else?

Notable Events of the Dark Ages
Joe Wolf chooses UNC (bad)
Hiring Bob Duket (bad)
Signing Kerry Trotter (McD AA, next was Henry Ellenson)
What Else?

Any list of all time Dark Ages players would need to include Sam Worthen , who was an All American and Micheal Wilson who was probably the most underrated great player in MU history.  It should also include Dwayne Wilson who in the pre Micky D days was a Street and Smith All american and one heck of a player for MU. He was academically ineligible his senior year which I think was the difference between MU going to the NIT and having a deep NCAA run and probably saving Majerus job and never having the dark ages.

Start of the dark ages was the Miami of Ohio game. Will never forget how I sat stunned in the stands at Market Square arena.

[Warrior Code]

Yep, Conway's plus the Harp & Shamrock are both still surviving, thankfully.

Conway's was fine but the Hamrock was the best. That building should be condemned but I hope it never is.

[Billy Hoyle]

Conway's was fine but the Hamrock was the best. That building should be condemned but I hope it never is.

As an 19 years old RA, Conway's was a great place to go to avoid getting caught violating policy.

[Miss Katie’s]

But you had a full roster of bars.   I started in 1993 and we had already lost Green Tree, O'D's, Guilano's, Ardmore and the Midget Tap (or Tavern).  I have no doubt going to MU from 88-91 was a great time.  If anything is the Dark Ages its everything post Campus Town.

Don't forget the State House, the Glocc, Thoma's, and Amigos!

I was there 88-92, and the basketball was undoubtedly some of the worst MU has seen — but this was most certainly an upside during those Dark Ages. 

[BallBoy]

I hate to feed the troll but Kevin O'Neill didn't resurrect MU hoops just for you to label his tenure a "Dark Age".

IMO the Dark Ages ended in 1992

1993 NCAA
1994 NCAA Sweet 16 + Conf Championship
1995 NIT Runner Up (the definition of a great rebuilding season)
1996 NCAA Round of 32 (left a few wins out there)
1997 NCAA + Conf Championship
1998 Wardle hits The Shot vs Louisville
1999-2001 Drought

I was there from 96-00.  While I agree the darkest years were prior to 92, it wasn't bright outside until 2002.  Light was creeping over the horizon.  The Mike Deane years were cloudy so no one saw the light.  In the 96-97 year, MU was not a very good team and Conf USA was not a very good league.  MU finished 5th in that watered down Conf USA.  MU only made the Tournament due to a win in the Conf USA Tournament and they got spanked by Providence.  Their overall record was 22-9 with a 9-5 conference record. 

98 - when the highlight is one shot then you know how the season went.  14-15 - No NCAA

99 - 15-14 - No NCAA

00 - 15-14 - NCAA

Directionally the writing was on the wall that Deane was moving the program in the wrong direction.  Though O'Neill cracked the door open again, Crean really kicked it open in 2002 and Conf USA also took off to become a very good league with MU, Louisville, Cinci becoming good elite teams.

[oldwarrior81]

Any list of all time Dark Ages players would need to include Sam Worthen , who was an All American and Micheal Wilson who was probably the most underrated great player in MU history.  It should also include Dwayne Wilson who in the pre Micky D days was a Street and Smith All american and one heck of a player for MU. He was academically ineligible his senior year which I think was the difference between MU going to the NIT and having a deep NCAA run and probably saving Majerus job and never having the dark ages.

Start of the dark ages was the Miami of Ohio game. Will never forget how I sat stunned in the stands at Market Square arena.

I'm assuming Dwayne Johnson.

Problems not only with grades, but actually attending classes. 
He needed to pick up credits over the Summer, and Ric Cobb took him under his wing.  Gave Dwayne a list of requirements he must follow to eligible to play that Fall.  Attend classes was #1.   Within the week he was at the Grand Avenue hanging with the ladies when he had a scheduled class.   Once Cobb found out, his fate was sealed.

[MU82]

Yep, Conway's plus the Harp & Shamrock are both still surviving, thankfully.

Harp & Shamrock was our hangout junior and senior year. We would put a $5 bill on the bar at the start of the night, and it would still be there at the end. The bartender, Dan Fischer, loved us and never let us pay for a drink! He thought my best friend looked like the Yankee owner and when we'd walk in, he'd yell, "Steinbrenner!"

As for the dark ages ...

My years at MU weren't the best, but they were far from the worst. For one thing, my last 3 years we were 3-0 against Notre Dame, including the game won with one of the greatest shots in Marquette history.

[muhoops1]

Terry Reason had the best hair PERIOD end of story.  Dude could shoot.  Kerry Trotter, stud. Lloyd Moore could bang once he made it up the floor.  Duane Johnson my man. Corey Floyd the best that never was.  Gerald Posey was a Trenton dude that could ball.

[warriorchick]

Terry Reason had the best hair PERIOD end of story.

You mean Helmet Head?  No.

I remember Terry being a bust.  Never lived up to the hype he was given coming in.

[Heisenberg]

You mean Helmet Head?  No.

I remember Terry being a bust.  Never lived up to the hype he was given coming in.

+1

Terry came in with the hype that he was a Markus type shooter (in a 6' 5'" body).  Did not quite play out that way.  Worse was that was the era before the three-point line so long-range shooting was not considered that important to begin with.

[Dr. Blackheart]

[muhoops1]

Let Your Soul Glow.  Not a fan of the #Fromullet?  Its beauty was its absurdity.

[MU82]

Loved Reason's hair. We used to call him "The Pharaoh"!

[real chili 83]

Had Reason in a speech class. Interesting......

[tower912]

86-87, 87-88 under Dukiet, there just didn't seem to be any hope.  We knew MU was not going to beat a good team. 

[oldwarrior81]

Reason had a few odd moments.

The team would ride in a bus/van from the Clybourn Gym to the Arena for games.
Reason was late and missed the bus.   He dressed and ran from the Old Gym to the Arena in his uniform and warmups.

[MUEng92]

Wasn't he in Coming to America?

[jsglow]

86-87, 87-88 under Dukiet, there just didn't seem to be any hope.  We knew MU was not going to beat a good team.

Hell, they didn't beat very many bad teams!

[BrewCity83]

I loved having Reason on the team.  Yeah, he never lived up to the hype of being something like the 3rd highest scorer in California high school history, but he was a decent player and played the game with flair.

[DoctorV]

At first glance I thought we were talking about 4/15/19-??

[Mike Deane's Seat Belt]

the next Dark age is going to start in the fall thanks to wojo