And then approximately twenty years of national relevance when IU was in - and expected to be in - the national conversation nearly every year. Three NCAA championships and several other years when IU was really close.
This year will make thirty-four - as in 34 - years since the last banner. No news to anyone here.
IU has a great history, but I wonder how anyone under, say, 40-45 years old can sometimes identify with what it was really like to see some of the greats, to experience Assembly Hall when the building shook all game long and to know that IU was prepared to play. A game might be lost to a team with better players but IU always battled and usually won those battles, frequently against teams who probably were "better."
The last couple of decades haven't been fun or enjoyable for anyone. The run to the championship game against Maryland and the Victor/Hulls/Cody highs felt good, but, overall, this has been a period of walking around blindly in the desert.
I thought/hoped Archie Miller, based on his work at UD, would be the one to bring the program back. It's a sad, sad day when IU basketball fans - fans who are loyal and likely long-term supporters and who have been Covided from following the team - have no other option but to boo the coach at the end of another dumpster-fire of a season. I don't blame them. When things fall to the bottom you go with all you have left.
I am hopeful that those in the high pay grades see the light and make the right moves that can generate another two-decade era of success. I'm on record as being skeptical that IU's PTB (AD, President and BOT) can do that. I really hope I'm wrong and that we'll all get to enjoy a resurgence.
This year will make thirty-four - as in 34 - years since the last banner. No news to anyone here.
IU has a great history, but I wonder how anyone under, say, 40-45 years old can sometimes identify with what it was really like to see some of the greats, to experience Assembly Hall when the building shook all game long and to know that IU was prepared to play. A game might be lost to a team with better players but IU always battled and usually won those battles, frequently against teams who probably were "better."
The last couple of decades haven't been fun or enjoyable for anyone. The run to the championship game against Maryland and the Victor/Hulls/Cody highs felt good, but, overall, this has been a period of walking around blindly in the desert.
I thought/hoped Archie Miller, based on his work at UD, would be the one to bring the program back. It's a sad, sad day when IU basketball fans - fans who are loyal and likely long-term supporters and who have been Covided from following the team - have no other option but to boo the coach at the end of another dumpster-fire of a season. I don't blame them. When things fall to the bottom you go with all you have left.
I am hopeful that those in the high pay grades see the light and make the right moves that can generate another two-decade era of success. I'm on record as being skeptical that IU's PTB (AD, President and BOT) can do that. I really hope I'm wrong and that we'll all get to enjoy a resurgence.