SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES
Loyola Ramblers are a true sports Cinderella story
Mar 23, 2018, 5:18 PM
Loyola-Chicago guard Clayton Custer (13) shoots against Nevada guard Jordan Caroline (24) during the first half of a regional semifinal NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, March 22, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)
(AP Photo/John Amis)
From the ages of 5-16 I was convinced I was going to be a professional athlete. That’s all I dreamed about. I would be in the backyard or at the park setting up imaginary big game situations and then coming through with the game-winning jump shot, or home run, or touchdown. Without fail, I would always win the game.
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As I moved through high school it quickly dawned on me that I had neither the size, strength, or skill to even play at the college level. I was destined for high school glory alone. My pro athletic dreams died.
I think my experience as a kid is similar to millions of other kids and it’s the reason why we love a Cinderella story in sports so much. And we have a doozy going on right now in the NCAA basketball tournament.
For those of you that don’t follow the sport ball. Every March, the top 64 college basketball teams compete in a tournament to name the best team in the land. It’s kind of a big deal. Number one seeds are really good teams descending downward in skill to the number 16 seeds.
This year, our amazing Cinderella story comes to us from the student athletes of Loyola. No, not that Loyola. The other one. In Chicago.
I know, I’ve never heard of it either. That’s what makes it so fun to watch.
Cinderella story: The Ramblers
There’s a 99 percent likelihood that none of these young men will make it in the pros. So for Donte Ingram, Adarius Avery, Clayton Custer and the rest of the Ramblers, this is it. This is their NBA Finals. This is the fulfillment of all their childhood fantasies.
The Ramblers, an 11 seed, have made it to the Great 8. They are now two victories away from the NCAA Championship Finals.
Theoretically, there’s no way they should win. But theoretically, they should have never made it this far. That’s what makes it irresistible to watch.
So now that Washington’s own Gonzaga is out of the tournament, I’d like to invite everyone on the Rambler’s bandwagon.
There are few things more pure than watching young men give it everything they’ve got just for the love of the game.
On behalf of every kid that never got the chance to make it to the big game, Go Ramblers!
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