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2023-24 Wake Forest Basketball Season - 21-14 (11-9) - KP#29 / NET#43

EssexThayer said:
EP 33: Wake Forest's implosion, unfiltered

We asked for questions, and you delivered. 90+ mins of our answers to topics including: the Damari Monsanto situation, explaining the high-highs and the low-lows, how the team opened against Georgia Tech, depth problems, second-half woes, what could result in an at-large bid and the roster construction for next season.

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I appreciated this coverage even though it's painful to dwell on the collapses and breakdowns. The whole Damari situation is so damn frustrating and at the end of the day it's on the staff to keep the team on the right track during the season.
 
Look, I get everyone’s frustrations. Since Skip, I’ve been pretty frustrated, but if the fans are honest, things weren’t exactly fine before Skip died. We just had a colorful guy who said some great things and gave us hope that Wake would be relevant again. He was a good coach and a great ambassador for Wake Forest and for college basketball.

Fast forward to now. Steve Forbes may not have the wit or wordspeak that Skip had, but he has a passion for the game and a passion for this university. The past two coaches didn’t sweat black and gold. Forbes does. He is an underdog. Like we are. Like we have been. I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve scrutiny. I’m not saying things don’t have to change. I’m just saying we need to be there tomorrow- in person or in spirit- to believe in this school, to believe in this team.

Sure- they’re kids with a free ride and NIL. But, they’re just kids. Broken wrists and bruised egos…they’re young men who want to win more than we do.

I’m not thrilled at the end of the season, but I drove 8 hours to see the last game at home. I thought about skipping it, but I have to show those damn kids that I care and I support them no matter what because, well.. they’re 18-24 year olds and they’re Wake Forest. Like us. GO DEACS!!
 
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DelmarvaDeac said:
Look, I get everyone’s frustrations. Since Skip, I’ve been pretty frustrated, but if the fans are honest, things weren’t exactly fine before Skip died. We just had a colorful guy who said some great things and gave us hope that Wake would be relevant again. He was a good coach and a great ambassador for Wake Forest and for college basketball.

Fast forward to now. Steve Forbes may not have the wit or wordspeak that Skip had, but he has a passion for the game and a passion for this university. The past two coaches didn’t sweat black and gold. Forbes does. He is an underdog. Like we are. Like we have been. I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve scrutiny. I’m not saying things don’t have to change. I’m just saying we need to be there tomorrow- in person or in spirit- to believe in this school, to believe in this team.

Sure- they’re kids with a free ride and NIL. But, they’re just kids. Broken wrists and bruised egos…they’re young men who want to win more than we do.

I’m not thrilled at the end of the season, but I drove 8 hours to see the last game at home. I thought about skipping it, but I have to show those damn kids that I care and I support them no matter what because, well.. they’re 18-24 year olds and they’re Wake Forest. Like us. GO DEACS!!
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Good post.

But they do not want to win more than I do.

Especially the ACCT or winning all the way to the final 4.

Some of them have been on campus for 9 months, and have no idea when the ball bounced off of Songaila's butt, or when Songaila missed the layup v. Oregon or what Butlerized means or Levy shooting the technical free throws or Chaundee missing the layup at Duke or the scoreboard game and so on.

It's what makes being a WF basketball fan so unique. We just added another epic, unreal WTF moment with that obvious no call travel the other night.
 
Complacent Deac said:
Good post.

But they do not want to win more than I do.

Especially the ACCT or winning all the way to the final 4.

Some of them have been on campus for 9 months, and have no idea when the ball bounced off of Songaila's butt, or when Songaila missed the layup v. Oregon or what Butlerized means or Levy shooting the technical free throws or Chaundee missing the layup at Duke or the scoreboard game and so on.

It's what makes being a WF basketball fan so unique. We just added another epic, unreal WTF moment with that obvious no call travel the other night.
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I understand your point about wanting to win. I guess what I’m saying is these kids don’t get into the sport to lose. We all want them to win- they’re the ones who actually have to do it. Maybe- right now- we want it more than they do, but that’s mental and a lot of that is on the staff, IMO.

I know exactly what you’re talking about- it’s like we are cursed or something. Maybe Julius Hodge should take Chris Paul to center court at halftime and punch him in the nuts.

The talent is better, but we’re not there yet.
 
Quick bump of the content on BSD and BOTG ahead of today's game. Game preview here.

Over at BOTG, we've got an 85 minute podcast that takes an unfiltered look at Wake Forest's implosion. You get our true and honest opinions and discussion of topics like second-halves, Damari Monsanto, depth and where the fire has gone.

 
EssexThayer said:
Quick bump of the content on BSD and BOTG ahead of today's game. Game preview here.

Over at BOTG, we've got an 85 minute podcast that takes an unfiltered look at Wake Forest's implosion. You get our true and honest opinions and discussion of topics like second-halves, Damari Monsanto, depth and where the fire has gone.

Click to expand...

Essex I don’t know what your aspirations are but I would tell you I think you have a bright future in whatever the journalism business looks like going forward. Good stuff
 
Report that Monsanto got his Senior Day plaque and left the building. Yikes.
 
Lunardi moved Wake out of the Next Four Out according to what they showed after halftime of UNC-Duke.

 
So we need to win this 1 and 2 in the tournament. I would guess

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Hall is the massive flopper.

Sent from my SM-S711U using Tapatalk
 
wakelaw13 said:
Report that Monsanto got his Senior Day plaque and left the building. Yikes.
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PhDeac said:
Nobody on this team has a longer relationship with Forbes than Monsanto. He committed to Forbes at ETSU 5 years ago. It's so sad for it to end like this.
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WindyCityDeac said:



I hope he is in an ok mental place. No clue what the kid is going through and hope the best for him.
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At this point I just hope Forbes doesn't share the blame in whatever happened. If a player is feeling like quitting, especially one that can help the team, I feel like coaching staff has to step in and get them through it if they can. It certainly seems like Monsanto has quit on this team. But if that's the case, I would have expected him to be dismissed from the team. Perhaps it is Forbes being overly lenient with him and not kicking him to the curb after such a long tenure together - that would be my guess. I don't think it is a true injury either, because injured players would be cheering on their team from the bench rather than leaving the building. I don't think it was a mental health issue, or Forbes would have done a better job covering for him. Even if it was something else, like him breaking curfew, struggling academically, or getting accused of a crime, he'd probably be suspended rather than still "with" the team for parts of warmups over these last 2 games.

Meanwhile - Wake offense showing some much needed life over these last few minutes. Go Deacs - please win this one.
 
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So are locked in as the 5 seed or do the games still going on matter for our seeding?
 
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