Oh, How I Long For Kelvin Sampson

That didn't take long. Just 22 hours after reaching a new, zen-like attitude towards Skip Prosser's wretched coaching abilities, I'm back to my old, Skip-hating ways. Maybe inner-peace wasn't for me. Although, I'm convinced that watching his alma mater nearly get doubled up by Air Force would have tested even Confucius' resolve.
I'm clearly in no mood to write (Air Force won 94-58), so bullet points will have to suffice,

• This game took place in Colorado Springs, at an altitude of 6,500 feet, or about one mile higher than Winston-Salem. As any third-grader knows, the air is thinner at high altitude, which means it's harder to breathe, especially for people living at sea level. So what does John Wooden have his team do from the opening tip? Running up and down the court at a breakneck pace, of course. Yes, I know Wake's offense is built around an up-tempo pace, but coaches have to adapt their gameplans to fit the elements. Peyton Manning doesn't throw 50 times in a snowstorm, you dig?
• In the same vein, Prosser let Kyle Visser (no Jack Lalanne in the fitness department) play for the game's first 12 minutes without a break. By the time Visser came off the court he looked like Marlon Brando in the orange garden in The Godfather. After getting off to a quick 7-0 start, Wake was outscored 25-4 over the next 12 minutes. And it was a miracle they were able to get those four points.
  
• Prosser did call a timeout during that run, but seemingly failed to emphasize to his team that they would need to slow things down. Too often, Wake players would shoot the ball with 23 on the shot clock, miss, and then get beat down court by the more fit Air Force squad.
• After the Falcons hit three consecutive threes from the baseline, you'd think Prosser would have abandoned the 1-3-1. Or maybe after the fourth straight offensive possession that began with a pass to the left corner, Prosser would try to set up a high-screen or two. You'd think, wouldn't you?
• It's easy to understate just how open these Air Force players were. Believe me when I say, they were really, really, really wide open. At one point, I slow-mo'd the DVR to watch an Air Force possession and saw that Wake was trying to defend the quick passes by having four guys follow the ball. On one trip down the floor, Air Force had three guys open on the leftside perimeter because four Deacs had collapsed to the low-post. It was like watching chicken with their heads cut off, albeit only if the chicken were very poorly coached.
• Wake made no adjustments the entire game. None.
  
• This, in my eyes, is Prosser's worst offense: Midway through the first-half, with the game slipping away, Wake made a defensive stop and quickly brought the ball down the court. With 26 seconds remaining on the shot clock, freshman Anthony Gurley got the ball near the foul line, made an awkward spin move, jumped off his left foot and heaved an off-balance, fadeaway towards the hoop. It, predictably, bricked badly, and enabled Air Force to score off a fast break. To sum up, Gurley threw up an utterly terrible shot in an important situation. After the Air Force bucket, Prosser should have called timeout and taken his star freshman out of the game, reprimanding him for the ridiculousness that was his attempt. Of course, Prosser did no such thing. On Wake's very next possession, Gurley again received the ball and again took an ill-advised shot with defenders in his face, this time from beyond the arc. (Gurley, it should be noted, is 1-11 this season from downtown.) Somehow, though, this shot went in. My thoughts instantly turned towards Trent Strickland. Strickland used to do the same thing; heave up a terrible shot, receieve no criticism from his coaches, and then throw up an even worse shot the next time. Inevitably, one would fall and he'd play the rest of the game remembering only the shot that went in. It's like he had selective amnesia for his misses. Taking a page from the gospel according to Trent, Gurley made a terrible shot selection and missed on Wake's very next possession. Three straight atrocious shots, one miracle make = A freshman with unwarranted swagger. And Prosser enables all of this. (In a heartwarming coincidence, Gurley wears Strickland's old #33.)
• It's all good though, I suppose. As my buddy Falkow reminded me during the game; Wake is, and always has been, a football school.