6.) Beating Duke in 2008 at the Joel: James Johnson and Jeff Teague's freshman year, with LD and Ish as sophomores--this game was really special. Wake was on a bit of a roll and I distinctly remember writing an article wondering if the Deacs were bubble-worthy after the win. They shocked the Blue Devils and the fans were spectacular. I had the front page of the Winston-Salem Journal hanging on my wall for over a year.
5.) The wins over Duke and UNC at home in 2009: I put these two together because they were so close and part of a wild ride that included an amazing win at Clemson that I was lucky to witness (as well as Chas McFarland being thrown down by a fan). That play with James Johnson dropping it into the hoop against Duke will stand out for years. And beating Carolina. And getting that #1 ranking for even that short amount of time. Worth it.
4.) Beating Florida State 30-0 in Tallahassee: Just awesome. When Chip Vaughn revealed the CONQUERED shirt. It was just filled with so much swagger from a really special team. Then we beat them again the next year. But this victory, man it was sweet.
3.) Ish FOR THE WIN: The NCAA Tournament is where legends are born. And although Wake fell fast in the 2009-10 season, bowing out of the ACC Tournament in the first round again, with a lot of disappointments after a great start to the year in the heart of the ACC season, with the announcement that the Deacs were in fact Tournament-bound, there was new life. Against Texas nonetheless.
And it was a battle. One that after an....exhausting...day, had us all captivated. With seemingly no chance, Texas choked at the line. And Ish went down the court in a blur and did what he so often did in his 4 years at Wake, he buried a shot. We collapsed in a pile (and I say we because I know so many of us did) and were chanting WAKE....FOREST well into the night. Just amazing and a great moment for a well-loved Deac.
2.) The 2006 ACC Championship Game: What needs to be said here? The rain, the grind-it-out mentality, the just...dreamlike quality of it all. I'll never forget it.
1.) "The Shot" in the 1995 ACC Championship: Randolph Childress. Beast. Onions.