One N.C. State fan and his relentless Twitter heckling of UNC's Dexter Strickland

After Dexter Strickland said some things about N.C. State before the season – you know, about how the Tar Heels beat the Wolfpack “every single year” (and that has, in fact, been true for a while) – he told me during an interview that he’d been hearing just about every day from one N.C. State fan who sends Strickland messages on Twitter, counting down the days to Saturday, when the Wolfpack and Tar Heels play at PNC Arena.

I spoke with Strickland the other night after UNC’s victory against Georgia Tech, and he said that same fan had continued to send him tweet after tweet (most of them, it turns out, taking shots at Strickland’s jumpshot). That N.C. State fan is Ryan Forcina, and the majority of his tweets, going back to October, have been directed at Strickland.

Forcina deserves some credit for his relentlessness. It can’t be easy to talk smack day after day after day. He even managed to wish Strickland a happy Thanksgiving, a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year, all the while making fun of Strickland’s jump shot or, in the case of one tweet, writing simply, “You’re a scrub, bro.” I've reached out to Forcina but haven't heard back.

Of course, Strickland deserves some credit, too, for being a good sport. He told me he hasn’t even blocked Forcina.

Anyway, here’s what Strickland has been hearing from this guy for the past two months. This list doesn’t include every tweet, but most of them:

@dstrick0 I'll give u a standing ovation at the end of the game when your awful j helps us get easy stops and a W. <3 #1DAY @collegegameday
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) January 25, 2013

Our loss last night will only make Saturday worse for you #3days @dstrick01 @collegegameday
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) January 23, 2013

I'll see you in #4 days. @dstrick01@collegegameday
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) January 22, 2013

Requested my ticket today. Getting awfully close @dstrick01 #6days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) January 20, 2013

Double dribble dexter. Alliteration. It's beautiful #7days @dstrick01
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) January 19, 2013

Looking passive out there @dstrick01 #7days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) January 19, 2013

See me up in MD watching the pack roll. #10days getting nervous @dstrick01 ?
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) January 16, 2013

"The crowd at NC State is one of the reasons college sports are awesome." I hope your ready @dstrick01 #13 days @collegegameday
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) January 13, 2013

Camping out for duke see you in #14days @dstrick01 @collegegameday
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) January 12, 2013

Big game tonight, wouldn't want to start 0-2 I'm conference @dstrick01 #16days @collegegameday
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) January 10, 2013

Scoutin our squad tonight @dstrick01 #17days @collegegameday
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) January 9, 2013

2:32 left, crucial possession and @dstrick01 puts up an air ball. #20days @collegegameday
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) January 7, 2013

Looking sketch vs the wahoos. @dstrick01 #20days @collegegameday
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) January 7, 2013

Happy new year. What's your resolution? @dstrick01 @collegegameday #26days #gopack
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) January 1, 2013

I see you knocking your first j down! @dstrick01 #28days @collegegameday
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) December 29, 2012

@dstrick01 you're a scrub bro #28days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) December 29, 2012

Hope you had a nice break. We're under a month now. @dstrick01 @collegegameday #30days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) December 27, 2012

Merry Xmas eve. @dstrick01 @collegegameday #33days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) December 24, 2012

What you want for Xmas? I want a TV...and the chance to out shoot you.@dstrick01 @collegegameday #34days.
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) December 23, 2012

McNeese St....Good day to raise that 25% 3pt percentage...Or maybe that 58% FT percentage. #35days@dstrick01 @collegegameday @espncbb
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) December 22, 2012

They say everything is bigger and better in Texas. Hopefully that will hold true with you J. @dstrick01 @collegegameday #37days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) December 19, 2012

#38days @dstrick01 @collegegameday
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) December 19, 2012

40 days and 40 nights. @dstrick01 @collegegameday #40days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) December 17, 2012

The one game I want you to win, you put a nice stat line! Atta boy @dstrick01 @collegegameday #42days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) December 16, 2012

Time is running thin @dstrick01@collegegameday#43days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) December 14, 2012

@dstrick01 I'm actually cheering for u against ECU. Perhaps you'll find your J...hahaha, jk we know that won't @collegegameday #47days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) December 11, 2012

I still want you in that shooting contest @dstrick01 #48 days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) December 9, 2012

Good luck on exams @dstrick01 #50days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) December 7, 2012

@dstrick01 You got a lot of easy games coming up...enjoy them while you still can. #58days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) November 30, 2012

@dstrick01 good luck tonight bro. You'll need it. Maybe your j will come alive on national tv. #60days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) November 28, 2012

@dstrick01 I'm sure everyone in Indiana can teach you how to shoot. #62days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) November 25, 2012

@dstrick01 theres a turd in the punch bowl #65 days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) November 24, 2012

@dstrick01 happy thanksgiving...#65days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) November 22, 2012

@dstrick01 You should get some lessons from the entire Butler team before you leave. #67days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) November 21, 2012

@dstrick01 1-4 from 3...Getting better-baby steps I suppose... I bet you were thinking bout me as soon as you hit that 1... #68days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) November 20, 2012

@dstrick01 1-8? Come on man, I know you better than that. I'm offering free shooting lessons in #70days if u interested.
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) November 17, 2012

@dstrick01 i hear its easier to shoot out west, maybe you can knock one down tonight. #71days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) November 16, 2012

@dstrick01 good day to work on your j. #rain #72days
— Ryan Forcina (@rmforcin) November 15, 2012

- Andrew Carter