"I’m a Seinfeld episode going on right now in real life": Long Beach State HC Dan Monson humorously likens his dilemma to a Seinfeld episode 

Dan Monson was fired as the head coach of Long Beach State basketball on March 11. However, he was permitted to finish the 2023-24 college basketball season with the 49ers. This has pretty much led to one of the most incredible stories in collegiate athletics.

Following his exit through mutual agreement, Monson has led them to the Big West Tournament title, seeing off UC Riverside, UC Irvine and UC Davis. In what was highly unexpected, he is now set to lead the team to the 2024 March Madness.

Dan Monson's impressive run has thrust him back into the spotlight in the college basketball world with the program gaining significant attention. Ahead of Long Beach State's first-round matchup with Arizona on Thursday, he embraced his newfound fame with a sense of humor:

“You guys see the Seinfeld [episode] where George Costanza was trying to get fired and he couldn’t lose his job and he’s still going to work every day? That’s me,” Monson said, alluding to the 1997 episode 'The Millennium'. "I’m a Seinfeld episode going on right now in real life.”

The last dance for Dan Monson

After Monson discovered that his time at Long Beach State had come to an end before the beginning of the Big West Tournament, the coach called a team meeting to break the news to his players. The goodbye message did not go well with the entire changing room.

The emotional and heartfelt conversations that ensued, filled with tears, reassured Monson that his players had his full support and solidarity. It made the coach realize how much he is loved by his players and what his leadership means to them in the basketball program:

“The emotions in that room that day told me everything I needed to know,” Monson told Yahoo Sports. “I realized that the kids that I love so much loved me back. It was so gratifying to know where they stood with me and where my relationship stood with them.”

That meeting was the start of something epic within the Long Beach State basketball team, which has been a lovely fairytale so far. The coach gave a glimpse of how he approaches games following his dismissal:

“I’ve reflected this week that I don’t have a job, but I don’t need one,” Monson said. “I’ve got everything I want with my family, with my players, with my friends.”

While Dan Monson won't be with the 49ers next season, the final moments mean a lot to the coach and his players. The NCAA Tournament is one last dance they will try to take advantage of. In a tournament where upsets are the culture, Arizona should be wary of Long Beach State.