Tuesday, February 7, 2012

THE ONLY PLACE WHERE ELITISM REQUIRES YOU TO SCORN THE HARVARD ALUM: New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin is a novelty in the NBA because he is Taiwanese-American and a Harvard graduate (in a league where a fourth year of college is almost a badge of basketball inferiority). He doesn't exactly qualify as an out-of-nowhere sensation (he got a long Sports Illustrated profile a few years ago), and the odds remain firmly stacked against his long-term success (he got little time for the Warriors last year, and he is the Knicks' backup point guard only by virtue of injuries to two other Knicks guards). Even if the NBA existed (it doesn't), I wouldn't bet on a long and storied career.

But Lin had a great game the other night. More importantly he had a stirring game. It is rare to see giant, jaded, tattooed, bearded NBA players bouncing in giddy excitement and surprise at the performance of one of their teammates. For one game, Jeremy Lin, the NBA's most collegiate player, infected the pro game with collegiate enthusiasm. Try not to smile at Lin's highlights and the reactions of his teammates and Knicks fans.

9 comments:

  1. The Pathetic Earthling5:03 PM

    Don't give a rip for basketball, but that was awesome.

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  2. Matt B5:42 PM

    "<span>Even if the NBA existed (it doesn't)"</span>

    eh?

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  3. isaac_spaceman6:05 PM

    On July 2, 2008, the NBA went out of business forever and ever.  Don't you read the papers? 

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  4. Marsha6:48 PM

    Ditto. Thanks for posting.

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  5. The moment where they caught him grinning and sticking out his tongue was flat out adorable.  I'll join the fan club.

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  6. kd bart9:28 AM

    Is he good enough that we're possibly looking at Senator Jeremy Lin from New Jersey in about 20 years?  I've seen this Knick story before.

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  7. I've watched this thing three times and still can't get the dumb grin off my face.  Thanks for sharing.

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  8. The fact that I knew exactly what Isaac was referencing may be a sign I've been reading this blog too long.

    I've never even been to Seattle.

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