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All The Lin That's Fit To Print: Al Sharpton Loves Jeremy Lin
By
Ben Yakas
Published Feb 17, 2012
Modified Feb 17, 2012
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Feb 17, 2012
Modified Feb 17, 2012
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Since converting our URL to Linthamist.com over a week ago, we've found that sometimes there's just too much good Jeremy Lin news than can be fit into one day. Thus, we're proud to bring you our end-of-the-day Lin wrap-up linkstravaganza:
Al Sharpton Has Lin Fever: In a parody of his MSNBC "Lean Forward" promos, Rev. Al Sharpton got in on the Linsanity action with a "Lin Forward" ad.
Haters Gonna Hate: Not everyone is as taken with Jeremy Lin as Sharpton, Sarah Palin, President Obama, the majority of New Yorkers, basketball enthusiasts, people with hearts, and we are. Author Buzz Bissinger, who was concerned about the Lin hype last week, gave him begrudging praise today...only to point out everything Lin has yet to accomplish: "He has not solved world peace, much less the far more pressing problem of why every taxi in New York is now off-duty between the hours of 6 a.m. and midnight." Just give him time, Bissinger.
The Wall Street Journal also pours some cold water on the story, imagining all the various ways Lin's game could go south, including bad ballhandling, bad defense, bad shooting, and bad chemistry with Melo. And one scout tells The Star Ledger he just wants to see Lin get smashed: "What would Charles Oakley do to this kid in a trap? It sounds mean, but there’s no nasty people in the league anymore. Maybe Reggie Evans. I’d like to see how the kid handles it.”
Jeremy Lingo: New Tumblr "Jeremy Lingo" knows that the Lin phenomenon is about more than basketball: "HE HAS NOT ONLY CHANGED THE GAME OF BASKETBALL BUT OUR ENTIRE VOCABULARY." That includes everything from Linternet to Gym Tan Lindry to Linl Wayne.
Bonus: future Jeremy Lin NY Post headlines, courtesy of College Humor. We're particularly fond of "Giving His Opponents The Dreaded Ear Malady Known As LIN-nitus."
Taking It To The Streets: Metta World Peace gave Lin some good advice last weekend about how to make it in NYC: "He still has to play some New York City street ball to break himself in. He has to like go to Hunter College and Rucker and Kingdome and then he would be a real New York City insanity, or whatever you said." Greg Marius, CEO and founder of the Entertainer's Basketball Classic, which runs the Rucker Tournament, tells DNAInfo he would love for that to happen: "We definitely need him to come. He's magic."
Asian-American Love Buzz: "Asian-Americans are still seen as foreigners in this country. Seeing Jeremy Lin accepted and celebrated in this American sport, it makes us more American, and it makes other people see us as more American," said Phil Yu, founder of the blog Angry Asian Man, which tracks and discusses Asian issues. "There is no comparison to anything else I've ever seen," Yu said. "I can't describe how I'm feeling." Watching Lin's highlights, "I got a little bit choked up, honestly."
Next Up: The Knicks plays the New Orleans Hornets tonight at the Garden—and with the MSG/Time Warner Cable dispute resolved, you will be able to watch it! Unless the switch to MSG has rusted, as Times reporter Richard Sandomir put it.
Tagged
al sharpton
basketball
jeremy lin
knicks
linkstravaganza
linsanity
nba
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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