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LINSANITY!!! (Read 761 times)

Trent


Good Bad & The Monkey

    Shooting star, destined to burn out?

     

    Successful because of his faith?

     

    Made up by the media?

     

    Missed due to (reverse) racism?

     

    An honest to goodness rising talent?

     

    Discuss.

    MrH


      Possibly the first economics graduate from Harvard to do some good in the World.

      The process is the goal.

      Men heap together the mistakes of their lives, and create a monster they call Destiny.


      Menace to Sobriety

        It's a good story on its own, but it has benefitted from being in the sports doldrums. The Super Bowl is over, baseball and March Madness are a ways off, and it just happens to be in NYC.  Lin's role will likely change to true point guard when Anthony returns, so his scoring will probably go down, and assists may go up, assuming they can all maintain some positive chemistry. Whether he continues to perform at level remains to be seen, I'm pulling for him. New York and her sports fans have been known to be a bit harsh on their athletes, but I hope this isn't the case once the new wears off and if the Knicks remain a mediocre team.

         

        He may have been stereotyped initially when coming out of college, but he did have a cup of coffee with the Warriors last season so he's had a chance to be seen.  He also spent some time in the D-League, so maybe he just figured it out, what to work on, where to focus his efforts, where his weaknesses were, etc. Sometimes after a while things just click.

         

        I admit I had to do an exhaustive 1 minute search to see about his faith because I haven't hear anything about it. Seems there is quite a bit written or said about it, but not much by Lin himself. I didn't look that far, but had it been Tebowesque, there would have been examples all over the first Google page. I don't much care about that stuff one way or the other anyway. Even with Tebow, the press made a bigger deal of it than anyone else. 

         

        I don't know if he'll ever be another Steve Nash or John Stockton, but he seems to have the skills to have a decent career in the NBA.

        Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go f*** himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus.


        Why is it sideways?

          I was listening to an interview with sportswriter Chuck Klosterman. He says that the common thread between Tebow and Lin is enthusiasm over something like a "break in logic." He says the reason we are so attracted to these characters is because in a world in which Lebron James was anointed King before he even played an NBA game (cf. the NFL equivalent Andrew Luck), Lin and Tebow show us that there are still cracks in our ability to predict success.

           

          In other words, these guys play to some collective need for spontaneity in an overly determined world.  They sorta hold up a middle finger to the collected "experts" out there who say that the game has to be played a certain way, who think that life gives up all secrets to statistical analysis.

           

          These guys allow us a chance to talk about success in terms like "getting a chance," "having heart," "not giving up," or just plain "winning." All that vague and existential stuff that can't be broken down into a 40 time or a measure of vertical leap. In a weird way, they make the world seem like a place where magic and romance can happen, not just an overdetermined gray pile of statistics.


          Menace to Sobriety

            I was listening to an interview with sportswriter Chuck Klosterman. He says that the common thread between Tebow and Lin is enthusiasm over something like a "break in logic." He says the reason we are so attracted to these characters is because in a world in which Lebron James was anointed King before he even played an NBA game (cf. the NFL equivalent Andrew Luck), Lin and Tebow show us that there are still cracks in our ability to predict success.

             

            In other words, these guys play to some collective need for spontaneity in an overly determined world.  They sorta hold up a middle finger to the collected "experts" out there who say that the game has to be played a certain way, who think that life gives up all secrets to statistical analysis.

             

            These guys allow us a chance to talk about success in terms like "getting a chance," "having heart," "not giving up," or just plain "winning." All that vague and existential stuff that can't be broken down into a 40 time or a measure of vertical leap. In a weird way, they make the world seem like a place where magic and romance can happen, not just an overdetermined gray pile of statistics.

             

             

            I think there is something to this,but there are major differences in the rise of Lin and Tebow. Tebow came from a national championship powerhouse football school. He was a 1st round pick. The knock on TT was technique and style, but everyone knew who he was, and regardless of the criticism, was going to get a hard look in the NFL. Complete opposite for Lin.

            Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go f*** himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus.


            Why is it sideways?

              I think there is something to this,but there are major differences in the rise of Lin and Tebow. Tebow came from a national championship powerhouse football school. He was a 1st round pick. The knock on TT was technique and style, but everyone knew who he was, and regardless of the criticism, was going to get a hard look in the NFL. Complete opposite for Lin.

               

              Right; I guess the argument with Tebow, though, was that here was a guy who got the hardest look, and all of the people who knew football said, "No way." The guy's a stinker. The only people who believed couldn't give reasons that sounded scientific or data-driven. They'd just say, "He's the type of guy who finds a way."

               

              Everyone knew who Tebow was: and they were wrong.

               

              The "experts" who evaluated him also knew who Lin was: and they were wrong (the difference here being that there was no popular movement to play Lin because nobody knew him... his break came through injury and luck...)

                Watching yesterday's game, New York might be a really good team in a long while if all parts gel together.  Front court of Tyson Chandler, Carmelo, Amare, a good point guard in Jeremy Lin, and a streaky shooter in JR Smith. 

                  using that logic though Tom Brady is far more like Lin than Teebow is.

                   

                  Teebow was a #1 pick.  Every single NFL team passed on Tom Brady multiple times. 

                   

                   

                   

                   


                  Why is it sideways?

                    using that logic though Tom Brady is far more like Lin than Teebow is.

                     

                    Teebow was a #1 pick.  Every single NFL team passed on Tom Brady multiple times. 

                     

                    Klosterman wasn't trying to make an argument that Tebow and Lin were similar in every way or that Lin was more or less similar to Tebow than Tom Brady. He was trying to account for the attraction that popular culture finds in their stories.

                     

                    Tom Brady was more like Lin when he came on the scene, for sure. But he came on the scene 10 years ago in a really different sociocultural moment. His story, also, was all about how success is about fitting into an efficient and streamlined organization with a mastermind coach who sorta knows everything.

                     

                    If we are going to keep the analogy going that Klosterman talks about, Brady is actually the precise counter-narrative to Tebow/Lin. Brady shows how detail-oriented knowledge and "institutional fit" trumps talent [perfect for the late 90s roaring corporate economy]. Tebow and Lin tell a story of individual talent trumping and stumping expert and institutionalized opinion [perfect for the cultural shitstorm that followed the idea that all those people knew what the hell they were doing.]


                    Doc, my tooth hurts

                      I was listening to an interview with sportswriter Chuck Klosterman. He says that the common thread between Tebow and Lin is enthusiasm over something like a "break in logic." He says the reason we are so attracted to these characters is because in a world in which Lebron James was anointed King before he even played an NBA game (cf. the NFL equivalent Andrew Luck), Lin and Tebow show us that there are still cracks in our ability to predict success.

                       

                      In other words, these guys play to some collective need for spontaneity in an overly determined world.  They sorta hold up a middle finger to the collected "experts" out there who say that the game has to be played a certain way, who think that life gives up all secrets to statistical analysis.

                       

                      These guys allow us a chance to talk about success in terms like "getting a chance," "having heart," "not giving up," or just plain "winning." All that vague and existential stuff that can't be broken down into a 40 time or a measure of vertical leap. In a weird way, they make the world seem like a place where magic and romance can happen, not just an overdetermined gray pile of statistics.

                       He (Klosterman) was a guest on The BS report with Bill Simmons and they talked about the topic of Lin for about 30 minutes. Simmons, who is a basketball junkie/expert, maintains that Lin is for real.  I think that he will continue to be successful in the league, just not at the level he is right now. 

                       

                      I think Lin is a good back up point guard at worst but a starting point guard that would maybe be 20th best in the league at best.  This season is so weird because it is condensed and I'm wondering if part of his success is attributed to that.  Next year will be a better indicator of how he is really since the league will have a chance to adjust. One thing is for sure, he has to get the turnovers down.  Another thing to consider is that the Knicks are in the easiest part of their schedule right now.  I cannot wait to see him match up against the Bulls, Heat, and the Celtics (only because of Rajon Rondo).  I could really see the Lin struggle in the playoffs because he is a defensive liability.   I'm so glad this happened though, because it's exciting when something like it does.


                      Menace to Sobriety

                        using that logic though Tom Brady is far more like Lin than Teebow is.

                         

                        Teebow was a #1 pick.  Every single NFL team passed on Tom Brady multiple times. 

                         

                        Kurt Warner probably works even better. Lin and Warner were both undrafted.

                        Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go f*** himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus.


                        "run" "2" "eat"

                           

                          In other words, these guys play to some collective need for spontaneity in an overly determined world. 

                           

                           

                          probably why people watch "reality" shows - the eager anticipation of some small spark of spontaneity. 

                          i find the sunshine beckons me to open up the gate and dream and dream ~~robbie williams


                          Why is it sideways?

                            probably why people watch "reality" shows - the eager anticipation of some small spark of spontaneity. 

                             

                            And if so, it's probably why they find them unsatisfying: talk about overdetermined spontaneity!

                             

                            Although the same could be said about televised sports--the original reality shows.

                              Kurt Warner probably works even better. Lin and Warner were both undrafted.

                               

                              But Warner, Brady and Tebow all came out of football factories, regardless of where they were drafted (or not.)

                               

                              The thing that's got everyone juiced up over Lin is he came from little ole Harvard.  If it weren't for hoops he'd probably be working for minimum wage at some management consulting or investment banking firm right now.  Although Harvard's recent dabblings in the AP top 25 and the likelihood of them making their first NCAA tournament appearance since 1946 sort of spoils even that story.

                              Runners run


                              Menace to Sobriety

                                But Warner, Brady and Tebow all came out of football factories, regardless of where they were drafted (or not.)

                                 

                                The thing that's got everyone juiced up over Lin is he came from little ole Harvard.  

                                 Absolutely. We got sidetracked on QBs. Lin-Woodhead is probably better.

                                Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go f*** himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus.

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