Sorry for the off-topic post

[both-teams-played-hard]

Re: Sorry for the off-topic post

Of course there is an East Coast bias. The northeast makes up most of ESPN's viewership. ESPN is the Cartoon Network of sports channels. They want the most watchers to please their sponsors. If your team wins and ESPN doesn't lead with that story, then oh well, your team still won. ESPN has never scored a point or changed the outcome of a ballgame. Sox vs. Yankees drivel gets old.


Just win, baby.

[both-teams-played-hard]

Re: Sorry for the off-topic post

His jerseys have always been expensive. Maybe going to Harvard and/or an Asian American, both unusual in themselves, has given him a cult following status even in his rookie year.

I agree. There are more NBA fans in Asia than in the U.S.

[kellsox]

Re: Sorry for the off-topic post

Also, if there's no East Coast bias, why did Lin, a story but one of many, have over 20 minutes devoted to him on Amy Lawrence's show on ESPN Radio Sunday night? I don't fault his being covered, but that was borderline stalking!

Dave Miedema

The undrafted, ivy league, couch surfing point guard who scored more points in his first 4 starts than some of the leagues legends should get the time on sportscasts that has been given to him. The big question is why are you listening to amy Lawrence.

[both-teams-played-hard]

Re: Sorry for the off-topic post

East Coast Bias for THREEEEEEE

[sox83cubs84]

Re: Sorry for the off-topic post

Kellsox and Warren:

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. Lin has played well since he began appearing in the starting lineup (although his point total fell drastically last night...he still got a double double with 10 points and a marvelous 13 assists total). He also comes across as a stand-up, decent guy. Still, however, I maintain that being on one of ESPN's Approved Teams is what caused his hype to be so large (he was referred to as a "legend" Tuesday night on ESPN radio and as a "superstar" by Steven A. Smith Wednesday...ridiculously gaudy for someone who has played well for 2 weeks of a season. When Lin leds his team to at lest the Conference Finals, wins an MVP or starts in 2 or 3 consecutive All-Star games, then I'll be willing to discuss the "superstar" label. As for "legend"...Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell are legends" Jeremy Lin has barely taken the first step on that long road.

Dave Miedema

[kellsox]

Re: Sorry for the off-topic post

Aside from his personal story, He's turned around the season of one of the Nba's more important franchises- and has given the league a story that it badly needed after the lockout. Look at the road attendance of Knicks games since he came on the scene.
The constant whining of espn in your posts has gotten very tired. Don't watch/ listen and it won't bother you so much. The Internet is a big place. Plenty of sites to get your non-espn east coast bias sports news.

[sox83cubs84]

Re: Sorry for the off-topic post

What a difference a few days can make. I still stand by my beliefs of East Coast bias in the sgag of Jeremy Lin, but someone at the mothership has not only gone negative on Lin, but even created a headline that could be seen as racially charged. Commenting on last night's game (a Knicks loss) in which Lin continued to put up points (20) but also continued his propensity for turnovers (9), the ESPN website headline read "Chink in the Armor". That headline was pretty lowball and offensive on ESPN's part. Despite my weariness with Linsanity, a comment like that with possible racial connotations is one Lin shouldn't have made about him, even in jest.

Dave Miedema

[otismalibu]

Re: Sorry for the off-topic post

I didn't see the headline, but I did see the clip where the ESPN commentator used the saying. Obviously, Achilles Heel would have been the better saying to use, when referring to Lin's fatal flaw.

But, let he who has never snacked on Cheese Nips, cast the first stone.

[sox83cubs84]

Re: Sorry for the off-topic post

The Knicks are sinking, the coach just resigned, the 30-minute dissertations on Linsanity no longer dominate ESPN shows...it looks like Linsanity faded faster than a Kardashian marriage!

Dave Miedema

[gingi79]

Re: Sorry for the off-topic post

Dave, I'm all for the fact he was overhyped and that he only had a handful of great games and they made out as if he was the second coming of Jordan. I see the ESPN East Coast bias thing. I would put this query to you however:

Wouldn't you rather see 30 minutes on how a Harvard educated kid whose ethnic background is certainly not represented in the NBA finally getting a shot on the big stage in NY and did awesome things rather than steroid induced, woman beating, drug using spoiled brats committing crime seemingly without punishment? It's better than "The Decision", no? Sadly we American tune in for two things: overcoming seemingly long odds and stupid, illegal thoughtless sensationalism. I'm betting you are voting for more of option A.

[both-teams-played-hard]

Re: Sorry for the off-topic post

The Knicks are sinking, the coach just resigned, the 30-minute dissertations on Linsanity no longer dominate ESPN shows...it looks like Linsanity faded faster than a Kardashian marriage!

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Re: Sorry for the off-topic post

Not sure I'd call it "hating", Warren....I just quickly got annoyed with hearing a guy with a half-dozen good games out of the box being hyped as if he were MJ, Kobe, Wilt, and Dr. J all rolled into one.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Re: Sorry for the off-topic post

Hard to believe that, in about 4 months, Jeremy Lin has gone from household name to Houston Rocket.

To be honest, however, now that he's no longer the blunt instrument of hype that ESPN was beating everyone over the head with in March and early April, I find myself starting to like the guy. Now that he's just an NBA star instead of the overhyped New York sensation, I'm starting to see the appeal others saw earlier. Seems like a decent guy, he's no longer a Knick, and, in general, becoming more appealing. I hope he has a good, injury-free season in 2012-13 with some postseason games at the end.

Dave Miedema

[gingi79]

Re: Sorry for the off-topic post

I have a question about the contract he signed. What is to stop the Rockets from just releasing him if he bombs the first year or two? I was led to believe there is nothing preventing it. Therefore, can't this be seen as a creative new way to make players sign terrible contracts with ridiculous backend numbers a team has no intetion of honoring, just to scare off other teams? (and in this case steal Lin from the Knicks)

[BostonSportsFan]

Re: Sorry for the off-topic post

I have a question about the contract he signed. What is to stop the Rockets from just releasing him if he bombs the first year or two? I was led to believe there is nothing preventing it. Therefore, can't this be seen as a creative new way to make players sign terrible contracts with ridiculous backend numbers a team has no intetion of honoring, just to scare off other teams? (and in this case steal Lin from the Knicks)

Unlike the NFL NBA contracts are fully guaranteed. Sure they could release him but they still owe him the money for the full length of the contract/it still counts against their salary cap numbers and although unlike the NFL where there is a hard cap and the NBA does not have a hard cap, the luxury tax in the NBA under the new CBA is extremely hard on teams well over the cap where you could literally find yourself paying triple against your over the cap amount. Unless Lin becomes a big time star that $14 million is going to look pretty bad 2 years from now.