As if an already over-saturated story needs another loony putting his opinion in print, I am indeed writing about the savior of the NBA: Jeremy Lin.
Media members and bloggers have already covered how Linsane and Lincredible this story is (OK, I know that was bad, but it had to be done. I’ll stop now). But what makes it (just one last time) Linteresting is that Jeremy Lin is not only making headlines for himself, he is turning heads and has increased the Knicks’ viewership by 70 percent.
Before the NBA season began, I wrote that the Christmas Day start would be the biggest boost in what should be an incredible, albeit shortened, season. As it turns out, I did not foresee a 23-year-old from across the Bay taking over New York and the entire basketball world.
Of course, Lin’s race is a factor in this saga, but to let it be the sole point of any discussion on the matter is proof that we, as a society, have not progressed.
Lin’s play has been much more significant than his ethnicity. Lin took one of the worst teams in the NBA — one suffering from uninspired play and injuries — and put it on his back. A Harvard grad and, up until two weeks ago, a benchwarmer, Lin carried the Knicks to a seven-game winning streak, earned himself a starting role and got his team into the playoff hunt. Oh, and did I mention that this was all happening in the largest city in America, with unforgiving fans and a bloodthirsty media?
The odds of this happening under any circumstances are next to none. How quickly people forget that, had the league continued its childish lockout, Lin would still be an unknown and Eddy Curry would still be eating. In what promised to be a great season with explosive talent, the beginning of the season fell short of many peoples’ expectations.
Players were rusty and didn’t know offenses, and the games displayed low levels of basketball skill. The league still had talent galore but the NBA fell off of the public’s radar, overshadowed entirely by football and anything that didn’t include people named Metta World Peace.
Now, because of the play of one person, an empty period in sports has been taken over by New York basketball. Lin has been able to do what Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony could not do together. He has saved his coach’s job and put the Knicks back on cable TV! Hell, if he continues to play well, the Rookie vs. Sophomore game — or whatever it’s called now — this weekend might break its record of 12 viewers.
Much of Lin’s popularity has come from the backing he has received from the Asian community in New York, but his legend has generated excitement everywhere. The newfound buzz over this balling sensation has also created an equal frenzy throughout the NBA and its other 28 teams (I’m sorry, nobody cares about Charlotte).
Without Jeremy Lin, the league would have continued to have an underwhelming season and lost many casual fans. Lin has brought them back. He has spread the NBA to the far reaches of the world and rejuvenated a crowd of people that might have otherwise lost interest forever. I can’t say I am on the Linsanity bandwagon, but I do have to say this: Jeremy Lin, I thank you.