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Thread: Jeremy Lin = The Shaolin Monk?

  1. #1
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    Jeremy Lin = The Shaolin Monk?

    I'm sure anyone who has read their sports section is aware of the rise of Linsanity. But will he be nicknamed the Shaolin Monk? Fingers crossed.

    Linsanity: Jeremy Lin Tearing Down Walls and Inspiring the Masses
    By Aliyaho Pearce
    (Contributor) on February 9, 2012


    Jeremy Lin has inspired the masses. I think I have probably seen these Jeremy Lin highlights fifteen or twenty times by now. There's something about the way he captivates the crowd and his teammates that I really love in the video. He is the Harvard Hero. Linsanity. The Shaolin Monk.

    It's a great story.

    Great story, but it's a little tough to portray a kid who had his pick of Ivy League schools as an underdog. Holding a Harvard Economics degree is a pretty decent plan B if the whole basketball thing doesn't work out.

    But an Asian American as a NBA guard?

    Playing in the basketball Mecca?

    An Ivy Leaguer in the NBA?

    That's a little different. Jeremy Lin has been treated as a novelty since his days as a high school ball player—overlooked and underestimated because of the way he looks. He is the starting point guard for the New York Knicks. He did not receive one athletic scholarship offer coming out of high school.

    To say that race may have played a factor in the way he was assessed is a violent understatement.

    So for a guy who has every reason not to be where he is right now, I'm going to go ahead and say that as a basketball player—Jeremy Lin has overcome quite a bit.

    The NBA is where some of the most physically gifted individuals on the planet compete at the highest level. Individuals that earn millions of dollars because they, like Liam Neeson, possess a very specific set of skills. We admire and celebrate them, but rarely can we relate to their otherworldly talents.

    Its players like Jeremy Lin that come along and humanize the NBA. To loosely paraphrase some Tupac: He is the little skinny dude battling guys three-times his size.

    So the events that transpired at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night were nothing short of amazing. There was definitely a buzz in the air. As the game unfolded and Jeremy Lin continued to play out of his mind, you began to realize that this would be the greatest moment of his life. I couldn't help but feel good for the guy.

    It was clear that the chants raining down from the Garden were not for Carmelo Anthony, not for Amar'e Stoudemire—not even Boo's for Kris Humphries. The praise was for a young Jeremy Lin, backpedaling his way down the floor after scoring a contested bucket in the paint.

    "Jer-em-y, Jer-em-y, Jer-em-y"

    The smile he had on his face said it all. He was as dumbfounded as the rest of us, but he was trying his best to hide it. Lin had his very own Jordan Shrug moment (Please relax Air Jordan elitists).

    All this for a guy who most would assume is the Knicks' advanced statistician, not on the floor running Mike D'Antoni's offense.

    With about two minutes left in the game, the Knicks held a small lead. Lin had the ball just above the three-point line and called for a screen. Tyson Chandler came to give him one, but Lin saw an opening and penetrated the lane. He split two defenders and scored at the rim while absorbing contact.

    And one.

    The building literally exploded. The players on the bench were already on their feet jumping and hugging each other. Jeremy let out a roar—his teammates mobbed him. The crowd was wild. Complete strangers exchanged high fives and danced together in their rows.

    The producers at MSG Network were desperately scanning the crowd for shots of celebrating Asian fans—and rest assured that there were plenty. It was freaking pandemonium. Jeremy Lin had lit Madison Square Garden on fire.

    Does Baron Davis take Jeremy Lin's starting Spot?
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    Awesome, awesome moment.

    After the game he was humble in victory, citing his teammates and dismissing all the praise. It was their third game in three days, and the tired Knicks team needed some kind of spark off the bench. Instead, what they found was a new starting point guard.

    The fact that he comes from relative privilege and holds a prestigious degree has afforded him certain luxuries that many who also struggle to break into the NBA do not have. A safety net like that certainly helps along the way—this much is true. But as an overlooked Asian American basketball player, his resolve and determination is inspiring.

    Even beyond race and ethnicity, this is a David vs. Goliath kind of story. Rocky vs. Apollo Creed. Hickory High vs. South Bend. The little guy that gets a shot and takes it. Going the distance with the champ. Stepping onto the biggest stage with the brightest lights and not backing down.

    It's the kind of story that people in all walks of life can admire and look up to. And for that, in this moment, Jeremy Lin is a special player.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  2. #2

    Stanford didn't want him

    So, he went to Harvard. It's kind of a lot noise for a guy who has only played really well in 3 games.

    but he did make a funny video:How I got into Harvard

  3. #3
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    what enoajin said...but i think he is getting the knicks to step it up and when mello comes back he is going to be in beast mode.

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    Everybody want the next Yao Ming

    And if the next Yao Ming goes by the nickname Shaolin Monk, I'm all for it.

    You got to think like the NBA. Yao Ming was their foot in the door to China. Everyone wants to get into China - UFC, NBA, Hollywood - it's that old adage: if I could sell just one issue of Kung Fu Tai Chi to every person in China...
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  5. #5

    Shaolin monk?

    Don't you mean the Shaolin Dunk! Sorry, I couldn't help it.

  6. #6
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    Shaolin Monk/Dunk?

    More like "Shaolin Layman/Layup" from the looks of it.

  7. #7
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    Monk Dunk?

    Don't forget Kung Fu Dunk. They tried to poach Shaolin Soccer off us with taiji basketball. Now we're taking it back.

    Long life Shaolin Monk Linsanity!
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  8. #8
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    he did the **** thing last night...38 points against the freaking lakers...no easy feet...and without none of the big name guys there, well except chandler. and he is doing his thing.

  9. #9
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    This is vaguely reminiscent of Tebow...

    Except that Lin actually seems to deserve the attention he's getting.
    It is better to have less thunder in the mouth and more lightning in the hand. - Apache Proverb

  10. #10
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    Exciting time to be a Knicks fan. 5 game winning streak now. The last time I was this excited was when we were an 8 seed and made it to the finals. Too bad that when Mello comes back we will start losing again.
    "For someone who's a Shaolin monk, your kung fu's really lousy!"
    "What, you're dead? You die easy!"
    "Hold on now. I said I would forget your doings, but I didn't promise to spare your life. Take his head."
    “I don’t usually smoke this brand, but I’ll do it for you.”
    "When all this is over, Tan Hai Chi, I will kick your head off and put it on my brother's grave!
    "I regard hardships as part of my training. I don't need to relax."

  11. #11
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    Linsanity seems to be leading Shaolin

    Jeremy Lin: He's No Tim Tebow, but He Sure Is a Story
    By Hayden Kim (Correspondent) on February 12, 2012

    You've probably heard of the guy by now, but there's a guy named Jeremy Lin, aka "Linsanity," "Shaolin," "Linpossible," I mean you name it. He is one of the hottest sports stories of this year so far and is sweeping the nation off its heels as we speak. Did I mention he is of Asian descent?

    Who would of thought a 6'3'', 200-lb Taiwan-American would be averaging 26.8 points along with 8.0 assists per game all while leading the New York Knicks to their fifth consecutive win this season?

    Whether you know it not, we the fans have been privileged to have experienced one of the best football stories in the history of the game in Tim Tebow, and like it or not, we are seeing the same in the world of basketball right now.

    Both Tebow and Lin have shown that there are players and athletes out there that don't look the part, but sure as hell play the part. Lin may be small and skinny, but it doesn't look like it matters at this point.

    Lin has been the epitome of hard work and the unexpected. He has gone against the grain in every sense of what it takes to be an NBA player today and is doing it with ease.

    Even if Lin were to retire at this very moment, he has already paved the paths for countless children out there in this world today and will be remembered for years to come.

    But how long will Lin last in this league? Ten, 20, 30 games more? Can he really continue this streak of nearly averaging a double-double every night?

    No one knows at this moment, and to be honest, no one cares. Every sports fan alongside Lin himself is trying to soak in what seems to be one of the best streaks the NBA has seen in this generation, possibly history, and for now, everyone just wants to go along for the ride.

    Lin had 20 points, eight assists and six rebounds tonight against the much-improved Minnesota Timberwolves and has once again led the Knicks to a win. He did, however, go 1-of-12 from the field in the second half, but made that up with a crucial winning free throw down the stretch. I guess in this case all we can say is all Lin does is "Lin, Lin, Lin."

    Any second now were all secretly hoping for an iconic moment that will forever label Lin's legacy, whether that be similar to Tebow's "Tebowing," or ****mbe Mutombo's "finger." Whatever it may be, I sure hope it's something good, but for now, Lin by himself is all that every sports fan needs especially Knick fans, which is simply, an underdog to cheer for.

    Lin may end up being among the thousands of players before him that have had surprising streaks out of no where that had lasted only 10-15 games before opposing teams had figured them out, or he may continue to surprise as Tebow did this year.

    The biggest problem for Lin at this very moment will be the return of injured Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire and the ever so forgotten, Baron Davis.

    If Lin manages to still be relevant when all three players return, we can truly label him as someone who has "made it" in the NBA.

    As an Asian-American myself, it has been a thrill to say the least to see a fellow Asian-American athlete work himself to the top and it truly is inspiring.

    If you haven't already watched the Knicks play, or haven't watched ESPN for the last week, it's not too late to jump on the Lin bandwagon because everyone who enjoys and loves sports should appreciate a miracle in the making.

    This truly is a once in a lifetime moment, don't let it pass you by.

    My Lin Ja shirt
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  12. #12

    Nice article

    I like how the author describes the 6' 3" 200lb Lin as small and skinny. How about really tall for a point guard?

    It will be interesting to see how this pans out. Because all he does is Lin Lin Lin. Go MIT.

  13. #13
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    6'3" is right around average for an NBA point guard.
    There will undoubtedly be some race based talk or criticism because there have been very few (if any) American born asian point guards in the NBA, and in Lin's first 5 games he has already broken a few records.
    Mayweather and some sports report who's name escapes me now, have already made insensitive comments.

  14. #14
    It's average for a point guard but it's not an average for regular humans.

    Mayweather tweeted that if Lin were a black man, he wouldn't be generating all this news. Mayweather says all black point guards do what Lin does everynight.

    However no one has put up the numbers Lin put up in his first eight starts. Not even LeBron James.

  15. #15
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    i think mayweather is missing the point that this dude wasnt a draft and came off the bench...thats why he is getting this attention.

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