LINsanity - Jeremy Lin

I’m a big NBA fan! But I’ve been on a bit of a break watching the games this season as I am into a lot of writings lately.  I can’t write while watching NBA specially when Lebron is playing (I’m a big fan duh!).  NBA is one among the few TV shows that can make me really sit and watch television.

As far as I can remember this season started immediately after the extended lockout issue. Odom is out from Lakers, Superman Howard still with Orlando, not so much change in Miami, Chris Paul joined Griffin/Clippers, the Kardashian woman filed for divorce vs. her NBA-husband-of-72-days, Kobe’s divorced, Lebron’s engaged and then came… LINsanity!

LINsanity what? Who?
Some three weeks ago, this Asian kid’s (yes Asian! woot! woot!) story is something that goes like this:

• he led his high school team to a state championship but was not recruited in college
• he ended in Harvard but was not drafted immediately
• he was picked up by the Golden State Warriors but was let go
• picked up again by the Houston Rockets but was let go again
• he ended up at the end of the bench in New York Knicks but almost without a contract
• he’s sleeping on the couches of his brother and team mates

Rising from obscurity after making jump shots, handing out assist, and leading the Knicks for a seven day winning streak including  a win over NBA champion Dallas Maverick, Jeremy Lin #17, point guard of the New York Knicks is now carrying these headlines and stories on his feathers.

• An ESPN staff was fired and another one suspended due to a racially-insensitive coverage  on New York Knicks lost to New Orleans Hornets – using the phrase “Chink in the Armor” in a headline
• He is said to move from his brother’s couch into the 38th floor of the residences at the W New York Downtown Hotel (overlooking the Statue of Liberty), obviously a good deal of a contract has been signed. 
• He filed to trademark the term "Linsanity" with the US Patent and Trademark Office, a move that would give him the sole rights to use the term on products.
• He's only started six games, but Jeremy Lin will participate in the NBA All-Star Weekend.
• A signed National Treasures rookie trading card from his one season with the Golden State Warriors in 2010-11 is sold on eBay for $21,580.
• Current buzz says Nike is seriously eying to sign up Lin for an endorsement
• Coming soon, there will be a book of stories — “Jeremy Lin: The Reason for the Linsanity,” due out in May, as the NBA season heads into the playoffs.
• Big name celebrities and sports personalities are watching his game and wanting to meet him personally including boxing champ Manny Pacquiao.

Quoting NBA Commissioner David Stern on Lin:

”no player has created the interest and the frenzy in this short period of time, in any sport, that I'm aware of like Jeremy Lin has”

This is definitely a Linderella story.  Only that he doesn’t wear glass shoes and left a pair in a ball.  He wears properly laced basketball shoes, he steals balls, jump shoots and scores.

Bonus:
Facts about Jeremy Lin and a video of his Top 10 Plays:

FULL NAME: Jeremy Shu-How Lin
DATE OF BIRTH: August 23, 1988 (23 years old)
PLACE OF BIRTH: Los Angeles California
NATIONALITY: American
DESCENT: Chinese/Taiwanese
HIGHSCHOOL: Palo Alto HS (Palo Alto, California)
COLLEGE: Harvard (2006-2010)
LISTED HEIGHT: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
LISTED WEIGHT: 200 lb (91 kg)

Jeremy Lin’s Top 10 Plays (video courtesy of NBA Facebook page/YouTube)

“I think this is why we all follow sports because of great stories like this, that all of a sudden someone breaks through that you didn't know or didn't expect and you didn't know the result was going to happen," … Roger Federer on Jeremy Lin

Photo Source: Google Images
JLin Personal Info: Wikipedia