Jeremy "Shao" Lin: Welcome to the 17th Chamber

As many have recently discovered, Jeremy Lin, the new starting point guard for the New York Knickbockers, raw is how he is going to give it to you, with zero trivia, like cocaine that was recently stripped straight from Bolivian air space (paraphrasing "Da Mystery of Chess Boxing"). Unfortunately, Mr. Lin's glorious emergence also occurred during my absence but, trust, I've been paying pretty close attention (full and sad disclosure: I'm a big Knicks fan).

The Linsanity phenomenon started on February 2 when Lin came into the game against the Nets as a sub. The Knicks were coming to the point where they'd either have to sign Lin for the year and guarantee his contract or release him and have so further obligation. Thus, Coach D'Antoni decided to give him some run to help in the decision making process and Lin responded, with AUTHORITA, going for 25 points, 7 assists and only 1 turnover. He went on to start his next game and a historic 5 game run after his next 4 starts.

During that run, and ever since, there has been much discussion about Jeremy Lin's importance, often concentrating on his race. To a degree, this makes sense. You definitely do not see too many players that look like Jeremy in the NBA, especially not at point guard. This was compounded by how important Jeremy was, understandably so, to the Asian community, both here and abroad. The roar of the crowd after he hit the game winning shot in Toronto, which has a large Asian community with youth sports organizations representing both the Taiwanese and Chinese in attendance at the game, made it seem as if it was a home game at MSG. This, of course, has led to all sorts of responses that skirt or urinate all over the "offensiveness line" such as this, this, or this. Recently, an ESPN editor was fired for an oversight on a headline that could definitely be seen as offensive to Asians. I, for one, do not think that the ESPN slur was intentional. That is a common phrase when it comes to sports and I could easily see how he just plugged it in without thinking about the possible consequences (yay for a post-racial world!). If anything, he was fired for laziness.

All of this has lead to one common question, would Jeremy Lin and his accompanying Linsanity be as big of a deal if he were black (or white for that matter). This is a difficult question for me as it seems clear that, at least coming out of high school, he was underappreciated because of his race. You do not play at his level in the NBA if you did not have the skills to at least get a look by D1 colleges. Right now though, for me and, I think, for a lot of Knicks fans, his race matters not a wit. Personally, I've been starved for a legit point guard running the show at MSG for, well... forever. I mean, I grew up with Greg Anthony (admittedly pretty solid) and Charlie Friggin Ward (YA, THE HEISMAN WINNING QB WHO NEVER GOT DRAFTED AND THEN WENT TO THE NBA) running the show. If you move from the point guard pu-pu platter, especially after the struggles this year trying to find someone who could run the offense, to someone with Lin's court vision, people are going to get excited. Especially if the team starts to reel of a win streak. Especially at the basketball mecca of MSG where a crowd that will kick you with an extra pointy pair of Jimmy Choo's if you are down but lift you up in the embrace of Hulkamania on uppers if you are winning. The long and short of it is... Lin got playing time and the Knicks start winning. When you are talking NYC basketball, that is all that really matters.

We are not yet living in a post-racial America, but Linsanity would still be in full effect whether he was black, white, yellow, red, purple, or an off turquoise. When you step into MSG, color is often replaced by game recognizing game. Say what you want about the 17th Chamber, but he's definitely got game.

LINSANE CLAN AIN'T NOTHING TO F*#K WITH! Riight? Riight guys? No, too much? Whatever... I still say that nickname is sick.

(Image from: Yuku, via Google images [natch])