I just finished watching the DVR of the game. I actually liked a lot of things from the Knicks tonight. Amare has his spring back and Jeremy was finding him. Jeremy's D was great on Kidd and solid on Roddie. His stroke looked good but was just a little long on the 3's. He is taking good care of the ball. Carmelo had a bad game. I think you need to insert Shumpert into the starting lineup for his D and energy. This will help JR with his rhythm coming off the bench. Then, you bring in Fields at the 3. Everybody, take a deep breath and relax, the Knicks will be fine and Jeremy is playing well.
My biggest concern are the cheap shots on Jeremy. He is getting hit in the head constantly every game. Whenever he goes to the basket, he gets hit in the face area. Jason's foul on Jeremy was a blatant flagrant foul. Also, Dirk pushed Jeremy out of the way when JLin had him boxed out and there was no call. Eventually, they have to start calling these. They are so obvious.
Lin needs an enforcer.
ReplyDeleteEvery game, Lin is taking too many illegal hits from intimidation attempts. The hits are wearing Lin down.
If the Knicks don't start standing up for Lin, they might as well give up on the season starting right now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQIOJNH9-aE
DeleteObserve the trajectory of Lin's head at 33-34 seconds. It changes twice. First he gets hit with Kidd's arm which forces his head back, then the head gets forced back even further when Kidd's hand runs over his head. The only way that happens is if you pull his hair.
Then the announcer says: "definitely an accident"
If there is no retaliation for plays like that, agree: season is over.
thanks for posting the youtube link of the play between Kidd and Lin. The part that was revealing was when Lin got up and walked by Kidd with his head down hoping Jason would apologize to him which never happened. Lin looks a bit scared out there of confrontation and he does need to make sure he's not "punked" out there or disrespected. His teammates not coming to help him was puzzling. Jason Kidd is respected veteran so maybe that's why. Still Lin should have went up to Kidd and at least asked him what his problem was chopping at my head like that....at the very least.
DeleteIn addition to a possible concussion to his head also noticed that Jeremy could have wrecked his left knee as he landed very awkwardly and he could have ended his career on this play...Jason Kidd actually hit him in the head with a full swing and then pushed him with left hand on his bottom to get him to land bad....terrible foul by Jason Kidd.
DeleteI really hate to say it, but Jeremy has to learn to flop a little. I'm not talking outright Ginobli-style fakery. But he has to embellish medium to heavy contact. If he gets pushed on defense, he should fall down. If he gets smacked in the face on offense, he should shout and rub his face like his eye was gouged.
ReplyDeleteAgainst Boston, Rondo shoved him out of the way to get a key putback in OT (of course, everyone blamed JL for the basket). After the play, Rondo even taunted Jeremy, brandishing the forearm he used to push off. He was basically saying, "Gotcha with that trick, kid!"
What Jeremy should have done is immediately fallen backwards to the floor when Rondo shoved him. I guarantee you he gets a late whistle. Again, I'm not saying he should be a total faker. But he needs to draw attention to the many dirty fouls opponents are getting away with.
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Deletei don't believe rondo was taunting lin for the push...he was indicating to the ref that lin had smacked him on the wrist on the way up to the basket. why did lin turn his back towards the basket to box out rondo? big mistake, but not as big a mistake as NO BIGS moving towards the hoop to get the ball. still scratchin my head over that one.
Deletealso, guards are noticing lin isn't checking his man as often as he should when standing on the box on D... seems to be watching the play develop instead.
seems like basic things he should be able to fix...but he's going to get grilled for those errors in the meantime.
Agreed. Lin needs to learn all the NBA veteran "tricks" only because he will get caught with those time and time again.
DeleteThe Knicks are a mediocre crap fest of a team... Melo once again is a nonexistent...
ReplyDeleteLin's family better show these hit-in-the-head videos to the NBA governing body and ask them to stop the deliberate hard hit to Jeremy Lin's head before it's too late (looks like the Knicks are not going to). NOT ONE SINGLE PLAYER in the NBA deserve to be treated like that.
ReplyDeleteI've been watching the games and it looks like Jeremy Lin is not only targeted legally, but illegally, by some opponents (the preferred method seems to be a blunt force trauma to the head - or at least try to make the playmaker's head to become clinically stupid). There is a not-so-secret bounty on Jeremy Lin.
Notice Rondo of Boston (6th year NBA who is probably the best PG, far ahead of in talent and experience) don't get the same treatment by other players. They are not sick of hearing Rondo's name in the media; he is famous via *normal* route. But what the heck! Who is this "kid" getting notoriety in our own game, so quickly out of nowhere; the media is covering him too much; we'll show the media how to shut it down now rather than later. It's apparent some opposing players have bounty on Lin; the tough machos have talked about it in their prison-mentality-like, gang-mentality-like, locker-room environment.
Head injuries are VERY DANGEROUS and often fatal - even when the victim brushes it off initially (remember the Natasha Richardson ski incident and the recent 10 year old girl who got hit in the head by an 11 year old girl, NOT by a 210 pound man)
When Rondo was coming up as a rookie, he was targeted too.
DeleteThe difference is that he stood up for himself because he's a fighter. I don't think much of Rondo's very pedestrian game, but I highly respect his willingness to RUMBLE when people go after him.
People don't target Rondo anymore because he has proven that he will stand up for himself. Lin needs to be the same.
I meant to add: It's obvious the head injury (to some degree) HAS TO BE THE REASON why Lin missed both free throws, which I've never seen him do before (that is since Feb 2012).
ReplyDeleteIf Jeremy Lin does not start fighting back against the illegal hits, he will be run out of the NBA next season.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter if Jeremy Lin learns how to dribble with the left hand or reduces his turnovers or shoots better from the field. The most important thing is that Jeremy Lin needs to take a stand and MAN UP just like every American male is expected to do.
All my life, I have been taunted overtly and subtly for being Asian American. My Taiwanese parents, under threat of violence and humiliation, ordered me not to fight back. But then my performances suffered because I spent more time mentally fighting off the intimidation as opposed to producing.
After a lifetime of failure, I got MEAN. I started retaliating against anybody who tried to punk me, including bosses and superiors. If it meant losing my job, so be it because collecting a salary by being a punching bag only results in losing the job eventually anyway. Now I am doing better because people respect me for respecting MYSELF.
Jeremy Lin needs to get a mentor like Charles Oakley or Micheal Ray Richardson who can teach him how to win the intimidation game in the NBA. Right now Lin is losing the intimidation battle and it's starting to show in his decreased production.
I have 100% full faith in Lin's basketball ability. However, I don't know if he'll do the very UN-Taiwanese and UN-Christian (depending on which church he is affiliated with) "eye for and eye" thing. If he indeed is weak enough to simply "let his game do the talking", then I will cease to be a Lin fan because he'll be nothing more than the benchwarming Asian weakling that everybody still thinks he is.
The Knicks won't follow Lin if he refuses to defend himself. He'll also get beaten out by a lesser player who has more cojones.
I have serious doubts about whether Lin will fight back. I am watching closely, as is the rest of the NBA and fans worldwide. This is Lin's.biggest hurdle not just as an NBA player, but as a man.
Lin needs to MAN UP, NOW.
Jeremy does need to look out for himself. It seems like his teammates were just letting him out there to dry. I have seen Jefferies defend Jeremy in a previous game.
DeleteStanding up for himself does not have to be "eye for an eye". He does not need to try approach the situation with a malicious attitude, for example. He does need to speak up and be confrontational. This does not necessarily involve being rude, for example talking trash. It definitely does not require intimidating others by threatening them with physical "punishment" on the court.
Jeremy does need to stand up to players who put him at risk, but it must be remembered that there are different approaches or styles to standing up for yourself.
What you suggest DOES NOT WORK in the NBA.
DeleteIf an NBA player doesn't stand up for himself, he will get run out of the league not just by opponents but by teammates. A guy has to stand up for himself first before anybody will stand up for him. And that means OVERT PHYSICAL RETALIATION.
When Magic Johnson was a rookie in training camp, he was targeted by Ron Boone who was an athletic ABA veteran who had been through the wars. Boone hit Magic twice in the head and laughed about it in front of the coach. Magic then turned and punched Boone in the neck jn front of the coach and screamed at the coach "I may just be a rookie, but I'm not going to let anybody PUNK ME". And that is how Magic wound up starting for the Lakers and winning the championship.
When Xavier McDaniel and the Knicks played against Michael Jordan's Bulls, the Knicks pulled every dirty stunt to try to get the Bulls out of their game. It worked until Game 7 when Jordan spoke to his dad and was told to stand up to the bullies and get rough. Jordan got in McDaniel's face and the Bulls rallied to win the series.
Lin is the best player on the Knicks and everybody (including the other Knicks) know it. They are watching to see if he's man enough to retaliate. If he fights back, the Knicks will rally around their best player. If he tries to do what you suggest and try to intimidate while being too cowardly to throw down on an aggressor, the Knicks will deem Lin too weak to be a leader and will phase him out on and off the court.
"However, I don't know if he'll do the very UN-Taiwanese and UN-Christian (depending on which church he is affiliated with) "eye for and eye" thing."
DeleteThere is an interesting Feb 16th NYTimes Opinion piece titled "The Jeremy Lin Problem" about such a possible conflict to the detriment to Lin himself and the Knicks.... the reader comments are even more interesting
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/17/opinion/brooks-the-jeremy-lin-problem.html
The thing is if passages are not taken out of context, it is encouraged that one should DEFEND oneself. To not do that is misguided and stupid, especially in competitive team sports (why negatively affect the whole team, as well as your boss and fans who are paying you)
wilsc - A well-meaning but terribly misguided advice. What you stated is exactly the problem with Lin.
DeleteLike KHuang said it will NOT WORK in the NBA.... Further it is his legal and moral (that's right!) right to go after cheap shot thugs AGRESSIVELY!.... These thuggy opponents aren't just looking at just one game, they are looking to help themselves for a possible playoff meet.
It is no coincidence that one of Lin's "idol" Jason Kidd called this game an important "character win". So proud of himself. Creep.
It IS a "character win" because the Mavs actually don't have the talent to beat the Knicks.
DeleteThe Mavs won because Lin allowed Kidd and the Mavs to get into his head. Instead of manning up and getting his teammates riled up around him, Lin backed down and lost the game and his teammates.
I am as rabid a Lin fan as there is, but I WILL turn on him if he doesn't start standing up for himself. The instant he starts pummeling people is the instant he and the Knicks get their mojo back.
My suggestion to Jeremy Lin is never to question calls that's in his or his team's favor, because calls often don't go in his favor either. On Feb 19th, he told Mavericks' Jason Terry that Terry's foul was not flagrant, in essence publicly disagreeing with the referee's call.
ReplyDeleteSuch comments (immediately carried by zillions of media outlets) might make officials think twice about making calls in his favor even when the foul is cynical and flagrant. Potentially career-ending hits should not only be *flagrant* (if it is) but should carry more penalty.
99.99% of NBA players don't believe in honor system (big-league team sports don't work that way). In fact they'll take a dive in an exaggerated fashion to get an unfair edge (even leading to championships that way). Most players are older and more importantly street-smart, so don't give any more *gifts* to your opponents, when they will NEVER be reciprocated in million years.
Lin should play without fear like he used to (he said that). Play without fear, pressure, or worry. I always thought that Kwan - who won the US and the World many times - didn't win the olympic gold because she focused on (thus pressured herself and inadvertently visualized the failure) the fact that it's the one thing she never got, and she worked too hard for it mentally. Of course when she was 13 (too young to worry too much or over-think) and likely would have won the gold, she was ruled too young to go, then when Lipinsky was 13 (who won the gold, and not much else) they changed the rule for the Texan.
That foul by J kidd was a no doubt flagrant foul! How many times does Lin have to get hit in the face/head before he gets the right call?? Melo and JR smith were the brick bros. last night.
ReplyDeleteUntil Lin jumps up and chest bumps an opponent while cursing in his face, the hits will only get WORSE.
DeleteI just heard on a wfan sports update about the knicks loss last night. The guy doing the update mentioned Lin's poor shooting night before mentioning Carmelo's. What about all the other guys throwing up bricks??? That really pisses me off!
ReplyDeleteLin is also looking for Melo and STAT too much. The kind of bball the Knicks have been playing to win is pretty much nonexistent now. I don't even think it's the scouting reports or any of that. I think Lin has it in his head that he needs to pass more which I think is fine only within the confines of the system and Lin's own playing style. You can see the other Knicks (ie every other player not named Melo and STAT) standing around again because they don't feel like they are going to get the ball. I hate to say it, but I think this MeloLin STAT combo isn't working the way it should. I, for one, thought it would take off.
ReplyDeleteAnd, what's up with STAT's bricks and not taking it to the hole? Why is he constantly settling for Js? And, why didn't they just let the Bdiddy team continue their comeback? Rhetorical last Q by the way. I almost feel they should field two teams. The starters (Melo, STAT, JR, Bdiddy, Jeffreis) and the bench (Lin, CHandler, Novak, Walker, and Fields). Yes, that was the team that got them the crazy 8 win streak.
If Lin mans up and challenges opponents who have targeted him with bounties, the starting lineup will play better.
DeleteI know Jeremy is a man of god but he's going to have to show some devil in him and fight back(not necessarily violence).
DeleteStanding up to opponents IS being a "man of God".
DeleteThe man who refuses to defend his home and family by letting people at work walk all over him is letting the devil win.
I'm listening to nyc sports radio wfan and the guys was just talking about how Jason Kidd almost decapitated Lin and NONE of his teammates did a damn thing about it. Dantoni was the only one showing any emotion about it which ended up in a technical foul. I'm glad this is being brought up.
DeleteIf I were on court with Lin, I would not have done anything either.
DeleteI won't stand up for any guy that refuses to fight for himself.
They raise you up to knock you down. I believe it was Chris Bosh who was warning Jeremy about this. Other NBA players are pissed off that this young upstart from HAVARD has stolen their thunder. It's personal, everyone wants to be the guy that knocks down Jeremy Lin a notch. It's so unpleasant and disturbing to watch. JLin is going to have to not only pick himself up and go again but be aggressive off the ball too. He needs to start asserting himself in these situations otherwise they will take him out. But really Jeremy has bigger problems right now, none bigger than Carmelo Anthony. The cracks are beginning to show behind the facade of team spirit. Melo is not happy that Jeremy is pretty much running things now and you know he's not happy that his carefully calculated move to NY has been usurped and totally blown away by the wave of Linsanity that hit. He's starting to act out and his defenders are coming out in droves. This is when Jeremy needs that inner calm and confidence more than ever. He needs to just trust his game and himself. Everything else will fall into place.
ReplyDeleteI don't see it that way.
DeleteActually, I see other NBA players including the Knicks as being IN AWE of Lin.
What they are doing, both on the Knicks and on other teams, is TESTING HIM. Everybody is trying to see if Lin truly is a star who is worth looking up to. And in the NBA, stars are always ready to defend their turf in any way possible.
Jason Kidd is one of Jeremy's biggest FANS. He wants Jeremy to be the cocky strong Bay Area pg just like he is. If they were teammates, Kidd would also smack Lin upside the head and dare him to retaliate. Fighting back is what Kidd wants out of Lin. Cowering meekly would mean that Kidd would consider Lin unworthy of repect.
Lin has a golden opportunity right now to become one of the five best players in the NBA. EVERYBODY, including the vast majority of his opponents, are rooting for him. But Lin needs to fight back and show everybody that he is the next great basketball hero that they expect him to be.
"... EVERYBODY, including the vast majority of his opponents, are rooting for him.... "
DeleteI disagree. MOST players want to "show the kid". And for the media to shut up already. The media is cashing in on the rating by OVERLY hyping and it's has not been good for Lin or Knicks. In some players, you can tell in their body language and also in their pat "correct" answers.
Someone just showed me an old tape of Larry Bird receiving a mild-cheap-shot (1984, Julius Irving hooking Bird's arm causing a mild fall) and there was a benches-clearing brawl after Bird went after him.
WOW, I get it now... the Knicks players want their pre-Lin setup back, Lin ruffed up the feathers... and many people's "I told you the Insanity wouldn't last because blah blah blah" has "arrived"; proves it's got to go back to being the Melo's team.
NBA players often become fans of each other AFTER they get into fights.
DeleteLarry Bird states to this day that Julius Erving is the best sf he ever went against and that Moses Malone is the best rebounder. Barkley says that Larry is one of the three best players he ever faced. Those guys KILLED each other for years with intimidation tactics before and after the Phi Bos fight.
Lin is in the NBA. It is a cutthroat league where only the strong survive. Countless players with incredible skill have washed out of the league because they were too soft to last.
I don't want Lin to be a softie that washes out. I want him to be a snarling competitor who says "If you think you are better than me, then come over here so that I can show you why you cannot".
Lin has it in him to dominate. He just has to let go of his cultural programming and get MEAN.
Interesting, Khuang .... Though I've watch some games, I'm a newbie basketball fan, ha ha ;-).
DeleteHow ironic is it that the player(Melo) the Knicks were dying to get ends up being the anchor that is weighing down the offense???
ReplyDeleteKnicks were 7-0 with Lin and a bunch of scrubs, including victories over the Lakers and Mavericks.
ReplyDeleteSince Melo and Amare have come back (with their poor defense and rebounding), the Knicks are 3-5.
NOT a coincidence. Ewing Theory.
It's true, the numbers don't lie. But what can be done about this?? They obviously aren't going to trade Melo and/or stat. This is going to be rough...
DeleteOr Trade Lin to a team that needs a PG... Better to go to a city with less limelight but too late for that Linsanity is plastered all over ESPN...
DeleteIt's weird...
ReplyDeleteIn the Lakers game, Lin WAS being tough and fighting back. There were a couple of instances where he showed he wouldn't back down.
1.) When he pushed Kobe back after Kobe gave him a shove.
2.) When he looked like he was about to go after Bynum after he got fouled.
He needs to get that ultra-competitiveness back.
+1000000
DeleteIt's easy to fix.
ReplyDeleteLin mans up and starts retaliating against all hits.
Anthony and Stoudemire would then deem Lin worthy of being their leader and would follow him. The Knicks would start winning again.
Carmelo's actions and words indicate that he indeed wants Lin to lead. But if Lin refuses out of cultural meekness, then Carmelo is right to move on.
Lin needs to man up.
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DeleteI do understand that many players in the NBA stand up for themselves by aggressively responding or retaliating on the defensive end. Such a player effectively earns respect from his teammates and they will see him as the court leader. Opponents will also respect a him for being a strong willed competitor and recognise that he is not meek; he will not allow others to bully him. This is a very effective way of becoming respected in the league.
DeleteHowever, my question is, is this the only way to earn respect as a worth leader in the league? I am wondering how players like Grant Hill, who have won multiple sportsmanship awards, handled such situations? Did he have to be a thug as well in order to earn the respect of the league? This not so much a rhetoric rather than a inquiry; I am actually quite curious about how someone like Grant Hill did react?
Good question.
DeleteThe ONLY answer is that there is no other way.
Grant Hill was so marvelously athletic that he could punish opponents for cheap physical play simply by outrunning and outjumping them. He is one of the greatest athletes ever to play the game. But I have no doubt that he'd brawl if that is what it took.
The perfect example of how physical retaliation works is ex Utah pg John Stockton. That guy was a class act off the court, but he would grab and push and elbow against guys that tried those tactics against him. I remember Stockton punching Bill Cartwright for hitting Stockton with one of those deadly elbows that fractured the faces of Mutombo and Olajuwon. Dennis Rodman called Stockton the dirtiest player he ever faced.
Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson was a brilliant pg as good as or better than anybody playing today. That was because he had serious fight in him. In training camp, Barkley bodyslammed Dan Majerle to see if any of the Suns would fight back. KJ jumped up and started shoving Barkley who was delighted with KJ's violent response. And when Doc Rivers and the Knicks tried to punk KJ and the Suns, the biggest fight in NBA history broke out and the Suns still won. They would have won t all had Jordan's mind games not worked on Charles Barkley.
I hope that Lin's Knicks teammates and coaches are giving him a thorough hazing for being a wimp. He had better learn to fight quick because the team needs him to lead them to victory.
Yeah Jeremy needs to be more of a gangster out there. I noticed after the hard foul he walked by Jason Kidd waiting for an apology that never came - Jason Kidd probably took heat from his team when Jeremy publicly praised Kidd after Knicks embarrassed Mavs - he said Jason was talking to me the whole game (encouraging him) and he's a class act. Jason didn't like that and he looked to be helping enemy beat his team so last night he went headhunting on Lin.
ReplyDeleteAll Lin had to do was go up to Jason -instead of with his head down hoping for an apology from Kidd - and look at him eye to eye with a straight expression (not friendly) and said , hey man what's up with the hard foul on my head? The referees would have jumped in and got between them..no fight, no ejection but it would have earned him some respect and instead it now shows other players they can wipe LIn out and not have to worry about any repurcussions from Lin or his teammates. Lin has to protect himself and never let anyone take a cheap shot at him. I agree with the guy who said Lin made mistake saying Terry foul last game not a flagrant. Never publicy disrespect and official tryign to protect you. Not Harvard like thinking there.
Unfortunately, other players will head hunt lin now and nothing he can do about it. He had a chance to stand up for himself vs. Kidd and he didn't do it. He should have , now even if he stands up it will be viewed as fake tough guy - only done as a strategy instead of his natural instinct......look out!
Good take.
DeleteBottom line: On the floor, the other team is YOUR ENEMY. You don't ever, ever be friendly with them. That's the mentality that Russell Westbrook has. That Rondo has. That Deron Williams has. Saying what he said to Terry, "that wasn't a flagrant foul," is probably what made David Lee call Jeremy the "dumbest smart guy I know." Not very bright.
Let them head hunt Lin.
DeleteIf Lin retaliates violently and appropriately, opponents will back off. I WANT people to push Lin past the breaking point so that he finally becomes a MAN on the court.
Lin would not have gotten as far as he did without having seriously brutal instincts. Taiwanese and Christian anti violent social conditioning will not change that Lin is a FIGHTER. He just has to let it out in order to survive.
In the 1980s, Scottie Pippen was targeted the way Lin was. For years, Pippen was bullied by opponents and teammates. It ended when Pippen got sick of the intimidation and decided to get tough. While I was not impressed in the least by Pippen's lack of game, I did enjoy seeing him stand up to Dennis Rodman and the Pistons. After that, Pippen retaliated against everybody that came for his head.
Lin can easily turn this whole thing around by getting tough. I also believe that he can become a physically bullying player like the 1980s version of himself in Sugar Ray Richardson. I want to see Lin not just retaliate, but start going after people with intimidation tactics.
Lin can easily become one of the most FEARED players in the NBA.
Don't agree with Scottie Pippen analogy. Pippen was soft and was always soft. From the Migraines of not wanting to play the pistons to everyone just using him as a doormat (John Starks, Xavier McDaniel, Rodman).....Once you get soft label you don't get it removed. Look at Pau Gasol - soft and perception will never change. Jeremy Lin is not a fighter and/or gangster as a person or on the court...he really needs to have an enforcer look after him cause this is going to intensify more and more. Jeremy shouldn't have to fight or get into scrapes cause there's too much spotlight on him now and it could make him look very bad (i.e he gets ejected for fighting or tossed out)...there's bigger picture when it comes to Jeremy Lin compared to other players. He shouldn't have to change his personality or what got him to play at this level - this is not Prison. As I said, all he needs to do is verbally confront someone and stand up for himself as opposed to retailiate. Yao Ming didn't have to fight, never seen Lebron James fight, Dwayne Wade, Derrick Rose, dirk Novitsky...they all had enforcers who allowed them to just use their special skills to play...fighting is for non skilled players.
DeleteFunny how the only guy mad was Dantoni and that's not going to help.
Wow!.... Ditto.... Ditto.... Ditto
DeleteExactly what I was thinking but couldn't articulate as well.
I hate to say it, but Jeremy is being too polite and honest when answering all the questions - to his and his team's detriment. Does Knicks not have team advisers and and team sports psychologist? Teach the rookies and sophomores the way of the sports politics (Lin is mature, BUT that's another subject). There is a such thing as SILENCE (when talking about team practice and strategy and not sharing all info when asked). I speculate it's partly due to him being young, partly due to him being a nice guy (remember, nice guys in the "street" are considered not bright, and thus are taken advantage of), and partly because he spent more time in the library and a lot less time in the "street" than most NBA players.
I feel that "street-education" is so practical and valuable to one's survival in any area of life. I watched
"Forensic Files" real cases)for 3 years and there were same or similar patterns over and over again. It was an eye-opening practical education.... Why drive carefully to avoid accidents, and yet be "street-stupid"?
Mike Nice, are you talking about the same Yao Ming that screamed curses at the Clippers and pushed them around when they tried to cheap shot him?
DeleteAre you talking about the same Lebron James who got into shoving matches with Paul Pierce in Cavs Bos games?
Are you talking about Wade and Rose who are both from the mean streets of Chicago where fighting is a way of life?
Are you talking about Pau Gasol who pats Chris Paul on the head to intimidate him and then gets slapped by an irate Paul?
You don't seem to understand that the best players in the NBA are also the best.intimidators.
Lin will learn how to intimidate. It's that or DIE.
Oh yeah.
DeleteAre you talking about the same Dirk Nowitzki that went chest to chest with Ryan Hollins and Jonny Flynn for excessively physical play?
Are you talking about the same Scottie Pippen who dunked on Ewing and then knocked Ewing down to walk over him? The same Scottie Pippen who successfully got into Charles Barkley's head by saying to the presses that Barkley was no champion?
Pippen may have had his flaws as a player, but he was a ferocious competitor of the sort Lin needs to become.
I can't believe he said in the post game interview "Its OK if I get hit, as long as I get to shoot freethrows."
ReplyDeleteWTF? Do you think Kobe was ok getting his nose broken by D. Wade and being forced to play in a facemask? He should have said that was an intentional harmful hit that should have been called a flagrant foul.
Him being a Taiwanese girly man is probably killing him more.
DeleteI accept that Taiwanese people have to get along at all costs when they are living in Taiwan and the smallest negative social ripple sends shockwaves through the community. But this is America where not fighting back invites more enemies.
I am HAPPY that foes are targeting Lin. He has no choice but to get tough because he'll lose his job. One thing about Taiwanese men is that they become VERY TOUGH when their jobs are at risk.
He can retaliate by playing harder and with confidence. No words needed
ReplyDeleteThat's not enough.
DeleteLin is being run out of the league by those tactics. He's being eaten alive by guys that have gotten inside his head.
Draw the line and destroy anybody who crosses it.
Destroy with his play correct?
DeleteDestroy with his play AND by physically retaliating against anybody that cheap shots him.
DeleteWatching that replay I think he should've said something to Kidd straight to his face.
DeleteTotally agree.
DeleteA chest bump and headbutt would work too.
Lin could also hit Kidd with a hard foul. He could also shoulder butt Kidd when they're both without the ball.
If Lin did all these things to Kidd, Kidd would be PROUD OF LIN.
Basically, many of these comments above are advising Jeremy to act anti-Jeremy, in order to show courage/protect his health/win ballgames/(or whatever you want to put in here). Even his faith is mocked due to the "non-retaliation," christ-like behavior he's been exhibiting.
ReplyDeleteWanting to see him excel, people tend to forget his "greatness" has EVERYTHING to do with his faith! That's what's drawing me to be a fan of him/NBA. I certainly hope he takes Tebow's advice to heart, "don't listen to everybody else!" What he meant was (I believe) Jeremy should stay true to his heart, play basketball to honor God and God alone, not himself, his family, or even his die-hard fans.
Tebow's other comments is enlightening - "At the end of the day, it's just a GAME!" Need to put sports into its proper perspective folks!
Thanks
DeletePfft.
DeleteTebow doesn't win and is OVERRATED.
If you want Lin to be bullied, then don't cry when he gets seriously injured by an opponent's cheap shot or bullied out of the NBA.
The NBA is NOT "just a game".
DeleteIt is a WAR in which billions of dollars are based on the performances of its employees. It's not the same as playing.in.the local park, though I've NEVER let anybody get away with cheapshotting me or intimidating me there either.
Jeremy Lin got to where he is by being a TOUGH GUY who wouldn't back down when people tried to intimidate him. It is in his true nature to be a fighter, otherwise he wouldn't be in the NBA. By being meek and cowardly, he is going AGAINST his nature as a strong dominant man.
The NBA is absolutely vicious because it exposes everybody. That's what I love about it. Lin may have NBA All Star skills, but he has to be tough like an All Star too.
Don't believe so, but to each his own... Lin's "greatness" does not have "EVERYTHING" to do with his faith. However, it does have SOME thing to do with his faith in the One God (but not necessarily J). It's called "God helps those who help themselves" that's available to everybody, and not so he could be "His witness": Lin started with a clear goal (to be a pro bakestball player), then worked hard towards it, playing in HS, College, and improved his training a notch last summer before the lockout. Thus God worked the large unseen middle part; and when the one opportunity surfaced, Lin was prepared and took it and ran with it fearlessly yet confidently. Lin also worked towards the goal that he *loved* and that's always recommended.
DeleteI'll just say it's my belief and observation, because to each his own - I need to give others the same freedom that I want for myself.
Being the devout Christian that he is, Jeremy likely views that his integrity as a Christian is more important than success or respect on the court. If it really comes down to it, he will not compromise his faith to become respectable in the league. He plays for God's glory, not to earn respect from other players. In that sense, basketball is just a game. It is a demanding game at the professional level requiring dedication and with its own definition of respect, but nevertheless a devout Christian will not see success in the league as priority if it really comes down to a choice between being true to his faith and success. He always speaks of basketball as his dream, but more importantly he also says that basketball is a platform. It is a means to an end. The end is to spread his faith by glorifying God through basketball. It would be quite contradictory to this underlying purpose for playing basketball, that is to play in a Christ-like manner, if he decides to approach the game as a thug. However, it is true that Christians are no necessarily push-overs and their faith does not require them to be bullied. Christians are strong and steadfast, just not in in the basketball culture, but in their faith in their God.
DeleteIf I were Tebow's employer, I'd FIRE HIM (or at least trade him) for saying that football is "just a game".
DeleteTebow is getting paid millions of dollars to work as a professional. Other people's livelihoods depend on his football success in order to support their families. It is insulting to his employer and employees for demeaning their professional efforts down to the zero dollar value of a recreational support.
Tebow needs to MAN UP and show some respect for the people that make him financially able to spew such nonsense in the world media.
How many Christians are soldiers in the U.S. Army ?
ReplyDeleteHow can you run a business if you can't get tough against people who don't pay bills, cheat you, sue you for millions ?
Being Christian does not mean you must be weak and timid in front of others. Read the Bible, it does justify self defense and fighting war to protect the families and dignity of the land Israel.
That is a misconception that many Asian Christians have taken out of context to mesh with their own pacifist, conformist beliefs. If you talk to White, Black, Latino Christians ... they would agree that getting beat up is unfair and must be protested.
At the very least J. Lin should speak up against this bullying.
You payback those who don't pay bills, cheat you, sue you by suing them back with a great attorney, not by cheap shots or business sabotage. You may not win lawsuits but the end does not justify the means, lest you fall as low as those you are suing.
DeleteI read it somewhere one of his coach (probably Amaker) told him to "retaliate" by playing better and smarter. Not by cheap shots or physical intimidation.
I want him to be great not just in winning BB games, but in maintaining his Christ-focused character within these brutal games. If I have to pick bet. seeing him winning many NBA championships by becoming one-of-them, or stay true to his conviction, I pick the latter. I hope he does too!
You do not get payback on the basketball court by suing people. You get it by being tough and retaliating.
DeleteTommy Amaker is a great college coach, but he has never played or coached in the NBA. The NBA is a totally different game from college basketball and his relatively pacificist advice does not apply to the pro game.
I don't see Jeremy Lin sticking up for himself as being anti Christian. It would be anti Christian for him to allow others to bully him. Jesus hated bullies.
David Robinson, Avery Johnson, and AC.Green are examples of tough retaliatory NBA athletes who won championships AND held onto their Christian faith. I remember how David Robinson shoved around Joe Smith and Kevin Garnett when their defensive tactics got out of hand.
If Lin doesn't defend himself, he'll lose both God AND the NBA!
I'm not asking him to throw punches or do any hard fouls.
ReplyDeleteHE NEEDS TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST BULLYING. What Lin should do is stand up for himself and say out loud, "Hey, that was wrong ! You tried to intentionally injure me. That was a flagrant foul because they were not aiming to block the shot, they were aiming at my head !".
During the press conference, he should look right at the camera, and speak loudly, "That kind of hitting should not be allowed in the NBA. There are rules to this sport. What is the point of playing this game if people don't follow the rules!!?? ".
He did not even look up, and you can barely hear him speak. He was just mumbling, "Oh, it's OK." That shows a lack of poise and leadership. It shows that he is afraid in the NBA.
HOW IS THIS OK ???
Nobody else on the Knicks team is being fouled as hard as Lin is receiving. Should he accept this as part of his rookie hazing like last year ? Should he be afraid to speak out against this abuse, because he is Asian ???
Marc Gasol punched him in the mouth during a game vs. Memphis Grizzlies and did not get called for a foul. It's happening all over again in Lin's 2nd NBA season.
To say that "It's OK", is condoning the act of bullying against Asian children across America. Asian children are the most vulnerable targets and have much higher rates of being bullied.
If I was a father, I would never allow my son to be bullied and beaten up like that at school.
Being Asian or Christian does not mean it is OK to beat us up. Call the police, tell the teacher or principal, tell the media .... THIS MUST STOP !!
When I was in high school, I stole the ball away from another player in gym class cleanly.
DeleteThat player came after me and tripped me. I got up, pointed my finger at him, and got the teacher enraged. I didn't care what the teacher thought because all the other kids saw me stand up for myself. Nobody messed with me.
In one of my jobs as an adult, a racist bigwig who was NOT my boss acted up on me. Given the nature of the job, silence was prized. But after the job, I angrily went up to the contractor and told her that I didn't care who this bigwig was and I was going to stomp him physically if he or anybody like him tried thag again. She AGREED and I'm still working while the racist has disappeared.
Stand your ground, Asian American males!
Exactly, being an Asian Christian does not mean being passive, submissive, and not questioning abuse of authority. These are aspects of Asian culture, influenced by Confucianism and Buddhism.
DeleteWe need do change our role as passive victims in society. Being passive and docile in general, will not work in today's society.
I understand what you are trying to say...but no way he can get in front of the media and start crying about it....he'll lose all respect from every player in the game if he did that...He'd never do that....media game is a farce - you never say what you really feel you keep things insincere to protect yourself from public opinion and having your words taken out of context.
DeleteAgain, Jeremy has to handle himself by verbally confronting the next aggressor and pointing out that this is not going to be tolerated. That plus a big stepping up for him should be enough to stop the hassles. Just look how Blake Griffin is abused all the time since no one is watching his back anymore (ala Baron Davis).
Lin can mouth off all he wants.
DeletePlayers will laugh at him if he isn't willing to throw down or retaliate.
A hard foul here, a chestbump there, a knee attack during a layup attempt, a hard foreram to a moving pick, a brutal box out.that sends somebody flying out of bounds - that's what Lin needs to do to gain respect.
Dude...Lin has to maintain control of himself. If he loses his emotions and retailates or fights someone, that will invite more of a race war and guys will come after him more. He's one of the only Asians in NBA right now and he gets all the media love and attention, endorsements/money so envious players are taking shots at him. People will respect him more by taking it like a man and getting right back up and playing hard. I think verbally confronting someone will be accpeted by his peers but if he went off on someone and tried to retailiate esp another black player..it will cause the whole league to start coming after him more. He's got to be smart and just play. The refs will protect him and David Stern won't tolerate flagrant fouls on him for much longer. You have to choose right battles and win the war - got to use your mind at all times. Jeremy is smart and in control...if anything it takes more courage to take it and keep going back harder. Now if someone just literally embarrasses him then he'll have to take a stand but hard fouls - take them and make his free throws and win the game....that's the ultimate retailatory response.
DeleteIt already IS a race war.
DeleteUntil Lin stands up for himself, NO ONE will stand up for him. Not refs, not players, not franchises, not fans. Not even US.
The whole league is already coming for Lin. And why should Lin be a coward who fears anybody? If they all want a piece of him, LET EM COME!
When I was in college, I was in a dorm with the football players. All of them taunted me racially. Then when I had enough, I challenged two of the worst offenders and let it known that I'd fight ANYBODY who came after me. I was willing to risk health and academics to.stand my ground. That's when they all ACCEPTED me. We would go to parties and basketball and class together peacefully. I even captained an intramural basketball team of footballers that ended up playing terribly because we just weren't good.
Lin must learn how to hold his ground.
KHuang, you are rushing jeremy lin to do too much here..
Deleteyou cant change perspective of race in one day. Hence, fighting back physically, like u are saying, will not do anything.
I think the reactions are way overboard. Like seriously... chill out. What happened to Luis Scola getting his face stepped on is way worse than the hard foul on Lin. It definitely should have been called a flagrant foul but it's not like Dallas did it to him intentionally more than once. Frankly, nobody will bet his life and say that Kidd's intention was to hurt and maim. It happened once. He picked himself up and moved on. Anybody who plays basketball and drives into the land of giants repeatedly is bound to experience some hurt at some point. Geez.. I can't believe this is even a topic worth talking about.
DeleteYou can't believe this is a topic worth talking about because you refuse to see that teams have targeted Lin for physical intimidation.
DeleteJohn Wall headbutts Lin and splits Lin's chin open. Lebron James tuns over Lin. The Hornets bounce Lin around. The Celtics hack away with ref protection.
It would be one thing if indeed this foul were not an isolated incident. Instead, teams know that cheap shots can knock Lin out of games. Lin has been completely taken out of his game by the cheap shot artists.
What Lin does not realize is that it doesn't take a lot of retaliation to stop opponents from bullying him. A well placed retaliatory hit tends to reverberate around the NBA effectively.
Larry Bird was targeted by players because he was white. Every time somebody him with a cheap shot, he made sure he struck back HARD. If a player of Bird's excellence retaliated, so should Lin.
There is a serious double standard here. John Stockton can elbow guys in the head and punch guys that try to knock him out with picks. But if Lin does the same thing, everybody is all offended. That's because people think that Lin is an Asian American weakling who is supposed to be everybody's punching bag.
My experience is that the biggest bullies cry the loudest when I turn the tables on them and their friends. It is fun to beat down racial bullies and intimidate attackers into hesitating.
I've fought and WON the racial wars. Lin should learn from me.
I support Lin's family standing up to ask NBA to stop this kind of dirty play. I totally understand his family's feeling. NBA players should not play games like professional killers. Some people take your advantages from your kindness.
ReplyDeleteHope Lin will carefully protect himself in future games. Your life and health is very important for your family and people who love you. Don’t put too much pressure on your shoulder to win the games. We more care about your life and health than the games. God bless you!
Lin can protect his life and health by punishing anybody who attacks him.
DeleteWhen people see that they will get HURR by attacking Lin, they back off. Bullies only attack if they know that they themselves won't be severely damaged by a strong retaliatory response.
When I was a young boy, I had to fight daily at school. It was never 1 on 1, but up to 6 opponents at a time. Complaining to parents and teachers did not help.
Then I got MEAN. I systematically targeted every single bully and KICKED EACH GUY'S BUTT. I had to fight hard once or twice, and the rest were terrified when I came hunting for revenge.
After that, kids left me alone. I was in 4th grade. In 5th grade, my popularity soared because people regarded me as a TOUGH GUY. I only punched one big kid, and I hit him on the arm so hard I broke his watch. He never crossed paths with me again, and neither did the bystanders who saw me take him on with the full intent to teach him a lesson.
I am a small Asian American who's twice as small as Lin. But I reckon that I have TWICE THE FIGHT. I've learned the hard way that sometimes a man just has to kick butt in order to survive and keep enemies at bay.
A life of meek cowardice is no life to live.
It is certainly OK to protest to the media about the unfair ruling of Jason Kidd's attack to Jeremy. There may be barbarian players in NBA. But there are rules and rules has to be followed. Jason Kidd was already fined by NBA simply for critism comments on NBA officials. He should be fined again for flagrant foul on his violence toward Jeremy. You can write an email to NBA "contact us" to protest. If no one makes a fuss, they will continue doing it and not getting proper punishment. Apparently Jason Kidd has domestic violence record and certainly is not a model citizen. I am sure ESPN's commentator was fired because we "whined" to the media. And I think it is more appropriate coming from the vast of fans rather than Jeremy's family.
ReplyDeleteMike Nice wrote (after a potentially career-ending foul against Lin by 3 Maverick thugs with Kidd as the ring leader):
ReplyDelete"... Jason Kidd probably took heat from his team when Jeremy publicly praised Kidd after Knicks embarrassed Mavs - he said Jason was talking to me the whole game (encouraging him) and he's a class act. Jason didn't like that and he looked to be helping enemy beat his team so last night he went headhunting on Lin."
......................
I cringed for Jason Kidd when that interview came out following the game vs Mavericks on February 19th. I felt bad for Kidd that Lin was sharing with the world what should have been private, but to make the matter worse for Kidd, Lin blurted out (yes "blurted" because it's obvious that Jeremy didn't think about the ramification of what he was sharing) that Jason was talking to him "THE WHOLE GAME".... I could just imagine - especially since Mavs happened to lose that game - what kind of harassment Kidd must have been subjected to by his teammates: Man, did you share our game plan each time we took time out? Is that why you were soft on him? If you don't go after him like a 600 pound gorilla on steroid next time, you're a traitor!.... Still, what Kidd did to Lin was uncalled for. After looking at more videos of the incident, I feel that Lin got lucky he didn't get paralyzed or killed (hope he got a thorough physical check up by the team doctor - and another one from a private doctor for 2nd opinion.... I cannot believe the coach didn't take Lin out of the game to be examined after Lin missed both FT looking dazed).
Apparently, because they are both from the same area, and one has been famous for a long time and the other newly famous, the elder one was just being friendly and encouraging when occasionally they were benched at the same time - After all, how often do they cross paths during the regular season. An older player (or someone more street-smart) suddenly stumbling on fame might just answer something like "We're both from the Bay Area and we just said hello and stuff".
With all the interview demands and Lin being kind of naive and new at public relations, as well as him sharing too freely and name-dropping and what not, I wondered when blunders might occur. We live in such a tabloid-heavy era, and the more the media can publish mis-statements or unflattering/intrusive photos of famous people, the more $$$ they make. I think Lin should cut down on granting *unnecessary* or *unrequired* interviews (it only makes the media richer anyway).
I think the only reason Kidd was publicly as friendly as he was is because the Mavericks not only belongs to a different division, but also to another conference, which means the Knicks and the Mavericks meet only 2 times during the regular season. But every game is important to every team at all times: Each team is trying to make the playoffs... if they make the playoffs, they're trying to win the division... then their conference... then the #1 seed in the entire league for the home-court advantage. Thus when Mavs lost the game, I have no doubt that Kidd got flack from his teammates for being friendly to Lin during the game.