I don't get the Jeremy Lin obsession!!

[center rising]

Why is ESPN obsessing over this guy??

[JCMach1]

1. First Chinese American NBA star and one who came out of absoultely nowhere...

That makes a pretty good sports story.

[Ter]

20. First Chinese American, but there have been more Chinese, as in Yao Ming

[JonLP24]

22. Lin is of Tiwainese descent

First Asian-American since 1946

[hifiguy]

23. That is a hysterical picture.

Yao looks normal sized and Van Gundy looks like a dwarf from LOTR.

[Ter]

28. That's why I hate when people say size doesn't matter in fighting

A guy that much shorter would have to be an insanely good UFC-type fighter to take him down. I went to karate for 10 years, and saw guys 6'6 that didn't know anything about fighting take down tough-talking 5'8 1st degree black belts. Size matters plenty.

[SCantiGOP]

24. they carry the Knicks games on Taiwan TV now

[Iggo]

2. 9-20 with 8 turnovers, but...

...he hits the final shot, and...

...he loves the bible.

Sound familiar?

[center rising]

3. Yeah, I'm afraid it does.

No thanks, not interested in Tebow redux!!!

[Dembearpig]

5. And he plays in NYC

Yawn . . .

[RedCloud]

17. The turnovers are the clincher. Why does God let that happen?

[JonLP24]

4. He came out of nowhere and led the Knicks to 6 straight will putting up MVP numbers

I'm obsessing over the guy as well.

[ellisonz]

6. He broke the record for points scored in a players first 4 starts.

Seriously, I'm rooting for the guy. He's busting it out. How can you not be excited for Asian-Americans?

[HappyMe]

7. Yup.

Kicking ass, taking names.

[KamaAina]

21. When they're Teblow worshippers, that's when

"Actually a lot of inspiration just because such a polarizing figure but I think the things he says in interviews, his approach to the game is just unbelievable and I respect him so much. I want to be able to do some of the things that he does in terms of the amount of charity work and the non-profit work, and the way he impacts people off the field. I think that is what is most inspiring to me about him."

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/02/jeremy-lin-says-tim-tebow-is-his-inspiration/1

Excuse me while I .

[ellisonz]

26. I for one...

...as someone who is religious, and has many religious friends, find the amount of hostility towards those who are religious to be not consistent with liberalism. Yes, I don't think anyone should have religion shoved down their throat, but I don't think it's the root of all evil in the world.

[RiffRandell]

8. Don't you mean the "Lin-sanity?"

Sorry, had to say it.

[Orrex]

9. That's the game with the orange ball and the two circles at the end of the playing area, right?

Zzzzzzz.

[hifiguy]

10. 90% of it is because he plays for the Knicks.

ESPN probably devotes more air time to the Giants and the Jets than any other five NFL teams combined. Pure New York-centrism. If Lin were playing for the Bucks or the Blazers, or my Timberwolves for that matter, he'd get the occasional name-check like Wolves rookie Ricky Rubio does.

That Lin is an Ivy Leaguer is kind of cool, though. You don't see many of them in the bigs of any sport.

[bluedigger]

11. Because it's a heck of a story?

And it's midwinter and midseason for everything else.

[RZM]

12. Lots of things here that are different from your normal NBA story

He's a breakout star who came out of nowhere. His team is on a winning streak. Plus he's Asian and went to Harvard. Each one of those circumstances would be cause for eyebrows to be raised. Put them all together in one player and you've got a real story.

Floyd Mayweather would agree with you though:

Unbeaten boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. has posted a swipe at the New York Knicks' point guard sensation on Twitter.

Mayweather posted on Monday: "Jeremy Lin is a good player but all the hype is because he's Asian. Black players do what he does every night and don't get the same praise."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/02/13/sports/s173919S14.DTL#ixzz1mSjtKpIm

Ironic since Mayweather has been doing all he can to avoid fighting an Asian man for quite a while now.

And here's Fox Sports' Jason Whitlock on twitter after the Knicks' victory the other night:

Some lucky lady in NYC is gonna feel a couple inches of pain tonight.

http://jimromenesko.com/2012/02/12/jason-whitlock-apologizes-for-lin-tweet/

Stay classy, haters.

[NoGOPZone]

13. Football season's over, so the Post and the Daily news

don't have a lot to write about the Giants anymore. Fans of the first place Rangers must be asking when their team is going to get some love.

[center rising]

14. The Red Wings have won 21 straight home games, but

Jeremy Lin is all ESPN wants to talk about. Makes me sick!!!!

[HopeHoops]

15. He's, um, "large".

[Sanity Claws]

16. New York is excited about him

And I understand why NY is crazy about him. He is the first Chinese-American to hit the NBA big time. Asian-Americans are a big demographic in NY and this means a lot of new fans for the Knicks and basketball.

As for why ESPN is excited, I have no idea. I thought it was a more local phenomenon.

[otohara]

18. Taiwanese Tebow

that's what their calling him, because he too is a Christian and wants to be a pastor.

So he's good, better than Tebow, but his Christian creds will play well in our Christian land

[LoveMyCali]

19. He's also a great story

because he's been overlooked forever. Not drafted into the NBA, cut by 2 teams without getting a chance, and then only signed to a 10-day contract by the Knicks. He was sleeping on his brother's couch because he didn't know if he would stick with this team either so he didn't want to get a place of his own. Now he's added a spark to an underacheiving team and they have won 6 or 7 straight.

Who doesn't love an underdog?

[hifiguy]

25. That much is true.

Lin is a classic underdog - cut by a couple of teams, an unknown who gets a break and plays well. Everyone who even casually followed college football knew who Tebow was and if you are an NFL fan there was no way to avoid the babble when the Broncos took him in the first round.

Nobody but his family would have recognized Lin two weeks ago. THAT is an underdog.

[bigwillq]

27. I'm loving the Linsanity!

Not a knicks fan, but I think it's a great story!