Jeremy Lin Inspires Fans and Rivals Alike to Excel

Jeremy Lin Inspires Fans and Rivals Alike to Excel
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
February 21, 2012

Summary: Half a month ago, you might have been indifferent about the NBA. Now however, you have begun watching basketball game broadcasts. Half a month ago, American basketball was a black and white world. Now however, the world has gone "Lin-sane" over the performance of a kid with a yellow face. Half a month ago, Asian Americans were frequently called "Chink!" Now however, throwing that word around could get a person fired.

Full Text below:

Half a month ago, you might have been indifferent about the NBA. Now however, you have begun watching basketball game broadcasts. Half a month ago, American basketball was a black and white world. Now however, the world has gone "Lin-sane" over the performance of a kid with a yellow face. Half a month ago, Asian Americans were frequently called "Chink!" Now however, throwing that word around could get a person fired.

These changes are all due to Jeremy Lin. In a mere half month. Jeremy Lin has changed his own destiny. He has changed the way people view destiny. Now people believe they make their own destiny.

Jeremy Lin's quickness and skill overcame the limitations of physical size. LIn shattered the myth that Asians cannot become basketball champions. Lin's head sports a halo from Harvard. Lin shattered the myth that sports does not require intelligence. Lin is at home with a pen as he is with a sword. He has added a spectacular page to the annals of basketball. He has sparked debate about the limits of human potential.

"Lin-sanity" has inspired praise for Lin's achievements. More importantly, many more people are sharing in his surprise and his joy. Take the Knicks, Lin pulled them out of a long slump. Take Coach Mike D'Antoni. Lin enabled him to implement his blitzkreig tactics. This enabled the two to emerge from obscurity and stand in the spotlight. Take New York. His "Lin-derella tale" has made the Big Apple proud. Take the NBA. The halo from an outstanding colorful Asian player has vastly expanded its market. Take Asian Americans. "Lin-sanity" has shattered racist psychological barriers. it has helped Asian Americans stand tall, with heads held high. Take children learning to play ball. Lin is model student, who excelled both in his studies and at sports. Take people who have suffered setbacks on the road of life. His "Lin-derella tale" has encouraged them and given them hope.

To insist that Jeremy Lin is "Taiwan's Glory," is to define him and his achievements far too parochially. It falls into the trap of racism we were trying to avoid in the first place. Jeremy Lin's success is something the public on Taiwan can be truly proud of. But LIn's significance reaches far beyond this. By blood, he is the product of locally born and Mainland born grandparents. He is the offspring of so-called "yam/tarot" forebears. He grew up as a dyed in the wool American kid. During his pursuit of a career in basketball, he was contemptuously dismissed based on his skin color. But in the end his extraordinary determination and intelligence transformed him from benchwarmer to sports star.

Note that Jeremy Lin gained fame playing the Nets only half a month ago. Yesterday, half a month later, he faced the Nets once more. This time he suffered a defeated. This confirms that basketball is a team sport, not a one man circus act. Half a month ago, during that game, Jeremy Lin subbed for an injured veteran who had to be benched. This gave him a chance to strut his stuff, to demonstrate his quickness and agility. Every player who participated in the previous game returned for yesterday's game. This time however, the Knicks tactics were disorganized and stiff. This suggests that the changes made by the Knicks coach and the team failed to keep pace with "Lin-sanity." The Knicks played nine games and lost twice, both times to weaker teams, including the recent loss to the Hornets. This may be worth noting.

One thing however stands out. Jeremy Lin is acutely aware of how his personal fame has changed his relationship to his team. He is seeking to perform at his personal best, while striving to retain his teammates' trust. The signs are obvious. During every game, he tries to make as many assists as possible. He tries to help his teammates score. This enables him to integrate himself into an attacking formation under his control. While playing the Kings, everyone was wondering whether Lin would break Shaquille O'Neal's scoring record. Jeremy Lin forsook the chance to break Shaq's record. Instead he made 13 assists. He helped seven of his teammates achieve double-digit scores. One might say that this is nothing more than what a point guard is supposed to to do. But it would be more accurate to say this was a demonstration of Jeremy Lin's basketball EQ. It was his unique way of earning his teammates' trust.

In the annals of basketball, Jeremy Lin is a breed apart, He is the second Harvard graduate in NBA history, He is seventh Asian player in NBA history. He refrains from exploiting his minority status. Even after a stellar performance, he remains modest. He credits the team for the win. Jeremy Lin's success is no accident. If not for his parents education and understanding, he could never have embarked on such a journey. If not for his love of basketball, he could never have developed his magical "man and ball are one" skills. If not for his devotion and faith, he could never have remained so grounded and generous amidst newfound superstar status. People forget. Lin is merely a 23-year-old kid.

If not for his two-year stint warming the bench, the Jeremy Lin legend would not be so dazzling, This is the source of "Lin-sanity." Scan the stands from the court, and one sees many in the audience wearing Jeremy Lin masks. They are projecting their own psyches on to him. Many NBA teams are busy studying Knicks tactics, trying to crack the "Lin method." Jeremy Lin has given followers and opponents alike the "Lin-spiration" to do better, That is Jeremy Lin's greatest achievement.

林書豪使朋友與對手都變得更好
【聯合報╱社論】
2012.02.22 09:04 am

半個月前，也許你根本不關心ＮＢＡ；現在，你開始看起籃球轉播。半個月前，美國籃壇只是黑人和白人的天下；現在，幾乎全球都在瘋一個黃皮膚小子的演出。半個月前，亞裔遭辱罵Chink的事時有所聞；現在，使用那個字眼的人可能會丟掉飯碗。

這些改變，全因林書豪而起。僅僅半個月，林書豪改寫了他自己的命運，他也改變了人們對命運的看法：命運是可以創造的。

林書豪以速度和美技突破了體格的限制，粉碎了亞洲人無法成為籃球高手的假說。他頂著哈佛的光環，打破運動不需要智慧的錯誤印象，允文也允武。他為籃球運動締造了美好的一頁，也激起了人們對人類可能性的大聲驚嘆。

「林來瘋」的傳奇，不僅讓人讚賞他的光芒，更重要的是，他的驚奇和喜悅能被許許多多人分享。對尼克隊而言，豪小子使它走出了長期的低迷；對教練丹東尼而言，找到了一個能實現他「快打戰術」的好手，使兩人從裁員邊緣變成世所矚目；對紐約而言，「豪小子」奇蹟增添了城市的驕傲；對ＮＢＡ而言，因亞裔球員的傑出光芒而更顯色彩繽紛，也擴大了市場；對美國亞裔而言，因種族心理藩籬的破除，而揚眉吐氣；對打球的孩子而言，多了一個文武雙全的偶像；對在人生道路上受挫折的人，因為林書豪的故事而得到莫大鼓舞。

把林書豪說成「台灣之光」，是窄化了他的表現，同時也掉入了大家原想避免的種族陷阱。林書豪的成功，台灣人與有榮焉；但「豪小子」崛起的意義，要遠大於此。在血緣上，他是父系加母系的「番薯芋頭」；在成長經驗上，他是如假包換的美國小子；在籃壇追逐的過程，他曾因膚色而受到壓抑與輕視；但最後他憑著過人的毅力和智慧，把自己從板凳球員變成了一顆璀璨的新星。

值得注意的是，半個月前，林書豪在對籃網之役暴紅；半個月後，昨天他再度面對籃網，卻以敗北收場。這恰恰說明了籃球是一種團隊比賽，而不是個人的特技演出。半月前那場比賽，林書豪因為隊上老將受傷而替補上陣，而得以大顯身手，將他個人快速、靈活的特質發揮到極致；昨天之役所有老將全部歸隊，尼克的打法反而失去體系和靈活。這說明尼克教練的調度，以及球隊的調整，都還沒跟上「林來瘋」的驟變。尼克近九場的兩次敗績，都輸給較弱的隊伍，包括日前輸給黃蜂，或許皆可作如是觀。

難得的是，林書豪非常意識到自己崛起與團隊關係的改變，他在追求表現之際，也努力維持隊友的信賴。最明顯的是，他每場比賽都製造大量助攻，幫助隊友得分，讓他們融入由他掌控及發動的攻擊隊形。對國王隊一役，當外界都在觀察他會不會打破「俠客」歐尼爾的得分紀錄時，林書豪放棄破紀錄的機會，卻送出十三次助攻，幫七位隊友取得兩位數以上的得分。與其說這是一名控衛的精神，不如說這是林書豪的籃球ＥＱ，也是他贏取團隊信任的不二法門。

在籃球史上，林書豪絕對是一個異數。作為ＮＢＡ史上的第二位哈佛畢業球員、第七名亞裔球員，他小心翼翼經營這個「少數」的位置；即使在大放異采後，他依舊保持謙抑，把榮耀歸諸團隊。林書豪的成功，也絕非偶然。若不是雙親的教養與理解，他不可能有如此華麗的人生冒險；若不是出於對籃球的熱愛，他不可能鍛練出如此「人球一體」的神奇技巧；也正因為有虔誠的信仰，他才能在暴紅後仍表現超齡的穩健與寬容，讓人忘了他不過是個廿三歲的小伙子。

如果沒有兩年板凳生涯的襯托，林書豪的傳奇就不可能如此炫麗，這正是「林來瘋」耐人咀嚼之處。在球場看台上，許多觀眾戴著林書豪的面具，把自己投射為他；在ＮＢＡ，許多球隊忙著研究尼克隊戰術，設法破解「林體系」。讓追隨者和對手都想要變得更好，這是林書豪最大的成功。