R_of_G
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You guys that follow the NFL thread know by now of my growing frustration with ESPN and their ever-increasing model of promoting personalities in sports over the sports themselves.
The Tim Tebow story arc was the most recent example, but once the football season ended, I figured that was thankfully going to end.
Along comes Jeremy Lin.
I don't understand why ESPN can't cover the "Linsanity" phenomenon without having to compare it to "Tebowmania." I mean, yes, they both captivated the media, but the network is suggesting other similarities which I find insulting to both Jeremy Lin and the collective intelligence of the viewing audience.
According to the ESPN spin, both "came out of nowhere" when "nobody believed in them" to "carry their teams to victories."
Since when is winning two BCS championships, a Heisman trophy considered "coming out of nowhere"? The SEC is essentially a farm league for future NFL talent. Lin played college ball in the Ivy League, which has put just about enough players in the NBA over the course of history to field a single team.
Tebow was the twenty-second overall pick in the draft. That suggests somebody believed in him. The fans berating John Fox and John Elway for not playing him surely seemed to believe in him. By contrast, Lin wasn't drafted at all, and was cut by two teams prior to the Knicks without ever really getting many minutes. Also, I can't remember too many fans shouting at Mike D'Antoni to make Lin the starting point guard.
I won't even get into the competence issue as I've done that at length in the NFL thread, but let it suffice to say I think Lin is performing at a higher level. Obviously they play different sports, but their roles on their teams' offenses are quite similar.
It's getting to the point of creepiness that ESPN seems to go to such great lengths to keep Tebow in the conversation. Let Jeremy Lin's story play out on its own. Maybe it's because I'm a Knicks' fan, but I find the story to be compelling enough without having to wedge Tebow into the mix.
Also, the network announced yesterday that it's removing Ron Jaworski from the MNF broadcast team to give him an expanded studio role. An expanded role for Jaws is a good thing as he's the finest analyst working right now, but he is not being replaced, leaving only Mike Tirico as the lone non-Gruden voice. I will be watching all MNF games now with the sound off.
The Tim Tebow story arc was the most recent example, but once the football season ended, I figured that was thankfully going to end.
Along comes Jeremy Lin.
I don't understand why ESPN can't cover the "Linsanity" phenomenon without having to compare it to "Tebowmania." I mean, yes, they both captivated the media, but the network is suggesting other similarities which I find insulting to both Jeremy Lin and the collective intelligence of the viewing audience.
According to the ESPN spin, both "came out of nowhere" when "nobody believed in them" to "carry their teams to victories."
Since when is winning two BCS championships, a Heisman trophy considered "coming out of nowhere"? The SEC is essentially a farm league for future NFL talent. Lin played college ball in the Ivy League, which has put just about enough players in the NBA over the course of history to field a single team.
Tebow was the twenty-second overall pick in the draft. That suggests somebody believed in him. The fans berating John Fox and John Elway for not playing him surely seemed to believe in him. By contrast, Lin wasn't drafted at all, and was cut by two teams prior to the Knicks without ever really getting many minutes. Also, I can't remember too many fans shouting at Mike D'Antoni to make Lin the starting point guard.
I won't even get into the competence issue as I've done that at length in the NFL thread, but let it suffice to say I think Lin is performing at a higher level. Obviously they play different sports, but their roles on their teams' offenses are quite similar.
It's getting to the point of creepiness that ESPN seems to go to such great lengths to keep Tebow in the conversation. Let Jeremy Lin's story play out on its own. Maybe it's because I'm a Knicks' fan, but I find the story to be compelling enough without having to wedge Tebow into the mix.
Also, the network announced yesterday that it's removing Ron Jaworski from the MNF broadcast team to give him an expanded studio role. An expanded role for Jaws is a good thing as he's the finest analyst working right now, but he is not being replaced, leaving only Mike Tirico as the lone non-Gruden voice. I will be watching all MNF games now with the sound off.
