The Legacy of Linsanity, 10 Years Later

February 5, 2022 11:53 PM

One of the most fun periods of basketball I can remember. Every game my friends and I would get together and watch and every time there was a new highlight or memory to get excited about.

Over the next several weeks, former undrafted free agent Jeremy Lin would take New York, and the NBA world, by storm, averaging 21/8/4 in 14 games that February, while becoming one of, if not the biggest story in sports. From dropping 28 2 nights later in his first start, to going toe to toe with late-prime Kobe (RIP) on ESPN, and of course, the Valentine's Day game winner that had the Air Canada Centre sounding like The Garden, those few weeks were an experience no NBA fan, and especially no Knicks fans who experienced it, will ever forget, and combined with the Giants SB win a day later, was arguably the last time New York truly felt like the center of the sports universe

posted by 47WaysToLeaveYourLover (9 comments total)

mods, can you please retitle this to 'linsanity 5 years later' because I'm not ready for this.
posted by lkc at 12:28 AM on February 6, 2022 [16 favorites]

One thing Linsanity really highlights is just how much at the top tier of sports is down to luck and team and situation fit.
posted by srboisvert at 5:08 AM on February 6, 2022 [3 favorites]

I kept having to run out to the bar down the block to watch because a dispute between my cable provider and the MSG network kept the games off TV for much of Linsanity...
posted by AJaffe at 8:20 AM on February 6, 2022

I just remember that one big game... and I'm no Knicks fan, just happened to tune it. He was possessed by the basketball gods... wish it would have continued for longer.
posted by JeffKelly68 at 8:32 AM on February 6, 2022 [1 favorite]

The Linsanity documentary is very good. Injuries really robbed Lin of skill.
posted by One Hand Slowclapping at 9:00 AM on February 6, 2022

I worked at a yarn store when Linsanity was at its peak. I remember a few teenagers crocheting scarves in Knicks colors to give to Jeremy Lin, which was the sweetest thing. 💙🧡
posted by pxe2000 at 10:00 AM on February 6, 2022 [3 favorites]

Jeremy Lin was also a victim of the worst bias and outright racism the modern NBA has ever seen: Too Flagrant Not to Call

Which has never been addressed or even officially acknowledged as far as I can tell.
posted by jamjam at 11:13 AM on February 6, 2022 [5 favorites]

it was sad how quickly Linsanity turned to Lindifference.
posted by logicpunk at 1:23 PM on February 6, 2022

I got married in May 2012. I was supposed to have my bachelor party and go see a Knicks game in March and because they were so awful that winter, tickets were cheap. We didn’t get them right away as we took a head count. If anything, Knicks tickets would get cheaper as they lost more and more. Then Linsanity happened and tickets became absolutely astronomical. We went to a Red Bulls game instead (and saw 7 goals in a 5-2 win over Montreal).
posted by yeti at 10:13 AM on February 7, 2022 [1 favorite]