#Linsanity!

Jeremy Lin (left)/AP Images

Jeremy Lin: the newest sensation

By Braedan Ritter
Let it wash over you. Accept him as the greatest basketball player to ever take the court. That may be too far, but it is that kind of time. People get carried away, and I am finally joining the fun. 

I’m not a Knick’s fan. I’m actually pretty far from it, but this run by Jeremy Lin has been awesome so far. He has come from anonymity to internet hero in just a few games. 

How did this happen? Well, Lin is averaging 28.5 points on 57.5 shooting, to go along with eight assists and 3.8 rebounds in the four games he has started. In those games he faced off against Deron Williams, John Wall and Kobe Bryant. Actually against the Lakers he played against Derek Fisher’s corpse, but Kobe’s name sounds better in that spot. Granted the Nets and Wizards are pretty horrible basketball teams, and neither probably scouted for him, it’s still time to buy a Lin jersey. 

A negative person would point out the 4.3 turnovers he is averaging and suggest his run will end very soon. But who cares whether or not he will have just 15 minutes of fame, a season or a career? He is doing this without Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. The two stars of this team are being surpassed by some 23 year old, who is sleeping on his brother’s couch. He saved his coach’s job and perhaps the Knicks season. 

So why can’t we just accept Lin for what he is; whatever that may be. Let’s have fun and enjoy this ride Lin is taking us on. He out-dueled Kobe, Wall and Williams. He’s not better than any of those players, but he showed them Ivy Leaguers can ball. And he showed fans of basketball, and millions of others, how to truly have fun watching sports. The unexpected is the biggest reason to tune in to sports. 

He is making Knicks fans forget about Carmelo Anthony for the time being. Would anyone have predicted that? He is forcing SportsCenter to show something other than Spike Lee during Knicks highlights. And he is making a city forget they have a sub-500 team. 

Go to any sports website or watch ESPN and Lin is the leading story. 

Not only is he taking over games, but he is taking over Twitter. He is trending every single time he plays. My Twitter feed becomes Lintimate talk. The New York Times charted his rise through tweets. 

When you watch him, you can tell he loves the game. It’s not about numbers, even though he is putting up great ones. He’s looking for the open man, making the best play and therefore winning games.

So come join me on the Jeremy Lin bandwagon. No one knows how long it will last, It could end tonight. Hell, it could have ended before this story runs. But that’s the joy. He could be a flash in the pan, or he could be a legitimate starting point guard and have a solid career. I don’t know which one will happen, but I am going to sit back and enjoy this. 

Please, join me.