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Off the Cuff: Bringing In Jeremy Lin

by Dalen Cuff on December 27th, 2011 at 12:46 pm

I’m on a train going to cover some games today, but wanted to give some quick thoughts on the Jeremy Lin signing.

I have covered the Ivy League since finishing my playing career at Columbia in 2006.  There is still argument amongst many Ivy League aficionados as to who was the best player to come through the league this millennium.  But one thing no one argues about is who the biggest surprise was.  Undoubtedly, it was Jeremy Lin.  He was never bestowed a ton of hype coming into Harvard but over his first 2 seasons went from good role player to the most versatile and dangerous player in the league in his Junior and Senior campaigns.  During his Junior year, he was the only player in the country to rank in the top 10 in their conference across all statistical categories.  In his senior year, he lit up UConn for 30pts (61% from field), 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 monster dunks that put him on the national map.   To those of us that followed the league, it just vindicated what we had been saying for some time.  He may not look like a physical freak, and yes went to Harvard, but the kid can play.

In terms of his game now, he doesn’t do anything great but does everything well.  He’s a combo guard, not a true PG but able to play either position.  He’s a decent 3 point shooter. His mid-range game is his bread and butter.   He is a patient guy on the wing and uses his body well to create space off the pivot.   The most interesting thing about his game is he’s a sneaky good athlete.  He has a good first step and can finish over guys.  He has a solid handle and good court vision.   He has long arms for a guard and good anticipation on the defensive end of the court, which enables him to get a lot deflections and steals.   He’ll need to show improvement in is his lateral quickness on the ball and defending the pick and roll.  The Knicks will need Lin to step up in this area and keep guys out of the lane.

In terms of his role for this squad, he should be a solid guy off the bench.  With Bibby coming back, I think he’ll get most of the 2nd unit minutes at PG with Lin getting some time at PG and SG (maybe 10 mpg total).  He doesn’t have the upside of Shumpert or the same type of physical talent but will be able to pick his spots on offense, play very hard on defense, and rebound from the guard spot.  Lin will help this team most in terms of his effort and basketball IQ.  He’s bounced around the league already in only 1 full season so he will be looking to make an impression in the country’s biggest market.  Looking at this team and the city it represents, the way to do that is by defending, rebounding and just being tough.  I think he’ll understand that and bring all those things to the table.  Additionally, he won’t do a lot to hurt you.  Obviously he is intelligent coming from Harvard, but he really understands the game and the right way to play it.  He may not be the seasoned veteran many people want added to the team, but he will bring it every day and has the intangibles to help this team until B Davis and Shump get healthy again.

Dalen Cuff is a basketball analyst for Columbia University and MSG Varsity and will be breaking down X’s and O’s for theknicksblog.com all season. Follow him on twitter here.

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About Dalen Cuff

Basketball analyst. Student of the game on all levels that knows and appreciates quality hoops. View all posts by Dalen Cuff →
  • OLD KNICK

    OFF TOPIC

    This is what was said about Carmelo Anthony…. What say you agree or disagree????

    “Basically, he’s LeBron James, only a 1/2 step slower, but with a jump shot that is 20x more consistent.”

    http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2011/12/2011-12-eastern-conference-preview-the-legends-carmelo-anthony-and-my-prediction-for-eastern-conference-champion/

  • johneco

    Great, another combo guard.
    And someone whose main game is the midrange (which is totally crowded by our whole front line).
    But anyway, he’s young and worth a look, beggars can’t be choosers and it’s a nonguarantee.

  • BadNewsBrown

    I think he is a solid addition, his game looks as if it is ideal for a D’Antoni run offense. He does a good job of attacking the basket as well. And if you watched the knick/Celtic game when Melo was on the bench no Knick player besides Shumpert attacked the basket…The 3rd quarter especially ….they looked lost on Offense Landry needs to step up especially when Melo is on the bench

    Note to self: Order Chinese takeout before the Knick game starts :D

  • BadNewsBrown

    I’m basically Warren Buffet just a couple billion dollars poorer O_o

  • http://twitter.com/Trace_PlatinumS Tracy Crum

    Being a combo guard isn’t necessarily a bad thing in this offense. The PG MUST be a scoring threat at all times. that’s what helps to spread the floor. When the PG penetrates and draws defenders it will open up passing lanes. Right now TD simply doesn’t do this and actually avoids traffice and Bibby is too slow. Lin will be able to drive and kick. I like the pick up.

  • xmen_returns

    LOL

  • chito31

    If that’s the case, I’ll take it.

  • OLD KNICK

    LOL at least you kept it basketball related… O_o

  • Tired_OF_FakeRumors

    I cant understand why the knicks signed bibby over carlos arroyo?!?!?!?! Bibby is washed up. If they wanted a PG that will get their players where they have to be and hit an open jump shot from the 3 poit line or mid range, arroyo was the guy.

  • BiggieSmalls

    i like Lin.. as a player I was rooting for him last year and hoped he could get here as a FA.. but I think there were better long term options rather than signing a guy to sit on the bench for a month..

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_3RGKXYRB3RFODDMZLHZFE7JGFE NAC

    Nah…

  • Knicks4Life

    I like the pickup but will temper my expectations for now. He has to pick up the offense in order to run it, and the Knicks don’t have many practices to teach it to him.

    I doubt he gets many minutes and when he does play I assume the Knicks will have to run very simple sets. I would have preferred a more pure PG but there are not many of those out there. For what he brings and for what he is costing the Knicks (virtually nothing) I like the pickup.

    Now if somebody could just get Amare to rebound.

  • http://profiles.google.com/achow318 Anson Chow

    +1 i observed the same thing. All the guards except shump just danced around the 3pnt line back and forth with absolutely no penetration. They also always picking up their dribble and leaving to pointless ball movement and wasted shot clock. From what i saw of Lin in golden state he has game is also smart, check out his youtube channel :)

    (I’m chinese so prob. bias here)

  • OLD KNICK

    Knicks Rumors: Addition of Jeremy Lin Is a Sign That Kenyon Martin Is NY-Bound

    http://bleacherreport.com/articles/999225-knicks-rumors-addition-of-jeremy-lin-is-a-sign-kenyon-martin-is-big-apple-bound

    REALLY??? SMH!!!

  • OLD KNICK

    OFF TOPIC

    Warriors’ Curry won’t play against Knicks: report

    For the second straight game, the Knicks will not have to worry about their opponent’s best player.

    According to USA Today, the Warriors’ Stephen Curry will sit out Wednesday’s game against the Knicks, who beat the Celtics playing without Paul Pierce in their opener. Curry hurt his ankle in the preseason and tweaked the injury in Monday night’s win over 99-91 win over the Bulls.

    They did X-Rays (Monday) night. Everything’s fine. It’s ok,” his agent Lance Young told the paper.

    “It’s just a sprain. Nothing serious. With this shortened season and back-to backs, for him to be able to get four days of rest and get ready for Saturday (against the Philadelphia 76ers), he thought that (sitting out Wednesday) probably would be the right thing.”

    The former Davidson star had 21 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds against the Bulls’ Derrick Rose before re-injuring the ankle in the fourth quarter.

    Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/warriors_curry_won_play_against_Yd4D4v8iquxYl6A7QzR9bM#ixzz1hlMTQyRi

  • So4realNY

    Smart move since he’s coming off surgery. Who is the backup 2?

  • ImNewYorkWhereEva

    It’s conceivable.

  • So4realNY

    + Arroyo can play some D

  • BadNewsBrown

    “(I’m chinese so prob. bias here)”

    No, not at all you gave a fair assessment. And bias for your fellow countrymen is only natural we “ALL” do it.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_3RGKXYRB3RFODDMZLHZFE7JGFE NAC

    From these two comments I would almost think Carlos Arroyo is someone an NBA team has bothered to pay money

  • knickfantoo

    Yesssirrr!!!!!!!!!! +1

  • VerysilentJay

    Personally, I’ve never put much substance into bleacherreport news.

  • Bubery

    Arroyo is making more in Istanbul than we were willing to pay him…It’s about bringing in KMart.

  • VerysilentJay

    As a stop-gap. it seems like a good option. Young, coachable, and has veterans that can help him along the way.
    Since the offense doesn’t seem to be polished -don’t know what the coach wants the offense to look so it’s no use to speculate- I’d imagine his job will be, with limited minutes he’ll get, to spread the floor as well as he can and drain the open shot when called upon.
    If he can do that, I’ll be more than happy.

    As far as Amare goes, that’s just a whole other monster. I’d imagine that a player of his caliber, looking to make a statement both as a player and as captain of a team with contention aspirations, that he’ll look to pick it up.
    Will he allow David Lee to have a career game against him? We’ll see.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_3RGKXYRB3RFODDMZLHZFE7JGFE NAC

    Jeremy L… DAMMIT JAX!

    Actually, Brandon Rush

  • knickfantoo

    VerySilentjay, I hate to say this…, but I do believe D.Lee will have a career game against Stat. History is the best teacher:

    -K.Love 31 pts 31 rebs
    - Bass 20 pts 11 rebs
    - Boozer 19 rebs (one game last season)
    - etc

    Hopefully, I’m wrong because the PG & PF positions are stacked in this league. Almost every team has a decent or above average pg & pf. If Stat is not ready to play every night as a PF (def & rebounding), we may experience technical difficulties.

  • http://www.theknicksblog.com/ DaveTheRave1

    I hope Lin works out, but don’t know how u can say he’s solid when no one wants him and he hasn’t accomplished anything yet.

  • Jason Capo

    I see Lin as what Barbosa was to the Suns a few years back. Barbosa could hit the jumper and take it to the basket. D’Antonio love Barbosa. Maybe, Lin becomes that guy off the bench. A spark plug if you will.

    The kids got game.

  • Blockerton

    Wow this guy’s generating more controversy than Tim Tebow lol

  • So4realNY

    I agree, Bibby can’t penetrate only pick and roll or set jump shot. If you look at Lin’s highlights he displays a deceptive first step and he can finish at the rim by creating space.

  • Knicks4Life

    The coach (meaning Woodson) should put Chandler on D. Lee and Amare and Bierdrins

  • Knicks4Life

    Excellent news from a Knicks perspective and something I posted about before the season started. Knicks really lucked out to start the season. They also play the Lakers without Bynum and a banged up Kobe (although he is still playing out of his mind).

  • VerysilentJay

    Agreed, but I think the FO’s just looking at him as a stop gap. He’ll probably be cut if Grunwald even sniffs having chance of signing KMart imo.

  • moderatethis

    HA

  • Knicks4Life

    Lin is a temporary option. If he shows something my guess would be that the Knicks trade Balkman or somebody else who is out of the rotation (Jordan) in March for a second round pick. We’ll see how real Kenyon’s interest is in NY soon.

  • thatsagoodpoint

    Why? Is he a devout Budhist or something?

  • FRANKGIFFORDFAN

    Bill Bradley was the best Ivy league player.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_X5VMPPXV6LBJICVYA24Y6KLLTM Keith

    yes being the best player in your league in college, and graduating harvard–he hasn’t accomplished anything–you are right. This sounds like the ‘against Obama argument’ from back in the day.

    ‘no one wants him’ except the Knicks, and two other NBA franchises.

    i think you mean to say he has limited NBA experience, and ‘solid’ should be reserved for players who proved they belong in the NBA for a long time. John Wall not being one.

    Lin > Wall. just guessing really but wall has showed me nothing.

  • FRANKGIFFORDFAN

    Al Iannazzone: #Knicks have 15 guys, but Lin won’t get guarantee. Figure he’s a #ny 2-4 wks or less -Shumpert’s timeframe. Feb. 6 pacts become guaranteed. Twitter

  • TheHonorableHaS

    Nice piece man, welcome to the blog.

    …he will be looking to make an impression in the country’s biggest market. Looking at this team and the city it represents, the way to do that is by defending, rebounding and just being tough.

    Unless your name is Ama_’e Stou_emi_e.

    Fans have gotten soft I guess.

    Nothing to hate or love (yet) about bringing Lin in. Not sure if he’ll play or not, but it can’t hurt to give him a shot. I wish him luck.

  • FRANKGIFFORDFAN

    The Knicks lost out on Steph Curry by one pick.Were they unable to move up?

  • http://www.theknicksblog.com/ DaveTheRave1

    I hope Lin works out, but don’t know how u can say he’s solid when no one wants him and he hasn’t accomplished anything yet.

  • http://www.theknicksblog.com/ DaveTheRave1

    I hope Lin works out, but don’t know how u can say he’s solid when no one wants him and he hasn’t accomplished anything yet.

  • OLD KNICK
  • http://www.theknicksblog.com/ DaveTheRave1

    I hope Lin works out, but don’t know how u can say he’s solid when no one wants him and he hasn’t accomplished anything yet.

  • http://www.theknicksblog.com/ DaveTheRave1

    I hope Lin works out, but don’t know how u can say he’s solid when no one wants him and he hasn’t accomplished anything yet.

  • DaveTheRave09

    I hope Lin works out, but don’t know how u can say he’s solid when no one wants him and he hasn’t accomplished anything yet.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_M7IGOUUFZSFT2HGYMDTN2R6MTA Jay

    This guy Lin stinks

  • C0P0

    Like him and think he’s a good pick up!
    Been checking Lin since he was in Harvard.
    Again, I really like the potential in this kid.
    Dalen’s piece was spot on!

    Tho’ he’s a combo guard, he’s a better PG than Douglas is equipped to be.
    Sure, that’s a low bar but The Knicks didn’t go beneath it.
    Actually how could they? LOL Sorry Toney.

    Lin, a NBA sophomore, is expected to play smart, which he can
    and be a stop gap. Miracles, if any, will be a by product.
    Lin just needs to do his thing, play hard, stay healthy and hold it down until the calvary arrives.

    Welcome to The Big Apple kid!
    Let’s Go Knicks!

  • C0P0

    And Douglas doesn’t. LOL

  • knickfantoo

    On a side note:

    WTH?!?!?!? I ordered NBA league pass with my local cable provider and it says, “temporarily not available.”

    Now I have to watch the Celtics play Eddy Curry and the “Maimi EAT”!!!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_BJTD7K36QTWRAPU7MHUKAWE3YE NoVaCaInE

    Didn’t take long for you to get into mid season Amar’e bashing form. :)

    No mater how long you continue to bash him every single day until you are blue in the face, he is who he is. A great scorer and good help defender who at the end of the year will give you 22 ppg 9 rebs 1+ bpg. _i_k won last year averaging less rebounds and is even worse defensively. Knicks did a great job adding a piece to help mask our PF issues and they will continue to build around that. The same way Dallas did for _i_k with Chandler, Stevenson, Kidd, Marion, etc, etc.

    You are wasting your time bashing Amar’e everyday. Be happy that we finally have a core to build around that can win with the right pieces added to it. Haven’t been able to say that about the Knicks in a really long time.

    Agree with you on Lin. Even tho I wish the front office would have went into the season with a real PG. Still don’t get the Bibby signing or the reasoning behind Douglas being the starting PG.

  • BronxBoy1
  • http://twitter.com/mikeplugh Mike Plugh

    “Obviously he is intelligent coming from Harvard”

    I don’t think there’s anything obvious about this at all. Just because a person attends Harvard doesn’t mean that they’re intelligent…at least relative to other environments. Dave Bing is obviously a brilliant guy, who went to Syracuse, but you don’t hear that he’s “obviously intelligent coming from ‘Cuse.” Harvard isn’t an automatic. It’s just a school with ivy on the walls that attracts a lot of famous and brilliant professors (who don’t always make great educators), smart students, and a lot of rich folks who probably couldn’t compete with the hungry kids at state schools.

    I don’t know how intelligent Jeremy Lin is, despite the fact that it might be obvious he knows how to play the game well.

  • realmet

    I know everybody harps on the pt guard position and I do get it, but we are not winning anything with Landry Fields as our starting 2 guard. That guy is so over rated.

  • johneco

    Did they reject you or something?
    You say yourself they attract a lot of smart students. Anyway, who cares, how smart do you have to be to understand hoops?

  • johneco

    Dallas just won with Deshawn Stevenson as their starting 2

  • http://twitter.com/mikeplugh Mike Plugh

    Harvard=smart is like NY Pizza=best. There’s some truth in there, but there are also plenty of crap NY pizza spots and plenty of great pizza spots in other places. It’s lazy thinking.

    It probably doesn’t matter to most Knicks Blog fans, but it’s the equivalent of calling the white player “gritty and gutty and heady,” while calling the black player “athletic with a natural feel for the game.”

    I study language and culture, so it means something to me. If it doesn’t to anyone else…JOHN STARKS ROCKS!!!111

  • http://twitter.com/mdassin1 Mike Dassinger

    ivy league schools dont offer athletic scholarships. harvard just offered him a guratanteed starting spot on their squad. so he had to pay like any other student and work double as hard during the basketball season.

    that being said, according to his wiki – he graduated with over a 3.0 GPA / economics degreee…thats pretty smart in my book.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_BJTD7K36QTWRAPU7MHUKAWE3YE NoVaCaInE

    Stevenson > Fields

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_BHJLFDUARUDEWGEMPKXMVPPOUI A.K.A

    This Lin guy looks as comfortable with the ball then any of our current backcourt of Douglas and Bibby ..i say let him run
    he seems like a decent shooter and has the ability to create off the dribble..one thing i noticed is his head stays up no matter what ..so he is seeing the play as he creates it also Defensively he can cause problems
    i would’ve like to see Nate or Earl Boykins join but Lin will have to do
    until we get kenyon martin cause our weakness now is Rebounding

  • TheHonorableHaS

    Who said anything about Nowitzki?

    I just want the effort, that’s all. If he got 8 boards a game every night and I saw a legitimate effort out there for 35-40 (or whatever he played) I can live with that.

    If Samardo Samuels or Tyler Hansbrough go off on him for career nights, or a 40 year old, slow as molasses Ilgauskas or Andre Blatche get double doubles on him in the 1st quarter, but I see him busting his a** to defend them, I’ve got no problem. I’ll live with it.

    However, if you can watch Ama_’e play on both ends of the floor and you don’t see the difference in his effort, activity and energy level when he has the ball and when he doesn’t then you must be watching one of those old portable b/w TV sets,

    I’m hard on him because I know he can do better, I’ve watched him be engaged in basketball games, his playoff run in his contract year comes to mind). I’ve seen him dominate the glass when he’s wanted to. Or make the effort to stop his man or any other man from getting to the basket.

    I want that Ama_’e. I think that Ama_’e could eclipse 3 consecutive double doubles (his season high last year smh) in his sleep.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_M7IGOUUFZSFT2HGYMDTN2R6MTA Jay

    Douglas is the best we have which is not saying much

  • C0P0

    Chances are, if I have a Black Belt in Jujitsu, I could throw you to the ground easier than most.

    Graduating from Harvard with a 3.0 GPA and an Economics Degree, indicates to the world you’re pretty smart.

    Part of being smart is comprehending the obvious.
    Or is that not obvious to you?

    Why would you go down this path otherwise? SMH

  • CL4

    I don’t think we’re going to find a magic pill at this point. Lin is here just to hold us over until Bibby/Shump/Baron heal up.

    His greatest role might be Landry’s new Andy. Lol.

  • moderatethis

    You have to be smart to get into Harvard no?

    Obama went to Harvard

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_BJTD7K36QTWRAPU7MHUKAWE3YE NoVaCaInE

    I feel you. You didn’t mention _i_k but I feel as if he gets a pass way to often (even from our own fans) while Amar’e gets bashed. Tyson played with _i_k and masked his lack of D and rebounding. All of a sudden he’s a top 5 player.

    I agree STAT needs to be more consistent. The way he played vs Miami and Boston in the playoffs is how he should play every game. I too get annoyed when the focus isn’t there but I don’t kill him every day. Melo has shown a lot more focus defensively so far this year and I feel he and Chandler will get him on board. Amar’e has to break old habits. Now that he finally has leadership on his team I think he will buy in.

  • http://twitter.com/raindancers12 Antonio

    We should have signed Scottie Reynolds. A legit 3 pt threat and high assist point guard. Just got let go by Utah, Lin can’t shoot to save his life. Yes he gets steals b/c of his quickness, but he’s not a strong defender. Reynolds has vision, can pass and pick ‘n roll and most importantly, can spread the floor. Lin is not an offensive threat so no need to guard him closely. We got a band aid for our PG defecit, when we could have gotten a guy with solid play and potential to learn from Baron Davis. All American, D league all star and best player on his team in college and D league. This cat can lead and he deserved a 10 day contract instread of Lin.

  • TheOneNOnly_Q

    really awful pickup…

  • http://twitter.com/mikeplugh Mike Plugh

    Well, I think you’re “smarter” at jujitsu than I am, and probably better than Jeremy Lin as well. Graduating from Harvard with a 3.0 shows that you’re good at a particular set of skills that includes taking tests, understanding what professors want to read in compositions, and the like.

    I’m just saying…it’s not at all “obvious” that someone is smart relative to all the other smart people of the world just because they went to Harvard. Plenty of people have sent the United States to senseless wars and crashed our economy who have Harvard degrees. Comprehending “the obvious” assumes that the obvious is in fact what you think it is, which I’m saying it’s not. What you think is obvious might just as well be misperception, selective perception, or just plain wrong.

    The problem is, “smarts” and “intelligence” are never defined. We just raise people up on a pedestal because we attribute characteristics to them built on symbolic associations rather than important nuance. As I said, you probably don’t care about all that. I teach the subject at university, so I care. If you do care, look into Wittgenstein, Charles Sanders Peirce, Roland Barthes, Alfred Korzybski, Wendell Johnson, and S.I. Hayakawa.

  • TheHonorableHaS

    Dude. Where have you been on this blog? I hate Dirk.

    LOL

    I do respect his offensive game/repertoire though.

  • http://twitter.com/lovethoseknicks Statmandu

    Good job Dalen.

  • C0P0

    Perhaps I am better at Jujitsu and Jeet Kune Do, to be specific, still we delineate what is smart based on a “COMMON” understanding of learning and metrics.

    Granted anything greater than a cocktail conversation for anyone who cares, which I do, into the fascinating exploration of logic, value and philosophy, is far beyond me and a basketball blog.

    Yet, it doesn’t negate what a 3.0 GPA from Havard represents to the common person. Your understanding on the matter is uncommon and far more analytical than most.

  • http://profiles.google.com/thomashughesmd Thomas Hughes

    Nice analysis, but your grammar is awful for someone who attended Columbia.

  • http://profiles.google.com/thomashughesmd Thomas Hughes

    Most people would agree that smart = high IQ and/or mastery over a significant volume of knowledge. Harvard grads tend to have both. I’m sorry, but your posts come across as bitter and ridiculous.

  • http://twitter.com/Dcuff21 Dalen Cuff

    Check out the lengthy thread regarding my statement that it’s “obvious” Lin is smart bc he went to Harvard. I guess that applies here to your assumption that my grammar should be better given my Alma Mater. Haha.

    Your point is noted, obviously not a trained writer and haven’t been knocking out academic papers in the last 6 years. Gotta keep working on my game.

  • Mr. Bloop33

    lol started off the thread with a “off topic” haha

  • http://twitter.com/mikeplugh Mike Plugh

    IQ is a very poor and unreliable measure of intelligence. Your interpretation of my posts is that they’re bitter and ridiculous, but that says more about you than me.

  • http://twitter.com/mikeplugh Mike Plugh

    By the way Dalen, I think your piece is excellent and informative and I look forward to your contributions here. I just thought the bit about Harvard and obvious intelligence wasn’t quite accurate. Some people got extremely upset by my comment for some reason, but then again some people just like to get upset.

  • johneco

    Ok, I basically agree with you. I’m even into you having a rant about language. But I would argue that _everyone_ who goes to Harvard is smarter than the median NBA player, although that doesn’t make them necessarily smart. And I would further argue that you can be dumb in terms of school and still play smart on the court.

  • johneco

    I disagree.
    Fields already produces better than Stevenson, and has just one season under his belt.

  • johneco

    I don’t think anyone got extremely upset.
    I think most people are just reacting to your apparant denial of the obvious.
    I’ve met a lot of ivy league students, and almost all of them seemed very smart, especially compared to the average NBA player. If you had acknowledged that but said that that doesn’t mean ALL players from the Ivy league are smart, or that there are different types of intelligence, and just because they are book smart doesn’t necessarily mean they are hoop smart, I doubt anyone would have disagreed.
    But this whole topic is obviously a peeve of _yours_, so in your original reaction there was a bit of a rant, leading you to overstate your probable real position, where it seemed like you were saying there is NO correlation between Harvard and intelligence, which is (IMO) obviously false.

  • http://twitter.com/mikeplugh Mike Plugh

    People get ‘testy,’ if that’s a better word. My objection might be a peeve, but it’s worth pursuing from my point of view. As someone who studies these language things for a living, it’s important to me to point them out when I see them in the same way that “Fire Joe Morgan” pointed out the flaws in the common wisdom that persists about baseball even today.

    For me, the common wisdom about intelligence and academia needs to be challenged when it’s casually tossed around because no one seems to ever do it. The common wisdom is that Harvard students are obviously smart. Why? Because it’s Harvard. Why does that make them smart? Because it’s exclusive and a lot of famous smart people have graduated from there. That’s not a good argument to me. Take this genius for example:

    http://gawker.com/5527355/meet-stephanie-grace-the-harvard-law-student-who-started-a-racist-email-war

    Stephanie Grace isn’t the only numbskull to come from Harvard and hold these absurd views, among other things. Was she academically skilled enough to pass through the hoops required of a Harvard applicant and did she have the system mastered enough to succeed once admitted. Absolutely. Is her head screwed on straight? Not by a longshot.

    My point is that Harvard=smart puts the onus on a particular notion of what ‘smart’ is and it’s not one that I think is useful most of the time. Our common cultural discourse is top heavy with the assertion that Ivy=smart and a lot of people get the benefit of the doubt that they don’t deserve. The same is broadly true of people in academia with a bunch of letters after their names, who masterfully navigate the school system but can’t tie there own shoes or have a discussion about everyday life with the average person they meet on the street. Smarts and intelligence are complex and multi-faceted. It’s not something I thought I was going to have to get into here, since I figured that most people would ignore my post, but since it got a little attention I continued to expand on the theme. It’s not something I spend a lot of time worrying about and I’m not all that intense about the subject, but it does strike me as something useful to pursue on occasion, if only to improve the quality of our discourse whatever the subject.

  • HustleTKB

    he’s actually a devout Christian as well

  • johneco

    I pretty much agree with all that.
    But I still think it’s highly likely that Lin is smart by NBA standards, because he went to Harvard. He probably has the highest SAT scores in the whole NBA :) Too bad that is not an important predictor of a player’s success…

  • JerseyFan1

    Lin>Reyn’; Just like it was said about Lin, Reynold must be doing something wrong if he can”t stick to a team. His D is NO better than Lin. Lin is MORE quicker than Reynolds. If Lin is a band aid then Reynolds will be an OPEN sore whose game never heals. Lin is a GOOD pickup.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_5YGCHA7QTEWAUAYP3RLD7WWBRI ScottW

    Mike I agree with you 100%. I seem to remember a certain President of the USA who “escalatized” broken English to a whole new level and had a hard time reading speeches off of a teleprompter. George “Dubya” Bush: Ivy League Graduate.

  • GetJie

    Wish to congratulate this Blog because the discussion about Asian heritage isn’t a big topic. The hype elsewhere is incredible. Just want to see if Lin can contribute a few minutes on the floor and help the Knicks win. It will cost very little to find out.