Have you heard of him these past couple of weeks? He is a previously unremarkable basketball player for the New York Knicks. Suddenly, he is the sports sensation du jour. Now, I understand that he is a very nice guy, a brainiac from Harvard, a devote Christian, and the personification of an admirable work ethic. I admire all of those traits without reservation. And while I love a fairy tale story where a “normal” guy becomes a successful public icon overnight, the sports world has a way of overdoing the idol characterization.
I am already weary of the word plays with his name, Jeremy Lin. He is LINsational! He’s a LINspiration! He is LINcredible! It’s a LINderella story! His team is on a LINning streak! He came off the bench LIN the Knick of time! These puns go on and on, almost without end. If a word has “in” at the front, middle or end of it, you will eventually find it replaced with LIN.
This same bevy of sports “journalists” (I am very hesitant to use that word to describe most of the pretty faces hired to read a script, or the clods who think that because they can type they are journalists) were responsible for turning Tim Tebow’s last name into a verb, making it synonymous with praying. I am still not sure if that was a compliment or an attempt at derision. But it was typical of a collection of light minds who believe being cute is more important than in-depth reporting.
So, I have decided to initiate a form of irritating protest against this type of lightweight journalism. Until this LINsanity substantially subsides, I will mangle as many words as possible with my name. When I edit something, I will REEDact it. When I turn in a coupon, I will be REEDeeming it. If I help the police department with traffic control, I will REEDirect the traffic. I will do my best to REEDress any wrongs I have committed. I will become healthier by REEDucing my weight. Are you tired of it yet? Well, maybe TOMorrow I will REEDo this blog and change a few before you start throwing cyber TOMatoes at me. But probably not.
I sincerely hope this LINsanity stops soon and ends right away. Oops, that was REEDundant. Sorry.
Photo from http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=w3i&sz=all&va=jeremy+lin
