04/19/24
February 19, 2012
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
As a Mavs fan, I hated that game, but I'll be the first to admit that the Knicks being relevant is good for the League.
posted by Ufez Jones at 04:46 PM on February 19, 2012
And ESPN extends the olive branch.
posted by NerfballPro at 05:27 PM on February 19, 2012
"The radio commentator is not an ESPN employee. So ESPN is having him killed."
posted by rcade at 05:39 PM on February 19, 2012
Jeremy Lin was great today against the Mavericks. 28 points, 14 assists, 4 steals, 7 turnovers.
He's approaching legendary status for turning the ball over.
The record for a season is about 4.5/game, and he's had 52 in 8 starts.
That said, over the last 10 seasons, the record holders for consecutive games with 5+ turnovers are:
Allen Iverson (2003) - 7
Steve Nash (2009) - 6
Dwayne Wade (2007) - 6
Jeremy Lin (2012) - 6
So that's pretty good company...
posted by grum@work at 06:21 PM on February 19, 2012
Well, the Mavericks are really good on D, and Lin was on the floor for pretty much the entire game, and he handled the ball on nearly every possession. I'm not really that surprised by the turnover number.
posted by insomnyuk at 09:46 PM on February 19, 2012
Montreal Canadiens (who currently have Montreal Expos retired numbers in their rafters after the franchised died) honoured Gary Carter at today's game. All of the Montreal players had "Carter" and "8" on the backs of their warm-up jerseys, and then the ice looked like this during a moment of silence:
posted by grum@work at 10:29 PM on February 19, 2012
posted by grum@work at 02:01 AM on February 20, 2012
That said, over the last 10 seasons, the record holders for consecutive games with 5+ turnovers are:
The common theme being: those guys use a ton of possessions. Lin's usage rate right now is second only to Lebron James. It's pretty crazy how much control he has been given over this offense in less than a month. Anyway, if you look at turnover ratio, Lin is still bad but not legendarily so. He's a little better than Kidd and a little worse than Rubio and Nash. That said, Lin's turnovers are less a product of risky passing and more a product of being a wee bit out of control at all times, which seems less useful in the long run.
posted by tron7 at 03:15 AM on February 20, 2012
I'm kinda sad that the employee who did the (I'm assuming) "Chink in the armor" headline was probably just making an honest mistake. I hate this vindictive 24/7 instant-response culture that requires someone to blame for anything and everything. Why can't honest mistakes be made, and forgiven and forgotten?
posted by hincandenza at 03:28 AM on February 20, 2012
Because ESPNs mistakes are displayed instantly to the world. Those type of mistakes can alienate millions. A huge entity like ESPN isn't going to care about some insignificant employee more than their image, and the way they do damage control is to act swiftly and firmly.
I also have trouble believing completely this was a honest mistake. Everyone reading and hearing this can pick it out immediately but it never dawns on anyone at the network? Again, this is a instance where their cute, silly, funny side may have bit them in the ass.
posted by dyams at 07:59 AM on February 20, 2012
I'm kinda sad that the employee who did the (I'm assuming) "Chink in the armor" headline was probably just making an honest mistake.
As a headline writer myself, I find that unlikely. You're always looking for a play on words. When Bill Clinton praised Mark Felt for his government service, I was able to use the headline "Clinton Appreciates Deep Throat." It was my greatest day as a journalist.
I don't like people getting fired for something like this, but punishment of some kind was required to show that ESPN took it seriously. That headline was a huge embarrassment for the network.
posted by rcade at 09:15 AM on February 20, 2012
I'm kinda sad that the employee who did the (I'm assuming) "Chink in the armor" headline was probably just making an honest mistake.
I'll add another vote to the "unlikely to be an honest mistake" tally. My reasoning: in these days when vocabularies seem to be shrinking, "chink in the armor" is just not a very common phrase. I find it unlikely that someone would know the phrase and at the same time be completely unaware that it's not a commonly used phrase, and that the same word has a different meaning which would come much more readily to mind with most people. It may not have been a sly attempt to get in a racist jab for free, but in the most generous possible interpretation, it showed a level of obliviousness and lack of judgment that indicates this individual isn't to be trusted to compose a headline.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 10:35 AM on February 20, 2012
I'm more likely to believe that someone saying it out loud during a live broadcast made an honest mistake, than someone who created a headline for the online article.
posted by grum@work at 11:05 AM on February 20, 2012
The headline writer, Anthony Federico, has cast his vote for honest mistake.
posted by rcade at 11:31 AM on February 20, 2012
Sorry Anthony, but I'm not buying it. A late night Spofi post or Tweet after too much Tequila and a quicker than normal mouse finger? Maybe. A headline created as a professional representative for a major corporation?
Stop and think if potential future employers are more concerned about a single instance of bad judgement or a complete lack of competence.
posted by cixelsyd at 12:11 PM on February 20, 2012
I think it would be interesting to examine both men's histories as journalists to see if they'd ever used the phrase before and how often. I will buy "honest mistake" if it can be shown that the phrase had appeared in either man's lexicon in any other context than Jeremy Lin. If this is the first time either had used it, I suppose it could be some sort of Fruedian slip. Although poor judgment paired with trying to be clever is the more likely explanation.
posted by tahoemoj at 12:33 PM on February 20, 2012
I totally buy it- and like I said, it's the part of our Internet culture I hate. cixelsyd and others are SURE it was malevolent... but why would it be? The guy has worked there for six years without incident, says he's used the term before- as have I, in conversation- and the job at ESPN is fast-paced; you don't have the overnight print run to ponder your head line. With the race to publish close to real time, this guy is churning out headlines at a conversational pace. If we held you to the same standard, you'd sound like Tobias Fnke.
I'd bet anything it was an honest mistake- and not even a mistake, since you're the racist that thinks "chink in the armor" is inherently racist. I hate that even he and the online commentator said ESPN "did what had to be done". Except... they didn't have to do this. They fired a guy just doing his job, possibly derailing his caree, so some slavering Internet schmucks can have their bloodlust sated.
It reminds me of that government official who lost his job for using the word "niggardly"... which isn't offensive, unless you're stupid. But the Idiocracy must be appeased, I guess...
posted by hincandenza at 01:25 PM on February 20, 2012
I'd bet anything it was an honest mistake- and not even a mistake, since you're the racist that thinks "chink in the armor" is inherently racist.
So the Asian-Americans who were upset by this are all racists? Surely you will concede that people who read the headline "Chink in the Armor" after Lin's first loss would have good reason to question whether it was an intentional reference to his race.
posted by rcade at 01:38 PM on February 20, 2012
If the first thing you think of when you hear the phrase "chink in the armor" is race, then the problem is in you. And I don't know why some guy should lose his job over a mistake that hurts no one.
posted by hincandenza at 01:52 PM on February 20, 2012
I think the 30-day suspension of the anchor was a bit much, particularly as the forethought and ability to edit/correct before publication for a live on-air interview are not there the same way they are for a headline. In addition, the anchor is married to an Asian-American woman, so surely you would have to give him the benefit of the doubt in terms of whether he was trying to score clever-offensive-pun-points or letting latent racism boil up to the surface.
Back to Lin -- is there any type of net turnover statistic that looks at turnovers made and turnovers created for the other team? Because sure Lin has some value if he is neutralizing a fair number of his turnovers with steals.
posted by holden at 01:53 PM on February 20, 2012
If the first thing you think of when you hear the phrase "chink in the armor" is race, then the problem is in you.
What if the first thing I think of when the phrase comes up about an Asian-American person is race? You're being a bit too clever for me there. You're saying you have the exact same reaction to:
"Hulk Hogan has a chink in his armor."
and
"Jeremy Lin has a chink in his armor."
That seems incredibly worldly of you.
posted by yerfatma at 02:11 PM on February 20, 2012
If the first thing you think of when you hear the phrase "chink in the armor" is race, then the problem is in you.
When I see a headline over a picture of Jeremy Lin that says "Chink in the Armor," the first thing I think of is race. When I saw the picture on Twitter, I thought it had to be a hoax. The racial connotation of the phrase is honkingly obvious.
If Anthony Federico made an innocent mistake, his work must not have had any oversight at ESPN.
posted by rcade at 02:28 PM on February 20, 2012
What if the first thing I think of when the phrase comes up about an Asian-American person is race? You're being a bit too clever for me there. You're saying you have the exact same reaction to:
For some of us, yes. I saw the original SC video before it become a controversy and the "chink" comment didn't even register until I saw this article.
posted by jmd82 at 02:35 PM on February 20, 2012
If the first thing you think of when you hear the phrase "chink in the armor" is race, then the problem is in you.
Leaving aside the context in which the headline appeared and the fact that the word "chink" has doubtless gotten much more usage in modern times as a racial insult than in the phrase "chink in the armor", neither of which is negligible, I would concede that if someone has never heard of the phrase "chink in the armor", you could make the argument that that person's ignorance is responsible for the misunderstanding. On the other hand, don't you think that someone who is paid to communicate should have considerable skills in doing just that? And isn't understanding what your audience is likely to hear an important part of effective communication? If it wasn't a sly racist dig, it was either obtuseness ("'Chink in the armor', yeah, cool military analogy!") or blind insistence on what people ought to think as opposed to what they do think ("I'm going to say 'chink in the armor', because only an ignorant idiot would think it was a racial insult!"). None of those sounds like someone I'd want writing headlines for my publication.
And I don't know why some guy should lose his job over a mistake that hurts no one.
I don't think that you are really in a position to state that it "hurts no one". You don't think it should hurt anyone, but your worldview is not the only worldview out there.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 10:01 PM on February 20, 2012
... but why would it be?
Why wouldn't it be is a better question.
He does make his living writing catchy lead phrases for sports stories. Yet this time, for some unknown reason, he just happened to come up with the term chink as a lead-in for a story on someone of Asian descent.
And just how does anyone think of armour when speaking about Jeremy Lin on the basketball court ...
Oh yes, it was the first thing that was typed and quickly submitted without any thought or editorial review. A complete oversight by all involved.
Bullshit.
posted by cixelsyd at 12:25 AM on February 21, 2012
Come up with 3 alternate phrases, then, for someone who once seemed unstoppable coming back down to earth.
As jmd82's link mentioned, "chink in the armor" has been used 3,000+ times on their site. It's a very common phrase, but as I said you armchair warriors are looking to parse this situation with a scrutiny you couldn't withstand yourselves.
Funny-image sites are chock full of examples of amusing headlines, typos, awkward image juxtapositions, and other news media mishaps. Not everything is a conspiracy or a firing worthy offense.
But then. I guess you're all perfect, and eternally flawless.
posted by hincandenza at 01:40 AM on February 21, 2012
But then. I guess you're all perfect, and eternally flawless.
And don't you fogret it!
posted by apoch at 06:24 AM on February 21, 2012
It's a very common phrase, but as I said you armchair warriors are looking to parse this situation with a scrutiny you couldn't withstand yourselves.
You're doing just as much mind-reading as we are by assuming he did it innocently.
I guess you're all perfect, and eternally flawless.
You don't have to be perfect to think people should be held accountable for their mistakes. I've been in Federico's position -- I lost my first programming job because an error I made cost 400 telemarketers each four hours of work time (1,600 man hours!). I showed up for work and was shown the door.
It sucked, and as I said earlier I don't like people getting fired for one mistake. But given the consequences for his employer, some punishment was warranted.
posted by rcade at 08:05 AM on February 21, 2012
Come up with 3 alternate phrases, then, for someone who once seemed unstoppable coming back down to earth.
And they have to include at least one Lin pun.
posted by tron7 at 10:13 AM on February 21, 2012
Come up with 3 alternate phrases, then, for someone who once seemed unstoppable coming back down to earth.
Feet of clay. Knocked off a pedestal. Brought low. Or, since you suggested it, what's wrong with "brought back down to earth"?
posted by lil_brown_bat at 12:57 PM on February 21, 2012
And they have to include at least one Lin pun.
A Human Lindeed.
posted by goddam at 01:24 PM on February 21, 2012
I guess you're all perfect
Far from it.
But when I make a mistake I own it, realize I must pay for it, and learn from it. I realize attempting some lame cover-up is exponentially worse than the original mistake.
posted by cixelsyd at 01:53 PM on February 21, 2012
And just how does anyone think of armour when speaking about Jeremy Lin on the basketball court ...
Maybe he was wearing Under Armour.
posted by BornIcon at 02:39 PM on February 21, 2012
And they have to include at least one Lin pun.
Why?
If you believe that "Chink in the Armor" wasn't a play on Lin's race, then why should a replacement one have to play on his name?
How about:
"Streak Ends With Wimper" "Lin Struggles During Loss"
If you have to be punny:
"Lin-sanity Cured: Knicks Lose"
posted by grum@work at 03:11 PM on February 21, 2012
If the first thing you think of when you hear the phrase "chink in the armor" is race, then the problem is in you.
It's not the phrase by itself, it's the accompanying pictures of a person of Asian descent.
If the phrase "Monkey See, Monkey Do" was the headline with a picture of some white kids imitating an athlete's stance, no one would care. If it's the same headline for a picture of black kids imitating an athlete's stance, then I think people would be pretty upset.
As jmd82's link mentioned, "chink in the armor" has been used 3,000+ times on their site. It's a very common phrase, but as I said you armchair warriors are looking to parse this situation with a scrutiny you couldn't withstand yourselves.
Someone isn't going to look through the history of the site to see if a phrase has been used 3000 times.
Come up with 3 alternate phrases, then, for someone who once seemed unstoppable coming back down to earth.
"Lin-charus crashes to earth."
posted by grum@work at 03:23 PM on February 21, 2012
If you work in the communications industry and you fail to see that using a headline like that could be found the least bit offensive then perhaps you should seek a different profession.
Plus also too:
If that very same phrase has been used by ESPN 3,000 times then maybe it's time to stop being so derivative.
posted by THX-1138 at 03:28 PM on February 21, 2012
Why?
If you believe that "Chink in the Armor" wasn't a play on Lin's race, then why should a replacement one have to play on his name?
I'm guessing that was a joke, grum.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 03:46 PM on February 21, 2012
Yeah, it was a joke and not meant to be an argument one way or the other. I'm not sure if he did it on purpose or not but I'm of the opinion that it doesn't really matter. If you are that insensitive it doesn't much matter what your intentions were. It's at least nice to see an actual apology and not a "I'm sorry you're so sensitive" apology.
posted by tron7 at 04:51 PM on February 21, 2012
My gut reaction is usually to provide benefit of the doubt to someone, but I can't honestly sit here and think - honest mistake, everyone says "chink in the armour"when a weakness is revealed. It isn't and in my experience, they do not.
I think that the night guys thought they were being clever, or funny, and took a risk based on the idea that they could claim ignorance later. Well, it was a risk, the editor took it and paid the consequence that everyone could see coming a mile down the road. ESPN is a brand, and that kind of activity damages the credibility of the brand in a way that is easily avoided. Pay attention.
At best the editor was not providing sufficient due diligence in his work - which is a good reason to terminate - or there was a breakdown in the chain of authority, in which case a head has to roll anyway. In either event, someone has to be put out to pasture.
Any media outlet with a shred of credibility is forced to fire anyone who jeopardizes that credibility, especially in the first week of what was/is the biggest sports story of the time, at the biggest sports media empire of the day. Otherwise ESPN is put in the position of defending the headline, regardless of whether or not the headline was intentionally insensitive. ESPN is not going to face weeks or months of condemnation and accusation of racial insensitivity to protect one mans' job.
So Jeremy Lin gets to forgive the editor and host, and ESPN gets to punish them to the extent they deem necessary. This should be completely predictable by all involved.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 07:54 PM on February 21, 2012
Jeremy Lin was great today against the Mavericks. 28 points, 14 assists, 4 steals, 7 turnovers.