Jeremy Lin Proves Linsanity Is Better Than Vinsanity

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Jeremy Lin Proves Linsanity Is Better Than Vinsanity

Senior Editor
On Feb 20, 2012

If for some reason you haven't been swept away by Linsanity already, all you had to do to was watch the Knicks' 104-97 win over the Dallas Mavericks yesterday to begin suffering the effects of Linsanity. Symptoms include effusive praise, enjoyment of Knicks games, and newfound attention to the various ways the media handles racial issues.

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Jeremy Lin's 28 points, 14 assists, 5 steals, and 4 rebounds sparked the Knicks to a victory, and even watching the game on TV (or a computer) you could here the gasps of the Madison Square Garden crowd at every drive, shot, and steal. Linsanity. But wearing a Mavs uniform on the other side of the court was Vince Carter, the aging veteran who years ago had his name turned into a mental health pun. Who could forget VINSANITY?

Everyone in Madison Square Garden, apparently. Carter chugged along to a humble 9 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists, and I was reminded of how Carter's penchant for quitting, for not appearing to give everything he had to the team on a nightly basis so drastically separated him from Jeremy Lin. Fans want to be swept away by athletes, to be caught up in the temporary joy of watching someone take over a game in ways that seem physically impossible to the rest of us. A Vince Carter dunk could do that, but they came too infrequently and were too often bookended by long stretches when he looked ordinary for us truly to suffer from Vinsanity.

Still, I felt a little bad for Vince Carter and Vinsanity after the Mavs lost that game. RIP Vinsanity. Long live Linsanity.

And, in case you missed it, here are highlights from the Jeremy Lin Show!