The LOFs are terrible fans. They just attack everybody that shows any kind of objectivity towards Lin. Lin seems like a good dude and I root for him from a Christian standpoint, but his cult followers outweigh his production. If they were any kind of humble like the man they love so much, mutual respect would exist, and the problem wouldn't.
lol, every thing have to be LOF or LOH. Love the player, but I still like the pre Lin days. Wait I forgot, thats the days of YOF/YOH and the TOF/TOH. Cant wait to have "Parsons"OF/POH posters. At least then there is something else to look at. And seriously I am surprise to see that Dwight haters have yet to join in the fun. I really thought would see an influx of angry Magic/fakers fans here.
You appear to have switched your argument from one focused on what is best for the team, supposedly, to one now focused on how the fans in Manila, and Asia, were really not feeling slighted by McHale's move. To help reinforce the point, there is this: http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterocke...ed-with-questions-about-lins-starting-status/ As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I was surprised that McHale showed surprise that he was asked in the post-game press conference about his decision to bench Lin. To me, this demonstrated a disconnect with the reality of the situation and how his decision was likely to be perceived in Asia. If you are saying "I wouldn't get all excited about who starts," then the chances are likely that people are, in fact, getting all excited about who started. Again, all of this could have been avoided. I never said McHale should not experiment with the lineup or even play Beverley over Lin. What I said was McHale -- and the NBA -- may have been better served had he decided to make the switch once the Asia marketing trip was over. If you have ever watched professional wrestling, or understand how it is promoted and "booked," you will often see wrestlers scripted to do well in their hometown or home region. Why? Because you want to have the fans in that region go home with a smile on their face, and feel good about your product. What McHale did, to me, was the opposite of this. I think it was a PR gaffe, and based upon some of the reaction I have seen to the move, I think others feel the same way. There is a saying which goes along the lines of this: Don't spit in my face and then tell me it's raining If you make a decision that isn't likely to play well, be prepared for the consequences. And be prepared for people not to accept being patted on the head if they disagree with your decision. McHale can do what he wants, where he wants. It's just if he does so, he may face an Inquisition afterwards. Because people may not appreciate what he did.
What consequences could it be? Creating unnecessary drama and distraction for a contender? Putting the spotlight and attention on himself in a player's league? Loss of contracts for the Rockets and then loss of contract extension? Being called a racist? Loss of fans? Beaten up? Spit on? Putting players like Dwight on the spot about coaching decisions? Joe Smith 2.0? Creating uncalled for tension between the players? Casting doubt on his character and his aptness to be a championship caliber coach in this league?
I don't know why, this sounds incomprehensible somehow. I mean, it's just so twisted and strange. First there is the name calling, then there is the "I am objective and they are wrong" statement. But worst of all "they just attack" doesn't sound like real life to me, I cannot conjure up the image of someone "just attacking" someone else. You mean they just keep attacking everyone and don't do anything else? They would just attack you and not anyone else? They would just attack objective people but not subjective people? They would attack people only if they show objectivity? Or they attacked you just now? Well, maybe if you just don't reveal your objectivity towards Lin to them then you won't be attacked and you won't think that they are terrible fans. Ahha, so the Christians are never bad people huh? Only the heathens and infidels would do bad things. There is always mutual respect in all-Christians countries and there are never problems in them ya? And it's always one group's fault and another group is spotless yeah?
I'm simply trying to point out a weakness in your argument. Not only does McHale have legitimate basketball reasons for trying out different lineups in these two games (which should be his chief concern as the coach), there's also very little evidence from what I've read that his decision negatively impacted the NBA's marketing agenda. Of course, reporters (who do not represent the fans) will ask why Lin didn't start. But Lin played. He, and other Rockets, interacted with the fans after the game. Fans at the game were happy. Marketing was successful. For more relevant than what the reporters were asking McHale after the game is how the fans actually reacted at the game. With that in mind, here's Feigen: http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterocke...n-taipei-after-lin-comes-off-bench-in-manila/ [rquoter] Lin came off the bench. He played very well. He played a lot by preseason standards. But when the names of the starters were bellowed to the crowd, Lin’s was not mentioned. The good people of Manila seemed to take this stunning event in stride. They were good natured and entertained, watching the game intently, almost studiously. There was a rise in the excitement level when Lin had the ball, but there seemed to be little quarrel with the lineup change in the arena. Rockets coach Kevin McHale said after the game that he intended to rotate Lin and Patrick Beverley in the preseason starting lineups, with both having shown a good deal so far. But there were some that thought it was unthinkable that one of the point guards should have to come off the bench, as if that was all that mattered on a night in which having the game played at all was far, far more significant than who started it. [/rquoter] You want to argue that this was a marketing trip for the fans? Well, the Rockets did indeed do plenty of marketing and fan appreciation stuff for the NBA. Its not like Lin was told to skip the trip or hidden away from doing interviews or interacting with fans. And its not like Lin's minutes were severely limited in the game (to the contrary, he played essentially as much as he would have if he had started). I'm sorry if you find my view dismissive, but I believe you're making much to big of a deal out of a very small thing as the fans seem to be quite satisfied with the whole event. If you have evidence to the contrary, please share. Edit: Post-game report from The Philippine Star: http://www.philstar.com/sports/2013/10/10/1243990/rockets-impress-filipino-fans-116-96-rout-pacers [rquoter] MANILA, Philippines – Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale experimented by switching starting rotations and it paid off handsomely as the Houston Rockets routed the Indiana Pacers, 116-96, to nail its first win in the NBA pre-season before enthusiastic fans at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City Thursday night. James Harden fired 21 points by going four-of-five from the field, including a pair of 3-point conversions and spiked it with four assists, the same number of steals and two rebounds in just 24 minutes as the Rockets bounced back from a heartbreaking 115-116 defeat to the New Orleans Pelicans Sunday in Texas. But it was McHale's ploy to start Patrick Beverly at point guard and Terrence Jones at power forward in favor of Taiwanese-American star Jeremy Lin and Lithuanian Donatas Motiejunas at power forward, respectively, as the Rockets bench got energized. Beverly, Lin, Jones and Motiejunas, who will play for Lithuania in the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain where Gilas Pilipinas will also play, all ended up playing solidly. "I've told Jeremy (Lin) I will alternate him with Patrick (Beverly) because I want to see what comes out of it and the synergy between D-Mo (Motiejunas) and Omri Casspi looked pretty," she said. Dwight Howard was held to just nine points and saddled with foul trouble early to go with four turnovers in his second game since signing a four-year, $88 million deal with Houston in the offseason. He had 19 points and nine boards in the Rockets pre-season debut defeat. Filipino fans, who consider basketball as a religion, got a treat as they finally witnessed the real NBA experience. A total of 12,885 paying patrons attended the event, which is a historic first for the country which considers the sport second to none. ... [/rquoter] Again, where's the outrage and fuss over Lin not starting from the Filipino fans/media?
omg if lin scores 50 in this game they're going to have to carry taiwanese fans out in stretchers....
i've been reading a lot of the posts and it's just preseason. all is fine. a lot of lin fans getting worked up over nothing. no need to have to protect jlin based on the work he's done over the summer he'll be ok. he's a tough kid and he seems to have adjusted his attitude and relaxing about what happens. it's too bad we can't just enjoy the fact we have a top 5 team this year without the constant back and forth over lin, beverley, etc.
Pacers look to limit Jeremy Lin on Sunday Lin is the PG, the linchpin of the offense, esp transitional offense. Take Lin out, and let the other rockets play iso ball. Not a bad strategy. Pacers will be better prepared this time after the blowout loss. No easy win this time.
I can't believe how a preseason game has turned into this. Lin's back in his ancestral homeland, and we should enjoy the event for the Taiwan fans and the good of the NBA. How this nice trip has anything to do with who's starting, who hates who...etc. is baffling to me.
If they do that the team will just have Harden handle the ball, well that's what the Rockets always do anyway. It's not as if Harden automatically goes into iso-mode whenever he touches the ball. Harden can either then drive to score, or kick out to shooters, or just dump the ball to Howard - there are plenty of options. Besides, you're talking as if Lin is the only one that initiates the offense when it's usually Harden. I doubt the outcome will matter much whether Lin is targeted or not since this team has plenty of offensive options.
Vogel's statement indictes how important he feels Lin is to the Rockets. Karl of the Nuggets said that Lin is the Rockets engine. Apparently Vogel feels the same way.
Taiwan government officals bring bats and throw shoes at one another. if anything happened to Lin, people will not be afraid to start throwing things and rushing the stage.
The only disconnect it shows is with how the Asian community perceives the importance of Lin, much the same as his fans who post here do. McHale's "surprised" response was much how one responds to a question from a child, IE one who has a limited understanding of how things actually work as opposed to their unrefined perceptions. McHale does not view Jeremy Lin as phenom, or any sort of special player, who deserves some sort of special treatment. It is not his responsibility to market the NBA or the Rockets, nor is it his responsibility to worry about catering to the Asian market. It is his responsibility to make his squad fit and perform together in an optimal manner, which he did.
