Thursday, February 23, 2012

Linsanity


As an avid viewer of sports, and particularly Sports Center, this new guy Jeremy Lin’s name has been mentioned more than just a few times.  A recent Harvard graduate, who was cut from two NBA teams before getting a job as a reserve player on the Knicks has seen his career go in a direction that he couldn’t have imagined in his wildest dreams.  He was so strapped for cash; he was sleeping on his brother’s couch in his apartment in New York City.  He went from a nobody to the talk of the country in three short games.  Creating a spark for a team that seemed to be headed anywhere but in the direction of the playoffs, Jeremy Lin has lead the Knicks to some huge wins against some big teams, including his buzzer beater, three point shot as well as taking down Kobe Bryant and his always formidable Lakers.
Not only has he been a dream come true for sports fans, but marketers are gawking at the opportunities this guy presents as well.  He is the fourth Asian American to play in the NBA, one of the first that can tap into the huge potential of a market in Asia.  Not only is he a huge opportunity for American companies to relate to Asia, but he is also the epitomy of the American dream.  He is a hard worker, underdog and over achiever, something that is exactly what everybody wants to cheer for. 
Ronn Torossian CEO and President of 5W Public Relations claims Lin has more potential than Tiger Woods pre-scandal and even more than Michael Jordan.  Jeremy Lin has sparked interest that the NBA hasn’t had since the lockout and has better ratings than ever.  The only way he will be able to live up to his potential is for him to keep putting up huge numbers. 
Do you think Jeremy Lin will be able to keep his incredible run going or will he join the plethora of other burnouts who seemed to squander their potential?  Most people are rooting for him, from an economical as well as a personal point of view, but let’s see if he can “put out” like we are all beginning to expect him to for the long run. 

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