TripleThreat wrote:http://www.cs.unca.edu/~manns/AManagerForAllSeasons.htm

"Such displays of loyalty register deeply with the players: “We’re loyal to Joe because Joe is loyal to us,” says Stanton. These bonds, in turn, have allowed Torre to make difficult decisions—such as temporarily benching big-name veterans for strategic reasons—without a peep of protest. Well, hardly a peep: Torre says his one incorrigible was outfielder Ruben Sierra, who complained ceaselessly about everything from his playing time to his uniform number. “He didn’t get it, and in retrospect, I don’t think he wanted to get it,” says Torre. “He was so used to dictating what he wanted as opposed to what was best for the team.” Traded to Detroit at Torre’s insistence, Sierra meant to insult the Yankees when he growled, “All they care about over there is winning.” "

Many criticism of Jeremy Lin tend to revolve around two basic concepts

1) That, as a 2nd year player, but really only getting an opportunity during his Knicks run, that as a young NBA player, that his flaws then were all he could be and ever be. This is not in line with how NBA players actually develop. If Lin was a 5th or 6th year player, I could see some reasoning, esp if he had had ample minutes to construct a wide view of his strengths and limitations. Most Lin criticism asks everyone to "trap" him in time, essentially as a rookie.

2) Most criticism holds him to a standard of a 10 year veteran in the league. Why doesn't he do this? Why does he do that? He was essentially a raw rookie jacked up to heavy minutes on the biggest spotlight in sports, and all he did was step up and help his team win. He doesn't control what the schedule looks like, he didn't control when his opportunity would come, if at all, but when it came, he was ready for it.

If a parent has a 10 year old who makes a mistake, do you expect that parent to punch that kid in the face? Because often the Lin criticism comes off just like that. Wow, a young point guard still learning the game coughs up the ball. In the history of the NBA, NO ONE HAS EVER SEEN THAT HAPPEN.

The Knicks desperately needed help at point guard, and he came in, and against all odds, gave them what they needed. He played real team basketball and played the game the right way. He did more to help the team win more than lose. He conducted himself as a professional. If he was a Knick now, he'd still be trying to play the right way.

Magic Johnson said it best, go beyond the turnovers, look at how many players on the roster are scoring in double digits when Lin is on the floor, look how much he energizes the team because they know if they do their job, he is going to do his damnest to get them the ball, look how he pumps up the crowd, how everyone is waiting to see what he does next, notice how he does a lot of the intangible things that you just can't teach a young player.

Of course Melo's biggest ball lickers here will be up in arms about Lin. Lin and how he played and how he lead the team to victories, as an undrafted free agent with only maybe 1/1000th of Melo's overall basketball talent, that just shamed Melo. If an undrafted young kid with almost no real NBA experience can do it, why can't a veteran with a decade in the league and with All Star and Team USA experience? Everything Lin did right was an indictment on everything Melo did wrong when it came to real team basketball.

Driven off the roster at Melo’s insistence, guys like jrodmc, holfresh and CrushAlot meant to insult the Jeremy Lin when they growled, “All he did for the Knicks was help them win basketball games.” "

SupremeCommander wrote:While m thankful for the memories and while I bought a Lin jersey for myself and my dad--it doesn't change the fact that he's a one handed glass jaw chucker. It doesn't change the fact that he shut it down because he was at "85 percent" in the playoffs so he could get paid. It doesn't change the fact that he whored himself out to the highest bidder and tried to pretend like he was Tim Tebow. Thanks for the good times, also ran

Had an argument on a thread about Exum getting hurt playing in for his world team. I brought up Paul George, too. My position was that you owed something to the team who was paying you millions, and perhaps that meant NOT playing in the World Championships.

Then you have Anthony, who decided to play until the All-Star Game for some shoe $$, and now comes out saying that he did not know he had a tear until January.

Lin, who pissed me off by not playing in the playoffs and signing with Houston, also decided to skip USA Basketball.

The reason Lin was different from the other 3 I mentioned is that he was the only one without any guaranteed money/contract for the next season, and unlike the others, he was not an established star or #1 pick.

Guys like Anthony and George are set for life...they can do or not do whatever they want in terms of playing with their national teams. Both seem to want to play on the team next year. The only contractual way they can be kept out is if their team proves they have an injury and should not be allowed to play.

A guy like Exum has his guaranteed money for this season, and even though his next two years are team options, you don't expect a Utahto give up on a high #1, and he and is also young enough to recover fully.

Someone like Lin, though, might have to worry about his future if he got hurt.

I'm not sure if I truly considered this at the time because I was pissed off that his injury kept him out of the playoffs, but even though I was annoyed that he chose to sign with Houston, I can appreciate the precarious nature of his situation, and better understand why he might have been scared to play in the playoffs.

You also have to wonder if the departure of MDA made a difference, since Woodson was not known to run that kind of offense, and I wonder if he also left because he knew his buddy Fields was leaving.