ESPN Racist Jeremy Lin Headline: Network Apologizes For Insensitive Headline For Knicks Loss

[Renew Deal]

The unexpected emergence of Jeremy Lin from the depths of the New York Knicks' bench has been a dream for headline writers and just about everyone who loves puns. The "Linsanity" has spawned some Lincredible wordplay as well as some really unLinteresting phrases.

And, now, we may have found our most offensive headline from a mainstream media outlet.

Several hours after the Knicks' Lin-spired winning streak was snapped by the New Orleans Hornets, ESPN ran the headline "Chink In The Armor" to accompany the game story on mobile devices. ESPN's choice of words was extremely insensitive and offensive considering Lin's Asian-American heritage. According to Brian Floyd at SB Nation, the headline appeared on the Scorecenter app. The offensive headline was quickly noticed, screen grabs, Twit pics and Instagrams were shared and it began circulating widely on Twitter.
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/18/espn-racist-jeremy-lin-headline-mobile-apology_n_1286277.html

[Auggie]

1. Where is ESPN's (for lack of a better word) quality control?

Any copy editor with half a brain would have caught that.

Why all the sudden ethnic references, anyway? It's not that way in baseball.

[Renew Deal]

2. This was on the mobile version only

They might not have the same controls, or some moronic editor made a change.

[trumad]

3. I'm sorry---

I saw this in GD and cracked the hell up when I read it.

[madinmaryland]

4. It got me, too. nt

[joeybee12]

6. Hate to admit I did too...

But in my defense it was partly because it was so unbelievable they would say this...who could NOT get the racism?

[trumad]

9. Right---

I was floored by their ignorance....

I see a young nightly staff, not familiar with the old school bigoted word, posting it---and then a couple of minutes later an old school manager read it and spewed his coffee, running into the middle of the ESPN office yelling---DELETE----DELETE---DELETE....

Then again it could have been an old school manager thinking up the headline and thinking it was funny as shit...

[joeybee12]

10. Or it's late, they're punch drunk...do it as a joke...

then forget to change it when it goes live.

Then again, it amazes me when racist slurs go over so many people's heads...like when they refer to Obama as a monkey and think there is nothing wrong with that.

[hughee99]

8. You'd think at the least, someone at ESPN would have said

"That's pretty funny, but we can't run that shit".

[Upton]

5. ...

[Renew Deal]

7. Those are funny

And the MSG one is ridiculous.

[bluedigger]

11. Statement on offensive comments from ESPN

At ESPN we are aware of three offensive and inappropriate comments made on ESPN outlets during our coverage of Jeremy Lin.

ESPN Statement On Lin Comments
ESPN issues statement apologizing for inappropriate comments made on ESPN outlets during coverage of Jeremy Lin and details disciplinary action. Watch

Saturday we apologized for two references. We have since learned of a similar reference Friday on ESPN Radio New York. The incidents were separate and different. We have engaged in a thorough review of all three and have taken the following action:

• The ESPN employee responsible for our Mobile headline has been dismissed.

• The ESPNEWS anchor has been suspended for 30 days.

• The radio commentator is not an ESPN employee.

We again apologize, especially to Mr. Lin. His accomplishments are a source of great pride to the Asian-American community, including the Asian-American employees at ESPN. Through self-examination, improved editorial practices and controls, and response to constructive criticism, we will be better in the future.

http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/7591778/espn-statement-offensive-jeremy-lin-comments

[KamaAina]

12. They should have just gone with "Lin your face!"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12046989

[Jack Rabbit]

13. Ever since it was obvious that Obama would win in 2008 . . .

. . . all the insecure white males have come out of the woodwork.