The People Who Can't Understand Why Jeremy Lin Sounds Silly Weeping About NBA Free Agency Are The Worst
Pictured: Jeremy Lin, like, 25 minutes ago
Jeremy Lin was crying his eyes out this weekend talking about rock bottom. Reags blogged about it when the video first went viral I got a real kick out of it, if we’re being honest. That was so aggressively over the top I almost didnt believe it was real. I mean of course we’ve seen athletes cry and show emotion. Tears of joy, tears of sadness. These guys dedicate their lives to this and the competition and obsession can become overwhelming and BLAH BLAH BLAH. I understand all that. But bottom line is we’ve never seen a guy weeping talking about how he hit “rock bottom” because nobody will give him a contract to play ball after playing out what is most likely a COMPLETELY NORMAL amount of time in the NBA. Its preposterous coming from a guy who has earned $65 million dollars, won a championship ring, and become an international cultural icon in Asian countries for 2 good weeks of basketball. Hes 30 years old, not 22. He’s played 8 or 9 seasons of professional hoops. He’s also got a Harvard degree and if nobody in the NBA does give him a look, its a guarantee he’ll be able to play and make money overseas. Not to mention the possibilities in media for a well spoken, likable, diverse personality. Thats all just facts. And, well, lots of people apparently dont agree with those facts:
Give me a goddam break, you dramatic crybabies. If you’re taking this video at face value, and you’re looking at the term ROCK BOTTOM in the sense that most of us ordinarily would, this is a hilarious clip. Rock bottom, Jeremy? I used to suck dick for coke, Jeremy. (I seen him!) You ever suck dick for an NBA contract? (HUH!?) I didnt think so.
If you cant understand why the average person, particularly on social media where we’re all just a bunch of assholes saying “Fuck me? No fuck you!,” would see that clip, roll their eyes, and say “Get the fuck out of here, dude” then you’re just being obtuse. Word to Andy Dufresne. “Rock bottom” is a term ordinarily reserved for the worst of the worst life situations. Not “my magic carpet ride of NBA championships and millions of dollars courtesy of an all time 2 week stretch has come to an end.” Rock bottom is for the people who genuinely have nothing left in life. I’m talking about Polacks that don’t have a goddamn future. THATS rock bottom, Jeremy.
Now listen I’m not an idiot. I understand 2 major things here:
1) He was probably using the term “rock bottom” in a relative sense. When your ultimate goal is to get an NBA contract, if you receive no offers, then, in a vacuum, through that lens, in terms of trying to accomplish that goal, it is rock bottom. I’m not an idiot. I understand different perspectives and not taking everyone overly literal.
2) I know that rich, successful people can still be sad. Depressed. Hell, even suicidal. Yes, its true! Money does not always equal happiness. Mo money mo problems is a thing. And your mental health and overall happiness is not always directly tied to monetary and financial success. I am, in fact, aware of this. As a matter of fact, I would venture as far as to say that the majority of people who achieve that level of success probably experience some deep levels of depression, more so than the average Joe. Keenly aware.
That doesnt mean that this clip is not an eye roller. It doesnt mean that its not unreasonable to think that Jeremy Lin comes off a little bit dramatic and perhaps entitled or warped for being so emotional and using an incredibly desperate term that often evokes much more dire thoughts. All of this shit can be true at the same time. If Jeremy Lin is truly clinically depressed and in such a bad mental state that hes overcome with sadness, then I’ll be the first to apologize. But I think he was just pretty bummed hes gonna have to go play in front of Donnie on the Shanghai Sharks and when he went home to dry his eyes with hundred dollar bills, he probably felt a lot better.
PS – I might make “aggressive insensitivity and pettiness” my new twitter bio. I also might include “I’m white and “supposed” to be better but I’m not.”