- Log In
- |
- Register
- Your Profile
- |
- Log Out

CBS News.com Sports

Scroll Left Scroll Right

Video Wild weather for Memorial Day weekend 1 of 9
CBS This Morning Challenges following arrest in Etan Patz case 2 of 9
World U.N. observer head: 32 children killed in Syria 3 of 9
48 Hours 48 Hours Mystery: One of their Own 4 of 9
CBS This Morning Gas prices this summer? Same as last: Expert 5 of 9
World Vatican in chaos after butler arrested for leaks 6 of 9
CBS This Morning Summer of '82: Best ever for films? 7 of 9
Video Inspiration for the class of 2012 8 of 9
Gallery Celebrity Circuit 9 of 9

Sports Blog

February 20, 2012 11:02 AM

Print
Text

Jeremy Lin headline writer: "I'm so sorry"

By: Alex Sundby
Topics: Basketball

Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks looks on during a game against the Dallas Mavericks at Madison Square Garden Feb. 19, 2012, in New York City.

(Credit: Getty Images)

A 28-year-old ex-ESPN editor apologized for the controversial headline he had written over the weekend about New York Knicks star Jeremy Lin, the New York Daily News reported Monday.

Anthony Federico told the tabloid that the headline, which contains a word that could be used as a slur against people of Chinese descent, wasn't intended to offend the rising point guard born in California to Taiwanese parents.

"This had nothing to do with me being cute or punny," Federico, who was fired Sunday, told the News.

"I'm so sorry that I offended people. I'm so sorry if I offended Jeremy."

ESPN fires employee for offensive Lin headline
"Jeremy Lin of the '90s": Belief in self is key
Jeremy Lin applies to trademark "Linsanity"

Federico told the tabloid that he's used the phrase "at least 100 times" in other headlines, but he understood that "ESPN did what they had to do."

ESPN also placed an ESPNEWS anchor who used the same phrase on suspension for 30 days.

After Sunday's win over the Dallas Mavericks, Lin said he's moved on.

"I don't think it was on purpose or whatever, but (at) the same time they have apologized. And so from my end I don't care anymore," Lin told reporters, according to The Associated Press. "Have to learn to forgive, and I don't even think that was intentional. Or, hopefully not."

Read the full Daily News story here

42 Photos

Jeremy Lin: NBA sensation

View the Full Gallery »

Alex Sundby
Alex Sundby is an associate news editor for CBSNews.com

34 Comments +

Add a Comment

See all 34 Comments


by buckyjo February 20, 2012 10:25 PM EST: Okay, you're forgiven.

Now go away.

Whatta mean ya want your writing job back?

Oh, that's why ya feel bad and are sorry.; Reply to this comment


by pak31 February 20, 2012 10:17 PM EST: First of all, I think that people today are WAY too sensitive about words and are too scare about being politically correct etc. But, I find it hard to believe that this writer didn't associate the word ***** with an Asian person. Aren't most headlines, or at least many of them, ESPECIALLY sports headlines, written as puns? A lot of sports headlines have those double meaning type sayings in them. I grew up in this country before words became so offensive, but I was surprised that someone would use it. Also, when a writer turns in a story it has to go past someone else to approve it right? That person didn't find it wrong either.; Reply to this comment


by billpl-2009 February 20, 2012 9:35 PM EST: the headline was more stupid than offensive; Reply to this comment

by deoppressoliber1964 February 20, 2012 8:58 PM EST

Maybe he should have said he noticed a downward "slope" in his scoring that night.

Reply to this comment


by rs108 February 20, 2012 11:32 PM EST: Interesting slant on the story


by curious2knownow February 20, 2012 8:30 PM EST: CBS News incomplete reporting couldn't even tell us the whole story because of their cowardly reporting.; Reply to this comment


by fastdraw2 February 20, 2012 6:13 PM EST: No Federico, you've got it wrong. It's I'm so STUPID.

OK? Ya got that? Now...repeeat after me: I'm SO STOOPID.

Talk about the perfect example of the Peter principle at work.; Reply to this comment

by pr_boxer February 20, 2012 6:11 PM EST

This Federico guy is a profesional writer, he knew better and thought because it was on the sports page he could get away with it. How would he feel is he was called a "spick" or a "wap" in the headlines?

Reply to this comment


by tiredofeverything February 20, 2012 6:49 PM EST: Right, he thought he could get away with it by putting in a sports headline that is read by millions of people.
Nice logic you have there.


by avalon288 February 20, 2012 5:28 PM EST: Writer got fired. Good.

We need a better, nicer world. Some words should be eliminated from the language even if they have alternate meanings.

I work with attorneys. There is a favorite term used by a Jewish female attorney - Chinese Wall. Wikipedia defines- In business, a Chinese wall or firewall is an information barrier implemented within a firm to separate and isolate persons who make investment decisions from persons who are privy to undisclosed material information which may influence those decisions. This is a way of avoiding conflict of interest problems.

I wonder how she would feel if the term was Jewish Wall?; Reply to this comment

by carolhill814 February 20, 2012 4:57 PM EST

I don't get it at all this man used a word that is very old and the meaning of ***** is as follows: a narrow slit or crack (as in a wall.

This word has NOTHING to do with Chinese People or who they are and if everyone would just stop and not create a stir over NOTHING and I am sorry that the Chinese People don't know the meaning of that word and take that word personally is so totally out of bounds.

To think that three (3) people lost their jobs over a word that has been around forever that means a breakdown of something is so totally crazy. These people were just expressing he had a breakdown of his scoring for this game.

To me it just isn't worth being a reporter of any kind because to me it is way to scarey to always worry about losing your job over a job people don't seem to know the meaning is just not worth it not worth it at all.

Reply to this comment


by RealiteBites February 20, 2012 5:45 PM EST: That sounds really selfish, immature and insensitive of you to say that you don't care about peoples' feelings - you just want to be able to say and do anything you like without repercussions.

I mean like if you live out in the rural areas where you're out in the fields not dealing with people and are your own employer, then of course you can say or do anything you want.

But this guy works for a business, who's work is intended to be for general consumption. You can't go around acting like an ignorant redneck and expect to still have a job ...


by RealiteBites February 20, 2012 10:15 PM EST: Another one who wants to dish it out but can't take it ... it was INTENDED to be on her level so she'd know what I was saying, you idiot!

Stupid ...

by jbenavides1 February 20, 2012 3:38 PM EST

Looks like we've lost our sense of humor. Give him his job back. He apologized.

Reply to this comment


by Well_You_Aint_Me February 20, 2012 4:11 PM EST: The comment wasn't made to be funny or derogatory.

Now it has been blown into a whole lot of cr@p over nothing.


by RealiteBites February 20, 2012 4:41 PM EST: It just sets up a bad tone ... if you want to run around calling asians '******' and blacks '*********', then you have no right to get defensive when somebody calls you two bigots and dismissively laughs that you can dish it out but you can't take it because everybody's just joking ...