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Liguori: Jeremy Lin And Tim Tebow: Winners Beyond Winning

By Ann Liguori
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How fortunate we New Yorkers are, enjoying back-to-back sensational sports stories to savor! First the Giants topping the New England Patriots in one of the most exciting Super Bowls on record and now, Knicks' sensation Jeremy Lin.

Lin's exciting story has pulled me away from writing about Phil Mickelson's win over Tiger and the rest of the field on this past Sunday at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, which drew its highest final-round rating for that tournament for CBS in 15 years.

How can one not get swept up in the refreshing story of Jeremy Lin?! You know how much I adore a hard-working, intelligent, no-attitude, underdog-turned-success story! And the fact that Lin has the courage to stand up for what he believes, on and off the court, makes me respect him even more!

I admire his leadership qualities, his athleticism, his humility and his ability to make the other guys on the court better.

You all know I've been singing Tim Tebow's praises since I first met him at the Sullivan Awards in 2008. What a sensation he has become - emerging into a social media icon and one of the most popular figures in the country.

Jeremy Lin, in literally one week's time, has taken the sports and social media world by storm! And with the NBA's interest in globalization, the sky's the limit regarding how Lin can expand the NBA's reach and his own!

Here are some comments about Jeremy Lin from sports fans who've emailed me:

Barry Altman: "The point guard position has always been recognized as not only an athletic position, but as importantly, a cerebral one. The guard position is akin to the quarterback on a football team. Obviously Lin has the benefit of great athletic ability and focused concentration on the task at hand. Too many recent pros missed the benefit of four years of training at the college level and chased the big contract. Hopefully his story will start a new trend. You can't teach height or talent, but properly coached repetition in college will certainly improve the quality of leadership & performance both on the court and off."

George Buckley: "Jeremy Lin is an inspiration to anyone hanging around on the cusp-- the farm team pitcher, the D league baller, the last cut golfer. They say 'good luck is when preparation meets opportunity.' He proves the adages: 'be ready and never give up on yourself.' He is simply "LINspirational".

James Rowbotham: "Jeremy Lin is a welcome counteragent to the Asian basketball (and football) player stereotype of "nerdy and not athletic." He generates "no quit" pride to the Asian community in the U.S. His demonstrable ball-handling and playmaking skills should also cause NBA scouts to re-think how they evaluate Asian and Indian/Pakistani college/developmental league players who fall outside of their normal evaluation parameters. How many more Jeremy Lins are hiding in plain sight in the Ivy and Patriot Leagues, let alone at elite colleges like Carleton, Williams, and Carnegie Mellon?"

Enjoy Jeremy Lin! And win or lose, may he continue to positively influence thousands of kids who have so instantly come to adore him.

XXX

Be sure to 'friend' Ann on Facebook and Twitter and visit her web site at www.annliguori.com.

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