Jeremy Lin’s “Chink in the Armor”

Jazz Knicks Basketball

In the midst of America’s sports Lin-sanity, two ESPN employees used the phrase “chink in the armor” once too often to describe Jeremy Lin’s performance against the New Orleans Hornets.

ESPN’s headline writer Anthony Federico made the faux pas when he posted this headline on ESPN’s mobile website: “Chink in the Armor: Jeremy Lin’s 9 Turnovers Cost Knicks in Streak-Snapping Loss to Hornets.” The headline was live on the web for more than a half hour before someone realized that it might be construed as an offensive racist remark – Federico was fired the following day.

ESPN’s second Lin-related media mistake came a few days earlier when Max Bretos, a well known ESPN anchor, posed the following question live on the air: “If there is a chink in the armor, where can he improve his game?” As punishment for his gaffe, Bretos was given a 30-day suspension.

The question is how is it possible to make such careless, Red-faced media mistakes? Sometimes, anchors and headline writers are too clever for their own good.

It’s time to retire the phrase “chink in the armor.”