ESPN apologizes for racist Jeremy Lin headline

ESPN is apologizing for using what many consider a racist slur in a headline after Jeremy Lin and the New York Knicks had their seven game win streak ended by the New Orleans Hornets on Friday night.

The headline "Ch--k in the Armor" was posted for about 30 minutes on its mobile website before being pulled down by the network.  The headline was seen on phones and tablet computers a few hours after the loss.

A statement from ESPN today read: "Last night, ESPN.com's mobile web site posted an offensive headline referencing Jeremy Lin at 2:30 am ET.  The headline was removed at 3:03 am ET.  We are conducting a complete review of our cross-platform editorial procedures and are determining appropriate disciplinary action to ensure this does not happen again.  We regret and apologize for this mistake."

Lin is the NBA's first American of Chinese or Taiwanese descent and his mercurial rise— after an unheralded start to his pro career— has been the top sports story over the past two weeks.

The Knicks point guard's stellar play has sparked what has been called Linsanity.  His name has been used in numerous puns and fans have created websites devoted to making up new words using his surname.

It is not the first time ESPN has used the offensive term.  After the Knicks beat Sacramento on Wednesday, an anchor used the phrase to ask Walt Frazier if there was any signs of weakness in the point guard's game.

An ESPN spokesman said the network apologized on-air for the ESPN News faux pas. He said the network would not apologize  on air for the website headline, though they did apologize on their Twitter feed and through statement to the media.




The phrase even drew criticism form ESPN's staff.

"Thought I was annoyed when I was awakened from deep sleep," ESPN SportsCenter anchor Michael Kim tweeted.  "Then I checked text msgs/Twitter.  Unacceptable. Extremely disappointed."

ESPN.com editor in chief Rob King apologized on his Twitter account: "There's no defense for the indefensible.  All we can offer are our apologies, sincere though incalculably inadequate... [ESPN] was fixing the failed process and addressing discipline."

Looks like some one at ESPN better start checking its Lin-ks.

Chris Paul Appears on "Family Feud" and Gets Buzzed

New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul—and four members of his family— appeared on the game show "Family Feud" Tuesday and the audience found out the four-time All-Star doesn't like smelling bad.

One of the survey's questions asked by host Steve Harvey was, "What is it a man might not want a woman he's hitting on to know he's wearing?" The NBA star's answer, "Musk...you stink."  Sound the X buzzer.

Bad answer.  Bad answer.

Paul and family members C.J., Robin, Charles and Rhonda—who were playing for charity— lost to the O'Hara family—a group of women which included a pro-football player and a cop.

Harvey called Paul the "nicest point guard playing ball today" and was glad to have him on the show, "in the flesh."

While Paul's team didn't get many right answers, the survey says New York Knick fans are hoping his next family includes Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony.

Chris Bosh's Four-Day Bachelor Party Filled With Guns, Booze and Levitation

Chris Bosh's bachelor party sounded a lot more fun than his NBA Championship series and lasted almost as long.  Bosh, the last wheel in the Miami Heat's Big Three, and his pals partied like rock stars during a four-day Las Vegas bacchanal dubbed "The Hangover 3."   Bosh celebrated, alongside 11 of his closest friends, with guns, liquor, steak dinners and magic shows. 

"It was everything these guys don't get to do during the season," said a source close to the party.

Funny, it sounds like a typical NBA season to me.

Miami teammates, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, were nowhere to be seen.  They probably had colds.

Bosh's Dirty Dozen, which included New Orleans Hornets players Jarrett Jack and Pops Mensah-Bonsu, kicked off the weekend by taking in Criss Angel's magic show "Believe" at the Luxor.  Angel pulled the guest of honor onstage and made him part of the act.  Backstage, Bosh was levitated by the greasy illusionist for a photo shoot.

The New York Post reported that Bosh and his posse's manly fun included blowing off steam at a gun range as soon as they hit the Strip and pigging out on steak dinners at some of the top restaurants in Vegas.

Other Sin City activities for Bosh and his posse included partying at Tao and a day of paintball.

The crew capped off the festivities on Sunday with a "Rack Pat" casino night at Caesars and the comedy-styling of Mark Curry.

Bosh will marry Adrienne Williams at the Fountainbleu Hotel in Miami in July.