ESPN Apologizes for Racial Slur Used in Lin Basketball Headline

ESPN has apologized for using a racial slur in the headline for a story about Knicks phenom Jeremy Lin.

(Update: ESPN Fires Employee Behind Offensive Lin Headline, Suspends Anchor for Saying the Same Thing)

The headline "Chink in the Armor" appeared on ESPN's mobile website after New York lost to the New Orleans Hornets Friday night, the Associated Press reported.

Lin, a Harvard graduate, is the first American-born player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent and has become something of a sensation in recent weeks, inspiring the term "Linsanity," and is Tim Tebow-like in the sense that he's very outspoken about his faith.

Sports Grid captured a screenshot of the offensive headline:

In a statement issued Saturday, ESPN called the offensive headline a "mistake" and said they were conducting a review to ensure a similar incident does not happen again:

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 3:05 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.

According to Sports Grid, the headline was subsequently changed to read "All Good Things..."

New York sports network MSG generated controversy during a Knicks game Wednesday after it aired a fan's sign showing Lin's face above a fortune cookie with the message "The Knicks Good Fortune."