I can’t keep track of all the talking heads on NBA TV — if they didn’t used to work for MSG, I have no idea who they are. With today being Martin Luther King Jr. Day in these United States, the Association has its traditional full slate of afternoon games (with a few sprinkled throughout the evening).
Lucky viewers were told that tonight’s Rockets/Grizzlies game would be “an emotional night” what with “Memphis being a hotbed of Martin Luther King Day activity.” Well, yeah, that’s one way of putting it. One would think, however, that the achievements of the civil rights pioneer would stir strong emotions in most people, regardless of their hometown. It wouldn’t have been incorrect (though perhaps impolite) to state that MLK Day has added significance for the City Of Memphis, because that’s where he was shot . By James Earl Ray. With a gun. Etc.
Though I love to nitpick, I realize it isn’t some lowly NBA TV anchor’s job to sum up American history, but if the NBA are gonna make a big deal about commemorating Dr. King’s life and legacy (rightfully so), it’s ok to acknowledge where his death took place.