Monday, January 15 the nation celebrated Martin Luther King Jr life, he was the most visible spokesperson and leader of the civil rights movement from 1954-1968. Martin Luther King, Jr's most famous speech "I have a Dream," was a 17-minute speech presented at the march on Washington in 1963.

It's amazing how many athletics come out stressing the importance of his speech, the fact that injustice and violence exist in the world. Chris Paul a professional basketball player from the Houston Rockets, quoted on Twitter, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," MLK.

Recently on MLK Day, the Houston Rockets played the LA Clippers, the game was not a celebration of the man who promoted peace. The game started with the LA Clippers paying homage to Chris Paul, who had played for the LA Clippers for the past 6 years before signing with the Rockets during the offseason.

This game was very aggressive on both side, but it escalated in the 4th quarter, Blake Griffin of the Clippers scored down low on Chris Paul, who then was called for the foul, Paul felt that the foul came before the basket, Blake Griffin stated, "And-1," this infuriated the Rockets Coach Mike D'Antoni, he yelled and cursed at Griffin complaining that Griffin had intentionally bumped on the previous play. Griffin and D'Antoni were hit with technicals. The trash talking continued with Blake Griffin having a heated exchange with Rockets, Trevor Ariza, both were hit with technicals in the final minute of the game. Blake Griffin getting his second technical was ejected from the game.

It is what happened after the game that I think is a complete embarrassment to the players and the game. The Los Angeles police officers were called to the Staples Center to assist security guards with a scuffle involving players from the Rockets attempting to get into the locker room of the Clippers to confront players, Blake Griffin and Austin Rivers. Chris Paul led Gerald Green, Trevor Ariza, and James Harden through a secret entrance that connected the two locker rooms.

I have been watching professional basketball since my dad brought home my first Michael Jordan and the Bulls championship t-shirt. So I am very familiar with the art of trash talking between players during the game, that's where it should be left, on the court at the end of the game.

The players need to realize that fans look to their behavior as a representation of who they are, to speak out about peace and injustice on MLK day than to behave like a bunch of schoolyard kids is insulting to very real issues affecting our nation.