Charles Barkley - Basketball Documentary

Since we're here, I'm Chris Fowler of sportscentury on his 22nd birthday. Charles Barkley dove with such force and fury that he moved everything, the upright, the backboard, the basket, there was a 23-minute delay while workers restored and They realigned what Sir Charles had worked on. The earthquake of him and seemed to sum up everything he did or said tended to the extravagant and scandalous that dared you to ignore him that was rarely possible. I can't think of many more fun things and covering the dream team in particular Charles Barkley in Barcelona was the king of Las Ramblas, that was the big party.

Working on Barcelona Street was the life of Barcelona. An only child could have my thousands of people following him everywhere. He would go out and talk to people who were pretty unfortunate and me. I remember a homeless woman who never asked for anything. Just one day she put a wad of bills in a bag. The best case scenario was Charles rolling around the diamond. The worst case scenario is when he elbowed her at an angle. I don't know anything about Angola. but the ankle has problems, new guys from Angola, they were out of control, they were also throwing elbows, so Charles, being a competitor, will throw a back elbow.

I asked him if that was in line with the Olympic ideal and he said yes. the playground ideal this is the way you play I said to Mike, listen Michael, why did you talk to Charles? You know, calm him down. He said we have tried it. He touches you. It was kind of a hilarious political satire. I mean. What could be more fun than him? You're elbowing this guy and then when asked, who knows, you might have had a spear or something if Charles Barkley's colorful demeanor kept opponents and the State Department on edge, helped motivate the greatest collection of

basketball

talent of all time.

He rallied as the US Olympic team marched toward gold. I thought about all the players. He left the rock room with more fire. He was really very determined not to embarrass himself and not to lose that gold medal. He was definitely our MVP in that Olympic race. and still today you sit there and look at him and say how a man his size could do the things he did. I'll pour it down your throat like broccoli every time, no doubt, clear the lane, a solution, besides, we have things to bring. your eye to the board Oh Lord, the glass belongs to the best in the class I got 56 points.

I mean, people talk about who will never be others. I think it will be a long time before there is a six four guy who can do a Charles Barkley inches 4 inches the best rebounder in the NBA the shortest man to win the rebounding championship his ability to physically dominate games at that height is something which I don't think anyone has done before or since desire did it with desire and a big old foot he was the one that tell me you know you throw the ball and I'm going to get every rebound and I tell you he would get every rebound his pure desire his love for the game you know he became a great player the boards were just a part of the Barclays game one of four players with 20,000 points, 12,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists who made not only to win but also to be excited.

I think part of Charles Barkley's contribution is that he understood what he was doing, it was entertaining, you came and you wanted to. at one show I saw him kiss a guy when he made a play when he shot him so I'm shooting free throws with my eyes closed so I took out dozens of mascots. The most important thing Charles wanted was attention and he got it. as a

basketball

player, but that wasn't good enough, Charles Barkley was a fat kid who became a great basketball player and I think he is very grateful for the attention he receives.

Charles likes to be around people and have them react. What he said and do it was a mixture of good and bad and logical and illogical he was a walking mass of contradictions his thing is that you could never understand who he is, so he tries to rationalize the things he does to you. I can never do that, my idol many times, like Charles Barkley. I wish I could say right what he says first. I would like to tell all of you how best to kiss my big black ass. Vieira knows that Charlie Parker gets in trouble because he tells the truth.

He is a bad official. He's been mean the entire time I've been gone. I hate that he's back. I heard him say things that would kill anyone else if he were sick. I would kill him. Writing I would kill it on television, but because it was Charles, you laughed and you didn't want to laugh, but it's funny, it was a really very boring game. I stopped playing like shit, but I couldn't. I didn't get very motivated hiring. The boy used to read the newspaper on the way to each game so he could have analogies to use outside of the front page.

The sexual Erasmus does not get to the heart of the matter. It was absurd. Oh, Paula Jones, be lucky. someone wants to touch his ugly ass Charles just came spoke was at the top of his mind and gave you all my set Muhammad Ali field Dan Majerle oh my dad Ben I'm just like every other woman in Phoenix, can I have you like this? Southern softness that kind of makes it good for the air is like the difference between everything tempting everything could say the same thing that Mike Tyson said I'll eat your chili and warm you up every one really laughs you know Tyson says and it's like Yes I want to put it in the same area.

You know some people can't tell a joke. Barkley can tell a joke. What is making news? They're still trying to scam people from a small station, right? I do not think it does. I've never said anything to anyone else, I said, but if you're a normal person, you're giving your opinion, if you're famous, or you're opinionated, or you're controversial, he inspired more discussion about the importance or unimportance of the role. role models in athletics that any individual I could remember was not a role model. Charles had said it. All I did was, you know, toughen up the language a little more.

Throw out a couple of four-letter words. Parents should be role models. What he was saying was take responsibility for your own children you know I'm not your dad just because I shoot a basketball doesn't mean I should raise your kids Barclays says what everyone should say don't wait for a professional athlete to be the one. mentor your child because he or she is a celebrity, he understood this before anyone else, you are not something because you wish you weren't, he was a great role model, well, would you care to admit it or not, there were so many single parent families looking helps in raising his children and if he was going to shirk that responsibility and in retrospect I would be angry if the league had control over the league, wouldn't you know?

I would never have allowed something like that. I think the reaction to NO I am. a role model suddenly cast him as the villain in the world wrestling and basketball draw. I'm sure over the years he didn't get the commercial spot because of his personality, but he works both ways. I'm sure he got something out of being blunt, anything less would be uncivilized, there are a lot of athletes who hire people who come out to work for them and make you think they're a good guy. Charles is a really good guy, but I'd rather think he's an idiot.

It was part of his charm, but it was also part of his curse before the 1995 All-Star Game in Phoenix. Barclays' playful drive to shock burned the media wires. I've been working on a sports magazine story about Charles for about two-three weeks this year. a big german guy plugs in the mic and says we're doing history in NVA droopy the bunch of idiots is a sick topic and you guys get a life a graphic just looks at me and says that's why I hate white people and when the thing was over. I told him you don't hate white people and he says, "I'm just going with my son's response." The last comment about the whites was to say that ESPN is a news organization that tries to make news out of a non- The story Charles Barkley through his spokesperson described it as a non-story, the NBA had not arrived, it was just a lapse momentary stupidity for a moment, Charles being Charles trying to be funny and it wasn't funny, he got a lot of hate mail.

Really bad, he was really brutal. I think a certain segment of the population couldn't accept it. What they didn't realize was that Charles had a pretty good heart. He would often call our public relations person and say, "I would like to go to Children's Hospital." but if I see a camera crew or someone from the newspapers I'm not going in, the Celtics were playing the Sixers and Barkley dove out of bounds for a loose ball and missed me by inches and I was very pregnant at the time and then Later, as I was walking out, he took me aside and said, Can I be serious for a minute?

You really shouldn't sit there. I would hate for anything to happen to you or your baby. Charles Barkley did some things that even those of us who really liked him couldn't justify or rationalize, but he relatively glosses over a lot of it because he's generally very nice and outgoing, spits at people through windows of game. I used to smile like most people, I would say. Why would Charles do that to himself? Charles Wade Barkley was born in Leeds, Alabama to Frank and Charsi in February 1963. I don't really like to talk much about Charles' father. We separated when Charles wasn't even a year old.

I know it once. He hit her and I told him I would take his wife and his baby home and I did. I really struggled with not having a father for two women and three children. It was always a constant struggle. Charles's grandmother whom I have always referred to as president. downstairs she is the one who kept everything together my mother was a strict disciplinarian Saku aside and any man could look like Charles was about 14 or 15 years old and he told me grandma, your mom will never have to work again because I'm going to play catch in basketball Le I heard that he is my dr. favorite.

J and everyone laughed at him, insulted him, a fat 510 really doesn't do much good, God. I started doing these exercises to strengthen my legs, jumping on his fence back and forth back and forth at night when all the other kids could be. On a date, a boy was playing basketball and the people from the projects made fun of me every night, when we started to go to sleep we heard that buh-buh-buh-buh-buh there on the basketball court. I wasn't the most recruited player on my team, so I realized that the only way to get the ball was to get rebounds, so going into my senior year, I want to get 20 rebounds a night, that was my goal. , averaging 18 rebounds and 19 points as a 6-foot-4 high school senior, Berkeley was recruited nationally, chose nearby Auburn or grew up instead of growing, we look forward to October 15 at 232 pounds at the end from his first year to 78, you couldn't lower him. of you could break the plate you could monitor your eating habits They send me coaches to class and to the dialogue they go and play a ball game they give you a sandwich after the game a snack Charles somehow smuggles three giant pizzas into his room, but When the first time I saw a kid, I looked at him, this big guy, the big guy, he can't play, he left him and I looked like this guy, this big guy put all his weight, man, he's like the bumblebee, I would say the bumblebee, aeronautical, II, ain.

He's not supposed to fly. He has this little round one with little wings. This guy isn't supposed to jump. He averaged 14 points and 10 rebounds in his first two seasons at Auburn. The huge Barclays drew more boos than cheers. He solved it like that often. The tigers here are three of my nickname, the bread truck, the adorable food there while I was just trying to have a good time. My favorite is around the edges with this place for the hollow and silver war fat man, oh he was a big boy, son of the people of Tennessee. I got Domino's Pizza to deliver two of Charles' pizzas to the court before the game, but the contempt of the Road crowd paled in comparison to the problems between Berkeley and head coach Sonny Smith.

Sonny pushed Charles to places he had never been and hadn't been. I want him pushed into Sunday's former house. Charles could have a play and it probably should be a big play, he said signing while he was a coach, you know, when the bright lights come on, I played, I watched it, I wanted to practice but not practice too much instead of rotating. I'd come across and take the charge, Charles would spin around, just knock the guy into the stands, so I ran at him, threw him and hit him in the chest right here, he just backed away, he said coach, don't hit me anymore, let him smile. and he's a really good guy, he just needs to work a little more on his work habits.

I've got some desire and practice so let me tell you something son you have a world of skills but I saw you at practice today and you're just going through the motions listen to your coach your coach loves you your people your love listen to them to try to help you man I think once Sunny realized he had someone who was a little different I think they grew closer and I think he made Auburn a better team as a junior, the rotund forward helped lead his first appearance in the NCAA tournament, scoring 15points and grabbing nine rebounds per game after the Tigers lost in the first round.

Berkeley was invited to try out for the 1984 Bobby Knights Olympic team. He was the best player on the court, you know that better than Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing and everyone who was on that team. I remember that the coach died and asked him to return to the mini caravan, but five pounds of the best game of him. Lee and Charles returned intoxicating. and he touched a basketball it was time for the first cut but when I got there they started talking the first name he mentioned was Charles Barkley we were like man if they cut him and well I'm cut if Knight doesn't appreciate the Barclays cut jib the NBA certainly did in the 1984 draft Philadelphia selected him number five behind Hakeem Olajuwon Sam Bowie Michael Jordan and Sam Perkins the Philadelphia 76ers select Charles Barkley from Auburn University I said I want to play all 10 years and get 10 rebounds a night and win a million dollars and those with my three goals I just want to take care of my family when I leave the hospital and I achieved all those goals.

The 76ers' training scales at 272 pounds Charles Barkley was not a perfect fit on a team that had initially won the 1983 NBA title. I wasn't all that excited that he was talking about someone under 65 playing a power forward position in the NBA, there was no one. So, here comes this brash rookie to a team that already has Moses Malone, that has the classy Julius Erving, that has all these established stars and veterans, one of them looked at the other and said he was going to leave this kid who likes to have fun. . guy who had enormous skills and some of the parts in a game that were too easy for him, but who under the direction of Senator Moses Malone Barkley began to leave his mark not only on the league but on some of the players in it.

Charles' idea of ​​a fast break was to get the ball up so hard, find a way to finish that off with a dunk and I think the idea of ​​a big man having this kind of 94-foot game without a guard and without an outlet pass is pretty unprecedented, but her ability to grab the rebound, handle a ball and break pressure on her own and make a layup and then there's her chain of body legs in her wake that I thought a guard could take. charge at me, but he would only launch one if a guard had the courage to stand in front of me once.

I was going to try to kill him, so I would only do it once in his second season. Barkley averaged 20 points and 13 rebounds, but Philadelphia was eliminated in the semifinals of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Then, on draft day, Barkley lost his mentor. Malone was moved to the bullets in two deals. The 76ers got Jeff Rueland Cliff. Robinson and Roy Henson the darkest day in franchise history Jeff Roulin lasted five games before his knee gave out those trades were actually made for Charles, it was our intention at the time to try to build a team around Charles, they released completely to Charles, Charles absolutely became a big star because he had freedom, this has become a kind of Charles Barkley team. has become, if not the biggest show on earth, then at least the loudest show on earth.

Barkley for three Berkeley remained irrepressible for the next four seasons in 1990, he averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds and finished second behind Magic Johnson and MVP voting in the next In the final game of the season he led the Sixers to their first title division in seven seasons in a fight-filled matchup with the defending NBA champion Pistons. Charles said: I'm so sick of Bill Laimbeer, so I wrote a note, dear lamb, you love Charles and Rick, we knew all game long that we were going to have some kind of altercation between Mahorn and I and Berkeley Charles was so angry that he They had been kicked out of the game because they tore the urinal out of the wall.

Just look at this hole in the wall, this stream of water looked like a fire hose behind it. Of the $150,000 in fines levied by the NBA, $20,000 were billed to Berkeley, but the fallout from the altercation turned out to be the beginning of the end. from Barclays' tumultuous stay in Philadelphia in March 1991 against the New Jersey Nets. Charles Barkley was the target of someone else's impudence. There's a guy behind the backline who was with Charles the entire game and things got progressively worse. Barkley, apparently, has had enough. I saw him collect his saliva and let it fly in the direction of an interlocutor who was standing right behind my daughter.

The next thing I remember is Charles just spitting and I got wet. I thought, oh my God, what just happened, man said. It's the worst thing I've ever done in my life. I went too far this time and I never heard him say that at any other time before or since. Two days later I got a phone call from Charles Barkley and he told me that he was basically sorry and that he would like it. talk to my daughter even if I spit on that guy he didn't deserve it no matter how nerdy I was I had to be bigger than that Lauren taught me a lot and I think the best thing that happened to me was the way she treated me.

Barkley was fined $10,000 and suspended for one game. He was punished but unfazed. He redirected his anger toward his teammates and management when he wanted to tell you something. He would tell you and you were either mentally strong enough to accept it or you just got weaker. You know the pressure on him, some missed five or six jumpers in a row, he would tell you that your jumper was on vacation and then he could tag you with the name on vacation. Harold Katz is the one everyone blames, he was the owner that time he brought in players who just couldn't play and couldn't win.

Charles' favorite joke is that I asked about Shaq and they brought in Charles Shackleford after losing to the Bulls in the 1990 and '91 playoffs. Barclays' eighth season in Philadelphia was his. The tougher Rick Mahorn was gone and the media was coming around that he was doing everything he could to get him traded and he was also extremely frustrated, but he started in training camp saying that the Sixers were going to keep Dave Hoppin on the roster because he couldn't they would have 12 black guys I said some people might be offended by an all black team and when I woke up the next day, like Barker said, I only keep my guy because he's white, there's always been some form of racism where people never He argued like in 1991 if no one ever discussed it, he will never have sobs.

I thought they were reasons for me in Philadelphia, the press was not. I would listen to other athletes in Philadelphia, they would say that we really aren't good enough and that we need to improve, but when I told Hill about Berkeley's low, his teammates had finally decided that he was going to stop worrying about what people thought. From their comments, their responses to the questions were to stop thinking about it and say what they feel, say what they believe and if they have to defend it then. filmed the commercial day of a game, questions, gets to work, maybe filming a commercial, that they have a game, is not a good idea.

Charles announces in a rather booming voice. I'm 90, which means I can do whatever I want whenever I want. They say Todd's monthly is racist, how can it be racist? He married a white woman, married Marine Blum Hart in 1989, and had a daughter, Christianna, that same year. The couple was not appreciated in all areas of the city of brotherly love, the society here for whatever reason. which is why a small segment of that society was not ready for an interracial marriage involving one of their heroes, some people said some things that were cool and I know that was annoying and they never said that when he was around he showed no outward signs Being dramatically affected by that, did it bother you inside?

I'd bet so. In his scandalous autobiography, Barkley left little unsaid, but when he exploded into bookstores in late 1991, the author tried to look the other way. The phones lit up a lot, of course. Charles Barker and Barkley said Bill misquoted me that book you claim to have been misquoted in your autobiography at the time I thought this might be litigation history a man sues himself reliable that December Berkeley returned to making headlines after getting involved in a skirmish outside Milwaukee bar, although a jury acquitted him six months later, the damage was done, the 76ers sent him packing, saying he was not guilty.

I ran out of the courtroom. I received a phone call from my agent. They already treated it. That's where I went. He went to Phoenix and I recently got ready to take a plane and I remember not caring how much the free drinks were, but everyone on the plane I think realized he wasn't going to get a championship ring if he stayed in Philly. and I think you desperately wanted a chance to play for a championship, so I think the team really did him a favor and by accommodating him and making a trade with Phoenix I felt like the six just wanted to get me out of the playoffs and lose, and I couldn't .

I didn't take that because I knew they were more important things to me. Charles Barkley was the greatest figure in any kind of sport or otherwise to ever come to Arizona, who is actually Charles Barkley, coming to Hooterville. I took him upstairs to the balcony of America Western and pointed at him. To the ceiling I say that's what you can do for Phoenix's eyes, you can bring him a championship after a gold medal with the dream team in Barcelona and loaded with the expectations of nothing less than a championship ring that Charles Barkley played at the top of His game during his first season with Phoenix it was a huge moment for Phoenix that Charles had played in the Olympics before Charles was in fantastic shape when he showed up at training camp that year and remained throughout the season.

What Charles did was he gave us a confidence that we didn't have before and most of the time he helped us average 26 points and 12 rebounds. Berkeley won his only MVP by leading the Suns to the 1993 NBA Finals, waiting for the champion Chicago Bulls and his close friend I can't express the depth of the man Michael's relationship in that he is my brother, he He has always been there for me, always behind closed doors, sometimes I dream that he is me, Michael was always good at showing off his rings and letting Charles know that he didn't have any and that he wasn't getting any, maybe just a friend I could do that.

I think it's important for Berkeley to be close to Jordan because I feel like it elevates him and cultivates him in some way. Jordan watched him. One day he called the television and told her that he had to start dressing well. His black businessman in America put on a suit. Michael doesn't need to cultivate friendships and I think he was part of that irrepressible Berkeley nature. Charles was able to say things that Michael might have wanted to say, but they came out of Charles's mouth. I remember Jordan saying, I wish I could say some of the things Charles Barkley says, since America will love you with that, love me, oh, I'm his worst nightmare. brother who will not stay silent, the Bulls and Jordan gave Berkeley and the sons their own nightmare by winning the first two games in Phoenix, but Sir Charles responded in the third game in Chicago, this was the moment when, wait One minute, I can be. on par with Michael Jordan I can be the best basketball player in the world I'm going to play this one up the hill Bartlett didn't let his team lose every overtime every time he said, come on, my name is Pat it's on the back he's wishing them on for the win Barclays 24 points 19 rebounds in game three brought the Sun back into the series after the Bulls responded by winning game four Barkley scored another 24 points as the Sun took game five, the Bulls have to return to Phoenix.

We're in a bad mood and the Suns have the lead late, the Bulls had decided they weren't going to let me score and we suffered a turnover, a missed shot, another turnover with Phoenix leading 98 96 with 14 seconds left. Barkley made a questionable decision Charles went for the robbery and hip and started driving. I can see Horace Grant open on the baseline and before I could turn around he just took the hot potato out of the packets and then I just said please Fitz please miss if Charles had played. more conservatively, maybe it was them, although outwardly Charles might not have expressed to everyone his emotions about losing that series, inwardly there was no one who hated losing Michael Jordan, the Chicago Bulls and Charles Barkley more, you mean it was a Great year. but you feel so bad right now I know he must have thought, you know, if I don't beat that guy this season, I don't think I'm ever going to after losing to the Bulls in the 1993 Finals, Charles Barkley at 30 years. looked towards an uncertain future Charles was so motivated that this was going to be the year that his body would break down a little, he didn't take care of himself much in the offseason, you know how he should because he was very good, very talented.

Charles didn't really believe that they had to maintain his body and shape and work on it. Charles wasplaying golf eating cake and ice cream and having a good time in the offseason, but when it came to the fourth quarter, Charles wanted to win as much as anyone. Barkley, another with elbow, back and knee injuries, considered retirement in each of his final three seasons with the Suns. I'll tell you the same. I told a team pen. Most likely I played my last game. There were a couple of times he announced his retirement, but we all just waited and waited and hoped he would come back next year.

I convinced him that he was given a gift and we needed it very much. Barkley stayed, but after screwing up the OH playoffs lead to the Rockets in 1994 and '95, Sonny's atmosphere in Phoenix darkened. Much of the drama fell on Barkley and Kevin Johnson. Charles and I got along well as players, we had different interests. I don't know if we both tried that hard to make the relationship work. You know there's a story of Charles saying KJ come to the strip club with me and I'll go to church with you on Sunday and you know KJ lived up to his end of the deal and Charles said no I'm not going to church in August 1996 16 days after Berkeley won his second Olympic gold medal, he was traded to Houston if he was still effective on the court.

His relationship with the public was increasingly tenuous when a woman in Scottsdale tore his autograph. She spilled beer on his head. Three more incidents and punches were allegedly thrown that resulted in no punishment for Barkley, you can talk to Charles and tell him it's okay Charles, don't put yourself in a position where you can get in trouble, you gotta be kidding Charles Barkley . Charles Barkley, that's part of his personality. I opened my Marlee Sports Grille in '93 and I remember I used to come in after games and we would have to put Monster in the barn because there would be crowds of people you know, eight ten deep, standing around.

Watching him, he was a very approachable guy who allowed that access, you also have some people whose goal is not friendly. I've seen other athletes in these types of situations and they just say, "You know, we better get out of here." a no-win situation, Charles couldn't see that he couldn't walk away because it's not in Charles' nature to walk away. He interpreted it as a sign of weakness or vulnerability, that's what made him attractive to the workers that he was. He was a saint, he was just gravy and if you rubbed it the wrong way he had a right to get mad.

In October 1997 in Orlando, a party ended with a crash. The little boy said something to Charles. Charles followed him outside. All he said was. Hey, you're going to give me some respect and he pushed a little guy against the wall and there just happened to be a mirror there when Charles pushed him, the little glass fell to the floor and of course the little guy acted like he was dead at that moment. . is a victim, Jorge Lugo, 20, moments after being released from the hospital, was hit after being thrown through a glass window. Phineas Fogg's witnesses say it was Houston Rockets player Charles Barkley who made sure there was no conflict and the United States. bother me, I'm going to kick your ass, I do it through the window, he asked me if I have any regrets, I see, I will regret that we were on the first floor, that's all, we were always like on the third floor so that he could Barkley settled with Lugo for $75,000 and paid a $320 fine in Orlando court, although he did not receive any suspension from the NBA; the league threatened to shorten Barclays' career unless he obtained a bodyguard. he had a group of people, he came to things himself and finally the league said they can't do this anymore, they made it very simple.

I will retire or give security and only not meet 50 people a day, so I probably met a million people and a million have been greedy. Five or six have been really bad. I wouldn't change that for the world. I don't care about the six or seven negative things because I know the most amazing people, I think, Charles. It's one of the biggest traits of him in his words that he just wants to be a normal person and, unfortunately for him, you can't be an old person on the court. Cleese drives that elusive championship ring that was fading despite Hakeem Olajuwon. and Clyde Drexler next to him, then in January 1999, Scottie Pippen replaced the retiring Drexler, you know, this is called The Breakfast Club. a very good relationship the way they talk, I joke, but when Pippen demanded to be traded after the season, Barclays was furious that he had deferred part of his salary so the Rockets could get Pippen and demanded an apology.

I gave up more than anyone else to get Scottie and because he wants to leave, the one who just disappointed me a lot, Miss Apena, is a very disinterested guy, he doesn't show me the desire to want to win. I probably should have listened to Michael, she said it. Charles will never win the championship because no. He doesn't show up when you dedicate something. He'll apologize for coming to play with the sorry part of him, but Michael called me from Monte Carlo. You know he would never have said anything bad about you, whatever Scott said, since BSB has let it slide and no.

Don't worry about it, three days after attacking Barkley, Hippin became a Portland pioneer, but after Pippins' departure, the question remained as to why Barkley hadn't won a title. I think he wants to be seen on George and the birds' step. and the Magic Johnsons, but in my opinion, he was one step away from winning with determination in Drive: Michael was like Vince Lombardi, he was everything and maybe he wasn't everything to drop, that didn't mean he didn't want to win. but it's possible that he didn't prepare, there's no doubt that his lifestyle I think had some detriment to his level of play.

Could he have stayed in better shade and gone to bed before closing time once in a while? Yes, I could have, but that's why. he attacked life, there are so many things that go into winning the championship. Charles Park was not the reason the teams didn't win championships. He always said, you know, that's not going to define me if I never want to win the championship, but I think it really bothered him and me. I think he really bothered her throughout his career. I don't know if he'll ever pursue it. I think he's such a kind human being that he'll let it go, but I think deep in his heart, if he ever won a championship, he would have felt totally complete as a player.

Charles Barkley announced in the fall of 1999 that the upcoming NBA season would be his last, but if he had any reservations, that would be shattered early in the year in Philadelphia, maybe eight minutes away. In the game, Tyrone Hill drove the baseline and Charles was playing defense and got up to block the shot, but he landed, it was a sharp sound, he grabbed his knee immediately, you didn't hear a cry of pain, but you saw the end. from a career that he knew without a doubt it was all over, he cried when he came back to the locker room, that's all, how did you hold back with all that pain?

He said my daughter was watching in Phoenix and I didn't want her to see. Me and the pain say: you know, seeing him cry like a baby. I mean, he just kept quiet and I told God to make a mistake. It happened for a reason. It was supposed to happen like this. I was supposed to end up in Philadelphia. I really believe that in my heart, but it wasn't the end for Barkley with 37 recovered from his left quadriceps tear, enough to enter the Rockets' final game of the season. You can tell he wanted to get back on the basketball court.

You can say that he wanted to know how to get one more rebound. You can tell you what not to score one more basket. Reggie Norris going to the basket. Markit retires for the NBA. Barkley went on television and the weight of his words and his body became topics. of discussion. Like well you can weigh me on air I don't care I can't say that on TV now this won't stay still throw your weight away tonight 337 I don't realize how fat I got it was wrong now I'm chubby I'm trying to get the big ball to get back to my plan, meanwhile, Barkley keeps the rumor alive that evil will one day look for another job.

Alabama Governor Charles Barkley says I still want to be in government, but not until he is 45 and he wants to help children. and he believes that if he can appear on television, if he could deliver the message that here I am a child from a single parent family, a mother was on welfare in Leeds, Alabama and look what I did. I've been on both ends of the spectrum. "I've been rich, I've been poor and I think we need to make more profit than that. We don't care about helping any group. It just happened with everyone I love when he told his grandmother he had become a Republican and she told him : Charles, you know? "I'm happy to be a Republican.

Republicans are for rich people," he said, "You know Grandma, I'm rich." God has obviously blessed me beyond my wildest expectations and I don't think he said, "I'm going to give you all this power and money and fame and everything and when you retire once you sit at home and you have a big house and some cars and a lot of money. I never grew up expecting to be Charles Parker. I never had a job. I think knock on wood. I have more. money than I've ever had in my entire life I met presidents I met kings and it's just because of basketball that's all it's just because In basketball, anyone can score if they shoot often enough, Charles Barkley liked to say, but rebounding is the true measure of a man and his work ethic.

In the spring of 2001, Sir Charles talked about recovery and found nothing that satisfied him as much. like basketball. He talked about returning to the NBA and renewing his search for a ring, as usual, no one knew what to expect. Century of Sports I'm Chris Fowler