Barkley-vs-Barkley 10/4/10

Act 1...Playing Days 

As a kid growing up I remember sitting along side of my father watching the 76ers that featured Hall of Famers Julius Erving, Moses Malone, and a very young Charles Barkley.  Years later I remember watching Barkley lead the Phoenix Suns to the NBA in 1993 almost dethroning Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.  Charles finished his NBA career as a part of the Houston Rockets which featured Hall of Famers Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon, Clyde "The Glide" Drexler, and later Scottie Pippen.  During my youth Charles Barkley dominated my household, I looked at him as the best basketball player that I've ever seen and I was thrilled when he was named one of the 50 greatest players to ever play in the NBA.  During his career Barkley scored over 23,000 points, pulled in over 12,000 rebounds and handed out over 4,000 assist all the while being an undersized power forward.  He was so great that he won the NBA MVP award during the 92-93 season.  Simply put he was one of the greatest players to ever step on the court and he was royalty in my household despite never winning an NBA championship.  

Act 2...Television 

Outspoken in nature Charles was a lock to land a job in the studio commentating on the NBA and various other topics once he retired after a serious injury in 2000.  The NBA on TNT is the best basketball studio show out there today and the main reason is Barkley, he's unpredictable, funny, and energetic.  During the times that he and studio mate Kenny "The Jet" Smith jab each other about the their playing days I always have a smile on my face due to my having watched many of those battles.  Charles is always extremely fun during the NBA's All-Star weekends.  Being in front of the mic or the camera has given Barkley the incredible opportunity to further his career by speaking his mind, a career that hasn't been drama free.

Intermission...Not a good look.

During a game in 1991, Barkley spit towards a fan who was heckling him during a game and the spit ended up missing the fan and landed on a young lady.  Barkley was suspended for the incident by the NBA.

Also in 1991 Barkley was arrested for punching a man in the face in a Milwaukee bar.

In 1997 Barkley was arrested in Orlando for throwing a man through a window because the guy threw ice at him.  

Last but not least in 2008 a married Barkley was arrested for drunk driving and running a red light while trying to receive oral sex from a prostitute.  

Act 3...Barkley on Lebron

"I heard about LeBron's little tweet today that he's remembering everybody who said anything bad about him," Barkley said Thursday on ESPN Radio 103.3 FM in Dallas/Fort Worth. "And he said 'everybody.' Well, I want him to make sure that he puts my name on that (list).

I thought that his little one-hour special was a punk move. I thought them dancing around on the stage was a punk move, and I thought he should've stayed in Cleveland. Him joining Dwyane Wade's team was very disappointing to me."

He's got enough people kissing his ass with his family and all the people who work for him," Barkley said. "We don't have to tell him what he wants to hear all the time. That's one of the reasons why ... some of these young guys ... my opinion is he should have stayed in Cleveland.

"That one-hour special, them jumping around on stage like punks, that wasn't cool to me. From a basketball standpoint, I wish he had stayed in Cleveland, and if he takes that as criticism, so be it.

"He knows where I'll be, I don't run. I'm on TV every week, I'm easy to find."

"The only criticism I’ve heard about LeBron and it was my biggest criticism, that decision thing was just stupid. It was stupid. The second thing when they all came out there dancing around on stage, that was silly. That’s the only thing I’ve heard LeBron get criticized about. That has nothing to do with race. That’s what makes this last thing so stupid. That’s stupid. The only criticism of LeBron has been the decision and the one hour of our life that we can’t have back."

Act 4...My Turn Now!

Sir Charles Barkley, my all time favorite NBA player, the man I put above everyone else, how on earth can you attach another NBA like you have Lebron James when he's never said anything negative about you.  It was within his right to leave Cleveland, a place where he was NEVER going to win an NBA championship.  The reality is that if he were to stay in Cleveland he would have ended up on this list.

10.  Reggie Miller

9.  Shawn Kemp

8.  Dominique Wilkins

7.  Elgin Baylor

6.  Patrick Ewing

5.  John Stockman

4.  Karl Malone

3.  George Gervin

2.  Bernard King

1.  Sir Charles Barkley

Not a good look!

You have no right to put Lebron James on blast every chance you get, at this point it does nothing but make you look foolish.  It's revealing a truth about you Charles that I didn't know was a truth until now....Lebron's decision that has over the next six years given him the opportunity to win a championship has you jealous and angry.  You ince had the opportunity to play with the Bulls and your close friend MJ but you turned that chance down and the Bulls went with Dennis Rodman instead.  Don't sit back and blast Lebron James for making the decision that you should have made all of those years ago it's not fair and it's not the Charles that I grew up respecting.  Show Lebron James and the Miami Heat the same respect that I showed you for all those years, I defended you blindly against all comers but now I see you for what you really are, an NBA player who will forever stay on the list of great players who never won the big one while you watch Mr. James take his career into his own hands and take himself off the list that you continue to make famous!  Lebron James is a great player but better yet a great person who hasn't found himself in some of the drama that you have in the past.  Your biggest fan in the world just lost respect for you and now you have to earn it back!

Act 5...Lebron's response

"Anytime somebody asks about me or asks me about future Hall of Famers, future players, guys in the game, all I do is praise guys because I want everybody to get better. We're all in this together. When you ask a question about LeBron, it's always the other side."

"You can't stop what people say about you or don't say about you," James said. "As an individual, I've got my family to take care of, I've got these guys [teammates] to represent everyday in this organization and that's all I worry about."