Sir Charles

Charles Barkley is an American hero. His entertainment career has been remarkable, but like most Americans, he has had a few problems along the way. For example, he is currently serving a 3 day jail sentence for a DUI arrest on New Year's Eve.

During his NBA playing career he averaged 22.1 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. Barkley earned the nickname "The Round Mound of Rebound" because of his ability to control the glass despite his relatively pudgy 6'5 frame. His talents were such that in 1996 he was named as one of the NBA's 50 greatest players.


Great song by Patty Smyth

While Barkley excelled on the court, it has been his off court antics that have catapulted him into the national spotlight over the past 20 years. In 1993, he was at the center of attention for his refusal to be considered a role model. This stance went against the grain of the times. America was amid the "family values" message that was championed by former VP Dan Quayle, but Barkley, always politically inclined, was quick to rebuff this assumption that he should be looked up to by kids simply because he was a great basketball player. He had this to say,

"A million guys can dunk a basketball in jail. Should they be role models?"

His message also involved realistic expectations.

"I think the media demands that athletes be role models because there's some jealousy involved. It's as if they say, this is a young black kid playing a game for a living and making all this money, so we're going to make it tough on him. And what they're really doing is telling kids to look up to someone they can't become, because not many people can be like we are. Kids can't be like Michael Jordan"

Barkley even went as far as to write the text for this commercial.



In 1991, Sir Charles was fined for spitting on a female fan after a game. He claimed that he was attempting to spit on a male heckler, but that he didn't "get enough foam" and missed his mark. This just added fuel to the fire in terms of Barkley's persona as a hot head. His physical and emotional style led to many on court altercations and technical fouls. About all of this he said, "I don't create controversies. They're there long before I open my mouth. I just bring them to your attention."

In addition to this recent DUI arrest, Barkley has been arrested for breaking a man's nose in a fight, again for throwing a man through a plate glass window, and has been known to gamble compulsively. While his decision making has sometimes been questionable, he has always taken responsibility for his mistakes. This is, if nothing else, admirable. Notice how he takes 100% of the blame. It's rare that an athlete does that.




Barkley has been a staple of the Emmy award winning TNT broadcasts of the NBA since 2000. Ernie Johnson and Kenny "The Jet" Smith join him on the set to provide the only halftime and post game shows that I look forward to watching. Sometimes it's better than the game itself.









Barkley has even become a target of the famous impersonator Frank Caliendo.



In 2002 he released his first book I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt It. In 2005, he came out with Who's Afraid of A Large Black Man? To answer that, everyone. Barkley has also been a fixture on T-Mobile Fav 5 commercials with Dwayne Wade for the past few years.

Barkley is also notorious for his horrid golf swing.



Tiger even took a crack at Barkley's swing.



His swing is so bad that he is now seeking help from the world's number one swing coach Hank Haney as part of a Golf Channel reality show called The Haney Project.



Barkley is simply the man. He was a prominent figure during my childhood and continues to be someone I enjoy. When I was little I had a Barkley Dream Team sticker on my bedroom wall. Also, when I was learning how to play basketball on my neighbor's 6 foot hoop, my friend's Dad, who was late 30s early 40s at the time, would get the ball in the post, hold it in one hand, smack it with the other, yell "BARKLEY", and then dunk.