Club Shay Shay - Charles Barkley Part 2

Episode Date: May 1, 2024

Charles Barkley returns to Club Shay Shay, delving even deeper into the intricacies of basketball, life, and the world at large. Charles reminisces about everything from the Dream Team, including why Isiah Thomas was left off the team, the Olympics being the best event he ever was a part of and what it felt like to be considered one of America’s best.  Charles goes on to share insights on the modern NBA landscape; Barkley provides a compelling perspective on the evolution of basketball and the impact of legendary former and current players alike. He offers astute observations on the shifting dynamics of the game, from the media’s favor of offense over defense to the nuances of player monetary indulgences and this year’s MVP race. With characteristic candor, Barkley shares personal anecdotes, from his culinary preferences to his interactions with fellow athletes and media personalities. He reflects on the challenges of navigating public scrutiny and media criticism, offering glimpses into his own journey of self-discovery and growth. Amidst discussions on sports, race, and societal responsibility, Barkley's unwavering authenticity shines through, as he grapples with complex issues with nuance and humility. From humorous exchanges to poignant reflections, this episode encapsulates the essence of Club Shay Shay—a platform for unfiltered dialogue and genuine connection. Join Shannon Sharpe and Charles Barkley as they traverse the terrain of sports, culture, and beyond, inviting listeners on a compelling voyage of introspection, inspiration, and enlightenment. #VolumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wake up with football every morning and listen to my new podcast, NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal. Five days a week, you'll get all the latest news and the best analysis delivered by the time you get your coffee. The show hits every single game every single week, but I can't do it alone. So I'm bringing in all the big guns from NFL media like Colleen Wolf. Subscribe today and you'll immediately be smarter and funnier than your friends. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you for coming back. Part two is underway.

The Dream Team. Let's clear this up. The Dream Team was supposed to take the best 11 NBA players. It was the best 12 players. They ended up taking 11 NBA players, and they took Christian Laettner. Yes. 12 players. They ended up taking 11 NBA players and they took Christian Laitner. Yes.

A lot of people believe that Isaiah Thomas was one of the best 11 NBA players. A lot of people believe Charles, he was better than John Stockton. I think he was a better player than John Stockton. Well, then why didn't he get to go on the team?

Well, you know, Shannon, number one, that is an amazing question because I'm so glad I get a chance to straighten this s*** out. Yes, please straighten it out. Number one, they never asked me about Isaiah Thomas. Okay. And it just

came out, and I can't speak for the other guys, but they never asked me personally about Isaiah Thomas. And Isaiah Thomas probably should have been on the team. And they asked Michael Jordan did he have anything to do with it? And then it actually just came out in the last year where he said,

I'll play as long as Isaiah don't play. Thank you! And then you got to have him. If you're going overseas, you got to take the biggest guy. I don't know this personally, but I think it was Jack McCallum who said he had it on tape and he played it. Because I've been asked that question a thousand times. Dude, they never asked me about Isaiah Thomas.

But apparently Michael didn't want him on the team. Well, he wasn't going to be on the team. Yeah. Whoever Michael didn't want on the team wasn't going to be on the team. They were not going to be on the team. But I will tell you something, man. I've been so lucky and blessed in my life. Ain't nothing like the Olympics.

Right. It's the most cool event that I've ever been to. We had no idea how big it was going to be when we got there. Right. Because I tell people, that was probably a 12-foot window, maybe 15 feet, where they could see us get on the bus. Man, it was five to ten thousand people out there every day just to get a glimpse of us. Mainly, obviously, Michael, Magic, and Bird. Even though Bird wasn't playing.

But they would just scream to watch these guys walk. And then when we took off, there was a helicopter above the bus. There was a police car in front, police car in back. There was two guys on motorcycles. And one on the back had, on the back of it had a machine gun.

There was people along the highway holding up signs. It was, and we, we're like, whoa, this is some real some real here this is the real deal and we were like yeah man this is um did you know it would be this big not even close nobody did we had no idea we like i mean because first of all you know we we never really experienced anything like that. Right. And then we were like, whoa, this is a big deal. I mean, people on the highway holding up signs, hundreds of them. But when we walk out every day to go to the game, it was 5,000 to 10,000 people. They were like 50 yards away, and they could only see us walk like 12 to 15 feet right

but they would scream and it was crazy uh but it was it was it's it's the most but being at the olympics itself was such a cool when and i tell people when when they're playing that national anthem and me and bird mad all the guys and they're playing the National League we're all getting goosebumps I mean it was surreal you do realize what you guys did is that you birthed an era the Nikola Jokic's

the Luka Doncic's those guys came they probably wasn't born then but their parents and people the coaches they saw that the dirt and the biscuits yeah the page because at the time if i'm not mistaken the only guy that i can remember in that era was like sabonis yeah uh i think pasia yep uh saruna's marcelona's there were only a handful it's not littered like and i don't mean that in a negative

term but it wasn't the the influx of-born European players like it is now. Well, shout out to the great, late David Stern. I think that was his vision, to be honest, to make the game international. Right. And when I, it was really funny, like the first time I met Dirk Nowitzki, he

was like 18. And we were overseas, this was a Nike trip, and he's got like 30 at halftime. And I got like Scottie Pippen and some other guys. We got like, Nike was always ahead of the curve, taking us to foreign countries to play. Dirk's got like 30. And Scottie was like one of the best defenders in the world.

He's like, I got him. I got him. Dirk got finished like 50-something. You ain't got him, Scottie. And I guy and i said yo man who the hell are you he got that dick german my name is dirt novisti i'm 18. i said 18. you want to go to auburn i says just name your price we're good he's like what he said i want you to go to my college i said hey go to nike guys get this information they called me back a week later no because he said something he says i gotta go in the army i said yo man you seven feet tall you're not going to the damn army you're not going in

the army nobody gonna have no seven foot person in the army and i and they called me back like a month later i said chuck you know they changed the rules. Now he's going to go in the draft. I said, okay. And, you know, people don't even realize this. You know, he didn't get drafted by the Mavs. He got drafted by Milwaukee. Right. And I hate to say this, and I apologize to his family.

It's probably going to go down one of the worst trades in NBA history because they traded him for Robert Tractor Traylor. You did. And Traylor was a nice kid, rest in peace. But that's probably going to go down. That's a bad trade. Because up until Joker, he was the greatest foreign player ever. Right.

And when the Joker finished, he was taking him over. Elijah Wan is a foreign-born player? You know, I kind of look at it different because... Because you look at it, Akeem did play on American soil for a number of years. Yeah, yeah. These guys came straight from overseas to the NBA. Shout out to Akeem. It was an honor and privilege to play

with him also. But, listen, by the time... Yoki's just the best foreign bar player. It's over. He passed dirt. It's over. Listen, because, you know, I think they're going to win this thing again. I remember watching him

his career since he's obviously I played in Denver and I've been following him. And I watched him in the bubble in 2020. And I watched Anthony Davis gave it to him. Yeah. But now it's over. He's on a different chunk. Yeah. But now. It's over. He's on a different. Chuck.

Yeah. I mean, the guy can give you 30, 20, and 15. There's nothing he can't do. Well. Offensively. Well, what's crazy, like, last night. Yes. We were making a big deal because Aaron Gordon played fantastic.

Yes. Fantastic. Jamal Murray played great. Then we were looking at the stats last night. We're like, yo, man, the Joker had 24, 15, and 9. That's the

easiest 24, 15, and 9. And we didn't even mention him. On 13 shots. We did not even mention him. We made a big deal. We interviewed Aaron Gordon because he had career highs in points and assists, rebounds, excuse me. And I was looking at the stats

and I said, man, Joker had 24, 15, and 9? Right. And it was so quiet. We didn't even talk about it. But, you know, there's two interesting stories in the NBA

that people never talk about. Steph Curry and Joker. If people, you talk about people who deserve their job and people who should get fired. You know that when the Golden State Warriors had to make a big decision between Steph Curry and Monte Ellis. Yes. And most people got mad they traded Monte because Steph was always hurt.

And same thing with Joker and Nurkic. Yep. They were like, y'all should keep Nurkic instead of the Joker. And you think about how different.

One guy got four championships and he's one of the greatest players in NBA history. And this guy's gonna be. He's gonna be about to get his third MVP. Yes. And you're like,

do you talk about changing the entire dynamics of your franchise or history? That's amazing. Like, we made the right decision. And Yolk went in the second round. I know. I know. But they had to make that decision.

Yes. And the same thing. Because they knew that Monte Ellis and Steph, that you can't play two little guards like that. And people were mad on both accounts. That's how crazy this life is. Chuck, the Athletic had a poll, and this guy has been winning most overrated for like the last five years,

and that's Rudy Gobert. Why does Rudy get so much flack? Well, I think that we don't we won't we don't respect defensive players but you know i love espn love espn we don't show block shots unless it's after the hours that shot block chase down on lebron chase down we don't we never show defense we show guys making shots and dunking like espn is amazing, don't get me wrong. But in a two-hour game,

they show you a minute, maybe a minute. I doubt if the highlights of the game last longer than a minute. They ain't showing Rudy Gobert blocking shots or changing shots. Now, we're showing Wimby blocking shots.

Yeah, yeah. But they're going to show him making threes and taking the ball behind his back and everything. But, you know, we don't show defensive players. Like, you think about it. In the NFL, we talk about the Bozer brothers, Michael Parsons. We very seldom talk about defensive players right because defense isn't pretty like unless michael parsons making a sack of some of one of the bozer

brothers uh hutchinson in detroit uh aaron donald who's amazing shout out to aaron donald man it's been an honor and a privilege to watch you play but we only show offense yeah because now it's an offensive era yeah you don't have they don't let you play football but we only show offense. Yeah, because now it's an offensive era. They don't let you play football like they had when they had Buccas and they had LT, your Ray Lewis's, the Ronnie Lodge that were decapitating people out there. They don't want to show that side of the game because they're trying to clean it up and say, look, we're trying to stay away from, you know,

we want to make the game safer. But you want to see all these one-handed, you're going to see every one-handed catch that happens on Sunday. You're going to see that. You're going to see that. The greatest. This is the greatest player of all time. It seems to be a two-man race now.

Michael Jordan, LeBron James. Nothing. Hey, Kareem. Kareem is the most underrated player in the history of the NBA. Yes. He was the all-time leading scorer, the third leading rebounder. He won six MVPs, five championships. And that made it seem like the man was some sauce.

Yeah. Well, I got a number of admiration for Kareem. First of all, the activist he's always been. Yes. You know, I find the – let's talk about the Michael LeBron thing. They played in different eras. In my opinion, they're right there.

It's either A or B. But I will say this about LeBron. Number one, I like him a lot as a person. I think he's a nice guy. Never said that about Michael Jordan. He'll kill you. I'll say there's two things. I put Kobe guy. Never said that about Michael Jordan. He'll kill you. He'll kill you. I'll say it. There's two things.

I put Kobe right there also, but Michael and Kobe will kill you. LeBron's a nice guy. Michael and Kobe will kill you. If they play against their sister, she's going to get her ass kicked. LeBron, he ain't going to beat up his sister. But I will say this about LeBron.

I think it's the greatest story of any jock who's ever lived. Because if you go back and look about guys who came out of high school, people forget Kobe struggled early. He did. Kevin Garnett struggled early. LeBron James is the only one, because we had his first game. I say LeBron James is the only one who didn't struggle right away. Right.

He came in and was a good player. He wasn't great, great, great right away, but he was a good player. Right. But also, in this generation where everybody's got a cell phone and people out to get you, he's never gotten in trouble. He's exceeded what the expectations, any expectations, whatever you thought he could be. Yeah. And because he was on, he was the chosen one on the cover of Sports Illustrated 17. So whatever you thought he could be, he's just eclipsed it.

He's eclipsed it. And to never get in trouble in this generation, like I say, you know, everybody's got a cell phone now. People are deliberately trying to get you. Yes. I think it's the greatest sports story ever, in my

opinion. Single mom, didn't go to college. They gave the keys to the franchise to an 18 year old kid and says we're only going to go as far as you take us and like you said he's been a model citizen both on and off obviously the building the brand jordan yeah you gave everybody the blueprint yeah and we see kevin the rams we see the uh steph courage we see the lebron james starting production company being active outside give junior bridgeman some credit too people don't know who well well every time i see junior i say thank you because magic is kind of taking over now oh yes but junior was a good player but his portfolio

owning all those restaurants probably being the first billionaire athlete, to be honest with you. Him, Dave Bing, and also his amazing business, man. But every time I see Junior Bridgman, like, for a guy who didn't make a ton of money.

That's what's so impressive. And didn't have the name. Didn't have the name to learn how to handle business. And he's probably got 500 to 1 a thousand restaurants now and like does it so low key does it so low key like every time around here i try to pick his brain right because the one like it's it's different now because these guys make so much

money yeah i said back in our day you i says dude and i'm not poo-pooing on this either i want to go i want to make it clear because you know when i say it's going to sound stupid the most money i made was five million dollars that was my last year right i says now that's below the minimum i says to to be a businessman in our day and become a billionaire, you are great at business. You are great at business. And he wasn't a name. People wanted to attach themselves to Magic. Yes.

People wanted to attach themselves to Mike. Yes. He was Junior Bridgeman. Just a great businessman and a good dude. His to me is one of the greatest stories ever. And if I was the NBA, I would bring him in every year to my teams and say, God, because what people don't understand, everybody on an NBA team or NFL team ain't making a lot of money. True. Or ain't going to play

a lot of years. In both sports, the average year is about four years. Those are the guys who need a junior freshman. That's like, you know, I was watching the draft last night and this always annoys me about young kids.

These dudes got Louis Vuitton shirts. Iced out. I don't mind a little ice, but too much ice. They got Dior shoes. I says, they do know that money ain't gonna last

forever, right? Get you a pair of Nikes. I'm not paying for no Dior shoes. But you gotta be nice because you had that cranberry suit on. You a nice junk with that little skinny tie.

There's nothing wrong with a nice suit. But I tell these guys, you know, Shannon, when I first was an idiot when I got my money, I had like

three or four cars. And Dr. J says, how many of those cars can you drive at the same time? I said, what do you mean? He says, how many of those cars can you drive at the same time? I said, what do you mean? He says, how many of those cars you got to drive at the same time? I says, one. He says, well, why you got four? He said, Chuck, this money got to last you for the rest of your life. He says, this money got to last you the rest of your life. He says, says son don't waste all your money on cars everybody know who you are he said you pull up in a Kia they know oh that's Charles

Barkley you pull up in a Mercedes Benz or Rolls-Royce this is that's Charles Barkley but the problem is that money it's not the fact that you can't afford that car right it's afforded the fact that that $300 afford that car right it's the fact that that three hundred thousand dollars you spent on that Bentley if you bought a car for seventy eighty thousand you would have had two hundred thousand more in the bank and it would have been growing and growing and and then one year three years five years twenty years that two hundred thousand is going to be worth a lot more the question is Charles is that you when, I tell sometimes, I tell young people, you can afford that car right now at 20. Will you be able to afford that car at 60?

Yeah, that's the key. There's a 40-year gap in there. But see, the young guys, they think, like, I always tell them, I say, oh, man, we know stuff. We, like, I ain't trying to hate on no young guy. I'm trying to, because I don't want you to be on that list what list is that 80 of professional athletes go broke i don't want you on that fucking list where are they now yeah well like yo this money you're 20 when you're 55 how much money you gonna have left that's the key especially. Especially living life. If you're living a lifestyle right now, don't you want to live that lifestyle for the rest of your life?

I mean, I don't want to be poor. I've been poor. I know what it's like to eat raccoon, possum, sardines, Vienna sausages, pig ears, pig tails, pig feet. I don't want to eat that no more, Chuck, unless I want to. I don't want to have to eat it out of necessity. Well, listen, I got to have my pig feet. You still eat pig feet? I do.

Oh, yeah, I do. I got pig feet. I get them. I go to a great soul food place here called K&K. Okay. I get me some pig ears. Not pig ears, pig feet. Yeah.

I got to have my neck bones. You see, I love some neck bones. I love some neck bones. Oxtails. Oxtails, that's their specialty. I love me some oxtails. Yeah, messy. You got to get my neck bones. You see, I love some neck bones. I love neck bones. Oxtails. Oxtails, that's their specialty. I love me some oxtails. Yeah, messy. You got to get some yams.

You got to get some collets. I mean, but, you know, like I said, I started out, and I tell them, I say, yo, man, I've been in your situation. I wasted money on cars. And then you're like, oh, man. Because when you waste money on cars, you're really just trying to impress other people. Correct. That's what you're doing. That's like when I used to have nice cars, they said, what kind of rims are you going to put on it?

I said, what do you mean? They're like, put some rims on it. I said, so if I put rims on it, I'm really trying to impress other people. Because I actually can't see the rims when I'm in the car. That's what I tell them. I said, you know I can't see the rims when I'm in the car. So I'm really, that's what Doc said. He said, so you're rims when i'm in the car right so i'm really that's what doc said he said so you're really trying to impress other people you don't have

to impress people they already know who the hell you are is it because charles a lot of us come from nothing family homes we didn't have anything and this is the first opportunity because we don't see the other side they don't i don't think pete manning went out and bought a rose roy yeah i don't think guys when they when they obviously they have nice homes and they yeah but i'm saying because all i wanted i wanted when i was like man i'm going when i saw miami vice and i saw that ferrari i said i'm getting me one yeah and rolex they talked i said i gotta get me right yeah so i wanted to like that was my way of saying i've made it yeah and herm Edwards, who's somebody I really like and admire, he says, you can have one

car. You don't need five. You don't need a bunch of houses. He says, I live by the one model. You need one. That's good enough. Like I say, and the young black kids, and I'm talking to them, man,

save your money. Yes. And another thing, you don't have to take care of all your family and friends. For some reason, black people, myself included,

I used to be like, my financial people told me, why are you taking care of seven, eight people? I'm like, well, he said, no, no, no, no. No, you don't have to take care of everybody.

Right. Because you're going to go broke. Mm-hmm. You know, so no, I tell these young kids, yo, man, if you want to do something nice for your mom and dad, if you want to do something nice for a brother or sister, that's fine. They don't have to be on the payroll. Right. You don't, like, no, you don't owe them.

That was their job to take care of you. But if you want to do something nice for them, that's fine. Grant Hill, his mom. Yeah. Rest in peace. Gave me the best advice ever. I said, because we were at the Olympics actually here in Atlanta in 96. And her and Calvin had came down for a couple games.

They said, well, Chuck, we're going to be here a couple days and we got to get back to work. And I said, Grant just signed the first $100 million contract in NBA history history she says sit your down charles i said miss hill he said charles i'm gonna just give you some advice do not start taking care of your family and friends because number one they're never gonna stop and it's gonna ruin all your relationships i said what do you mean he says when you start giving people money they're're never going to ask you for money one time. Right. But she said, the second thing is, no matter what you do for them,

the first time you tell them no, they hate you. And I said, what? And I had to learn. People who I had been giving money to, the first time I told them no, they're like, no, no, no, we're not friends anymore. That was a tough and painful lesson for me. the first time I told them no, they're like, no, no, no, we're not friends anymore. That was a tough and painful lesson for me.

It absolutely is, because that's why you have to put limits on what you give, because they'll never put limits on what they take. That's exactly right. But it's like that with anything. Charles, you and I can go out here right now. We can sign 25,000 autographs. But if we don't sign 25,001, they pass. But I had to learn that too. I'll sign some autographs,

but I'm like, yo, I'm done. You're an a**hole. Okay, I'm good. It don't affect me anymore. Because, you know, like somebody said earlier, everybody wants to be liked.

Yes. Because I hear guys say, well, I don't care what people think about me. Yes, you do. Stop being a n***a. You care. Like, especially if they don't have a reason now that's different. Right.

But everybody wants to be like. But you can't make everybody happy. You can't. Like I say, after games, I would stop and sign. I had a rule. I signed 10. That's 20 people. I said, guys, I got to go get something to eat. I said, I'm going and sign. I had a rule. I signed 10. There's 20 people. I said, guys, I got to go get something.

I said, I'm going to sign 10. That's it. And they're saying some stuff when you leave. But you're like, okay, we're good. I don't feel bad. I signed 10. I did what I was supposed to do. I'm going to keep it moving.

Who's your MVP this year? Well, there's five guys I think you can vote for and feel like you ain't screwing anybody okay uh shea gildress okay because they got the best record in the west joker jalen bronson and edwards and luca i think you because the one thing i will say ESPN annoys me about wake up with football every morning and listen to my new podcast NFL daily with Greg Rosenthal five days a week you'll get all the latest news previews recaps and analysis delivered straight to your podcast feed by the time you get your coffee no dumb hot takes here just smart hot takes we'll talk every single game every single week but I can't do it

alone, so I'm bringing in the big guns from NFL media. That's Patrick Claiborne, Steve Weiss, Nick Shook, Jordan Rodrigue from The Athletic, and of course, Colleen Wolfe. This is their window right now. This is their Super Bowl window. Why would they trade him away?

Because he would be a pivotal part of them winning that Super Bowl. I don't know why, Colleen. Catch the podcast, the NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal every day. Subscribe today and you'll immediately be smarter and funnier than your friends. And who doesn't want that? Listen now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. First of all, they make up these fake stories about MVP.

The MVPs never went to the best player. Never. No. It goes to the best player on the best team. Because nobody in their right mind thinks Steve Nash is better than Shaq and Kobe. Right. But they had the best regular season record when he won MVP. He deserved it.

Steve Nash deserved MVP. Michael Jordan was the best player before he started winning MVPs. But until he started winning, he wasn't going to get MVPs. So I hate that argument. Like I said, if you vote for any of those guys, I was like, that's fair. Right. Like, Derrick Rose won it one year over LeBron he deserted the Bulls had the best record that year was he as good a player as LeBron no but they had a

better record the same thing with a even a KD who's a great player he won MVP he did they had the best record that year. But it always normally goes, like I said, if you vote for Shea or Luka or Joker, but I actually think what Bronson did this year for the Knicks was incredible.

To get them to the second seed without Robinson being out most of the year, without Randall most of the year, OG was out for a period of time. But what Luka did. So this is, you know, I think me and Magic had the closest vote ever. I think this is one going to be the closest one ever.

Wow. Who's your favorite non-NBA athlete? That's a great question. It depends on the sport. Like, in golf right now, my favorite player is probably Max Homer. Okay. Because he seems like a great kid,

and he tries, he doesn't take himself that serious okay uh in football is aaron donald who just retired in baseball is probably mike trout okay uh in tennis Robbie Shelton I think that's his name Shelton I forget there's another golfer named Shelton I get them confused sometimes but I mean I just love sports

because sports man I have zero idea where I would be in my life without that stupid little round ball. Because it has did so much for me. Like I said, you grow up in a town of a couple thousand people. I have been all over the world. I'm sitting here on Club Shea Shea.

I have been all over the world. I'm sitting here on Club Shea Shea. Like, if it's not for that basketball, it has given me every single thing in my life. Correct. I'm so lucky and appreciative because I have, like, I was able to build my mother and grandmother a house. I was able to send my brother's kids to college. I've been all over the world because of the stupid little

basketball. I can make up something where I would be without basketball, but it probably if I'm real... It damn sure won't be as good, but I don't know if it'll be pretty because I'm not going to get out here and act like I was a great student. I'd be working somewhere, you know, doing something with me.

Yeah. But man, that ball. I mean, I'm pretty sure, you know, all the success you've had as a player and in an entertainment industry. Like it's all originated from that. Yes. And we're so lucky because, you know what I tell people all the time? I admire people who got a real job, but I don't want one.

No. Growing up, like how we grew up, Charles, it let me know what I didn't want to do as an adult. Because if it's breaking of a child,

can you imagine as an adult doing that for 12, 14 hours a day? And not even making money. No, no. I was like, because people say, what do you think about And not even making money. No, no. I was like, because people say,

what do you think about sometimes during the game? I said, when I get tired, I think about, man, if you don't get some energy from somewhere, nine to five don't sound good.

No. Nine to five don't sound good at all. I never want to work nine to five. I mean, I admire people who work nine to five. And especially like when you're seeing somebody doing, I shouldn't say they're doing somebody's doing a job yeah you're like damn i'm working two jobs yeah well no but when i see somebody like when i'm

when i'm in phoenix it's like 115 degrees and i said and they working outside i'm like oh hell no no or you see somebody working in the winter and it's cold. Cold. You're like, damn. Right. I says, whoo, I'm glad I handled my business. How many more years do you think LeBron's going to play? And can he continue to play? I mean, he averaged 25, 8, and 7 in year 21.

How many more years can he play, and how many more years can he play at the level in which he's currently playing? I hope he retires soon. Because I hated the way I retired because I sucked. Nope. Jim Brown is really, and he retired because he didn't want to get tired of playing football. And he wanted to act. Yes He's like cuz he wasn't making any money. No, he didn't want to just kill himself There's no it is badly for every jock

It is badly for every job getting in is easy. It's to get it out. Yes, and Your ego says you can still do it. Because I remember telling myself my last two years, OK, I'm going to get myself in great shape this summer. I'm going to have a good year, then I'm going to retire. Then I figured out like playing against air. Everybody is good against air. Everybody is great against air. But when you see another,

when that 25-year-old is looking at you like, licking his lips, you're like, oh, and like, there's nothing you can do. Like, when you're working out during the summer and ain't nobody playing defense on you and you in great shape, but when you see that 25, 27-year- old and he's looking at you like yep i used to watch you i'm coming for you right and there's nothing you can do about it but to answer your question

i hope he retires while he can still play because man i've been there myself I saw Patrick Ewing his last legs so Michael Jordan playing with the Wizards yeah Patrick I mean I mean Patrick and Orlando yeah I was like that's the greatest player I played against I don't want to see him doing that with the Wizards so I don't want to see any great play when they pass their prime. How do you navigate? Because you were a great player. You won MVP. You went and you played, won two gold medals.

How do you navigate, Charles, when you offer a critique or criticism of a current NBA great and they shoot back, well, you ain't never won anything. What did you do this? And what did you do that? How do you navigate that? Well, you got to be able to dish it and take it. The one thing I'm really proud of,

and I hang my hat on this, I've never been personal with a player. Right. I only stick to basketball. I only stick to basketball. I would never come in on a guy's personal life. Now, sometimes they get in trouble. I have to say something. You have to. But I can look at a guy and say, hey, man, because I get calls all the time from players and agents. I said, I'll tell you why I said that. And they're like, okay.

I said, this is what pissed me off too, Shannon. You know, man, why y'all never call me when I said something positive? I said, wait a minute. I said nine great things about you. Why do you never call me when I said something positive and I say one critique and you blow up my phone calling me names

I had this thing with Kobe Bryant one night so it was a game where he wouldn't shoot right against Phoenix game 7 I think because you guys told me we shoot too much well he was trying to prove a point I ain't got no help so he went the whole second half of the shot one time and I asked him or nothing. Because you guys told me we shoot too much. Well, he was trying to prove a point. Yes. I ain't got no help.

So he went the whole second half of the shot one time. And I asked him, I said, Ernest, say what? I said, man, I'm so disappointed.

I'm so disappointed in Kobe. He was trying to prove a point that he didn't have any help. He shot one time in the second half. And, you know, at that time, they were comparing

to Michael. I says, Michael, when he played against the Celtics He's like I got to get six or something. I'm gonna get it whatever he's not gonna pout Kobe starts texting me you mother You mother I See yo, man, I'm doing my job, but you such a so

We go back and forth. So about this time, it's about one in the morning. We go back and forth for like two hours. I said, yo, man, pick up the phone and call me. Stop texting. And it was great. We laughed about it later. He was mad at the moment.

He understood I was doing my job. But it was great. We laughed about it later. He was mad at the moment. He understood I was doing my job. But it was so funny. We texted each other for two hours, Shannon. And it was just mother******. And I'm just like, I'm not going to get mad at you. That's dude. Call me. Pick up the phone.

But it was hilarious. We laughed about it later. I'm going to get you out of here with this. Charles, this is the first time in a very long time that people that's in our position have had to comment on the discourse sometimes that's what's going on in america yes we see the trayvon martin we see the george floyd we see what happened in wisconsin and now all of a sudden you and i we we have to comment on that. Yeah. Where when you played and I played politics, religion, orientation, we talked about that. Maybe maybe mention that in the locker room without the media or without the purview of the public hearing about it. Yeah. How do you navigate knowing that you came from Alabama, knowing that what goes on in America, that sometimes it's racism, sometimes it's racist.

Yeah. How do you navigate your conversation that you disseminate to the public? That's a really good question because I'm asked that sometimes with my boys. The first thing is, it's exhausting being black.

Yes. It's exhausting being black. We're trying to live our lives, be successful. Then Trayvon Martin happened we got to talk about it unfortunately that was a really awful situation then we get back in our routine then George Floyd's happened we got to talk about it correct you know you know I was talking to Sam Jackson one time he's like he's like, I'm trying to make a movie. They asked me, like, nobody got nominated for an Oscar.

So as a black person, something always coming up. For me personally, I said I have to, like, take a step back. Because the one thing you can't do is yell and scream. Correct. Because once you yell and scream, they're like, turn it off, turn it off. And I say, guys, let's have a serious conversation. But I need you to be, I need you. My girl, Judge Judy, I'm a big Judge Judy fan.

She always says, you listen, but you're not hearing me. Right. I said, I need you to hear me. Don't listen to me. Hear me. Those are two different things listen to understand Yes, and I'm not a and I and I'm not mad at you but I need you to understand this is happening mm-hmm and It's just exhausting being black Because every time you're trying to do your thing or just live your life something racist or racial happens right i try to do this one thing i try to like don't ever speak when you're mad

don't yell and scream because i know if i yell at you you're gonna ignore me. Yeah. Are you going to turn me off or ignore me? Yep. So for me and you and Steven and Mike Wilburn, man, I need y'all to trust me. Because sometimes people play the race card when it's not playable. Because then you become the guy who's going to cry wolf all the time. Right. because then you become the guy who's going to cry wolf all the time. The one thing I promised TNT when I took this job, because I told him the social stuff is really important to me. It's really important to me.

I said, I won't beat you over the head with it all the time. Because if I beat you over the head with it all the time, they're going to like, I'm not going to watch. Pretty soon you'll become desensitized. It's not going to have the same impact. i said so he if every time something happened he gonna talk about race or something like that and i think i've done a good job i says i want to talk about this i want to talk about this and but i think we have to be very selective i do i think we have to be very selective. I do. I think we have to be very selective because, man, racial shit happen all the time. For sure.

All the time. Mm-hmm. And I want people to see, like, Shannon, Charles, Stephen A., they gonna be fair and balanced. That's it. That's all. So that's the only thing

I try to do in this situation. Like, yo, man, Chuck ain't just trying to play race or trying to stir it up or be a victim. I says, because the one thing you have to always say, like, sometimes black people are wrong. And then I know I'm going to be an Uncle Tom. I'm going to be a sellout. I said, listen, man, those words don't bother me. We don't have to agree with all black people. don't but they think we do yes they think we do I said yo man sometimes black people

are wrong and it's okay it's okay and it's okay to say they're wrong but but no but if you a black person yeah in our position look at that uncle tom look at that sellout I Look at that sellout. I'm like, yo, man, we can be wrong. That goes back to what we talked about earlier. I always want to uplift black people. Always. I want, like, I'm proud of your success. And I know people gonna hate on you.

I know people gonna hate on me. And they gonna be black. I said, but, man, I love to see black people doing good. I love see us win i love it but i was like i'm i'm i'm old enough and i'm around enough to know there's gonna be some hate coming toward me especially if they disagree with some i say right but i want you to win but i don't want you to win more than me now i see if i if you win more if you win more than me now i got to question your but I don't want you to win more than me. Now, see, if you win more than me, now, I got to question your sexuality. I got to question, you know, how black are you?

Because, bro, I'm like, come on, man. I mean, I criticize white quarterbacks. But if I criticize a black quarterback, ah, man, see, I should have known old Buck Nancy Shannon. I know he going to take care of the white. Come on, bro. No, man. And number one, I've been going to take care of the white. Come on, bro. No, man. Number one, I've been watching you for a long time, obviously.

I never seen you try to get clickbait, ever. No. I see you, man. I take this responsibility because I do know. But I'm not going to tell black people they're right all the time. No. If you want that, I'm not your tell black people they write all the time no if you want that I'm not your guy you're wrong I gotta tell you you're wrong I said yo man no no no no we can be wrong but but also on the other hand when I see something happen to the black a black player the community I'm gonna step in right you know I I had a, you know, it was interesting. There's a couple things happened

recently that I talked to my mentors and friends about. One was OJ Simpson and one was Michael Porter Jr. And I said, I'm not sure how the hell this OJ thing. He said, what do you think? I said, man, I don't have any respect for men who hit women. And I think he killed them two people. I says, what do you think he killed those people or not? I think he did. I said, but I have, and I've always said this, and I'll just say this to you. I have no respect for men who hit women. Okay.

And I don't want to bash the dude because he got a family and he died. He got kids. And I said, you know what? I'm not even going to mention it. And I didn't because I said I don't want to just bash the dude because I can't say anything positive was he a great jock yes but when you go around

beating women and shit like that I just got no respect for you and then the Michael Porter Jr. thing but the WNBA no no Michael Porter oh by his brother one got brothers bro yeah one got a DUI and I think he killed somebody right he did he killed somebody and the other brother took the under on himself yeah and I feel I feel his pain I feel his parents pain yeah

I feel that as a jock because in this is one thing. I look at sports. It's the greatest fraternity ever. I feel like everybody in the NFL, anybody in Major League Baseball, in the NHL, hockey, I think they're part of my family. I'm like, they know my experiences. And so I was saying,

man, I really want to wish Michael Porter Jr. Let him know that I'm thinking about him. I wish his family the best. And my friend says, you know, man, that lady did die. And I was like, yeah, you got a point there. Like, because if I said, hey, man, I wish you the best. I'm thinking about you. Because I know that it's got to be painful for his family with his brother and his other brother going to jail.

Not as painful as that family that lost their loved one. Yes. Because he can go to jail and hug him. He can go to his brother's home and hug him. They can't go to the graveyard and hurt him. And I said, Chuck, shut the up on both accounts. So I always think about because you know it always makes me laugh because my friends like yo man you got these

people eating out your hand I said what you talking about he says you know the reaction before you say it I said of course I do I know when I'm going to start a fire I know it because but I had planned on because most of the time that goes back to the role model commercial I made yes yes so when i made the commercial i went to nike said i want to make

this commercial i said there's like you're out of your mind i said no i said what i'm noticing is we have too many segregated schools in this country i said when i go to these white schools i said what do y'all want to do when you grow up? They're like, want to be doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers. When I go to these black schools, they're like, I want to play in the NFL, I want to play in the NBA. And I was doing this, because you do a lot of speaking when you're in the playoffs. I was doing this for like

four or five years, and I was like, yo man, these black kids think they can only be successful through athletics and entertainment. They don't ever think about being doctors, lawyers, and engineers. Wake up with football every morning and listen to my new podcast, NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal. Five days a week, you'll get all the latest news, previews, recaps, and analysis delivered straight to your podcast feed

by the time you get your coffee. No dumb hot takes here, just smart hot takes. We'll talk every single game every single week, but I can't do it alone, so I'm bringing in the big guns from NFL media. That's Patrick Claiborne, Steve Weiss, Nick Shook, Jordan Rodrigue from The Athletic, and of course, Colleen Wolfe. This is their window right now.

This is their Super Bowl window. Why would they trade him away? Because he would be a pivotal part of them winning that Super Bowl. I don't know why, Colleen. Catch the podcast, the NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal every day. Subscribe today and you'll immediately be smarter and funnier than your friends. And who doesn't want that? Listen now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I guess. Like that. Right. So I talked Nike into doing the commercial and it became a big deal.

You did. Still probably the thing I'm most proud of to this day. I said, cause I knew it was going to start a fire. And I was like, guys, I'm not trying to skirt responsibility, but I want young black kids to know like,

yo man, you don't have to play in the NFL or NBA. We got black doctors. We got black doctors. We got black lawyers. We got black engineers. But y'all got these kids thinking, like, all they see is Shannon, Michael, Carl, Chuck, David Robinson. The only black people they see are jocks and entertainers, Jay-Z. I said, man, they got a better chance of being a doctor than a lawyer playing in it.

Jay-Z or LeBron. Yes. And I said, I just a better chance of being a Doc than a Larry or LeBron and I said I just want to spark the debate and in fairness to Nike and Nike came back to me later and said man we want to thank you for making that commercial and I said because 90% of the letters we got were

pro I said well first of all I'm not worried about a negative. Well, bless me, I play in Philly. I thought my name was Charles Barkley, you motherfucker. The first two years of my age, I said, guys, I'm in Philly. I'm used to criticism. But I always have used my platform for a bigger debate. I'm trying to make a difference.

You know, one of the things I'm proud of you, and I don't talk about this a lot. I'm not trying to get praise because I keep it very quiet. So for the last 15 years, I've been giving a million dollars a year away to charity. And I don't even tell anybody. I'm sharing this because I'm going to tell you why I'm proud of you. So I started out in my high school, my college, Wounded Warriors, ALS, Parkinson's.

But the last eight years, the point I'm getting to, I did HBCUs. Okay. It means a great deal to me to be able to do that. Right. And you being a product,

when I watch you and Steve and A, when y'all go back to y'all HBCUs, I just think it's really important what y'all go back to y'all HBCUs, I just think it's really important what y'all do for the HBCUs. And it really makes me feel good when I write that check because, you know, we got a couple of them here in Atlanta. I think three of them are here in Atlanta, Clark, Morehouse and Spelman. But man, I just want to use my platform to keep doing good stuff. But, you know, just being a product of HBCU, how far you came, I'm really proud of your success. Appreciate it. And I think the thing is what that does is that you think about three of the most prominent morning voices, myself and Stephen A.

Michael Strahan. Yes. With the HBCU. Yeah. He's a Texas Southern. I'm Savannah State. Stephen A's Winston-Salem. Yeah.

So it goes to show you, you don't have to go to Syracuse. You don't have to go to Michigan or one of these PWIs in order to do what we're doing because we're living proof of that. I think the thing also, that role model. For me, I was very, very fortunate because every role model I had was in my house. My brother, my grandfather, my grandmother. So I didn't look athletes didn't that because I saw them every day yeah you see somebody jumping up and down on the

basketball court or catching a football you really don't know that person you know what that person does yeah I knew what they did I mean you know the sport they play I saw my brother every day I saw my grandfather my grandmother so that's what I'm followed my brother around yeah so i wanted to be just like him and i was like man if i could be like him and my sister it drove my sister crazy charles because she was like shannon be your own man why you want to be like him but as i got older and i remember telling i said everything i want everything i want to be is yeah, what's crazy about it, and you know this, and unless you've been in pro sports,

you don't know this. Man, there's so many assholes in our sport. Like, all you got to do is be nice to the press and they're going to write good stuff about you. Yeah. I've been in this thing for 40 years, over 40 years. Some of the worst people I've ever met

got the best reputations because they're great with the press. And some of the people who got the worst reputation are some of the best dudes in the world. And I said, and it's all dictated, if you're nice to reporters and they got access to you they're gonna be right oh he is the greatest guy and i tell people i said man you don't know these guys at all right and it drives me crazy i said are you i says if you got it always i says that's the reason they're going to keep everything in the locker room because you don't want to know what's going on i said yo man this dude got the best reputation he's the worst person I've ever been around. Charles, how have you been able to keep your husband, father? How have you been able to keep that so hush?

Well, because I was not a good husband, and I want to be better next time. I do. And I want to be better next time. I do. I have been. My daughter has been the best thing ever happened to me. But the next stage of my life, I think I got to be better. I do need to be better.

But. Because I didn't know. I didn't know how to be a good husband or father. Because you didn't have you because your father was away. He wasn't in the home. He wasn't a good father. And I just need to be better. And I hope to be better next time. I would ask you this because this is something, you know, Mike.

Mike, there's a situation. I would ask you this because this is something you know, Mike. Mike, there's a situation. Michael's son, Marcus, was, I don't know if he currently still is, dating Scotty's ex-wife. Yeah. How would you feel if a teammate of yours dated your daughter? Would you feel some type of way? Hell yeah. Hell yeah. Hell yeah. I

that is a really I feel bad for Michael. I feel bad for Scotty. Yes. That is so messy. I don't like messy because when it's messy, everybody has an opinion on it. Everybody has an opinion.

And, you know, the Internet is not a place for messy. No. And you have to understand. It's a lot of kids involved. Yes. And people are mean. People are mean. And it's unfortunate. You know, I just got onto social media because I didn't want to be around the meanness.

And I feel bad for everybody involved because I see all the pictures. I don't do the comment stuff, but I know they're going to be mean. Right. But it's just, I just hate messy. And it's just really messy. And there are no winners. There's only losers. Because obviously Michael and Scotty's relationship can't ever be the same. Right.

Did you know, was it the last dance when Michael put that, because he wasn't there at the time when scotty refused to go in the game yeah and he inserted that into the last dance did you always know that that scotty and michael had this kind of contentious relationship because from the outside it like it it looked pretty good yeah i was surprised it was so bad okay i was surprised but in fairness i didn't spend a ton of time with those guys together. I spent a lot more time with Michael. A lot more time with Michael. You know, it's just a sad situation. Because I think if you, not that I know, but you know,

if you win a championship with guys, y'all probably have a special bond for life. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I think if you win six, y'all might as well. Y'all should be brothers. Brothers. So, like I say, if you win one championship, I'm pretty sure every time y'all get together. Because you're going to have the reunion every five, five five year 10 year 15 20 30 but if you win six together y'all should be damn near blood yes so that's the thing i most feel bad there's guys i didn't win with there's some but they're

some of my best friends every time i see them it's like man i got another brother and like we bumping each other at all the star games maybe the hall got another brother. And we bumping each other at all-star games, maybe the Hall of Fame ceremony, or we just bumping each other. It's like a family reunion. But if I had won six championships with somebody, I would think, man, we blood brothers for life. When people that do what we do take shots at you, I mean, you had the funny back and forth.

You and Shaq had the funny back and forth. You put Kendrick Perkins' face on the punching bag, and you punch it, and you get in shape. I mean, how do you handle that when guys that do what we do take shots at you? Yeah, it doesn't bother me because I guess technically we take shots at players. Right. me because because i guess technically we take shots at players right i don't the problem that i had with what kendrick says there's nobody in the world watch more basketball than me uh i tell you like and i had just come out of march madison which pissed me off even more because

i was watching two or three college basketball games a day right March Madness it really sucks because I'm watching games all day long right but to say another guys don't watch the games because he has a different opinion than you yeah yeah and so that's the only thing bothering me I could say I say there's nobody in the world watch more basketball than me so but I don't get mad right and the thing is really funny about it shack is so sensitive at times right because i was gonna like let it go and he's like no no no my mama told me growing up we kill all roaches and i said like so that's how the whole roast thing came up right and so anytime anything happened right now, Shaq's like, we're killing Roaches. And Shaq is so crazy.

He made a rap diss song. Yeah. But I don't take it like, I really, the only person I've taken shots at, honestly, is Skip Bayless. Because, man, what we do is such an honor. I don't think you can say stuff just to say it. Because my whole, going back then, I said, man, there's somebody in Montana, Maine, South Dakota. If I said something bad about these guys,

they're like, well, I saw it on television. It's got to be true. Right. So I'm be like, man, I'm not going to say anything about a player, especially if it's personal. There's somebody in Montana or South Dakota going to say, well, you know, Charles Barker said this guy was blah, blah, blah. So I'm never going to use my platform for negativity.

I'm going to get you out of on this one. You once said that you probably lost about $20 million in gambling. Have you quenched that urge to gamble, or do you still like to gamble? I love to gamble. I don't like to gamble. You know, I got to the point. So I would go to Vegas

and I'd win a million dollars. Damn. I mean, what you playing a hand? Twenty five, thirty, forty thousand. I played twenty five thousand. OK. Yeah. Couple quick double downs.

You can get that. Yeah. A quick double down. You get it up out your pockets. There's probably been seven times that i've won a million dollars okay there's probably been 25 times i've lost a million right uh so what happened was i quit gambling for two years.

And I always take the same group of guys with me. And I said, man, I miss gambling. They're like, why don't you start gambling again? I said, well, man, I was getting out of hand. They're like, yo, man, your gambling ain't getting out of hand. You're just an idiot. Right. And the one thing I pride myself on around my friends they can always be honest with

me i said why you say i'm a idiot they're like yeah man we'll be sitting there you'll be up three four hundred thousand dollars we're like chuck let's go you're good for the night right and in my head i'm saying nah we're not leaving this month i win a million dollars right and they said dude there's times you've been up six seven hundred thousand dollars and you won't quit right because gambling is really just peaks and valleys it is it's just peaks and valleys it's the stock market yes that's all it is and they're like dude why can't you win three hundred thousand000 and say, man, we had a great weekend? Why you got to win a million? And I said, what? He says, why can't you lose 300 and say, we still had a great weekend?

And I says, are you serious right now? He says, man, you know I ain't going to lie to you. Let's win a couple hundred thousand, have a great Go go home or lose two or three hundred you ain't got to win a million Or you ain't got to chase it and lose a million and so to answer your question I said yo man, we're going to Vegas for the weekend We gonna lose a couple hundred thousand or we gonna win a couple hundred thousand you know, we're gonna do We're gonna play golf every day and get drunk every night. Right. And I had to change my mentality because you can never break the casino. No, no, no.

They can break your ass. Yes. And my friends just sit me down and said, Yeah, man, let's just go have fun for the weekend. Let's win some money or lose a little bit. But, yeah, but that's what really happened. When I would lose a million I was so depressed not that the money just yeah that's bullshit yeah because of the money but the losing

but the but the winning never feels as good as the losing hurt yes you you're so excited when you got all that money laying in front of you but you're like depressed for a week yeah you're like damn i lost i lost a million dollars and then you have to send a bill till you find out your people and they yell at you and you they're yelling and yelling and yelling and then i says hey y'all better quit yelling me i'm I'm going to fire y'all. And then they're like, okay, we'll pay it. But that's what really happened. I was getting out of hand because, like, you just had – your point was so good. No matter how good it feels winning, when you lose, it just sucks. You really doing it, Zip?

No, I'm doing Manjaro. Manjaro. I've lost – so, Shannon, I got new hips. Okay. So, you got both of them replaced yes i got both of my replay yeah the best thing ever edit like night and day i hate that i waited so long me too so i played at 250 i got up to two three three 55 what yeah What? Yeah. 355? Yeah. I was good eating too, brother.

Good eating. So I got up to 355. And I was with one of my friends. He had lost a lot of weight. And he said, I said, young man, how you lose all that weight? He said, young man, I want you to go see my doctor if you're trying to lose weight. And I started doing Manjaro. you go see my doctor if you're trying to lose weight. And I started doing Manjaro, and I

went from 355 to 285. Wow. And I'm going to get to 270. Just take a shot. It's unbelievable. And obviously, I can't stay on it my whole life, but when I get to 270,

then I can work. But like I said, when I got them hips, man, I gained 105 pounds. Wow. Yeah, I was up to 355, and now I'm 285, and I want to get to 270. My doctor's like, 270, you're going to be all right. If you're 300, 320, you got to worry about diabetes, stroke, hypertension, and things like that. Ain't a whole lot of 55, 70-year-olds. No, no.

He told me. She told me. Her name is, she's a she. She says, ain't no fat old people. Yeah. Ain't no fat old people. So I want to get my weight down because, you know, it's interesting and difficult. And, man, I'm 61.

It's weird getting older. And I'm glad to get old right but better than the alternative yeah but i want to be healthy right back to playing golf fair all the time now i'm back to working out but that's the main thing man i want to be here charles barkley ladies and gentlemen thank you thank you. It's an honor. That's why all my life, I I can't do it alone. So I'm bringing in all the big guns from NFL media like Colleen Wolf. Subscribe today and you'll immediately be smarter and funnier than your friends. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.