Club Shay Shay - Listen Again: Charles Barkley

Episode Date: December 28, 2024

Charles Barkley grabs a rebound at Club Shay Shay and joins Shannon Sharpe for an enthralling conversation that transcends basketball. Barkley opens up about his deep-rooted ties to his Alabama hometown, revealing poignant anecdotes from his upbringing, including his grandmother's unconventional side hustle and his father's impactful visit during a pivotal moment in high school. From childhood mishaps to transformative life lessons, Barkley shares the raw and authentic experiences that shaped his journey to NBA stardom. Reflecting on his early NBA career, Barkley delves into the inner turmoil that fueled his competitive fire, shedding light on pivotal moments of self-realization, including a notorious spitting incident and poignant encounters with influential figures like Moses Malone and Dr. J. With candid honesty, Barkley navigates through the highs and lows of his illustrious career, from the exhilaration of collegiate success at Auburn to the challenges of sportsmanship and the weight of societal and professional expectations. He offers a unique perspective on the evolution of the NBA, touching on topics ranging from player contracts and league dynamics to the enduring legacy of basketball icons like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan.   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. #volume See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's up everyone? It's Justin Penick from John Boy Media, the host of the Football Today podcast with Bobby Skinner and Chris Rose. We roll three times a week on Mondays, on Wednesdays, on Fridays, breaking down everything you need to know about the NFL. We're gearing up for the NFL playoffs. I hope you can join us. Join in with us three times a week. Listen to Football Today on the iHeartRadio Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts and you will be glad you did. The forces shaping markets and the economy are often hiding behind a blur of numbers. So that's why we created the Big Take from Bloomberg podcasts. To give you the context you need to make sense of it all. Every day in just 15 minutes we dive into one global business story that matters.

You'll hear from Bloomberg journalists like Matt Levine. A lot of this Bume Stock stuff is I think embarrassing to the SEC. Follow The Big Take podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen. I got in shape for $2 million. The money these guys are making today. I'd be damn near an arrest 40 million dollars a year I know I'll be they be like we gotta get charged Sacrifice hustle pay the price one slice got the roll of dice. That's why all my life I'll be grinding all my life The 82 game preseason is in the books and it's finally time for the real season.

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on amount of initial losing bet. Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. See dkng.com slash promos for deposit, wagering and eligibility restrictions, terms and responsible gaming resources. Hello, welcome to another episode of Club Shashey. I am your host, Shannon Sharp. I'm also the proprietor of Club Shashey. The guy that's stopping by for conversation

and a drink today is a sports icon and a true superstar. One of the game's greatest NBA players and power forwards of all time. He's one of the greatest rebounders of all time. He's the shortest player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounding. A 16 year NBA vet, 11 time NBA All-Star, 11 time member of the All-NBA team. The 1993 most valuable player, All-Star game MVP. A two-time gold medalist, the leading scorer on the famous Dream Team. He's also named to the 50th and 75th anniversary team. He has his number retired in Philly, Phoenix, and at the University of Auburn. SEC player of the 1980s, a two-time inductee of the Hall of Fame, a four-time Emmy Award-winning personality, analyst, and commentator. Fan favorite,

successful author, sought-after speaker, philanthropist, one of the game's greatest characters. He was like no other. A larger-than larger than life personality he might be the most quotable sports figure in all the sports sir charles the round mound of rebound the prince of pizza guess what they call him the leaning tower of pizza the crisco kid the wide load from leads one of the most popular figures in nba history ladies and gentlemen, Sir Charles Barkley. You wrote that, you read that just like I wrote it. I appreciate that. It's an honor, man, thank you for having me.

Man, I've been trying. You know, we've been trying to do this for a long time. We have, we have. Between golf. I figured out, we're chorus crossed each other across the country every week, because I'm flying to Atlanta, you're flying to LA, back and forth,

so I'm glad, it's an honor an honor though man you're doing a hell of a job. John man I want to say thank you for opening up I mean your NBA career goes without saying but what you've been able to do to transition after the NBA and to become a lot of people might not like you but they respect what you've been able to accomplish and you open the doors for a lot of us, especially myself, because I took my cue from you and we'll get into that a little later. So I want to take toast. Your success. This is my cognac. Hey, you know, I, we got to talk about your cognac because I can't get into dark liquor, man.

This is so smooth. It don't drink like the C it drink. It's a VSOP, but it drinks like an exo I'm gonna tell you what before that sure that sure you get that home before we finish today. I'm gonna try something Okay, you got my word you got you got your you got your red month. Yeah, so, you know, it's a company I just silly we are bought in Alabama about four years ago. Okay, you know, it's a company, a distillery I bought in Alabama about four years ago. Okay. You know, being from Alabama, I always look for business opportunities in Alabama. Right. And the distillery opened up and I was like, okay, they do vodka gin.

I think we got a great product. The only thing I worry about is me and my boys drinking all up the province. You know, because I'm a vodka guy. Okay. But, you know, we do a vodka and a gin. Shout out to Redmond. It's been cool. Right. it's a very interesting business when I say interesting I mean corrupt it's hard. The three tier system? Yeah it is but you know long as I invest in

Alabama you know I grew up in a small town outside of Birmingham but I'm always looking for investment opportunities in Alabama but that's that's always be home. You grew up in a small town I grew up in a small town Le in Alabama. That's always be home. You grew up in a small town. I grew up in a small town. Leeds, Alabama. What was Charles Barkley's childhood like? Well, Shannon, it's interesting because poor people don't know they're poor. Because everybody around you is poor. Everybody around you is poor. I had a great mother and grandmother. Okay, my mother was a maid

Okay, my grandmother worked at the chicken factory But they did awesome and you know, I had three brothers. Okay, my brothers have passed away But man, we didn't even know we were poor we lived in the projects right and they would they worked all the time But we didn't go without anything. So I've always tried to take care of them when they were alive. But I didn't know, like, yo, we had everything we needed. We never went hungry.

We always had good clothing. And I was so blessed to have a great mother and grandmother. My dad was not in the picture. Me and my dad, we got along later in life, but in the beginning, I had nothing but animosity and hate toward him. Because he wasn't around? Because he wasn't around, and he didn't do anything for us. And to see my mother and grandmother struggling, you know, because, you know, bringing up those boys trying to

make sure we got, you know, cleaning people's houses. My grandmother was crazy. She'd bring a million chicken feet home. For you people who don't know what chicken feet are, they are. What people don't understand, this is a chicken feet. There's only one piece of meat right here, and you have to eat like a hundred of them to get a full meal. She would bring all type of body parts home from the butcher shop all the time.

But you know, I made peace with my dad later in life. And because he died a couple years ago, but we became casual friends. I didn't need a dad by the time we reconnected. But I buried the hatchet because you know, you can't go through life being angry because it just weighs you down. But I was so fortunate to have a great mother and grandmother. The forgiveness that you gave him, that was for you. Yes.

He was living his life. Yes. You was carrying around something that was weighing you down. Well, you know, Shannon, that was a very, a really traumatic experience in my life when I was in high school. Okay. when I was in high school. So when I got ready, so when, it's a couple goals in my basketball career I'm really proud of. Number one, getting my team to the state tournament. My high school had never been to the state tournament. And then getting Auburn to march back. Those are

two of the most important things I've ever done in my life. But to get back to the high school thing, my junior year, we got beat by a better team. Okay. My senior year, we were the best team in the state, but I kind of got hurt. I got hurt. And we lost. And I kind of was just so depressed. I kind of stayed in bed for like two weeks. I mean, I was so bad. The first year to get them to the tournament was a big deal because they had never been before next year Like I want to bring the first state championship to my high school and then we lost I just went into a deep depression So I got behind in all my classes and I caught up in everyone. I'm a self Spanish First of all, I have no reason why I was taking Spanish in Alabama So I caught up in all my class of Spanish, so I didn't graduate.

I had to go to summer school. And my dad, who was living in California my whole childhood, flew in and he ripped me a new a**hole. And I'm already traumatized that I'm not going to get to March. And when he flew in, at that point, I just said, hey man, I ain't never going to forgive this dude ever again for yelling at me like because I was already down So how often proud of him flying in to to read you for failing that class? How often had you seen him? How? Active was he in your life zero. So that was the free that was like he just came in just for that

Yeah, and I had and I it's my memories vaguely But I don't think I probably saw him probably ten times in my childhood. But he flew in for that high school reunion. I didn't know I couldn't, that I had flunked the final exam until right before graduation. And he ripped me a new one. But that night, I went to the high school and I stood next door on the stadium and watched the graduation and cried for like two hours. And that night I said this is the last time I'm gonna let anybody ever have control of my life. I mean I was crying, it was brutal. Of course.

And I was standing there just watching all my friends graduate and some of the people, let's be honest, they wasn't that nice to me. They were calling me dummy and things like that. So I was obviously, I was kind of out of it. Then I went to summer school and then from that point on I got my act together. But the biggest problem was my first few years in the NBA I was such an asshole because I was, I was playing so angry because I was thinking about two people. Ms. Gomez and my dad. Ms. Gomez, I'm assuming is a Spanish teacher.

Yes. And, you know, people said, man, why you play so angry and so aggressive? And I never told anybody until later. I said, man, every time I stepped on the court, I said, I'm gonna stick it to Ms. Gomez and my dad. Right. And it wasn't until the Spittin' incident in New Jersey,

when I was sitting in the hotel room crying that night, I said, yo man, you an a**hole. Don't play basketball to try to stick it to people, the kids who made fun of you in high school, Ms. Gomez. First of all, it was your fault you flunked Spanish. It wasn't Ms. Gomez' fault. It was your fault you flunked Spanish. Hey, listen, your dad's an a**hole. That's on him. Play basketball because number one, you're good at it. But it's just, just play. And that was like the turning point in my life. And

the second turning point was probably meeting Moses Malone. Right. Because when I got, because I was in college for three years and I weighed about 290ish to 300. I was always fluctuating right in there. And then when I got drafted by the Sixers, because I led the league in the SEC rebound area, so you know, I think I'm successful and I'm in good shape. Right. But you know. So there's no reason for you to lose weight if you're doing all that. Yes

And you know, you know because you've been a Hall of Famer obviously college shape ain't pro shape No, yeah college shape ain't pro shape. It's a different animal It is and I remember I got lucky because Moses lived in the same building as me. Okay And I said Moses can I I wouldn't get into play as well Can I come see you tonight? He's a surely on what's up? I said, I'll tell you later and I suppose why am I not getting to play? He's a charge you your fat or you're lazy That blood oh, yeah, he was great. He's like you have heard He didn't say much right, but he was such an elder statement or so respected

He was like youF Hudden. Like every time Moses said something, because Doc spoke, Andrew Toney, Bobby Jones, those guys, yeah, Mocheeks too, but Moses never really said a lot, but when he spoke that whole locker room, like Moses talking, shut the hell up. And when he told him I was fat and lazy, but then he said the next thing, he said, you want me to help you lose weight he's I'll meet you before practice after practice and he said let's lose 10 pounds I said okay and then I lost I got to about 290 and then he's let's lose 10 more then I get to 80 now I'm getting to play okay because I can sustain it you can't sustain effort at 300 correct so now I'm at 280 he's in let's lose 10 more he gives me the 270

260 250 and I look back at that when I talk to kids about losing weight as let's lose some weight because if you have to say to me let's lose 50 pounds I would like whoa but he did it in such a smart way he He said, let's lose 10 pounds, let's lose 10. And then when I got to 250, the rest is history. Right. I'm looking at your childhood. I read that your grandmother ran a bar. Well, no, she didn't run a bar.

We had people come to the house, get drunk every weekend. No, see, so it was, and you think that's normal. Right. And what's crazy about it, Shannon, it was a fight every weekend Every weekend. Yeah, cuz the drinking involved you can't gambling probably so That's what it was. So we didn't have a bar. Okay in my hometown. Oh, okay. So every starting Friday pay period pay period

Everybody's called now, you know, everybody's trying to make extra money Yeah, and do you know once they start losing it's gonna be a fight because they start drinking so my grandmother would go to Georgia every week and get cheaper alcohol and me and He poured you do shots So I was kind of like the guy who bought the shots out right and then go back to my room Charles Come here. We need another drink But starting Friday around six o'clock, okay? Ten people would come over and gamble and then once Pete it started always started out civil

And then once somebody got drunk and start losing their money It was always gonna be a fight go course And we did that every Friday and Saturday, pretty much my entire childhood, and that's how we made extra money, because you're not making enough money working in a meat factory as a maid. But it was crazy because, and my grandmother, she was amazing, but it was crazy,

it's crazy thinking about it now. Right. Yeah. What kind of lessons did that teach you seeing your grandmother doing what she could to make ends meet? You see your mom doing what she can to make ends meet there's four boys going on You're not getting the assistance that you need. Yeah from your dad You're not getting the the love the advice the discipline from your head. So what kind of impact did that have on you? Well So I had started stealing. And one night the cops chased us. That was the closest we all got to getting arrested. And I remember when I was crawling on the ground in the woods because they chased us, they were chasing us and we were crawling once it's crawl like a hundred two hundred yards and I remember I've had dirt everywhere and scars everywhere and I was like damn my mother and

grandmother working their ass off every day and you out here being a crook and then that's when I said you know what I got to get these ladies to love and the respect they deserve. So then I said, you know what, I'm going to just play sports. And what's really funny about it, I suck at sports. I wasn't any good. Because I didn't have my growth spurt. Most people don't know that. I was only 5'10 when I was a junior in high school. If I hadn't had the growth spurt, ain't no telling what I would be doing today.

But I was a 5'10 backup point guard. And then one year I grew from 5'10 to 6'5. I mean, but at 5'10, you probably weighed probably what, 175, 180? No, I was like 220. That's football playing right now. You should have been a running back. Yeah, let me tell you something.

My friends make fun of me. I played football for one day. You know, football's my favorite sport in boxing. Because I think it takes a real man to play football in box. Because those are the only sports you can really get hurt at. And I was like, I played football for one day. And I was like, and I just joke with the football coach later, after I had my growth spread and I later in life, he's like, I think I made a mistake putting you on the offensive line I says no you made a mistake

talking me into playing football because I played the one day and I just ran into I says I just ran into a guy full speed for like two hours this is stupid as ever and I remember I was sitting in the locker room I was bloody and beaten up and I had my head down I was totally good. It's the first out the first day of practice And it co says I'll see y'all tomorrow. I said wait we do No under no Circumstances as a coach and I went and after practice I went on to coach. I want to thank you for the opportunity I was the coach and I went and after practice I went on to coach I want to thank you for the opportunity

But football you quit me back in right back in after that first day. This is not for me. This is not for me, right? Good like say that one reason football is my favorite sport I think it takes tremendous courage that in boxing are by far and away my two favorite sports Because you can't cheat in football and boxing. Basketball you can skate on offense or defense and you know whatever but if you put if you're on a football field you cannot cheat. Same thing in a boxing ring you're gonna get your head knocked off. That's why I admire football players and boxers because it takes tremendous courage to go out there. What's going on everybody this is Justin Penn Pinnock from John Boy Media, the host of the football today podcast

alongside Bobby Skinner and Chris Rose. We're rolling three times a week on Mondays, on Wednesdays, on Fridays, breaking down everything you need to know about the NFL. We're talking about the MVP race. Is Josh Allen going to pull it out? Lamar Jackson can say quam Barkley even break the rushing record? Can the Steelers keep up their momentum? We talk about everything.

We break it down. Stats, analytics, and of course Chris Rose is bringing his perspective on being a pro in the media world as well. Listen to football today on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts and you will be glad you did. Hope you could join us for the postseason run. You're born in Alabama. We understand the history of racism in Alabama. Yeah. Did you experience any racism growing up when you were in that small town of Alabama? No, because the year I was born was the church bombing. You got the Selma massacre. You got the Montgomery boycott. My grandmother. In my town,

it was, I think it was a great place to grow up because we were in a small town. I think, I don't even think we really know what the hell going on. I've experienced more racism and seen more racism when I got out of there, obviously. And you know, I was one of the first two kids to integrate the school system. And I didn't, we didn't know what the hell was going on. I didn't find didn't know what the hell was going on. I didn't find out that later There was a guy named mr. Allen who drove me and two other kids actually To segregate the integrate the schools the elementary school, but I never felt I Never felt racism in leads

to be honest with you That accent yes Very I have one very heavy colloquial dialect that's indigenous to the south yes did people make fun of the way you spoke or did everybody speak like that they I didn't realize it until I got to Philadelphia you know cuz I spent my entire life in Alabama. You know, you know, one of the great decisions I made was going to Auburn. Wow. Well, okay, so obviously, you know, by now I'm really close to my mother and grandmother.

I'm gonna stay in the box. Right. UAB is 25, 30 minutes from my house. Tuscaloosa is an hour, hour 15 from my house. Auburn's the furthest way by far, it's like a legit two hours. So when I was trying to figure out where to go to college, UAB, led by the great Gene Bartow, made it to the Sweet 16. Alabama made it to the Sweet 16. Alabama made it to the Sweet 16

and they both had everybody coming back. Yeah. Bobbie Lee Hurts and Enid Watley. No, we came out together. Not only did they both make it to the Sweet 16, Alabama signed Enid Watley and Bobbie Lee Hurts. So I'm saying, I'm saying to myself, man, I wanna play.

Right. So I go down to Auburn and I said, I'm looking around. I said, damn, these Bonds don't lost 12 games in a row. So I asked Coach Smith, I said, you got a pen on you? He said, oh, what? You a big time? You're getting ready to sign an autograph? I said, nope, I'm signing right now.

These damn guys can't play dead. Y'all have lost 12 games in a row and I don't see anybody out there who put fear in my heart and that's actually how the whole thing at Auburn went down. I said, he said you're going to sign autographs? I said nope I'm signing a scholarship right on the spot because these dudes cannot play dead and that's how I made the best decision to go to Auburn because I tell all these kids, some of these kids are dummies. I say yo man look who they have on the team before you go there. If you know there's a guy who's really good and you play the same position no matter how much confidence you got you probably not gonna beat him out he's gonna be bigger stronger more experienced

when you I said the number one thing I said if you want to educate, you get an education anywhere. But the number one thing when you decide to go to college is playing time because that's gonna be the first time you're away from home and if you don't get to play, college gonna suck. Your grades gonna suck, your personal life gonna suck. You really need to look at who's on the roster before you decide to go. So you said you didn't realize that you had an accent until you got to Philly.

To Philly. Once you got to Philly, did you ever try to change the way you talk or enunciate words? No, not really. Because as you know, fame ain't like everybody. Trying to explain being in the out of fame whatever words you

want to use trying to explain that to a normal person like talking Chinese or talking to an alien. You're not a sportsman, you're a celebrity. But when I first like it's overwhelming when it first happened. Yes. I'd like I said you can't even prepare for it. I said, when they start sticking those cameras and you turn on TV, they talking good or bad about you

in Philadelphia on the radio, going to the black barbershop, hey, never go to a black barbershop when you're on a bad team, ever. Hey, under any circumstances, I tell you, do never, hey, the Woody Brothers in Philadelphia, man, I played on some teams that suck in Philly

when Doc and Moses had went away. Never go to a black barbershop when things are going bad. They will tell you the truth, check. They will tell you the truth. And even if it's not your fault, they just gonna tell you, y'all suck, y'all suck. But no, I was trying to adjust. And in a really pivotal moment,

how when I was with Dr. J, so my second year in the league, I'm starting to become a good player. And I hate when guys get on TV and say, they don't give a shit what people think, blah, blah, blah. Everybody wants to be liked. They do. But I was trying to make everybody happy they started because my first couple years they went to Moses, Dr. J, Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney, those guys Bobby Jones like I don't think

I ever got interviewed my rookie year. So later my second year I'm starting to get it together learn the game slowing down for me. And I said, Doc, how do I talk to the press? He said, well, you gotta figure it out. Because they coming to you now, you turn into a hell of a player. I said, well, I want everybody to like me. He says, well, that's kind of an interesting question. Because no matter what you say,

half the people gonna like it, half the people gonna dislike it. And I said, what does that mean? He says, that's the way this thing work. You can't make everybody happy. And then that was the turning point for me. I said, what if I just say my truth? He says, you might as well say your truth.

Because even if you said what everybody wants you to say, some people gonna disagree with it. And then I changed my whole philosophy as far as like, just be honest. That does not mean I'm right all the time. But I'm gonna try to be fair and give my honest opinion. And I can live with the repercussions. Because you said something earlier, whether people like me or not, they at least got like, you know what, at least Charles, even if I disagree with him, he doesn't have a hidden agenda. Because the one thing I hate about these guys, somebody, and you know I got this hate hate towards Skip Baylor's because especially being black I think I'm I think I'm represent some

bigger mm-hmm I think every black person on television television is really powerful really Mike will bond one of my mentors, one of the best people I ever met, he said something to me one time. He says when he first got the job at PTI, one of my favorite shows with him and Kornhouser, he says, man, I didn't realize how powerful television was. He says, I've been with the Washington Post for 25 years. I walk around, nobody say hello, kiss my ass or anything. I'm on TV for a week. Hey, you're the guy from TV.

And he said, he had to learn, like man, TV is a powerful thing. But the point I want to make as a black person, I'm really conscious of everything I say. You gotta be. You gotta be. Because there is a double standard. Because one thing that drives me crazy when people use cold word describing me, you, Stephen A, guys like that, I says, and I want to be very

careful because I'm not trying to offend anybody but I want to make this point, I says, well I'm curious, you don't use those I want to make this point. I says, well, I'm curious. You don't use those type of words. You use words that we know what they mean, black. When you talk about Shannon, Stephen A and Chuck, I said, but when Colin Coward, Jim Rome, Mike Greenberg, who are great guys, I might add, when they say stuff, you don't use those cold words with them. And I says, so I'm very cognizant of like, okay, there's a double standard. So I'm really careful about some of the stuff I say, but I'm but I'm not afraid of anything. Because my opinion matters just like theirs do. Right. Yeah. But we, I think we start to understand

is that it's not what we say, it's the breaking up down of everything, of every word, of parsing it, trying to like, well this, no, I said- Yes, this is my favorite. Well, when I see shows like, well this is what he said, but this is what he meant. I'm like, no, I know what I meant. I said it.

Yeah, I said it. But I always laugh when they say like, well, he said this, but this is what he mean. This is what he was trying to say. I'm like, no, I said exactly what I meant to say. It drives me crazy when I see when they, not mainly saying about me but talking about other people what is jock said this because Jim Rome says

something I really love he says every time somebody says I mean no disrespect you know what's coming next disrespect Jim Rome who's I really like a lot he said he does a segment every week where he says that he says you know it's time for the disrespect moment and he always played a point where I mean no disrespect he said wait for it you know what's coming next disrespect and I love that. Right. When you played were you a trash talker? Not much. Not much. Not much because I had you know because I had too much going on in my brain because when you're six five playing against", playing against a 6'8", guy, 6'9", guy, 6'10", guy, I have to have a strategy.

You know, I think somebody said something to me one time. They went and looked at the numbers. I'm the only person in the history of sports who never played against anybody who was shorter than them. Because I played center in college. And then obviously in NBA, I'm always going to be the shortest guy in my- The shortest power forward in history? Yes, in history. So I had so much going on in my brain.

I'm like, okay, they bringing this guy in, he does this well, he does this, he plays me this way. Then they bring the other guy in. I said, well, he plays me this way, they're going to do this. So I had so much going on in my brain. I mean cuz like I say when you You can't out talent. I mean if you're Michael LeBron Kobe Shaq

You can out talent 99% of the guys in the world But when you're a six-five power forward, you can't out talent 99% of the guys in the world But when you're a six five power forward you can't out talent people You I tell people that you can't out talent people at my size. You have to use your brain, right? Were you did you fight a lot of the kid? No, cuz I was too little You guys see that that's the thing that people don't understand Like I was always small until I had to grow spur Right when you like to say when you a little dude, you can't be going around fighting people. Are you gonna get your kids? It was really, you know, you know people always ask me though about the growth spur. Yeah, I never had any pain really Like you go when you wake up one day you five ten and the next day you six five

Like I never went through like, these didn't bother you, nothing hurt? It was really weird, it never hurt me. But could you tell that you had grown that much over the summer? I did not know it, that's what's weird. The coach said to me, you've grown over the summer. I said, I think I've grown a little bit.

And then he said like, you're like 6'4 and a half, 6'5. And, from 5'10? Yeah, and the best thing said, like, you're like six, four and a half, six, five. And- From five, 10? Yeah. And the best thing though, Shannon, the best thing was, cause the number one asset of my game was my ability to dribble. Yes.

Because you can't post up guys who are six, nine, six, 10, but they don't want to move their feet. Great. So when I played guard all those years, that was probably the best asset to me when I got to play against those big guys. Don't you handle the ball? Yeah, yeah, because them big dudes,

the one thing, it's hard to post them up, but they can't move their feet more than one or two times. And that was the biggest asset of my game, my ability to dribble. If you grow that much in a summer, I mean, your clothes, you probably looking like Jethro Bodine. You probably, you You probably... Well, that's the one thing about being poor. You're just dropping down. Oh, so you wear a hand-me-down.

Because you know, we ain't gonna get no, you know, you're gonna get you one suit for Easter. Yeah. You're gonna get a couple outfits for Christmas. The rest of the stuff is gonna be hand-me-downs. Oh, yeah. You know, and also when you're in a small town, it's a very close-knit community. So when you get done with clothing, it's always a neighbor. Somebody needs to. Somebody gets something. That's why I'll always appreciate growing up in a small town. You know, Kenny grew up in New York.

I wasn't sure how my life would have been different if I had grown up in New York. But growing up in a small town, it really, it was a really sense of community. Community. Yes. Everybody, I mean, and that's what I, when I'm on nightcap and I try to tell people this, it was always everybody was yes sir, no sir, yes sir, no ma'am. If you misbehave, miss such and such, we'll tear your tail up. You're gonna get two whippin'.

And then she gonna go home and say, Mary, I had to whip that boy because he was being managed or he was cursing. And then you got another whipping. What happened to that sense of community, Chuck? You know, we, we in the black community, we just have to do better.

We gotta, number one, racism exists, always has, and always will. You know, I really, I look, I tell people this, sports are a great thing for black kids. It's really helped a lot of us get out of here and help and go back and make things better But you have to understand some if you're born and it's white poor, too Oh, yeah Because it's really economic racism like calling people names and stuff like that. That's just silly and stupid

But economic racism is the biggest problem we have in this country because if you're black and Poor or white and poor, you're gonna be born in a bad neighborhood, and you're gonna go to an inferior school. And I always use this analogy. I says, if you play baseball, and if every time you step up to the plate, you got two strikes against you,

yeah, Shannon gonna get a hit, Chuck gonna get a hit, and we gonna have a couple little hits. But most people are gonna strike out. Yes, or you're afraid to swing. That third strike. So I just think that we've got to do a better job of holding each other accountable and accept the fact that, hey, it's a double standard, but you can never give up.

You can never be like, you know what, I'm tired. Because let's be realistic, it's still better than it used to be. Yes. It ain't perfect, but it's still better than it used to be. Check this out. When you got to Auburn, you weighed 300 pounds. The first 200 days in college, it's reported that you ordered 100 pieces. But you landed SEC and rebounding your three years you were there. You the record for the cute career field goal percentage At almost 63 percent you was SEC player of the year and the decade of the 80s and you're a member of the Auburn's all-century Team, how do you do that at 300 pounds man? I had some serious talent be honest with you

And like I say The college game is not near as fast And you know, we just live in a different generation, a lot faster now. But you know, you kind of, unless you get a fast break, because when teams score, you're walking the ball up and down the court. And it was really interesting. One of my coaches, Roger Banks, I struggled like the first week I was in college. He says, son, what is your problem? Because I have 20 rebounds a game in high school.

Because I played with a really good high school team. And they never ran plays for me, so I had to get my own. I had to get my own. And you were passing the back out. No, so we had about eight players who got to college. We had really good teams. We had really good sports teams in my hometown because you know a lot of times when people in small towns they got like three high schools the one thing about my high school we got one high school you go K

to 12 with the same group so we always had good sports team well you didn't go K to 12 in the same class did you? No no no no no but I'm telling you, it was crazy. You see the same people from K to 12. Right. And it's so funny how like we always had a good team in football and basketball. Always had a good team in football and basketball. Did it ever dawn on you? You're like, well, man, I'm really killing it.

I'm getting these, I'm playing, I'm averaging 13, 14, 15 points. I'm getting 10, 12 rebounds. Man, if I lost a few pounds I might be able to bump that up to do 2015 did that ever thought cross your mind in college? No, because when you would you know, you know The toughest thing about a player and you know this and a team. Mm-hmm Kind of having my Eagles this year

When they got off to like a 10 and 1 start, a lot of times when people don't understand when you're having success, you still need to get better as a player and as a team. And have, because you can have bad habits, but your team is so good, you keep winning. So I'm not sure, but like I'm probably the only freshman that ever lead to SEC in rebound. And then I lead it every year, so I'm not thinking about flaws, I think I'm doing pretty good. So I'm not thinking about, yo man, lose weight. I'm like, yo, I'm all SEC, I'm leading the league in rebound as a freshman, as a sophomore, as a junior.

And I'm like, no, I'm good. And you know, actually my coach tried to get me to lose weight and we fought a little bit early in my career, we're really close today because I had to go back and apologize. I said, you know what, you were right. You were right, I was wrong. I should have lost weight sooner. I could have been better But you know, we're all when you're 18 and having success. You don't you don't think anything you're good

you think you'd be yeah, yeah, so I It goes back to my thing but miss Gomez and my dad like, you know what it's you thing with Miss Gomez and my dad like you know what it's you. You know I tell you the one thing about being in the limelight man very few people have the ability to say my fault my bad. Yeah there ain't a whole lot of accountability going on. There's a lot of people kissing your ass. Right. Yeah very few people have the ability to say hey you know what it's my fault it's my bad and I was wrong because like I said, you got so many people kissing you got so many people on the payroll kissing you it's like so you have to be self-aware and That's the only thing I hate about life all the dumb you did

You get older you get so much smarter and get so much wisdom and you go back man What a dummy I was nobody told you that was dumb. Yeah but but but you you know that's a that is that's the one thing about life that I really hate that you don't learn all this smart stuff that you get older because there's so many people out there there's so many people out there who make mistakes that they either die from or it ruins their life. And if you get older, you're like, man, what I did back then was dumb and stupid. And I wish that more young kids would pick up, talk to people like you, me, because we've been through some stuff.

Like, when I watch you all the time, you talk about preparing for success, you talk about your time in Denver, you talk about your time with the Ravens, about trying to teach the young guys how to do things, take care of their bodies and things like that. I tell these guys, yo man, it's like Zahn, I like Zahn a lot. Does he remind you of you? He reminds me, I mean he's more athletic. He's more athletic. But the sooner he gets in shape the better he's gonna be. Have you had a conversation with him? No, but yeah and I don't I don't know him but I try to tell him that on television. I hope he

hears it and don't take it as a criticism because like he he has got so much talent and you can't get in shape during the season no you're getting shape during the summer correct and I've seen that he's lost about 25 pounds that's what the report started during the season you got to do that during the summer because you got to be ready to go when the season starts because he got man he is so explosive because that last game that he got hurt in against the Lakers That's the best I've ever seen him play

but you man it and listen I I got in shape for two million dollars The money these guys are making today. I'd be damn near an arrest For 35 40 million dollars I know I'll be they'd be like we got to get charged For 35, 40 million dollars a year. They make you 50, 60, 60. I know. They'd be like, we got to get Charles to eat. He's anorexic.

I was like, my first contract was four years, two million dollars. And I said, I lost 50 pounds for that type of money. I said, for 30, 40, 50, 60 million dollars. They'd be like, yo, guys, Charles is losing too much weight. We have to make sure he ain't bulimic or something i said i like but so man i just hope he listens right and don't take it because guys who've been in this business like yourself and myself man this is it's just the best job in the world but sometimes you need to take constructive criticism. But the problem is, is that a lot of time afterwards, and I've been one and now I'm on the other side, is that we have people around us that tell us what we want to hear,

not what we need to know. Yes. And so a person that tells you what you need to know, you're less apt to move away from that person and keep the people that tell you what you want to hear around. They should tell him, he should see it. Because when I first saw him, I say he reminds me of Charles Barkley, but he's more explosive than Chuck. But if he lost, if he got down to 250, woo!

They'd have to change, that'd be like, because the thing he did against the Lakers in that one game, he could do that every night. And that goes back to my original thing. Like, I could have a couple good plays when I was 300 pounds, right? You couldn't sustain it, but I couldn't sustain it when I got to 250 I could sustain it and I could go the next day and the next day the next day and I hope You know these guys and I hate to be the old man

Cuz you know when you say something or I say something we hate what we hate or we the old man. Because when you say something or I say something, we hate. What we hate, are we the old get off my lawn guys? I'm like, no, we know how this story ends. Right. I says, let me tell you something. I know how every NBA story is gonna end. I played against Bird. I played against Magic, Kareem, Michael.

You know, I play, like I know what it takes to be successful. And- No, you know what it takes to be successful and no, you know what it takes to be great. Yes. And you know, the thing is, it's like let's talk about drugs. I had a younger brother who was a junkie who died at a young age. When I talked to these young kids in high school to college about drugs, I said, yo, man, it ain't a matter if it's a matter of when.

What's going on, everybody? This is Justin Pennick from John Boy Media, the host of the Football Today podcast alongside Bobby Skinner and Chris Rose. We're rolling three times a week on Mondays, on Wednesdays, on Fridays, breaking down everything you need to know about the NFL. We're talking about the MVP race.

Is Josh Allen gonna pull it out? Lamar Jackson? Can Saquon Barkley even break the rushing record? Can the Steelers keep up their momentum? We talk about everything. We break it down. Stats, analytics, and of course, Chris Rose is bringing his perspective on being a pro in the media world as well. Listen to football today on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts, and you will be glad you did.

Hope you could join us for the post-season run. You know, it broke my mom's heart. It broke my heart for a long time. I said, yo, man, I don't understand why you gotta do drugs. I just don't get it. And I almost did cocaine one time, because I had put my brother in a bunch of rehabs and I

was like What's the fuck up with this? And I talked to one of my boys. I says yo man. I want you to get me some cocaine He says Charles you fucking nuts. I says man my brother. He gonna die at some point and I ain't never had something so strong that I would give up the NBA or my money saying, you know, I gotta do drugs. And he knows it's killing him, but he can't stop. John Lucas, who's a great, great man, he said, he's a truck. I'm gonna tell you something

about a junkie. He says, if I put a million dollars on this table cash and a pile of cocaine over there or crack or whatever you want to say, a junkie would not say, man, I can buy a lot of cocaine with that money. He's going to go right for that pile over there. And my brother died, I think he was 40 when he died. He got his life together. He got his life together, but he had done so much damage to his body and it just gave out and when I talk to these kids I say oh man it ain't a matter if

it's just a matter when if you doing this drug thing it's somebody you're gonna get a call one night that it's over mm-hmm and that I felt so bad for my mom because she never got over it. Never got over it. Right. You come out the MV the 1994 draft now there's been I mean 84 draft the 84 draft Michael Jordan John Stockton Charles Barkley Kim Elijah one The first three were Hall of Fame. I mean how large one with with I think he went first. Yes, Jordan went third Lajiwan went with I think he went first. Yes Jordan went third Sam Sam boy with with second y'all had Hall of Famers the 85 draft car Malone Patrick You as Chris Mullins Charles Oakley Joe Dumas 87 David Robinson Reggie Miller Scotty Miller Scotty Pippen

Horace Grant Mark Jackson Muggs the boat 96 draft Kobe Ray Allen Steve Nash Allen Iverson Allen Iverson's step on Mar Doug Fisher, and obviously the 2003 draft. LeBron, D. Wade, Chris Boss, Mello, all Hall of Famer. What's the best draft? Well, I don't know if you can say who's the best draft. You know, I'll give you an example where I say that. I'll give you an example where I say that. Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Dan Marino,

they're in the conversation of the greatest quarterbacks ever and Pat Mahomes is ascending. Those guys ain't never gonna be near the record books in five to 10 years. And they're some of the best to ever do it. The games have changed the rules have changed doesn't make better or worse it's just different. Should we consider that when we talking about greatness because of the rule change in football? I think you have to like I don't care who think

about this that's probably gonna be ten quarterbacks in the next five years It's gonna shadow all the records and they're gonna be one 1-3rd the player Tom Brady Joe Montana Dan Marino drew breeze paid Manning those guys gonna be they probably think about it in 10 15 years Not probably won't even be that long, they won't even be in the top 10 yardage and touchdown passes because the rules have changed.

And it's obviously just, now number one, they're gonna pass it more, a lot more, but also defenses are handicapped right now also. So all the players you mentioned are great, great, great. But it is just a lot easier to play basketball. Because I tell people, Michael, I played, when you played them boys from the Pistons, we used to always say, call your family and tell them you love them and goodbye.

Because there was a chance you wouldn't go make it out. They were trying to hurt people. They had six guys who used their fouls. You know what's so crazy, when I was watching that documentary, the last dance, some of those fouls would get you suspended for 10 games today. Oh absolutely. Yeah, yeah. And they were just one foul back then. Yeah, Bill Lambeer, Bill Lambeer would have been out of league for 10 games today. Oh absolutely. Oh yeah, yeah. And it was just one foul back then.

Yeah, Bill Lambeer, Bill Lambeer would have been out of league for at least 30 games. At least 30 games. At least. Because he was deliberate when he hit it. Yes. Ain't no hiding or nothing. Same thing with Mahorn, John Sallie, Dennis Rodman.

I mean think about it, you go back and Lambeer, all the guys, so the rules have changed. They're not like I say, I don't ever say things are better. Right. But all these guys are great. And I was blessed to play in a generation because the two most important figures in NBA history, or Magic Johnson, Larry Berg. Right. If it wasn't for those two guys, and Reese had something to do with that. Yes. Reese had something to do with that.

It drew a line. It drew a line. But it's still the best thing that ever happened to the NBA. It is. Because before then, the average salary then was $200,000. When Magic and Berg came in,

because first of all further I was too black too thuggish too drug and fest and We were tape delayed people don't realize that they don't even know that NBA finals was on tape late and you got one game a week on Sunday. You did I remember you got one game a week on Sunday and People now you can go we can watch game seven days a week we own all the game all the game I said no you don't understand this and like I say it was a long time ago but think about it

the finals were tape tape delay and that was only one game on Sunday and the average salary was $200,000 the The average salary now is $10 million. We got what's gonna be crazy. We got three NBA players, I think, three or four, making $60 million a year. In the next five years, we're gonna have guys making 70, 80, 90, 90, 80. Luke will probably be first.

It's gonna be crazy. 80 a year, Chump? 80 a year to play basketball. It was crazy, Shannon. That's how old I am. I remember vividly, me, Doc, Moses, Bobby Johnson, Andrew Tony, we were in a locker room one day and it broke that Maddie Johnson had been the first NBA player to make a million dollars. We were walking around high-fiving each other.

We could not believe. We could not believe that an NBA player made a million dollars. And I'm like, and I'm with Doc and Moses now, who are all-time greats. They're high-fiving each other. They're like, we can't believe an NBA player to make it a million dollars. That's how crazy it was, thinking about money back in the day. Wow.

It says, it was reported that you didn't want to go to Philly so bad that in a 48-hour span, you ate two Danny Grand Slam breakfasts, six pancakes, bacon, totaling about 1,600 calories, a vanilla milkshake, Kentucky Fried Chicken Bucket, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, half the menu at Red Lobster, two McDonald's fish filets, large fries, I don't know why the hell you ate a diet coke. To wash it down. Two Texas-sized barbecue sandwiches, a T-bone steak, baked potato, three desserts,

repeated it for the next day, gained 20 pounds, also while drinking. What the hell? You could have killed yourself. You could've went to a food coma. I could've been poor too. No, so, you know, they had a really hard cap. Right. So I'm with my agent. So you know, you do your visits.

Yeah. The owner of the 76er says, put me on the scale. I'm weighing about 295. This is about a month before the draft. He says, you know, we're concerned about your weight. I says, well, I'm gonna get in shape. I think I'm, but whatever, blah, blah, blah. He says, we want you to weigh,

we want you to lose 10 pounds. We want you to come in a day to draft, stop in Philly on your way to New York for the draft. So I go train for a month down in Houston. I think at the time I'm weighing about 282, 283, somewhere in there. I don't know if that's gonna happen in a month, yo. No, I got down, it was all like 12 pounds. Okay

Well, you wanted you to get the 280. Okay. Yes. Okay. He says we want to get a 285 Okay, so I go down to Houston train for a month and I'm like 282 and We get on the scale. He says now Chuck. We have a problem. I was what's the problem? He says well, the sixers are over there at the cap. They can only give you a one-year deal for $75,000. I said, I didn't leave college for $75,000. Are y'all crazy? He says, well, I don't know what to tell you. He says, Sixers want to take you. I said, I didn't leave college for one year for 75,000. What if I get hurt?

I'm trying to take care of my family, set my family up for financial for life. He says, well if the six is drafted, you're gonna have to sign a one year deal for 75,000. I said, what can we do? He says, well we're stopping in Philly on the way to New York. Man, we went right to Denny's.

I got a grand slam. I canceled workouts for the next two days. I got me a grand slam. We went out, I got me some shakes, went to a big steakhouse the night before, got me the big T-bone, got me some fries, got me a big old piece of cake, did the same thing the next day. I get back to feeling we stopped. I'm 298. The owner team called me, what the f-? What the f-?

Me and my agent looked at each other like, thank God we dodged a bullet. And if you go back and look at my face and out of the draft and that sweet burgundy suit I might add Man When they said with the number five pick the 77 76 select Charles Barkley the look on my face I'm in shock I'm thinking Damn, I left college for $75,000. I got to be the biggest fool in the world. And so we go down to Philly and he says, you know, go to the summer league.

And I said, well, got no choice. I go to summer league and I started just whooping. I do. I was like, I got this. And he says, okay, we're gonna trade some players because we're not gonna make you sign a one year deal. And they traded Franklin Edwards and I think Mark Iveroni. And my first year, my first deal was four years, $2 million.

You was on the court when Doc and Larry got into it. What caused that? Man, first of all, I hate the NBA for that reason. They owe me $5,000 I'm still pissed to this day because the one thing I would never do right this whole a guy for another guy to hit him And I've been mad I'm still mad just a y'all me five thousand dollars out of silver so Larry Barry was a great trash talker and he's like Charles y'all better get this old man off me I'm telling you and he's just roasting Doc yeah He's like and this is Doc last year I think. He was right there. It was either last year or the year before. He's killing Doc. And

he's like Chuck I'm telling you for the last time you better get over here because I'm gonna kill this old man. And it goes on up and down and Larry's just killing him and Doc had just had enough. And I just had had them they come together and I just kind of grab Larry I'm not even looking at Doc when I went back and looked at the tape doctor nailing his ass I was just trying to pull guys apart Yeah, but you know you can't ever fight you can't grab one unless somebody grab you and you grab him I grab Larry cuz I didn't want him hitting Doc. But ain't nobody grab Doc. I know. I know.

But you just said something. If I grab Doc and Larry start pummeling, I can't go back to Philly. You're right. I can't go back to Philly. So I grabbed Larry to stop him from hitting Doc. And Doc welling away. But Doc, it started because Doc was like, Larry's like,

yo, man, y'all better get it. He's screaming it too, everybody can hear it. Y'all better get this old man off me, I'm gonna kill him out here. Larry's one, I tell you, Larry Brad was one of the best trash talkers ever. So one of my teammates, Leon Wood, was great, he's an NBA official now.

So we in the room getting ready for the three point contest at an All-Star game. Larry walks in, says, which one of y'all gonna come and suck a place? Y'all heard me. Which one of y'all gonna come and suck a place? I'm like, damn, that's like my first real talk to him. Oh, that sounded pretty aggressive. go talk to him. Oh, that sounded pretty aggressive. He won though. He won. I mean, he was one of the best at trash talking, man. When he came in and said that you could have heard a pin drop. Everybody's all excited and everything. Everybody was geek.

Yeah, geek. Larry walk in and said, which one of y'all gonna come in and say in second place you could have heard a pin drop. You probably played, when you look at the era in which you played Magic, Bird, Kareem, Michael, Elijah, Patrick, Robinson. Yeah. What was that era like because that was that that era made it possible for this era and I don't know if this era gives that era enough credit and maybe that era doesn't give this era enough credit Well, that's a great question We should always give credit to the guys who came before us correct always because we're one for

those guys Nobody we y'all making this money because y'all were born at the right time. You're not better than Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem, Will Bill Russell. You're not better than those guys. Let me ask you this. Let me push back. Those guys, but I'm saying average, if you look at the teams now, guys are more skilled. You have more guys that can shoot the equivalent of Reggie and Larry on a team. Just be appreciative of that generation. Okay.

I got number love for these young guys because number one, they're great. Yes. But they should always have great appreciation for the older guys Because those guys did all the heavy lifting. It's kind of like being black in my opinion. I Have so much love for older black people absolutely because I don't know what it's like For people to spray me with a water hose see the dogs Or tell me we're taping this in the Four Seasons. We couldn't have been here. They said, take your black up to the Motel 6 and do this interview.

Like if you can't, every time I meet an older black person, I get an example, one of my mentor was Joe Morgan. He called his dad one day, he said, dad, we're gonna meet Jackie Robinson tomorrow. He said, what do I say? He says, just tell him thank you. And I think every time I meet an older black person, I want to say thank you because y'all did all the heavy lifting. Y'all did all the heavy lifting. What they had to endure. I can't even imagine. Like I can go to any restaurant I want to. I can stay at any hotel I want to. I don't even know what it's like

when people say well you can't stay here or get to the back of the bus. Or the movie theaters. I'm old enough to remember the movie theaters the black sat up top. Yeah. You couldn't sit down low. Yeah. I'm old enough. I do remember that. And that's and so that's and so the analogy of every basketball player today just say yo man I want to thank you not even me. Right. Because I made a good living but every time I meet an older guy I'm like yo man thank you for what you did for me but every time I meet Magic and Bird, I tell them guys, man, thank y'all. Because in sports, there are a lot of great players, but there's only a few guys who moved and need them. Correct. Like in golf, there are a lot of great players today. But Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary

Player, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, those guys took the sport to a whole nother level. Like there are a lot of great players, but very few players are like, oh, I got to go watch that guy on television. We need to do the TV dip because of that guy. And all you want from any generation is number one, leave it better. Great. Like I'm disappointed in these guys today with this low management. What's going on everybody?

This is Justin Pennick from John Boy Media, the host of the Football Today podcast alongside Bobby Skinner and Chris Rose. We're rolling three times a week on Mondays, on Wednesdays, on Fridays, breaking down everything you need to know about the NFL. We're talking about the MVP race. Is Josh Allen going to pull it out? Lamar Jackson?

Can Saquon Barkley even break the rushing record? Can the Steelers keep up their momentum? We talk about everything. We break it down. Stats, analytics, and of course Chris Rose is bringing his perspective on being a pro in the media world as well. Listen to football today on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and you will be glad you did.

Hope you could join us for the postseason run. How's it going, yo man. First of all, we're not teachers. We're not nurses. We're not in the service. People who work like hard every day. We play a stupid basketball game for three or four days a week. You're not gonna play more than three or four days a week.

You gotta make 30, 40 million, 60 million. I'm pretty sure the nurse don't want to go to work sometime. She can't load manage. Yeah, she can't. I'm pretty sure teachers can't load manage. I said, man, just play basketball. You got the best shoes. Can you imagine Bill Russell playing in those canvas shoes? Chuck Taylors. Chuck Taylors. Can you imagine? Can you imagine?

No support. No support. And they played every game for $3,000 a year. And you can't just like, of course you're sore. I'm pretty sure doctors and nurses are sore. But man, just just to be appreciative of how lucky and blessed we are to do something stupid and make a gazillion dollars. How different would your career have been How different would your career have been if you weren't drafted and played in the era of Michael Jordan? Do you want a title? That's a great question. I don't know. But I'm glad I played in his era. Because number one, you want to play in a great player, the greatest or the hippie. You know, it's a debate between him and LeBron.

Some people still think Kareem. You want to play in that because number one, what Michael did, going back to we talking about how to respect for the older generation. If it wasn't for Michael, we wouldn't, I wouldn't make millions of dollars from Nike a year. Right. LeBron, Kobe wouldn't make millions of dollars from Nike a year. Right. LeBron, Kobe wouldn't make millions of dollars from Nike a year. If it wasn't for Michael Jordan, we all wouldn't have commercials. People act like athletes always did commercials. No. No. Number one, none of us had a shoe

deal until Michael. None of us shot commercials until Michael. So whether you want to debate who's the greatest, that guy is the reason we make, that's the reason I, think about this. And when I was in, it was really fun in that movie, Air, because I'm technically in the movie because me and Michael are in the same generation. His mom and dad having the forethought to say, he gonna get a piece of the shoe.

And then Matt Damon who played Sonny says, well, we don't do it like that. for our thoughts to say, he gonna get a piece of the shoe. Right. And then Matt Damon who plays sonnets, well, we don't do it like that. Ms. Jordan said, yeah, we do it like that. And because of that, I made millions of dollars from Nike, just from, and also from my signature shoe. So I lost to Michael Jordan I it would have been great and the only thing I ever felt bad

about trying to be honest with you I couldn't win the 76 of the not 76 the sons of championship because in Philly they had one in Houston they had one I have always felt bad that I wasn't able to bring a championship to Phoenix, because that's my home. They gave me, when I got traded there, my life just changed dramatically. Because man, all I wanted was some help. Because when you're a great player, man, it's hard to go out there you know because there's a couple things that happened to me that really because I was getting so depressed in Philly

because I was saying to myself damn I suck as a basketball player I says we never well I says we get beat in the first round every year and I'm like, I know I'm great, but our team wasn't very good. But I'm like, yo man, and I'm having my private moments. I'm talking to my friends. I'm like, man, am I not good at basketball? I think I'm great, blah, blah, blah. And then when they called me for the dream team, I was like, damn, I am pretty good.

I'm like, I am good. Thank you. Thank you and then When I got traded to Phoenix, they gave me Dan Marley and Kevin Johnson and Mark West and those guys I'm like cuz when I got there that first day as a guys, I think I'm the best basketball player in the world We're gonna play the Bulls for the championship Michael Jordan just has some more help. I'm just as good as him. They look at me like I'm crazy. They're like, what?

I says, I think I'm the best basketball player in the world. Y'all gonna find out right now. Cause we gonna go out here and start kicking some. Right. I told them that the first day. And there was a turning point in the season. And I know Michael well. We got off to a good start.

We played the Bulls and he just kick our ass. And I was saying to myself, he know we're going to play them in the finals. He want to send us a message. So after the game, I told my guys, we got to get better. That guy sent me a message tonight and I didn't like the message. But I received it. Yeah, I received it. And then we went on like a 12, 13 game winning streak,

finished with the best record NBA, get to the finals and I said, I get the chance to prove my point. And I'll tell you Sean, that's the first time in my life I felt like I said, damn, that guy's better at basketball than me because I had my chance a showdown at the OK Corral and So no I was it was an honor same thing I say but Bird and Magic Kareem it was just a great time

The dream team let's clear this up The dream team was supposed to take the best 11 NBA players It was best 12 players. They ended up taking 11 NBA players and they took Christian Leighton. 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 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

if 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 I still don't play. Thank you. So. And then you got to have him. You going overseas, you got to take the biggest guy. So 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 gonna be on the team. Yeah. Whoever Michael didn't want on the team wasn't gonna be on the team. They were not gonna be 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. I didn't, 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 was yeah, but they would just scream to watch what these guys walked glimpse of us. Mainly, obviously, Michael, Magic and Bird. Even though Bird wasn't playing. Yeah. 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 of had a machine gun. And one on the back of had a machine gun. There was people along the highway holding up signs. It was, and we were like, whoa, this is some real shit here. This is the real deal.

And we were like, yeah, man, this is... Did you know it would be this big? Not even close, nobody did did we had no idea we like I mean Cuz 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's on the highway holding up signs Hundreds of them right but when we walk by say when we walk out every day to go to the game, it was five to 10,000 people. They were like 50 yards away.

And they could only see us walk like 12 to 15 feet. But they were screaming, it was crazy. But it was, it's the most, but being at the Olympics itself was such a coup. And I tell people, when they're playing that Nass lamp And we're me and Bird Madden all the guys sees any play the man yes, and we like we like we're all getting goosebumps I Mean it was it was it was surreal you do realize what you guys did is that you birthed an error The Nikola Yol Jokic yeah the the

Luka Donjic yeah those guys came they saw they probably wasn't born then but their parents and people 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 could remember in that era like Sabonas yeah I think Pesce yeah Sarunas Marcellona 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 foreign European players like it is now well shout out to the great late David Stern Mm-hmm. 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 is a Nike trip. And he's got like 30 at halftime. And I got like Scottie Pippen and some other good we got like, Nike was always ahead of the curve taking us to foreign countries to play. Dirk's got like 30. And Scott 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 it, Scott.

And I said, yo man, who the hell are you? And he got that thick German, my name is Dirk Novistek, I'm 18. I said, 18? He said, you wanna 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, told the Nike guys, get us information. They call me back a week later. No, because he said something. He says, I got to go in the Army. I said, yo man, you're seven feet tall. You're not

going in the damn Army. You're not going in the Army. I was your man. You said if he taught you 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 gonna go in a 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 I apologize to his family It's probably gonna go down one of the worst trades in NBA history because they traded for Robert track the trailer you did and Trailer was a nice kid rest in peace, but that's probably gonna go down. That's a bad trade. Mm-hmm. It's dirt Up until took to Joker. It was the greatest foreign player ever Right, and when a joker finished you would was taking him over to Lijiwan as foreign foreign 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 their VA. Yes. Shout out to Akeem. It was an honor and privilege to play with him also. But listen, by the time. Yogi is just the

best foreign player. Yes. It's over. He's a pass. He passed dirt. It's over. It it it listen cuz you know I they might I think they're gonna win this thing again. Did you think I remember watching him? I fought 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 job. Yeah. I mean the guy can give you 30 20 and 15 like there's nothing he

can't do well offensively. Yeah.'s crazy like last night yes we were making a big deal because Aaron Gordon played fantastic yes fantastic Jamar Murray played great and then we were looking at the stats last night like you know man the Joker had 24 15 and 9 that's the easiest 24 15 and we and we didn't mention him on 13 shots we did not even mention him we made a big deal we interviewed Aaron garden because he had career highs and points and assists the rebound excuse me and we I was looking at the stats I said man joke I had 24 15 and 9 right it was so quiet we didn't talk about it but you know I mean

you know what 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 a 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. And most people got mad they traded Monte because Steph was always hurt. And same thing with Joker and Nurkic. They were like, y'all should keep Nurkic instead of the Joker. And you think about how different. One guy got four championship and he's one of the greatestoker and you think about how different one guy got for

Championship and he's one of the greatest players in NBA history and this guy's gonna be you gotta be yet by the 30 of you Yeah Those did you talk about changing the entire dynamics or your franchise of history? That's amazing. They like we made the right decision. And Yoke 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 go bear Why does Rudy get so much flat? Well, I think that we don't we won't we don't respect defensive players You know, I love ESPN love ESPN. We don't show block shots unless it's after the at was

show block shots unless it's after the Edwards that's that's that block shot 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 they in a two-hour game they show you a minute maybe a minute I doubt if they just highlights a game lasts longer than a minute right 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. We'll be now, we'll be showing Wimby blocking shots. Yeah, yeah, but they gonna show him making threes

and hitting the ball behind his back and everything. What's going on everybody? This is Justin Penick from John Boy Media, the host of the Football Today podcast alongside Bobby Skinner and Chris Rose. We're rolling three times a week on Mondays, on Wednesdays, on Fridays, breaking down everything you need to know about the NFL. We're talking about the MVP race.

Is Josh Allen going to pull it out? Lamar Jackson? Can Saquon Barkley even break the rushing record? Can the Steelers keep up their momentum? We talk about everything. We break it down. Stats, analytics, and of course, Chris Rose is bringing his perspective on being a pro in the media world as well. Listen to football today on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And you will be glad you did. Hope you could join us for the postseason run.

But, you know, we don't show defensive defensive players. Like you think about it. In the NFL, we talk about the Bozer brothers, Michael Parsons. We don't, we very seldom talk about defensive players. Right. Because defense isn't pretty Like unless Michael Parsons making a sack or something one of the Bolsa brothers Hutchinson in Detroit 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 error

Yeah, you don't hey they don't let you play football like they had when they had Buccus and they had LT, your Ray Lewis's, the running loss that would decapitate 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 though. 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 the third league Rebound he won 16 repeat five championship and then they can see like the man was with some sauce. Yeah. Well, I Got number to admiration for Kareem. First of all, I see the activists. He's always been yes You know, I find the let's talk about the Michael LeBron thing. They played in different eras. They're in my opinion, they're right there.

You can see the A or B. Okay. 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. He'll kill you.

I'll say there's two things is I put Kobe right there also But Michael and Kobe will kill you LeBron is a nice guy, right Michael and Kobe will kill you They played against a sister. She gonna get her kick LeBron like he gonna 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. You 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. He came in and was a good player. He wasn't great, great, great right away, but he was a good player. But also in this generation where everybody's got a cell phone and people are out to get you, he's never gotten in trouble. He's exceeded what 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 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 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 and we see kevin dirams. We see the uh step 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, also is an amazing businessman.

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 a thousand restaurants now. And like does it so low key, does it so low key? Does it so low key? Like every time I'm around here, I try to pick his brain.

Because the one, like it's different now. Because these guys make so much money. I said, back in our day, I said, dude, and I'm not poo pooing on this either. I want to make it clear, because you know and I'm not poopooing on this, either, I wanna make it clear, because when I say this, it's gonna sound stupid. The most money I made was five million dollars. That was my last year.

I says, now that's below the minimum. I says, to be a businessman in our day, and become a billionaire, you are a great business. Right. You are a great 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 Bridgman. Just a great businessman and a good dude. Here's 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, teams and say, guys, because what people don't understand,

everybody on the NBA team or NFL team ain't making a lot of money. True. Or ain't gonna play a lot of years. 10, 15. The average, in both sports, the average year is about four years. Those two guys who need a junior briskman,

that's like, you know, I was watching the draft last night and it's always annoying me about young kids. It's like, these dudes got Louis Vuitton shirts. Iced out. And 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. You had that cranberry suit on you were nice with that little skinny top There's nothing wrong with a nice suit But I tell these guys, you know Shannon when I first was an idiot when I became got my money. Yeah, I had like three or four cars and dr. J says How many those cars and he drive at the same time? I said what do you mean?

He says I'm in those cars. You got drive at the same time. I said what do you mean? He says I'm in those cars You got 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 son don't waste all your money on cars. Everybody know 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 a 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 $300,000 you spent on that Bentley,

if you bought a car for 70, 80,000, you would have had 200,000 more in the bank and it would have been growing and growing. And then one year, three years, five years, 20 years, that 200,000 is gonna be worth a lot more. The question is, Charles, that when you, and 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.

Yeah but see the young guys they think like I always tell myself, yo 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 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. Special living life. If you live in a lifestyle right now, don't you want to live that lifestyle for the rest of yours? I mean, I don't want to be poor. I've been poor. Hey, I know what it's like to eat raccoon possum sardines Viena sausages pig ears pigtails pig feet. I don't want to eat that no more Chuck unless I won't do I don't want to

Have to eat it out of necessity. Hey, well listen, I Gotta have my pig feet I do I my pig feet I do I got pig feet. I get them. I go to a great soul food place. They're called K and K Okay, I get me some pig ears not pig is pig feet. Yeah, I gotta have my neck bone You see I love some make my love Octopus that's that's their specialty. I love me some oxtails. Yeah You gotta get some yams some you gotta get some collets.

I mean, but, you know, when I, like I said, I started out, and I tell them, I said, 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 you gonna 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 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 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 family home? 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 Peyton Manning went out and bought a Rolls Royce. Yeah, I don't think guys when they when they obviously they have nice homes and they yeah But I'm saying cuz all I wanted I want 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 here and Rolex They talk I gotta get me right. Yeah, so I wanted to like that was my way of saying I've made it. Yeah Her met was who's about I really like in the Mauer, he says, you can have one car. You don't need five.

You don't need a bunch of houses. No. He says, I live by the one model. You need one, that's good enough. And 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 gonna go broke.

You know, so now 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. 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, 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 Chuck we're we're we're gonna be here a couple days and we got to get back to work and I says Grant just signed the first hundred million dollar contract in NBA history. She says sit your down Charles. I said NBA history. She says, sit your ass down, Charles.

I said, Miss Hill. He says, Charles, I'm gonna just give you some advice. Do not start taking care of your family and friends because number one, they 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 never gonna ask you for money one time.

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. It absolutely is, because that's why you have to put limits on what you give, because they'll 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 25,000 and one and Sharpened Charlie Barkley assholes. But I had to learn that too. I'll sign some autographs, but I'm like, yo, I'm done. You're an asshole. Okay, I'm good. It don't affect me anymore. Because you know, like somebody said earlier, everybody wants to be like. Yes. Because everybody here guys are like, well I don't care what people think about me.

Yes you do. Stop being an asshole. Especially if they don't have a reason now that's different but everybody wants to be like but you can't make everybody happy can't you like I say after games I would stop and sign I had a rule I signed 10 mm-hmm there's 20 people I said guys I gotta go get something either I'm sorry I I said I'm gonna sign 10 That's it. And they're saying some stuff when you leave but you like, okay, we're good. I don't feel bad I signed 10. I did what I was supposed to do. I'm gonna 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 There's five guys I think you can vote for and feel like you ain't screwing anybody. Okay.

Shay Gilders. Okay. Because they got the best record in the West. Joker, Jalen Bronson, Ant Edwards, and Luca. I think you can, because the one thing I will say ESPN annoys me about, first of all, they make up these fake stories about MVP. The MVP's never went to the best player. Never. 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. But they had the best record season record when he won MVP. He deserved it. Steve Ness 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. Like, Derrick Rose won it one year over LeBron. He deserved it. 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 even KD, who's a great player.

He won MVP. They had the best record that year. But it always normally goes, like I said, if you vote for Shay or Luca or Joker, but I actually think what Bronson did this year for the Knicks was incredible. Yes. To get them to the second seed without Robinson being out most of the year, without Rondo most of the year. OG was out for a period of time. But what Luca did, so this is, I think me and Magic had the closest vote ever. I think this is one gonna 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 Homa. OK. Because he seems like a great kid. What's going on, everybody? This is Justin Pinnock from Jamboy Media, the host of the Football Today podcast alongside Bobby Skinner and Chris Rose. We're rolling three times a week on Mondays, on Wednesdays, on Fridays, breaking down everything you need to know

about the NFL. We're talking about the MVP race. Is Josh Allen going to pull it out? Lamar Jackson? Can Saquon Barkley even break the rushing record can the Steelers keep up their momentum we talk about everything we break it down stats analytics and of course Chris Rose is bringing his perspective on being a pro in the media world as well listen to football today on the iHeartRadio app Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts and you will be glad you did. Hope you could join us for the postseason run. And he tries, he doesn't take himself that serious.

In football is Aaron Donald who just retired. In baseball is probably Mike Trout. In tennis, Robbie Shelton. I think that's his name Shelton. I forget it 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 is did so much for me. Like I said, you grew up in a town of a couple thousand people. I have been all over the world. I'm sitting here on Club Che Che.

Like, if it not for that basketball, it has given me every single thing in my life. 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 have been I mean I've been all over the world because of the stupid little basketball and I can make up something where I would be without basketball, but it probably if I'm real It won't be damn sure won't be as good

But I don't know if it'd be pretty cuz I'm not gonna get our hands saying like act like I was a great student I'd be working somewhere You know and 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- It originated from that. Yeah, it all, 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 wanna do as an adult. Because if it's back breaking of a child, can you imagine 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 sometime 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. Nine to five don't sound good at all. I never wanna work nine to five. I mean, I admire people who work nine to five. And especially when you're seeing somebody doing,

I shouldn't say this, doing somebody's doing a job. Yeah, you're like, damn. I'm working two jobs. Yeah, but when I see somebody, when I'm in Phoenix, it's like 115 degrees, and I I said and they working outside. I'm like, oh hell no Or you see somebody working in the winter and it's cold. Oh, you're like damn right. I says, whoa I'm glad I handled my business How many more years you think LeBron's gonna 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 be played at the level in which he's currently playing? I hope he retires soon because I hated. Nope. Jim Brown is really and he retired because he didn't want to get out of playing football and he didn't want to he wanted to act. Yes. Yeah. He's like because 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 jock. is badly for every jock 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 okay I'm gonna get myself in great shape this summer I'm gonna have a good year then I'm gonna retire. Then I figured out like playing against air everybody's good against air. Everybody is great against air but when you see another 25 year old 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 and but when you see that 25 27 year old 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 you in his last legs Saw michael jordan playing with the wizards. Yeah, patrick. I mean, I mean patrick and orlando. Yeah, like 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, you played one, 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 kind of be able to dish it and take it. The one thing I'm really proud of, I hang my hat on is I've never been personal with a player. 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 I said this 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 seven I think. Because you guys told him he would 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 and shot one time. And I asked him again, 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 said, 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 said, yo, man, I'm doing my job. You such a. We go back and forth. For so about this time, it's about one in the morning. We go back and forth for like two hours. I say, 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 so funny, we text each other for two hours, Shannon, and it was just mother, and I'm just like, I'm not gonna get mad at dude. That's dude Call me pick up the phone, but it was hilarious. We laughed about it later. I'm gonna get you out of here on 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 Yeah, 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 have to comment on that. Where when you played and I played, politics, religion, orientation, we talked about that, maybe mentioned 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. How do you navigate your conversation that you disseminate to the public? That's a really good question because I'm asked that sometime with my boys. The first thing is it's exhausting being black thing is, it's exhausting being black.

Yes. It's exhausting being black. Like, we're trying to live our lives, be successful, then Trayvon Martin happened. We gotta talk about it. Unfortunately, that was a really awful situation. Then we get back in our routine. Then George Floyd's happened.

We gotta talk about it. Correct. I was talking to Sam Jackson one time, 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 is, So as a black person, something always coming up. For me personally is, I said, I have to like, take a step back.

Because the one thing you can't do is yell and scream. 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 have a serious conversation. But I need you to be I need my girl, just Judy, I'm a big judge, Judy. She always says, you're listening, but you're not hearing me, right? As 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. 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. 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 going to ignore me.

Yeah. You're going to turn me off or ignore me. Yep. So for me and you and Stephen 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 gonna cry wolf all the time. The one thing I promised TNT when I took this job, because I told them 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 all the time, they're gonna like I'm not gonna watch pretty soon you become the sense of time. Yes, that don't have the same impact. Yeah, I said, so he if every time somehow 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? But I think we have to be very selective I do I think we have to be very selective because man racial have more of a time for sure all the time and I want people to see like

Shannon Charles Stephen a Shannon, Charles, Stephen A, they're going to 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 Reese 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 gonna be an Uncle Tom, I'm gonna be a sellout.

Yeah. I said, listen man, those words don't bother me. We don't have to agree with all black people. We 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 no, but if you're a black person in our position, look at that Uncle Tom, look at that sellout. I'm like, yo man, we can be wrong. That goes back to what we talked about earlier. I always wanna uplift black people.

Correct. 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're gonna be black. I said but man, I love to see black people doing good. I love to see y'all win. I love it but I was like I'm I'm 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 might say right but I want you to win but I don't

want you in more than me if you win more if you win more to me now I got the question your sexuality I got a twist you know how black are you because I'm like come on man I mean I criticize white quarterbacks, but if I criticize the black quarter back Oh man, see I should have know Oh buck. Oh buck Nancy Shannon Yeah, no, he go he go keep he go take care of the what? Yeah Oh, no, man, and number one, I've been watching for a long time. Obviously I never See you

Try to get clickbait ever. I said, yo man, I take this responsibility because I do know, but I'm not going to tell black people they write all the time. If you want that, I'm not your guy. If you're wrong, I gotta tell you you're wrong. I said, yo man, no, no, no, no. We can be wrong. But also on the other hand, when I some happen to the black a black player the community I'm gonna step in right, you know, 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. Mm-hmm And one was Michael Porter, Jr. Mm-hmm And one was Michael Porter Jr. And I said, I'm not sure how to handle this OJ thing. He said, what do you think? I says, 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, not just saying this to you, I have no respect for men who hit women. 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 job? Yes. But when you go around beating women and like that, I just got no I got no respect for you. Right and then the Michael Porter jr. Thing But the WNBA no, no Michael Porter. Oh about his brother. Yeah, both brothers, bro Yeah, one got a DUI and I think he killed somebody right there 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 it is and it's the one thing I look at sports

It's the greatest fraternity ever. I feel like everybody NFL Anybody anybody made league baseball and NHL hockey. I think they're part of my family. Mm-hmm I like unlike 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, cause if I said, hey man, I wish you the best, I'm thinking about you, cause I know that it's gotta 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.

Cause he can go to jail and hug him, he can go to his brother. What's going on everybody? This is Justin Pennick from John Boy Media, the host of the Football Today podcast alongside Bobby Skinner and Chris Rose. We're rolling three times a week on Mondays, on Wednesdays, on Fridays, breaking down everything you need to know about the NFL. We're talking about the MVP race. Is Josh Allen gonna pull it out? Lamar Jackson? Can Saquon Barkley even break the rushing record? Can the Steelers keep up their momentum? We talk about everything. We break it down. Stats, analytics, and of course Chris Rose is bringing his perspective on being a pro in the media world as well. Listen to football today on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get

your podcasts and you will be glad you did. Hope you could join us for the postseason run. I was home and hug him. They can't go to the graveyard and hug her. I said, Chuck, shut up on both accounts. So I always think about, because you know, it always makes me laugh because my friends like you know, man You got these people eating out your hand. I was 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 gonna start a fire

I know it because but I have planned on stuff because most of the time that goes back to the role model commercial I mean, yes. Yes So when I made the commercial, I went to Nike and said, I want to make this commercial. I said, 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 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 be doctors lawyers engineers teachers when I go to these black schools. They're like I want to play an NFL I want to play the NBA and I was doing this when you do a lot of speaking when you're playing So I was doing this for like four or five years and I was like, you know, man These black kids think they can only be successful through after lecture the entertainment. Yeah They don't ever think about being doctors lawyers engineers and like that, right?

So I talked Nike in there during the commercial and it became a big deal. You did? Still probably the thing I'm most proud of to this day, because 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. Right. We got black lawyers right we got black lawyers we got black engineers but y'all got these

kids thinking like all they see is Shannon Michael Karl Chuck David Robinson the only black people they see are jocks and entertain Jay-Z I said man they got a better chance of being a doctor than a lawyer playing in it. Maybe it's Jay-Z or LeBron. Yes. And I said, I just want to spark the debate. And in fairness to Nike, Nike came back to me late 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 blitz. Well, blessedly, my God play in Philly. I thought my name was Charles Barker. He mother first two years of my I said, I said, guys, I'm in Philly. I'm used to criticism, but I always have used my platform for a bigger debate. Yeah, 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,

but 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 gonna 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. It means a great deal to me to be able to do that. And you being a product, when I watch you and Stephen A, when y'all go back to your 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 Spellman. 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 yeah with HBCU yeah he's a Texas Southern I'm Savannah State Stephen A's Winston Salem yeah so it shows 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, 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 following my brother around Yeah, so I wanted to be just like here 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 Yeah, well what's crazy about it and And you know this, and unless you've been in pro sports, you don't know this. Man, there's so many holes in our sport. Like, all you got to do is be nice to the press and they're gonna write good stuff about you. Yes. In my 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, if you got,

I said, 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. I have been, my daughter has been the best thing ever happened to me. But the next stage in 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, 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 want to ask you this, because this is something you know know Mike Mike have there's a situation

Michael's son Marcus is 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. 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 that'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 gonna 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 Scottie'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 Scottie refused to go in the game. And he inserted that into the last dance. Did you always know that Scottie and Michael had this kind of contentious relationship? Because from the outside, it looked pretty good. Yeah, I was surprised it was so bad. 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. Mm-hmm a lot more time with Michael You know it's just a sad situation Because I think if you not that I know But I'm you know, if you win a championship with guys y'all probably have a special bond for like yeah yeah yeah yeah I think if you win six y'all might as well y'all should be brothers brothers I like so like I say you know if you win one championship I'm pretty sure every time y'all get together cuz you got this you could have the reunion yeah Yeah, every every five, five, year, 10 year 1520. Yeah. But if you

win six together, y'all should be damn near bloodbaths. So that's the thing I most feel bad. There's guys I didn't win with some of my best friends. Every time I see him, it's like, man, I got another brother. And like we bumping each other at all the star game, maybe the another brother. And like, we bumping each other at all the 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 championship 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 little 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 I Don't have problem that I had with what Kendrick says There's nobody in the world watch more basketball than me I Tell you like and I had just come out of March Madden was pissing me off even more cuz I was watching two or three College basketball games a day right March Madden says really sucks because I'm watching games all day long. But to say another guys don't watch the games. Because they have a different opinion than yours. Yeah, yeah.

And so that's the only thing bothering me. I can say, I say, there's nobody in the world watch more basketball than me. But I don't get mad. Right. And the thing is really funny about it. Shaq is so sensitive at times. Right. Cause I was going to like let it go.

And he's like, nah, nah, nah. My mama told me growing up, we kill all roaches. And I said like, so that's how the whole roasting 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.

But I don't take it like, 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 says you 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 gonna get you out of home 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?

25, 30, 40 thousand? I played 25 thousand a hand. Okay. Yeah. Couple quick double dials, you can get that. Yeah, and quick double dials, you can get it up out your pockets. There's probably been

Seven times that I won a million dollars, okay, there's probably been 25 times I've lost a million, right So what happened was I quit gambling for two years. And I always take the same group of guys from 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, you're gambling, I ain't getting out of hand, you're just a 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, $400,000. I'm like, Chuck, let's go. You're good for the night. And in my head I'm saying, nah, we're not leaving this

mother, I win a million dollars. And they said, dude, there's times you've been up six seven hundred thousand dollars and you won't quit right because gamblers really just peaks and valleys it is it 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 thousand dollars and say man we had a great weekend why you got to win a million and I said what they says why can't you lose000 and say, man, we had a great weekend. Why you gotta win a million? And I said, what?

They 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 gonna lie to you. Let's win a couple hundred thousand, have a great weekend, 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're gonna lose a couple hundred thousand or we're 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 yes and My friends just sit me down and says your man. Let's just go have fun for the weekend Let's win some money or lose a little lose a little bit But yeah, but but that's that's what really happened when I would lose a million. I Was so depressed Not that the money, yeah, that's bullsh-t.

Yeah, because of the money, but the losing. But the winning never feels as good as the losing hurt. Yes. You were so excited when you got all that money laying in front of you, but you're like depressed for a week. You're like, damn, I lost a million dollars. And then you have to send the bill

to your financial people. Uh-oh. And they yell at you. And you're yelling and yelling and yelling. And then I says, hey, y'all better quit yelling at me. I'm gonna fire y'all. And then they're like, like okay we'll pay it but that's what really happened I was getting out of hand cuz like you just

have your point was so good no matter how good it feels winning when you lose it just sucks you really doing this epic no I'm doing my jar my jar I've lost so Shannon when I got new hips okay you so you got both of them replaced yes I of my replace. Yeah, the best thing ever it like night and day. I hate that I waited so long me, too So I played at 250 I got up to To three three fifty five. Yeah Good three fifty five. Yeah, I was good. Good evening to brother So I got up to 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, yo man, how you lose all that weight? He said, yo man, I want you to go see my doctor if you're trying to lose weight. And I started doing Manjaro, and I went from 355 to lose weight. And I started doing Manjaro and I got I went from 355 to 285. Wow. And I'm gonna 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 you can work, then I can work. But like I say, I got them hips man I gained 105 pounds. I was up to 355 and now I'm 285 and I want to get to 270. So my doctor like 270 you're gonna be alright. You know if you 300, 320 like you got to worry about diabetes, stroke, hypertension and things like that. Ain't a whole lot of No, no, he told me he's she told my name is she's a she she's ain't no fat old people

Yeah, ain't no fat old people. So I want to get my weight down cuz you know, you know it it's interesting and difficult and man, I'm 61 mm-hmm, it's weird getting older and man I'm 61. It's weird getting older and I'm glad to get old. Right. Better than the alternative. Yeah but I want to be healthy. Right. Back to playing golf there 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 man. It's an honor. All my life, been grinding all my life. Sacrifice, hustle paid the price. Want a slice, got to roll a dice. That's why all my life I been grinding all my life.

All my life, been grinding all my life. Sacrifice, hustle paid the price. Want a slice, got to roll a dice. That's why all my life I been grinding all my life. What's up everyone? It's Justin Penick from John Boy Media, the host of the Football Today podcast with Bobby Skinner and Chris Rose. We roll three times a week on Mondays, on Wednesdays, on Fridays, breaking down everything

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in just 15 minutes we dive into one global business story that matters. You'll hear from Bloomberg journalists like Matt Levine. A lot of this meme stock stuff is I think embarrassing to the SEC. Follow The Big Take podcast on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts or wherever you listen.