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OPINION: Charles Barkley Bares All During Tele-Conference

Written by Uzo Ometu on May 29, 2009 7:02 pm

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Today, Charles Barkley took part in a conference call to promote his appearance in this year’s American Century Celebrity Golf Championship. However, as Barkley tends to do, he allowed himself (with the pushing of reporters) to go a little off topic.

During the phone call, Barkley reiterated that he has indeed stopped gambling. He claimed that he has not missed gambling, but that he will gamble again someday. Apparently, Barkley said the reason he needed to stop gambling was “because [he] was losing.” I will come back to that in a second.

Barkley also addressed his latest run-in with the law, when he was stopped for a DUI in Arizona earlier this year. For that incident, Barkley paid a $2,000 fine and spent 3 days in jail. He also had to attend an alcohol treatment program. However, Barkley admits that none of that has prevented him from continuing to drink; he just does not drive under the influence…anymore.

Before, I begin to opine, let me reiterate a point I acknowledge all of the time at TheSportsWatchers.com: I love Charles Barkley. He is one of the most entertaining, witty, intelligent people I have ever seen, and he always means well—or so it seems. I often tune into TNT regular season NBA broadcasts after the games are over, just because I want to hear what Barkley has to say every night. In fact, I am more likely to record the TNT post game show than the game itself.

Now that I have that out of the way, I have to say this: What the hell is wrong with this man? I don’t doubt his intelligence or any of the other butt-kissing compliments I just sent his way. Yet for him to act as if he is so remorseful, yet essentially go on to say that he is going to continue to live his life as he always has, is borderline ignorant. The man honestly said that he needed to take a break from gambling, not because he was possibly addicted to it and/or it was effecting his demeanor and everyday personality, but because he was losing. During the conference call, he made an analogy that basically conveyed that if he were winning too much money, no one would have a problem with his gambling. As if to say there aren’t addicted gamblers who win. Come on, Chuck!

The fact that the man said he will return to gambling, while not ridiculous, is more or less…how do you say…umm…stupid! I understand that Barkley has a lot of money and that TNT will continue to give him a lot of money for the rest of his life. However, that was never the issue with his gambling. We never saw Chuck selling his house to pay off a gambling debt. The issue was that he was becoming too consumed with gambling, to the point where it altered his lifestyle. And I don’t care what you say, but over participation in gambling can’t alter your lifestyle in a positive way—especially if you’re already rich.

Okay, so he has not learned his lesson with gambling, but you would think the whole drinking and driving thing would be easy enough to overcome. And that’s true, Chuck hasn’t had any issues with DUIs since the incident earlier this year, and hopefully we won’t have any such issues ever again. However, during the conference call, Barkley admitted to going out to dinner and having a drink before driving for the duration of the last 25 years. Now I know there is some merit to the baring of your soul, being completely honest, and starting a new, but maybe this isn’t really the place to do it. Maybe it isn’t such a good idea to tell the entire world that you’ve possibly been endangering the lives of people on the road for the majority of your life. Maybe you shouldn’t announce that you’re “lucky” to have never hurt anyone else while driving under the influence during a conference call. Maybe there are things that you should just keep to yourself.

You would think that after 25 years of being a public persona that Chuck would know a little something about being discrete. He of all people should understand that baring all of his faults is not a great idea, especially if he is essentially assuring people that his life is headed down the same treacherous path. I understand that he has no intention to drink and drive or gamble his money away, but in order for him to even be capable of doing those things, he has to actually continue to drink and gamble. Two things he apparently isn’t going to give up, and in case you didn’t know that, he thought he’d announce it to the world.

Tags: Charles Barkley
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  • http://www.blackplanet.com/hellovanilla/ hellovanilla

    The expression you’re probably intending to use is “bares all” (as in exposes), not “bears all” as in he turned into a bear during the call.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/_A_/ _A_

    Hmmm…Hey Mr. Sports watcher, How well do you actually know Charles Barkley? If you don’t know him personally, how could you possibly know that gambling actually “altered his lifestyle”..I’m not condoning gambling, but I’m not going to make leaps about anyone’s habits either, especially when my only source is what I read in papers..I remember years ago, “they” tried to tell me that MJ was too consumed with gambling and that it could possibly hurt his basketball playing!! how did that prediction work out? I don’t have a problem with you having an opinion about this, but when you start calling the man stupid, then you are taking it to another level..gambling is one of many vices that people indulge in that are probably hurting them…and who knows, perhaps you have a few of these habits as well…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/whodi3184life/ whodi3184life

    I suppose being a writer and actually being able to write are indeed two different things.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/wronghand/ wronghand

    I always thought Charles very intertaining, but intelligent…NOT. These statements confirm that. You said more than once in your article that he was very intelligent, I tend to disagree. This man was ignorant while in the NBA and to me he is still ignorant. Men sometime wait until there 40′s or 50′s to truly mature, Charles I think it’s about that time.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/whodi3184life/ whodi3184life

    Hmmm, somebody corrected the title. Next lesson, learning the difference between ‘discrete’ and ‘discreet’.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/BlackCasper2001/ BlackCasper2001

    Charles did say that he wasn’t around to be a role model to anyone so what do you expect?

    http://www.amazon.com/shaun-pascal/dp/b001yqex52

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Imasexyred/ Imasexyred

    I’d like to think that Charles is brave for facing the music dead on rather deflecting the fact that he’s been in the headlines for reasons other than his basketball career. As I do not know him; I do think he’s a realistic person, who isn’t ashamed about dealing with things that most people should. However, in the past- I believed Mr. Barkley portrayed himself rather arrogant, uncontrollable and invincible. I know he now realizes that he cannot just continue to obliterate certain things without it having serious repercussions in ways that will most certainly humble him, such as a quickly shrinking bank account, and money making opportunities to supplement his semi-retirement endeavors since he no longer is useful playing professional basketball.

    Some people are addicted to what most others would call ‘harmless,’ such as working their jobs and/ or passions due to being SUCCESSFUL at those. Thus, I agree with Charles unless I hear otherwise that no one had a problem with his gambling until he was losing. And as a result of ‘losing’ then he incurred debt(s) that affected his lifestyle or what have you. However, if he were winning way more than he could ever lose- he’s right- he probably wouldn’t catch much hell unless it was affecting his (back then) basketball playing ability and his lifestyle @ home, which only his wife & family would only know. I still sense a bit of pride about him but I do see that Charles has certainly toned his usual arrogant stance and demeanor down a few notches so kudos to/ on his personal growth as a person!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/BlackAmazonBeauty/ BlackAmazonBeauty

    I never liked Charles Barkley. Great player but, an A**hole

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/lotus-moon/ lotus-moon

    I think you should respect the man for his honesty. Stop acting like you or anyone else is perfect and grow up. Why are you judging him. He is of age. He is responsible for his own actions and if you a so called sports fan who reads writes and chats sports all day hasn’t figured out the good guys from the bad guys by now then I’ll just flashback to his “I am not a role-model” speech.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/kl5/ kl5

    ya’ll are killing him. i dont agree with how the article was written either

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/eefud/ eefud

    Come on dude…you seem to be “reaching” – at best – to even have an opinion about Barkley’s comments in the first place! So many people seem to be caught up in the “politically correct” thing to say these days and personally, I think it’s deteriorating our freedom of speech.
    So what Barkley said he’s had a drink with dinner for the last 25 years before driving. It’s not not a crime to have drink with dinner and drive if you are not impaired and Barkley didn’t go into detail about his being impaired or not. He’s one of the few black men on television that gives an “honest” opinion and calls it like he sees it…and yet again…here is another media person going after him.
    Would it have been better if he just kissed everybody’s ass and put his head down like a bootlicker.
    I mean…damn! Come on blood. So what he gambles! How is “his” gambling affecting you…or society for that matter? You sound ridiculous in this article homie!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/rarebreed333/ rarebreed333

    charles grown and rich he can do and say wht he wants. if he wants to gamble so wht hes grown. if he wants 2 drink so what hes grown. its not like hes tryna b a role model or tell kids 2 do wht he does. im sure as an adult u do wht u want 2.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/MsUndaStood1973/ MsUndaStood1973

    I totally agree with your opinion—I COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT BETTER!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Centaur76/ Centaur76

    I can understand where the writer is coming from to an extent. But to me, Sir Charles is just too real for some folks to handle. It’s a good thing that he has realized that he has too much money to be driving while under the influence. As far as the remark about him being in the public eye for so long and blah blah blah, haven’t you ever heard the song more money more problems? Just cause he’s a soon to be NBA hall or famer and all the many accolades, doesn’t mean he’s not human. We all have issues. He made his mistakes in life and he has paid for them also. But hey I understand you just trying to pay the bills. I think you should thank Charles for giving you something to write about.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/sekoo63/ sekoo63

    We live in a nation of hypocrites. We go to church, to court, to our jobs and swear that we will do certain things then out of sight of others, we do the opposite of what we have pledged to do.

    Charles Barkley is just being honest and that seperates him from most people who pretend to be one way but do things alltogether different when they’e out of the public eye.

    It’s unfortunate that hypocracy is the standard and truth is subject to ridicule.

    Barkleys a MAN and makes no excuses for it. Too bad others can’t stand up and be honest about their lives instead of just saying what others want to hear.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Nzinga22/ Nzinga22

    Why would any reputable News reporter repeat an ignorant statement from Charles? Charles denouncement of LeBron James are unprofessional, jealous based, divisive of communities and promotes violence.
    Charles seeks attention. I believe Lebrun James made a strategic forecasted move for his future, with wise advisors guiding him and despite the media’s hoopla; if Lebrun James were white there would not be half as much discussion about who should control where he decided to play ball. Blacks please stop falling so easily into emotionalism and conflicts.

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