http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Barkley_inducted_into_Basketba-189000-34.html Barkley joined Rockets stars Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler in an effort to win an NBA championship after failing to capture a title in his first 12 seasons in the league. Unfortunately, the aging trio couldn't get a ring for Barkley. Barkley was slowed by injuries, Olajuwon ended up finishing his career in Toronto and Drexler retired. Barkley had his best season with Houston in Year One. He was the Rockets' second-leading scorer at 19.2 points, but injuries limited him to just 53 games. Houston was knocked out of the playoffs in the Western Conference Finals by Utah. Despite planning to play his final full season with the Rockets in 1999-2000, he had his farewell tour cut short because of a ruptured quadriceps tendon in his left knee. He ended up playing only 20 games. Barkley ended his career as one of only four players in NBA history to compile 20,000-plus points, 10,000-plus rebounds and 4,000-plus assists. During his career, Barkley would speak his mind about any issue that was raised, from racism to politics. He has taken those outspoken qualities to TNT, where he is an NBA analyst. "I didn't necessarily agree with everything he said, but I respected the fact that if he had something on his mind, he certainly let people know how he felt," Colangelo told NBA.com. "He didn't hold back any punches and that was just the way that he was and the way he is. And I don't think that will ever change. He's very much an extrovert, very much an outspoken personality, and certainly he's build a post-NBA career using the gifts given him in terms of conversation and being a little controversial." He'll always be the outspoken Sir Charles. Check that. He'll always be the outspoken Hall of Famer, Sir Charles.
Never! As a Rocket fan, I'm so happy that Charles and Kenny are on TNT. for you Haters, think about what if it was something like John Starks and Karl Malone on TNT. Be happy.
Ugh. I have never been happy about losing Horry and Cassell to an over the hill Chuckster. Bad trade -- almost as bad as the Pippin acquisition.
that year really really really really really hurt, kinda like getting kicked in the nutts, or giving birth.
Nope, but I remember how I felt when the Rockets management "panicked" over it. We always had trouble with Seattle in those years, but we needed another young player -- not the over the hill gang that we went out and got.
I was worried cause Dream stopped using several moves that he did in the championship years. I don't remember that baseline fadeaway that destroyed the knicks showing up that year.
I've loved Chuck since the minute he became a Rocket. He was the best. His comments about the Rockets piss me off, but I still love 'em.
He hauled down a career-high 33 boards in a 110-95 win at Phoenix on Nov. 2 and came back with 20 rebounds in the next game, a 75-72 win at Utah on Nov. 4. Barkley had 35 double-doubles and one triple-double, posting 27 points, 17 rebounds and a season-high 12 assists in a 120-115 overtime win at Golden State on Nov. 23. Starting all 16 of Houston's playoff games, Barkley averaged 17.9 points and 12.0 rebounds per game, the latter ranking third among all playoff performers. yeah haters, 33 rebounds in one game!
obvious REAL CLUTCHFANS love Chuck. Shows how many haters there are. http://clutchfans.net/feature.cfm?FeatureID=55 A Tribute to Sir Charles THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2000 6:36 AM CT By Michael Fulton Copyright 2000 ClutchFans.net Round Mound walks away Honorable, and sometimes dishonorable, Charles Barkley was always fun Today is a sad day. As I wake up this morning, I come to realize that something is missing. That something is the honorable (and sometimes dishonorable, but always fun) Sir Charles Barkley. This season started with such promise for the Rockets. The cancer was gone. We finally had a point guard. Hakeem Olajuwon was in good shape. And the Round Mound of Rebound was on a mission to bring home a championship in his final season. But it was not to be and this season of hope ended on that cold (they were playing in Philly, not Texas) December night when Charles went down with a ruptured quadriceps tendon. Or so we thought. The despair for this Rockets team eventually turned back into hope as we found Charles' successor, a brash young trash-talking rookie with the game to back it up, a guy by the name of Stevie Franchise. And we began to see Sir Charles' influence on this team as the cockiness shown thru, but they worked hard and had fun, even when they were losing. And now the future looks bright for the Rockets. And last night we found out it wasn't over for Sir Charles either. He wouldn't let that freak accident end his career. He would walk off the court on his terms... and walk off he did to a standing ovation from the Houston crowd who loved him so much. I have had a love hate relationship with Charles Barkley during his time here in Houston. Until this past year, I thought he hurt this team more than he helped them with his style of play and his controversial attitude. But this year, as the rebuilding process began, I saw that Charles was the one person I wanted these young players to learn from, even more than Hakeem. His numbers are indisputable. One of only three players with 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists, Barkley has career averages of 22.3 points and 11.7 rebounds. He ranks 13th on the all time scoring list with 23,757 points and 15th on the all time rebounding list with 12,546. All this from a man who was many times 6 inches shorter than the man he was guarding. The knock on Charles the last couple of years has been that he never won a championship. To that I say, neither has Ernie Banks or Karl Malone or Dan Marino or Ken Griffey, Jr. And Steve Kerr has more than one. Championships never has been and never will be a way to measure a player. Rudy said it best last night when he said Charles Barkley had the "heart of a champion" and it was only fitting that he end his career on the team that has come to epitomize the phrase. I have long been a fan of Hakeem Olajuwon. He is what brought me to the Rockets oh so many years ago. And although I rooted for him because he was on my team, I can honestly say I was never a fan of Sir Charles Barkley. But today, as I wake up with a heavy heart, I come to realize one thing. I am a fan, a fan of the best little man to ever play this game. Charles, thanks for the memories. You will be missed.
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nj_Px-YDSMk"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nj_Px-YDSMk" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> the Rocket fans @ compaq center APPRECIATE our beloved Chuckster!
