I'm so sick of this guy. I don't care how many points or rebounds he scores. The guy has ONE phenomenal game, we win ONE measly game against a team with 8 players, and here goes Charles talking trash about his team in the media. Wasn't there some article in the paper last week where Chuck said something like "No matter how bad it gets, we need to keep any disputes or disagreements in the locker room and not in the media..." Well, I'll let this cancer to team chemistry speak for himself, and you all can be the judge. To me, this looks like putting it right out in the media, like making a generalization about himself vs. the rest of the team. "It's been a very frustrating, disappointing season," Barkley said. "Tonight was the first game I played at what I felt like was my capabilities. For the first time this season I felt like I had a clear mind. I had to accept the fact that I know when I go to practice tomorrow, there's going to be beepers and cell phones going off when we're trying to meet. I understand that before the game when we're supposed to get ready for the game when we used to watch tape there's going to be BET on. I understand and accept the fact that when we're supposed to leave at 4 o'clock, guys are not going to show up until 4:30." Man, Charles has always been such a saint in his career... Always working hard in practice, showing up for camp in shape, always on time for everything. Too bad noone else ever lives up to his high standard... YEAH RIGHT! It's no wonder this guy will never win a ring. As good a player as he is, he just doesn't have the focus to keep his mouth shut long enough to just play ball. Just like Michael Jordan said - His talent is great but his discipline is just not there.
Whats this have to do with his discipline. He is just saying the truth. No wonder this team is 3-10. And traing camp is the place to get in shape. Who cares what he says he shows up everynight a produces. You need to read my poat A BIG HEART. Go Charles .
If Barkely can do what he did last night, and Francis can continue to score 20 plus. We may win some games yet. I hope he keeps his promise to play this well every night out. Wininng will take care of everything else.
You can have a big heart and still lack discipline. Heck, most of the armchair coaches on this BBS have huge hearts, but . . . Furthemore, training camp is not the place to get in shape. A good player will stay in shape on his own time. Training camp is about learning the plays, incorporating new players, and generally gelling (or jelling dependending on who you ask) and should not be used as your local meeting of Jenny Craig
Charles Barkley is the man!!!! Mad props to Barkley for speaking his mind and let the fans know what is going on in the ballclub!!! Hey axeman, you must be one of the guys watching BET and be late for departure, otherwise stop throwing bullsh*t!
1. It takes discipline to keep your mouth shut. 2. Barkley, throughout his career, has been a slacker when it comes to conditioning (witness all his game 6 and 7 flame-outs in every playoff series he's ever played in) 3. The great athletes all show up to camp IN SHAPE so they can spend their time practicing, not sucking air. What I'm sick of is how this guy just rips on everyone else like he's perfect or something. Team chemistry is important and this dude is a cancer to team chemistry... period. But, yeah, props to Charles for that great game against a team of 8 people... That's all it takes to get his gums flapping about his teammates again. How often did you hear that kind of crap coming out of the Rockets locker room in the championship years.... How about NEVER.
I don't know Axeman; from the way I read it, you didn't write anything concrete to condemn Barkley, and he didn't say anything concrete to condemn himself. Barkley didn't name any names--that's what makes this much, much different. All he said was that basically, the team needs to step it up and get serious; which quite frankly, we all know to be true.
How can you bash a guy who puts up great numbers everynight. He is a 16 yr vet and still one of the greats to play thats still on the top side of his game. Charles comes in everynight to play to win and to compete. He is the one who led this team to the playoffs last year and has been the backbone of this team. It doesnt matter if a team has 8 or 12 players he does it night in and night out.so get off of Charles and support the things he is doing for this team.
AXE Charles has had alot of great games this year. 18pts 24 rebs. Wake this guy is a leader on and off the court. Stop bashing a man for saying what he feels. And what he is saying is the truth. Your the one that needs to look at the situation. And see who the real LOSER is. Charles has played as an ALL-STAR this year and a HALL Famer. Ask yourself this question. Where would the Rockets be without CHARLES?
Axeman, I think you are just trying to smear Charles Barkley's image. You explained the motive of CB saying such things as to shift blame to other teammates, which is not the truth at all, it is not Barkley's style to shift blame, unlike Pippen. If you care to recall for a second, CB said things like "the team is not playing well as a whole, and I was not playing well." just two days ago, but I guess you wouldn't because you are just another CB hater on this BBS following the trend. Believe me, you are the one that needs to grow up.
Right on FF. I have refrained from commenting on the season, as others have done a good job at either berating this team, berating Barkley, or encouraging the team and exonerating Barkley. Barkley has changed a lot the past two years, has been working out and in shape, and plays his ass off! Now I am not about to start criticising the other players on the team, but Charles has been the man, the leader. Go ahead and dispute that. ------------------ When a man stands for nothing, he'll fall for anything.
theCabbage, as long as CB doesn't single out anyone's name on TV it is not a problem at all, teams will eat you up no matter they know it or not, and CB did not disclose anything that can be exploited by other teams. In fact, it is a common leadership tactic to address issues publically and indirectly, the whole point of doing so is to avoid talking to them one on one. The guys who did not behave professionally will know a teammate's mind in such way, without feeling being singled out and therefore hard feeling is avoided. The only one who should address problems to guys one on one or as a whole in a team is the coach. Barkley did a wise thing by not interfering a coach's job, yet conveyed his feeling to the teammates. [This message has been edited by Finalfantasy (edited November 24, 1999).]
I'm not bashing him for telling the truth. I'm bashing him for NOT telling the truth but pretending to tell the truth when it suits his ego (i.e. to make him look good). Charles: "Tonight was the first game I played at what I felt like was my capabilities." Translated: "Tonight was the first game I played like the Charles of old instead of the OLD Charles. The reason it was thirteen games into the season is because I can only play this way once every THIRTEEN games or so." Charles: "For the first time this season I felt like I had a clear mind." Translated: "For the first time this season, I didn't have a decent NBA player guarding me." Charles: "I had to accept the fact that I know when I go to practice tomorrow, there's going to be beepers and cell phones going off when we're trying to meet." Translated: "I have to accept the fact that this team is almost in last place, and I'm on it. BUT IT'S NOT MY FAULT!!!" If you don't see how he's bashing his teammates only to make himself look better, you must be blind... (Yeah, like noone else in the NBA has a cell phone at practice or in the locker room at halftime....) [This message has been edited by Axeman (edited November 24, 1999).]
Finalfantasy, You are living in fantasy if you think that avoiding talking to a teammate one-on-one and going to the media is better than just talking it out man to man. What rock were you under when Charles went to the media and said Pippen owed him an apology? Did you see what mess THAT created? What do you think would have happened if Chuck had just called Pippen on the phone to talk about it? And, he's not "staying out of the coach's way", he's getting in the coach's way by not being direct. Yet another situation where he ought to just go talk to Rudy and settle it internally.
I expect to hear nonsense like that from Barkley.....but what the hell is Hakeem problem? Hakeems qoute: "It's like," Hakeem Olajuwon said somewhat facetiously of the kids today, "cell phones go off at halftime and somebody says, 'You have to shoot more.'" Its obvious he's talking about Francis taking 20 shots. What in the Hell is Hakeem talking about?
Barkley may of not named names, but everyone knows who he's refering to. Just like the scenario that involoved Mario, and Clyde. Names weren't named, but everyone figured it out. Either way, its flat out wrong to question your team mates in the media. It was wrong with Clyde and its wrong now. Wasn't he the one claiming just a little while ago that he and his team mates had to stay away from the media??? Its like watching Andrew Gallota (sp?) After a while you realize that the guy doesn't keep making the mistake's (cheap shots) to gain an edge, he has a serious problem. Barkley, even though he states he'll stay away from the media (bashing his team mates) he can't do it. He made his comments pointing the finger directly at certain players.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that Barkley came in to training camp in pretty good shape, at least when compared to past years. Being the AntiBarkley, of course it made me kinda suspicious. Recently I was reading an issue of ESPN magazine where Michael Jordan told the crowd at his basketball camp (where Barkley was in attendance) that he had certain weight and curfew clauses in the $9m contract that he signed with the Rockets. I can think of 9 million reasons why Barkley is more or less going to be a good citizen this season. To finish my ramble, I don't necessarily agree with the media stuff. But at the same time, I gotta look at how Mario went to the media when the Spurs sucked early last season before they tore NBA *ss en route to the championship. [This message has been edited by BlastOff (edited November 24, 1999).]
I'm with Pole on this one. Dreamshake, maybe you know what players Barkley was pointing at, but I don't. As for other teams pouncing on us like thacabbage says, they already have. That is Barkley's point. You think it could be worse?
theCabbage, as long as CB doesn't single out anyone's name on TV it is not a problem at all, teams will eat you up no matter they know it or not, and CB did not disclose anything that can be exploited by other teams. I am talking about the "mental" game. If another team knows that your guys are in chaos, they can attack those things through the media and cause further seperation amongst teammates. In fact, it is a common leadership tactic to address issues publically and indirectly, the whole point of doing so is to avoid talking to them one on one. The guys who did not behave professionally will know a teammate's mind in such way, without feeling being singled out and therefore hard feeling is avoided. Oh? It's much better, as a leader, to address a player one-on-one in private, and let him know what is wrong, rather than address your problems through the media. Everyone, the fans, media, and the rest of the team know who Barkley was referring to when he made those comments. Don't you think that certain individual is now in a pretty embarassing situation being undressed indirectly by a teammate through the media. If Charles had spoken to the player in a private surrounding, the problem would have been taken care of, confusion would have been avoided, and further negativity would have remained out of the picture. Now, this will just lead to more problems. The only one who should address problems to guys one on one or as a whole in a team is the coach. Barkley did a wise thing by not interfering a coach's job, yet conveyed his feeling to the teammates. If that is so, then Charles should keep his mouth shut altogether. I will admit, Charles has toned down on the public personal attacks as of the last few years, but he still has a problem with it. It has always caused friction between him and his teammates. Ever since his Phoenix days when he pretty much made a mockery out of Kevin Johnson. I can give you many examples of this: In one instance KJ had announced that he would be on the shelf for a number of weeks, and Barkley wondered aloud if KJ had a yeast infection. It also continued on through his days with the Rockets. He may have not directly come out and said, "Clyde is a lazy bum", but everyone knew who he was referring to, further complicating the situation. It's something about CB that we can't change, but don't try to deny that it isn't a distraction to any team. One other thing. Many people, in there argument have stated something along the line of, "why is everyone bashing CB, he plays his ass off every night..". Let me just state that the two have zero correlation and I don't even see that as a valid debate. So what that CB plays hard every night? That means he can come out in the media and criticize fellow players? Or maybe, That Charles Barkley is the leader of this team and plays hard every night, proves that he does not show poor leadership skills by blasting teammates indirectly through the media. Bottom Line: CB played a good game, I'll give the man that. But that in no way justifies publicly criticizing your teammates and revealing any open wounds the team may have. That just futher seperates the team, and in a way he is suggesting that he is perhaps above the team and not the problem. [This message has been edited by thacabbage (edited November 24, 1999).]
I love Barkley. But let's tell it like it is, on both sides. On the one hand, he's right about the young players. Since they've ignored whatever he's said to them in private about their work habits, he's right to give them a harder kick in the butt by saying the same thing publicly in order to shame them, but WITHOUT naming them individually. On the other hand, he's a total hypocrite. When he was their age, he took his work habits just as casually as they do. Now he regrets it, and he chastises the young Rockets when the guy he really ought to chastise is himself as a younger man. This is what happens to old folks. They grow up, erase their memory of their bad habits when they were younger, and take out their regrets instead on the identical bad habits of the next generation. The story here isn't that Barkley is a lazy old jerk or a hard-working wise man. The story is that when he was young he was lazy, and now that he's learned to work harder, he's old. It's a sad story, but it happens all the time to billions of people with a lot less heart, character, and genius than Charles Barkley. ------------------ The truth is out there... but not in this post.
