I will admit I openly criticized Dream at the beginning of the year. There has been so much talk on this board about Chuck/Dream are stupid/old/sucks etc. This makes me realize how fragile these guys are. One day they are fine the next they are done. I really do think this will truly inspire Dream on his return. I expect to see the Dream from 2-3 years ago playing. Let's all remember when he returns that there is only 1 Dream, just like 1 Charles. Let's praise him, not criticize him. One other point that I made on another thread is how poetic the ending was: If this happened at home Chuck would have received the ovations, but I believe there would have been talk about how this might have helped. Talk would have mostly stopped once it was announced (the severity) but it would have been there. The Philly fans were there to see Charles off...7 standing O's!!! He went out at the right place. My third and final point is this. Myself like many CB fans came to the Rockets from Phoenix and Philly. I almost feel homeless now. I followed Barkley snce his rookie year (I was a Dr J - Bobby Jones fan for the 76ers). I love the Rockets, but it's different now. Any other CB fans have this same feeling?
yes the game is different now...no doubt. I've realized today, Barkley was not only my favorite player of all time, he's my favorite celebrity. They say Jordan transcends the game...but where. I never see him except in lousey commercials. He was the game...for sure...but for me Barkley transcended sport. So, we are getting corny now...but I grew up in the corn fields of Illinois where basketball is the community. It always has been part of my life; to the point i actually gain a perspective on life while playing it...it always was the funnest way for me to converse with guys and get them to show some personality, by jawing with them while playing 4 hours of pickup at a foreign court on a sunny saturday morning in March, before the month's madness started. I always felt Barkley looked at the sport and life similarly. What a blessed man, confident, sincere, gracious, willing to admit mistakes, willing to stand up for his personality and tell the world "I'm not a role model". The day I heard him say that....was the day I started following every word he said. And he knows he's lucky. So who's left to gives me a similar feeling about basketball, Spike Lee. no one in the game....i miss charles...it is not the same without him. so sudden. i wasn't prepared. I can see why he cried.
Heypartner- We are similar, I am a midwesterner as well (Ohio). I guess I liked Chuck because of his game, his attitude, and in reality that he was an underdog. A 6'4 1/2 PF is enough said, but especially in Philly he always dealt with the Celtics. Felt sorry for the guy trying to go up against McHale, Bird, parish seemingly by himself. Many of the years he didn't have a lot of talent around him, see Rick Mahorn (I liked Mahorns toughness, but no offensive game). I do miss him. Wish there was another Barkley to root for, but as often mentioned their will never be another. Good luck Chuck!
Maybe this is a good time for you to move on to another player.....Francis? I dont know the feelings you are all having as my fav Players has always been Hakeem.But NO QUESTION my second was always Barkley.Infact my first every BBall Jersey was #34 Suns Jersey (You CAN NOT get Rockets Jerseys in Austrailia!). Just on the underdog thing....I loved to play basketball but I am a short person (about 5 foot7) and Everyone that would play at my high school were 6foot+.I could mimic some of the Dreams moves but....I wasnt 6 foot let along 7 foot tall! I would always think of What Barkley would do and Id basically go out,hit the boards,swing the elbows,back much larger opponents in......he was an inspiration to me. I will miss Charles ALOT and I cant imagine what I'll feel when Hakeem retires.I guess I will take my own advise and follow one of the Rockets younger players. ------------------ Your Starting Power Forward for the Clutch City Allstars
no doubt. I bought season tickets this year because of Francis. If I may speak for 4chuckie, what we are talking about has to do as much with personality as ability. That's why we say the game is not the same without barkley. I see no one out there in the nba who I respect nearly as much as Barkley. That's just personal preference. Please don't say Hakeem and Duncan are infinitely quality characters...I agree. But I prefer people with who publicly stand for their beliefs. Only Charles has done that in this sport. I do admire the quiet demeanors like Hakeem and Duncan...but unfortunately that leaves me not really know them from a distance. Barkley's life is about guts, both on the court and off. As for helping me play the game...I agree Christopher,,,i'm 6'0 but always played high/low post against taller people. Charles is the man that taught me to do a quick-spin around my man's hips...when they guard me too close. Before he knew it, we've changed places...i'm between him and the basket now. barkley and i are the same age...that's about the last move i have in me. everything else is fadeaway jumpers and passing now.
Hey Partner- You nailed it my man! I loved Charles's game but with Chuck he was more than a player. To me he was a show in himself. The way he interracted with his teammates, the fans, the opposition. He said what many wanted to say but were afraid to. And like many of us he made mistakes, only his were done in public! He wasn't perfect, but i don't want to follow a perfect player. I guess because of Barkley i became a fan of the 90's (someone who follows a player more than a team). I loved the sixers when he was there, loved the suns, and now love the rockets. Just something missing now. There may be better players, but noone will ever replace Charles! I just wish I could take Charles heart and put in any any other NBA players body, think of a dominating player (Shaq, etc) with the heart and determination of Chucky. That's scary!
thanks for starting the threads of tribute 4chuckie!! i like your comment about a "fan of the 90's". you're right! there is too much focus on players than teams. i wonder if they was a result of the fantasy/rotisserie sports phenomenon?!
HP- I think it could have been the rot. leagues, but I personally think it was just an excellent job of individual promotion by the NBA. It may have started about the time of Magic-Bird rivalry. Commercials started showeing those two, not their teams. Which worked fine because neither switched teams, and both teams were polarized teams. You either loved/hated the Celtics & Lakers. Shortly after the MJ commerecials started. This is really the beginning, because the advertisers (in the early years) only wanted to show MJ, because the Bulls were not that good. It showed MJ running, dunking, etc everything as an individual. That opened the doors for the other advertisers to push their stars as well. So in conclusion I would blame it more on the advertisers who promoted individuals over teams. Also I'm sure the easy movement by free agents did help much either!
I wasn't even a Barkley fan until he came to Houston. Then I saw there was much more on the good side of him than the negativity you hear when he plays for someone else. I have always been a fan of the players that show a lot of class like Dream and Drexler, Doc Rivers, etc., and Charles' image was not that. However, I believe the quote about him being a good guy trying to act like a bad guy. You know it if he is on your team. Charles is unique. He has a good heart with a little spice added. He is for the common man, the regular fan. He admits to mistakes - and sometimes just says things for the shock value and entertainment. But I have learned to love him. I think I have actually been in a 3 day depression or funk because of his career ending. Thanks for being a part of the Rockets, Chuck! We miss you big time.
