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The Politics of Charles Barkley

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by glynch, Jun 10, 2004.

  1. glynch

    glynch Member

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    The Politics of Charles Barkley
    The Round Mound of Sound
    By DAVE ZIRIN

    Charles Barkley, the basketball player, was always unique.

    He stood at 6' 5" but became one of the all time great rebounders, averaging just fewer than 12 boards a game for his career.

    He was mocked as "The Round Mound of Rebound" because he didn't have a ripple of muscle tone on his 260 pound pear shaped body, but he bent rims with his strength and once even threw the 350 pound Shaquille O'Neal to the floor.

    He was "too short, too fat, too slow" for the NBA but is one of two players in NBA history, along with the legendary Wilt Chamberlain, to finish his career with 23,000 points, 12,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists.

    He never won a championship but played huge in big games, scoring 44 points and grabbing 24 rebounds in game 7 of the 1993 conference finals against the Seattle Supersonics and averaged 27 points in the NBA finals against Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls.

    Yet what set Chuck apart was his larger than life personality. In a league that produces corporate robots droning about 'playing one game at a time' Barkley spoke his mind with the same reckless disregard that marked his playing style.

    Now, as a TNT studio analyst, he is achieving more fame than ever with his no holds barred approach to commentary.

    While he makes us laugh - with classic lines like when he said to hyper religious AC Green, "If god's so good, how come he didn't give you a jump shot?" - Barkley speaks to agitate as well as entertain. In the tradition of Muhammad Ali, Bill Russell, or Billie Jean King, Barkley uses his athletic prominence to speak about issues like racism and poverty not usually discussed in "mainstream" U.S. political discussion.

    Early in his career he raised eyebrows by stating his desire to become the "first Black republican governor of Alabama" after his playing days ended. But to judge him by his words, it is clear that Barkley is not a Republican or Democrat. He is a political being who wants to shock by speaking hard truths that are sharper and more provocative than anything uttered in the Beltway.

    As a public service, here is the best of Mista-Chuck.

    Here is Charles on the Janet Jackson Super Bowl scandal: "I wish people were more irate with the Bush administration for starting a war for profit than they are with Janet Jackson for showing her breast. But that's America ... we don't know what's important and what's not important. It's much ado about nothing. It's not like she's going to traumatize anyone. Everyone is all offended now and bent out of shape. Give me a break. There are a lot of trashier things on television that what Janet Jackson did."

    On basketball player Rasheed Wallace calling himself 'exploited': "If you're a grunt for CNN, those people are exploited. The guy behind the camera I talk to, he's exploited. This guy is making $17 million, and he's exploited? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. "

    On the Enron scandal investigation: "Almost all those politicians took money from Enron, and there they are holding hearings. That's like O.J. Simpson getting in the Rae Carruth jury pool."

    On racism: "Any time something bad happens to a black person because of racism, I feel it in my soul. I really do. You take the Abner Louima case. That let me know one thing: If some white guys wanted to stick a plunger up a black guy's butt, and I'm the black guy who happened to be around, I'd have a plunger up my butt."

    On Saddam Hussein: "I think he's still alive. . . . Look at Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein - they used to both work for the United States and now they're enemies. That's part of the hypocrisy that goes on here."

    On the flak celebrities get for their anti-war beliefs: "That's part of the hypocrisy that goes on when you're in the limelight - if you say something, you're anti-American or unpatriotic or too liberal. We're all free to say what we want to, but if you ever forget your place, we'll put you back in your place."

    On politics: "Politics is too corrupt," Barkley said. "You know how you can tell politics is corrupt? President Bush is going to raise $250 million for a job that pays $400,000. Now tell me there isn't something wrong there?"

    On his priority in life: "My No. 1 priority is to help poor people. In this country, 90% of the money is controlled by 10% of the people, and that's not right."

    Agree or disagree, Charles Barkley recalls the words of Malcolm X in describing a young fighter named Cassius Clay: "Do not underestimate the quality of the mind he has in there. Although a clown can never imitate the wise man, the wise man can imitate a clown."

    link
     
  2. GreenVegan76

    GreenVegan76 Member

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    On politics: "Politics is too corrupt," Barkley said. "You know how you can tell politics is corrupt? President Bush is going to raise $250 million for a job that pays $400,000. Now tell me there isn't something wrong there?"

    That is hilarious.
     
  3. gifford1967

    gifford1967 Member
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    Barkley has officially redeemed himself for talking trash about Yao.
     
  4. Bogey

    Bogey Member

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    Even though I disagree with a lot of his stances, I think I'd probably vote for Barkley if he ran for anything. At least when he talks, you know he means it. Most politicians either try and say what they think the public wants to hear, or just flat out lie.
     
  5. gifford1967

    gifford1967 Member
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    I agree with this completely.
     
  6. real_egal

    real_egal Member

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    Unlike some of the other guys who always try to be different and try to be funny or even shocking, this guy, I didn't like him on the Rockets team, but he often speaks his true mind out. He IS different. At least, he's somehow honest. Can I say I start to like him a little bit?
     
  7. BrianKagy

    BrianKagy Member

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    I think so, too.
     
  8. No Worries

    No Worries Member

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    On the flak celebrities get for their anti-war beliefs: "That's part of the hypocrisy that goes on when you're in the limelight - if you say something, you're anti-American or unpatriotic or too liberal. We're all free to say what we want to, but if you ever forget your place, we'll put you back in your place."

    First the obligatory: Why does Barkley hate America?

    Next: I had thought that CB was the poster child for the Republican Party. I guess CB came to his senses ;)
     
  9. RocketMan Tex

    RocketMan Tex Member

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    Excellent! I couldn't agree more with some of his comments, especially the one on the Janet Jackson fiasco.
     
  10. HootOwl

    HootOwl Member

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    Being from Alabama, I always swore I'd quit whatever I was doing and work for Barkley if he ran for governor. I still feel that way, even if he runs as a republican (and me a yellow-dog dem...).
     
  11. Woofer

    Woofer Member

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    IIRC he recently renounced his intention to run as a Republican.
     
  12. Hippieloser

    Hippieloser Member

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    Barkley is a reporter's dream: A living, breathing quote factory.
     
  13. Batman Jones

    Batman Jones Member

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    He also endorsed John Edwards back when the primaries were still in play. No doubt in my mind he's voting for Kerry. We'll never know for sure, but if there was some way we could I'd bet serious money Powell and McCain are too no matter what they say in public.
     
    #13 Batman Jones, Jun 10, 2004
    Last edited: Jun 10, 2004
  14. 4chuckie

    4chuckie Member

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    Michael Moore has paid Barkley off with about 1 billion krispy kreme donuts

    :)
     
  15. Refman

    Refman Member

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    Barkley is so honest and unpredictable that it may not be safe bet to say that since he liked Edwards he'd also back Kerry. Those two guys are VERY different.
     
  16. Batman Jones

    Batman Jones Member

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    Ref:

    Edwards' and Kerry's personalities are very different. Their politics and positions are virtually identical (so much so that Edwards could barely think of anything to distinguish their candidacies from each other during the primaries) and they're diametrically opposed to the administration's -- which Barkley clearly disdains. I think it's a pretty easy bet he's voting against Bush, given everything he's said. And given that he's not an idiot, in voting against Bush he'll likely vote for Kerry, whether he likes him personally or not. Like a lot of anti-Bush Republicans will.
     

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