Charles Barkley speaks

[RusskyHoya]

Speaking as someone registered to vote in Alabama...I would stop what I was doing and work on his campaign if he ran for governor.

Very interesting interview:
www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=w070507&s=chotiner051107

[hifigator]

I was talking about him with a friend last night watching the game. I have pretty much always liked him as an analyst, as long as you take him for what he is. He isn't the traditional x's and o's kind of color commentator, but rather a colorful commentator, but he does mix in good sound points with humor. And off the court, when he talks about other issues I have little problem with him. He is a black man who is proud of his heritage and still thinks that the black man is at a disadvantage. But his solution is for the black man to better himself rather than wanting the white man to do so. I also think that from everything I have read, the guy he pushed threw a window at a restaurant/club was entirely the instigator and whether or not Charles went overboard, he did respond in a way that you or I would have under the same duress. He is somewhat of an environmenalist from the comments I have heard. He is a family man, in spite of his jokes about strip clubs and the sort, in that he values the family and has mentioned that as a key component in everything from crime to lack of education to drugs and many of society's other issues. Like I said, I don't know him personally, but from what I do know, he isn't too far off from my views, and he is pretty dang funny at times.

P.S. I also saw him do a 360 degree dunk at the O'Dome when he was playing for Auburn. He and Dominique were the only two I have ever seen accomplish the feat live in a real game.

[RusskyHoya]

Yea, the fact that he played for Auburn raises him up a bit in my estimation (as an Alabama resident, I had to pick one tribe or the other and I ended up in the Auburn camp. Still like Horry, though!) By the way, hifi, sorry about not responding to your PM during the Final Four...I didn't realize it was there until a while later and then it seemed kind of awkward to respond that late...

Not really on topic, but SEC basketball is in an interesting position right now. You've got UF and strong challengers like Vandy on the one hand, but Kentucky's fallen off its perch, Bama was exposed to be nothing but air, South Carolina's no longer the NIT champion, etc. I'm biased, but Auburn getting the shaft when they went undefeated in football indicated to me a lack of respect for the league. Where will it go from now, in light of the Gators' twin titles, is a very good question.