![]() With the power I have, I never want to lose that respect.” The trust from the fans, that’s really important to me. Yet: His platform is as massive as the attention he commands, and he doesn’t understand restraint. He’s one of a kind.”īarkley isn’t a commentator without flaws more than once he’ll contradict himself, sometimes in the same breath, and some of his predictions are stretches. “I’ve seen other players who were very engaging in interviews and off the court, but when they come into the studio and the red light goes on, they’re not as forthcoming, maybe more guarded,” Johnson said. He seemingly has a license to say whatever, without penalty or public thrashing, because it’s excused as “Charles being Charles.” In that vein, Johnson says Barkley enjoys the same “diplomatic immunity” as Ted Turner, the rascally mogul who created the Turner broadcasting empire. Barkley often serves as a punch line to the show’s many gags and is never at a loss for words. He always sits far right on the “Inside” set, opposite Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal - the chemistry between ex-players is fueled by disagreement - and host Ernie Johnson Jr., the deft on-air traffic controller. Take a look back at some of Charles Barkley's most hysterical and memorable moments on the show. The man who spawned a slew of fun nicknames when he played is suddenly the Round Mound of Profound Sound, able to swivel between comedy, thoughtfulness, playfulness and annoyance, depending on the topic and his mood after the commercial break.Īs Ebersol said, not long after Barkley’s second career soared: “Charles is one of the most phenomenal talents to hit the TV sports industry in a long time.” And, in the ultimate compliment, Barkley the commentator has rivaled Barkley the 11-time All-Star and member of the NBA’s 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams. His run is 21 years and counting and he’s the soul of “Inside The NBA” on TNT, the unscripted and uproariously entertaining studio show. ![]() ‘Inside The NBA’ host Ernie Johnson, on Charles BarkleyĪt Turner starting in 2000, Barkley became a four-time Emmy winner and arguably the most successful, if not most popular, ex-athlete in broadcast history. In hindsight, it was his best career move since leaving the Sixers for the Suns, where he won his only MVP award and took the Suns to the NBA Finals.Īll you wanted was Chuck to be Chuck. ![]() But they’ll respect you for being honest.”īarkley made a hasty pivot at the last minute, rejecting NBC’s offer and joining Turner Sports. Some people are gonna love you, some are gonna hate you. You’re going to be honest and a straight shooter. People want two things: They want you to tell them their favorite player is great, and they want you to tell them their team is great. You’re always going to be in trouble, but you’ll be great.”īarkley was confused, so Ebersol elaborated: And Ebersol, a leading sports and entertainment executive who helped create “Saturday Night Live” and oversaw the sports division at NBC, knew potential when he saw it, so he chased Sir Charles.Įbersol to Barkley: “You’re going to be great on television. He was considered risky in the business but also exactly what the business needed, a shakeup from the vanilla. This was a player who famously declared “I am not a role model” and also caused an international stir at the 1992 Olympics when he said, among other things: “I don’t know anything about Angola, but Angola’s in trouble.” This was a player who in interviews could be profane, annoyed, outrageous and hilarious, sometimes all in the same response to a question. ![]() This was a player who collected rebounds and technical fouls. On the air, announcers were advised to curb their commentary and watch their mouths.īut that’s precisely why Dick Ebersol was drawn to Charles Barkley, the gregarious and future Hall of Fame power forward. Searing criticism of players and coaches was best left to the newspapers. This was especially true in sports broadcasting before “hot takes” began seeping into studio shows. Network television historically sheltered itself from the performer who walked the tightrope and too often fell over into the pit of controversy. Thus, there was a degree of danger involved here. As a broadcaster now and as an NBA player before that, Charles Barkley has the ability to captivate audiences.ĪTLANTA - The man who supercharged the rise of a young comedian named Eddie Murphy, provided a national platform for a broadcaster named Bob Costas, and gave scores of other undeveloped talents their shot at stardom was suddenly fixated on a basketball player who was untrained and certifiably uncensored.
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