Charles Barkley On The Eve Of The 2009-2010 NBA Season
October 27, 2009 – 5:00 am by Bunk
The man needs no introduction. He’s the great Charles Barkley and he’s got plenty to say on anything and everything relevant in the world of sports, politics, culture, etc. With the NBA season set to tip off tomorrow night, Barkley joined WCNN in Atlanta to talk about who he thinks the teams to beat are in both the Eastern and Western conferences, who his favorite teammates of all time were, why he’s no longer interested in politics, and why he was disappointed with Magic Johnson for berating Isiah Thomas in his new book.
On going on the Letterman Show tonight and if he’s going to be on his best behavior so as not to be ‘corrupted’ by Letterman:
“Hey, I’ve been there before where everybody turns against you. I went through it last year. I’ve been through it a few times. You know what I tell people like that? Hey, somebody else is going to get in trouble. Like when you get in trouble, it’s hell for awhile. I know Dave was glad to see Balloon Boy.”
On what he thinks of Cleveland’s chances:
“Well I don’t think Cleveland is as good as Orlando or Boston. I don’t. I think Shaq is going to help, but I think Orlando and Boston – now you know, Rasheed Wallace going to Boston is really going to help them. And I just think Dwight Howard is the best big man in the game right now. But I just don’t think Cleveland is as good as those other two teams.”
On if he thinks the top four in the East have caught up with the best out West:
“No I think the top two can though. And they only really got two top teams in the West though. I think the Lakers and San Antonio are head and shoulders ahead of everybody else. And they are a clear favorite – the Lakers are a clear favorite to win the whole thing. And I think San Antonio has made some nice additions trying to catch the Lakers. I think that’s going to be fantastic to watch all year. But I think the same thing – I think there’s two teams in the East that are better than everybody else.”
On the chance of him trying to be a general manager sometime down the road:
“Well I think it’s time for me now to go in that direction. It kind of slipped up on me to be honest with you. I didn’t know I was going to be doing T.V. I just realized this was my tenth year. So you know, I love my job, I love the people I work for and with, but I think for me personally, I want to challenge myself. I just think it’s time for me – like I say, I been doing T.V. for ten years, I love it. But I think for me personally, I can do a better job than some of these other guys out there doing, to be honest with you.”
On who his favorite teammate was:
“I can’t pick one guy. I’d go with four guys – Mark West, Dan Marjele, Rick Mahorn and Mike Gminski. I don’t think I could pick one favorite teammate. [Mahorn] is my partner in crime, but I really like Dan Majerle and Mike Gminski because he’s a great friend today. But Mark West and Dan Majerle, man they were great with me in Arizona.”
On why he’s no longer talking about political ambitions:
“Well because it’s become such a scumbag business now. It’s become like a strictly Republican, Democrat, Liberal and Conservative B.S. on T.V. every night. Two people get on there and argue about every subject. And I don’t have time for no light-weight stuff in my life. I mean T.V.’s become – you got the idiot Sean Hannity, and you know Lou Dobbs, Bill O’Reily and Glenn Beck. It’s just so frustrating bringing two rich people on T.V. every night to argue. No matter what anybody says, one’s going to take a Republican slant and one’s going to take a Democratic slant. And that to me is just a waste of time. And that’s all politics have become and it’s a joke.”
On the recent spat between Magic and Isiah Thomas:
“You know, I’m disappointed Magic brought that up this late in life. You know, we’re talking about something that happened in ‘92. And I like both guys, I’m just like hey man, that happened in ‘92.”
Then on whether he agrees that Magic could have brought it up privately with Isiah sometime in the past:
“Of course. First of all, you do do that. You take him aside and tell him. But also, you especially don’t just put it in the book. If he had talked to Isiah in advance it would have been different. But you don’t let him read it in a newspaper or in a book and then because like Isiah said, we’ve been together some times in the last few months and the last few years, and he didn’t mention anything. And I think that’s the thing that caught Isiah off guard the most. But I just wish he hadn’t have brought it up. I mean like I said, it happened apparently in ‘92 and that was 17 years ago. Let it go.”
Listen here to Barkley with Buck and Kinkade on WCNN in Atlanta
Tags: Boston Celtics, Buck and Kinkade, Charles Barkley, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orland Magic, San Antonio Spurs, start of 2009-2010 NBA season, WCNN
