October 14, 2005 Update

• According to the Chicago Sun-Times TNT's Charles Barkley entered Rosebud Steakhouse in Chicago on Monday night and said to the bartender: "Why don’t I buy everybody a drink to congratulate them on their White Sox, because I know there’s not a lot of winning teams in town right now."
  
  Thanks Kevin, Roger, and Karlo!
  


• On why he doesn't vote: "You're voting for who'll do the best for you, and I don't like that system. You should vote to help everybody."


• While watching someone in Australia put $1 million worth of rubies on a table: "Damn, must not be any black folks in Australia. You can't just leave $1 million worth of jewelry lying around the 'hood."


• "Man, there's nothing in the world that makes me as nervous as seeing white people dance."


• When asked why blacks excel at basketball: "It doesn't cost anything to play."


• "Sports are a detriment to blacks, not a positive. You have a society now where every black kid in the country thinks the only way he can be successful is through athletics."

October 10, 2005 Update

Post Hurricane Katrina: "America is divided by economics, and especially poor kids have to get their education. If you are poor and black or poor and white or Hispanic, you are going to be at a disadvantage. You are not going to have the best neighbourhoods or best school."

"A lot of kids just think about playing sports instead of being doctors, lawyers or even reporters. That's why you have to get your education. You cannot be at the mercy of the government."

"It's a really tough situation - sad and unfortunate, but hopefully, it's a wake-up call for people who are less fortunate. I stress a lot you have to get your education, especially black kids, poor white kids and Hispanic kids."

"You know what's amazing to me? America. There have been so many people who have stepped up, and I'm just proud to be an American. Yeah, there were some mistakes made, but I don't play the blame game. Let's move forward and rebuild New Orleans."

[The reports I've read have mentioned Charles saying he was going to be donating $1 million to relief efforts, with $250,000 going to a charity in Alabama. He also planned to buy five houses in Atlanta to provide housing for evacuees.]

Barkley: "I tell you what's going to be an interesting team. The Utah Jazz."

Kenny: "Good interesting or bad interesting?"

Barkley: "I don't know yet."


Thanks Roger!

Not an exact quote, but a great story:

When Charles was playing for the Rockets and the Lakers needed to win one more game to finish up that series (early playoffs), Shaq and he were at the free throw line. Houston was about to win which meant LA had to stay there one more night. Problem was, LA had already packed up and booked flights back to LA, assuming it would be an easy game...Barkley was jawing at Shaq as usual and someone asked him later what he said:

[Paraphrased] "I was just asking Shaq if he needed a place to stay here in Houston."

Thanks Kim!

Charles was #1 on Sports Illustrated's list of Most Intriguing Characters

Thanks Joe!

"See Tony Parker's good, but we just don't know how good Tony Parker really is. He aint never been hit."

Thanks Jason!