Barkley: True To Himself

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August 30

Charles Barkley. Dominique Wilkins. Joe Dumars. Three members of the 2006 Basketball Hall of Fame class. Between them, they have three NBA titles – all Dumars' (two as a player, one as a GM) – 26 All Star teams – 6 for Dumars, 11 for Barkley and 9 for Wilkins, and 1 MVP – Barkley in 1993.

Dumars was known as the consummate team player, while Wilkins was thought to be 180 degrees Dumars' opposite. Barkley had a little of Dumars and a little of Wilkins in him. All in all, they are worthy members of the Hall, whether by the weight of their individual accomplishments, or because of what they meant to their teams – or both. But of these three men – Hall of Famers – one sticks out like an ice cream cone in hell – The Chuckster. At first glance, Barkley – like the ice cream cone in hell – looks refreshing, delicious, and just a bit out of place. And like that cone, ready to melt down at any time.

Whether he was "The Round Mound of Rebound" out of Auburn, who couldn't make Bobby Knight's 1984 United States Olympic team, Sir Chuck, who chased that elusive NBA title with Philadelphia, Phoenix and Houston, or the Chuckster, whom we see on TV speaking his mind uncontrollably, one thing is clear: The man is UNIQUE!

As an analyst on TNT's NBA shows, Barkley isn't shy about slamming a former court competitor on national television – just ask Kobe Bryant about the wrath of the Chuckster. And unlike many other former players-turned-broadcasters, Barkley won't back down from what he said just because the embarrassed player calls him out or a league exec wants him to tone it down. He's a man true to himself, which makes him a man of the people. This is exactly why, in my opinion, he's the most respected analyst in sports today.

With his Hoop Hall induction, Sir Charles takes his place amongst the Kings of his sport.

You can have your blustery, bombastic John Madden, and the boring Tim McCarvers of the analyst world: I'll take the Chuckster anytime. I know when I hear something come out of his mouth – idiotic though it may be – it's what he believes. Not something he made up just to stoke the audience, or something he feels will make him look good to the league. He really doesn't care what others think about him. He says what's on his mind and is willing to deal with any fallout his remarks might bring forth. But this is nothing new for Barkley, who has made it known that he would someday like to be the Governor of Alabama. As a player in the 1980s, he may have made the most salient – and controversial – statement an athlete has ever spoken.

"I'm not a role model."

The words came out of the mouth of Sir Charles, but they were spoken for all athletes and performers who didn't have the fortitude to say what they felt to be the truth – they aren't role models, nor should they be expected to be role models. Barkley has had run-ins with the law, including an arrest after throwing a bar patron through a plate-glass window, so he knows he's not the role-model type. And he doesn't try to fake it just for the sake of some good PR.

Sure, there are athletes and entertainers who relish the role and want the added burden of setting themselves up as the be-alls and end-alls, but the majority I've talked to over the years want nothing to do with it. They understand that they're just regular people who are blessed with the talent to entertain others, and make a heck of a living doing it. But they get depressed, fight with their significant others, have drug and alcohol problems, and sometimes have bad days that they take out on others. Does that mean they aren't role models? Yes, because they never signed up for that task. It means that they're just human beings, doing human being things. For anyone to demand that these men and women stand for truth, justice and the American way, well, that's just not rational thinking.

I can sit here and write ten columns on performers who have proclaimed themselves to be role models, yet fell flat on their faces when their "real" life was exposed. But not today. I also could have done a statistical breakdown of all the new inductees to illustrate their worthiness for the Basketball HOF as if you want to read more numbers that state the obvious. This column, celebrates the accomplishments of one man, a man who does stand for truth, justice and the American way – even if it's actually Barkley's way.

Even if it's a truth many don't want to hear.