04/19/24
January 24, 2007
The Quatable Sir Charles:: "The NBA's in disarray - a white guy won the slam-dunk competition. We need to have another Million Man March." Responding to L.A. Clippers rookie Brent Barry winning the slam dunk competition.
posted by mick to basketball at 02:14 PM - 17 comments
To a fan in the FleetCenter in Boston: "You guys are two players away from being good again -- Bill Russell and Larry Bird."
posted by bperk at 02:51 PM on January 24, 2007
HEY! what happened to the "how does it feel to be the 1st white man to win a slam dunk contest," then have the media drool over it for the next couple weeks as they procure every possible opportunity to talk about what it's like to be "the 1st white man to do X." One thing about Sir Charles, is, you get what you see, and he's that way all the time. Oh, well, good for him.
posted by bavarianmotorworker at 03:24 PM on January 24, 2007
Some amusing content there, to be sure. Unfortunately, for the pedants, an unsourced or unreferenced quote on the internet is not always easy to believe (and attribution becomes "fact" by mere repetition). I would assume many of his quotes are from his broadcasting work, but for quotes from print interviews a few references would be appreciated. Not that I didn't enjoy reading some of that wisdom.
posted by gspm at 03:50 PM on January 24, 2007
Barkley can be amusing and snarkily honest in a refreshing way at times. That said, I've always found Barkley's reverse-racism uncomfortable, though. He often makes the "white boy/guy" comment, which if the situation were reversed would be a quick ticket to the unemployed commentators line. I don't suppose you'd ever hear Bob Costas opine that Kevin Garnett winning the 2006 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship award meant the NBA was in disarray, and we needed to have another Klan march. They really are the same: in both cases, Barkley's over-emphasis on the "blacks are physically superior" nonsense is unavoidably a flip-side of the coin spent by racists to suggest that alleged physical superiority is by nature a trade-off to being less evolved mentally or morally.
posted by hincandenza at 06:32 PM on January 24, 2007
"The NBA's in disarray - a white guy won the slam-dunk competition. We need to have another Million Man March." Responding to L.A. Clippers rookie Brent Barry winning the slam dunk competition. This is the equivalent of what every sportscaster has been saying on every radio, tv, internet etc... sports show about Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy being the first African American coaches to make it to the Super Bowl. Maybe the fact that white guys are not allowed to be in the slam dunk contest (or they pick some goof like Chris Anderson) should be examined as was the lack of black coaches in the NFL.
posted by yay-yo at 06:57 PM on January 24, 2007
I've always found Barkley's reverse-racism uncomfortable, The term above pretty much narrows it down. Maybe you should have just said racism. To say "reverse-racism" means he is turning something around and directing it towards where it came from. I could say if there was no racism at all there would be nothing to "reverse". physical superiority is by nature a trade-off to being less evolved mentally or morally. I think it's a little more offensive to have your morals or IQ questioned based on your race vs. your physical abilities. Case in point, what's more offensive to you? A. Race A is historically not as smart as race B. B. All members of race A collect welfare and use drugs. C. All members of race A are bling wearing, drug dealing, gang members, doomed to fail. D. Race A cannot run fast or play Basketball well. Charles Barkley has directed some of his light-hearted stereo-typing towards all races including his own. Racism- 1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others. 2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination. 3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races. I think 2-3 are what is usually referred to when someone thinks of a racist. Saying race A is more dominant at kickball doesn't really have the same affect as saying race A is your master, has rule over you and out right owns you because race A is the master race of the earth. Is he guilty of stereo-typing? Sure. Is he a racist holding hate and contempt in his heart? Not likely. Note: I did not bring this topic up nor did I lead this topic in this direction.
posted by Bishop at 07:16 PM on January 24, 2007
He certainly is quatable though...
posted by bobfoot at 08:36 PM on January 24, 2007
Crime will be down in NY tomorrow, because everyone will be at the game! Gee, I wonder who he was directing this one towards. Too damn funny.
posted by Bishop at 11:11 PM on January 24, 2007
Awesome collection. I love reading his quotes, I was reading them on wiki just a few weeks ago but this site has a ton more.
posted by vito90 at 11:32 PM on January 24, 2007
They really are the same: in both cases, Barkley's over-emphasis on the "blacks are physically superior" nonsense is unavoidably a flip-side of the coin spent by racists to suggest that alleged physical superiority is by nature a trade-off to being less evolved mentally or morally. Not really. Charles Barkley is engaging in stereotyping. Sure, maybe it is a bad idea, but is their really any long-term harm here? Do you really think that Charles Barkley believes that the black race is superior to the white race? In basketball where there are black and white folks in a close group like this, there are always going to be race jokes back and forth. Is it unequal, such that a black guy can say things that a white guy can't? Absolutely. You have suddenly found the one drawback to being the dominant group. The same goes for other groups. Take a look at commercials with husbands and wives, they all like to propagate the lazy and/or dumb husband. Would those sort of stereotypes be okay if they were about women? Nope. I doubt there are many black people in this country that are racists. Racism is mostly based on ignorance. It would be pretty impossible to be ignorant of white people and white culture in the U.S. That's why it would be also be difficult for me to believe that any white person playing professional basketball is racist. They know too many black people and are surrounded by them all the time, so they all know that black comes in as many varieties as white.
posted by bperk at 08:27 AM on January 25, 2007
You have suddenly found the one drawback to being the dominant group. Well said. And (speaking as a member of the dominant group under discussion here) it has always struck me that bitching about that one drawback is like bellyaching about your paper cut in front of someone with a fractured femur: yes, it's an injury, but come on now.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:44 AM on January 25, 2007
I love Sir Charles, not in the physical form but I think most people understand my meaning. Charles Barkley has been a breath of fresh air for decades. For as long as I can remember, he has never, not once, backed away from what he has said regardless of whom it may have offended. Look, we all know that no matter what anyone does or says, racism is out there for the world to see. It may not be as out in the open as it once was but it's still out there. For anyone to act all self-righteous about it is humorous to me. When Sir Charles speaks, not only do I listen, I laugh out loud. The former Round Mound of Rebound speaks about race openly and with no remorse but people also need to remember that he is married to a white woman which to me is even funnier considering the sometimes outlandish things he says. I personally could care less about who or what race anyone is married to but it's not like he's saying, "I hate white people", he's just pointing out the obvious and adds some kind of a humorous twist to whatever he's saying. Love him or hate him, I rather have an honest response to an honest question and at least no one can call him a liar.
posted by BornIcon at 11:22 AM on January 25, 2007
You know what the big difference between being a "reverse-racist" and potential governor of Alabama is? Being able to deliver a punch-line. Barkers gets a free pass from all the mildly controversial shit he says because he's damn funny. That's all. No smoke and mirrors or preferential treatment - he's honest about how he feels and he makes us all laugh. And I see no reason not to allow him to continue. Works for me.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 12:59 PM on January 25, 2007
Funny and honest. Even if he weren't funny, I'm willing to accept what he has to say because there's no guile there, no agenda. He appears to have his mouth directly connected to his id and I appreciate that.
posted by yerfatma at 05:43 PM on January 25, 2007
He appears to have his mouth directly connected to his id and I appreciate that. Which end? I hope he washed it first.
posted by lilnemo at 05:51 PM on January 25, 2007
He's honest about how he feels, and he makes us all laugh. Obviously, he is very funny when he wants to be, and he is very much worth listening to when he chooses to address more serious matters. Looking at Charles now, it is easy to forget just what a great player he was, he created mismatches all over the court with his formidable skills, be it passing, shooting, or rebounding, or just pure power. I have alway liked listening to him, too, and I think Alabama could do much worse than elect Charles as Governor, he has considerable intelligence to go with his interesting, and well rounded, life experiences, is not afraid to rebuke himself, and has the ability to put things in the proper perspective. Some quotes not in the bloggers collection: Responding to concerns that players may contract HIV by contact with Magic Johnson: "We're just playing basketball. It's not like we're we're going out to have unprotected sex with Magic." -Wikipedia When asked if he had any regrets about throwing the man with whom he was involved in an altercation out the window of an Orlando bar, he said, "Yes, I regret we weren't on a higher floor." -Wikipedia On Len Bias' death: "Then, we heard the reports that Bias only used cocaine once, that it was his first time. When I heard that, it scared me to death, scared the daylights out of me. It scared me into not even trying it once, not going anywhere near it." -Reason Magazine Speaking to school board members in Destin, Fla. "There are too many black kids and their parents who do not value a good education," he said, "There are places where a black kid who is a good student and tries to speak correctly, you hear stuff like, 'He's trying to be white.' Well, I say, if thats true, we need more kids trying to be white." -AP Wire Services In the forward to Rick Reilly's book "The Life of Reilly" he quipped, " Of all the people in sports I'd like to throw through a plate glass window, Reilly's not one of them. It's a shame though, skinny white boy looks real aerodynamic." Stay honest and keep making us laugh, Charles.
posted by mjkredliner at 10:29 AM on January 27, 2007
Its half-man, half-amazing. Or as some folks call him: all offense, no defense. So many great ones, hilarious.