Charles Barkley Appreciation Thread

[HFpapi]

I feel like this guy deserves a shout out among us hockey faithful for how hard he's been riding for the game of hockey. I'm hardly even exaggerating when I say he might be the single most influential figure as far as promoting the game right now.

First of all, he's been all in on the NHL playoffs for many years now and seems to genuinely believe that it's among the most exciting spectacles in sport. Once again this post-season, as he's done many times in the past, he continues to boast about them on his own NBA halftime show which has a massive audience. In fact, "Inside the NBA" is so popular that many people will watch the segments on YouTube who didn't even watch the game itself. It might be the single biggest source of promotion the league is getting.

Secondly, I think we can all agree that NHL on TNT is breathing some much needed life into the sport. It's a refreshing break from the stuffy and conservative coverage we are used to. Regardless of what you think of him in other mediums, it has be acknowledged that Paul Bissonnette aka Biz is doing a great job of bringing some humour and levity to the sport. He's clearly the NHL's attempt at Charles Barkley. Biz would never have been giving the leash he's given to push the envelope as he has (or even given the job in the first place) if Chuck hadn't provided the blueprint for such a figure.


On that front, Barkley is also credited with getting Wayne to join TNT which is huge for bringing name recognition and credibility to the broadcasts for casual American sports fans.

I strongly suspect Barkley had his finger prints all over the decision to have Matty Tkachuk on "Inside the NBA" the other night as well which was a great showcase of one of the NHL's best personalities to a national audience.

Barkley is one of the most famous people in America right now with a massive weekly audience and it's a blessing for the NHL that he's become such a fan of the league and is never shy to talk about it. Shout out to Chuck for helping a sport that barely helps itself as far as promoting what we on these boards already know: hockey is the greatest sport in the world.

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[TheAngryHank]

Charlie Barkley: Aaron Rodgers is the pretty girl you have to tell her she's pretty every day.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Yeah he's pretty big into hockey.

Maybe get Shaq into it. Put up a net and he and Barkley can have a free throw contest during intermission.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Charles Barkley is a goat and the San Antonio saga got me rolling forever.
Man's a national treasure with Shaq

 

[MOGlLNY]

Barkley calling Anthony Davis “street clothes” had me in tears the first time I heard it

 

[HFpapi]

Charles Barkley is a goat and the San Antonio saga got me rolling forever.
Man's a national treasure with Shaq

They love their churros!

 

[EpochLink]

The Inside the NBA guys are awesome, Shaq/Kenny/Ernie/Charles promoting hockey is great for their brand and also hockey.

Charles Barkley is a goat and the San Antonio saga got me rolling forever.
Man's a national treasure with Shaq

Big ol woman in San Antonio, Victoria definitely a secret down there

 

[JianYang]

Towels were on, chuck?

 

[Chainshot]

Barkley's pro hockey stance is pretty awesome. I think he'd be great on their intermission show talking puck even if Turner is better at it than ESPN right now.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Barkley is incredible, the man is sincere, affable, and ultimately great for sports. His love for hockey is real and it comes across.

It's funny that he's maybe one of the most beloved sports media personalities now and when his career started he was marketed as a "bad boy" and this ad campaign was controversial at the time:

 

[EpochLink]

 

[Filthy Dangles]

if only the NHL had something like the NBA on TNT crew, i don't even like basketball that much

chuck, shaq, kenny and ernie are great. they're more entertaining than the basketball game itself.

on the other hand when hockey goes to intermission and i hear the panels on TNT/ESPN speak, I want to kill myself

 

[EpochLink]

 

[Pablo El Perro]

if only the NHL had something like the NBA on TNT crew, i don't even like basketball that much

chuck, shaq, kenny and ernie are great. they're more entertaining than the basketball game itself.

on the other hand when hockey goes to intermission and i hear the panels on TNT/ESPN speak, I want to kill myself

It helps that, even though the pieces have changed here and there, they've been at it for 30 years. The NHL just needs to keep a TV deal together, then go from there. But I love that crew.

 

[ffh]

"The toothbrush was invented in Tuscaloosa cause all the women there have only one tooth"
"Why do you never give your woman a watch. Cause there's a clock on the stove". Love chuck

 

[SenzZen]

 

[Ezekial]

Charles is the man, back when NHL was on NBC for playoffs he would say at half time of a blowout NBA playoff game to turn the channel to their competitor to watch good playoffs that is the NHL

Now that TNT has NHL the network is more than happy to allow the cross promotion, which is great for the league. Stinks that ESPN is so stale comparatively - now they brought PK to liven up the broadcast a bit. Enough about his clothes though.

 

[stevo61]

I dont know much of his NHL commentary but as someone who hates the NBA I still watch their show because Chuck is absolutely hilarious.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

I'm hardly even exaggerating when I say he might be the single most influential figure as far as promoting the game right now.

I hadn't thought of it, but now that you mention it I can't think of anyone else.

Charlie Barkley: Aaron Rodgers is the pretty girl you have to tell her she's pretty every day.

Lol, he rules.

Norm would be proud.

 

[2014nyr]

he has some of the best quotes of all time....the man is a national treasure.

 

[HFpapi]

if only the NHL had something like the NBA on TNT crew, i don't even like basketball that much

chuck, shaq, kenny and ernie are great. they're more entertaining than the basketball game itself.

on the other hand when hockey goes to intermission and i hear the panels on TNT/ESPN speak, I want to kill myself

I mean, the hockey on TNT crew I think are a clear step up from the norm and Biz deserves some credit for some funny player interviews.

That said, they can imitate but can never emulate the NBA crew because Chuck and Shaq are very rare personalities. That's why it's amazing to have Chuck spreading the gospel of hockey.

Telling 4 million basketball fans that he finds the NHL playoffs more exciting is a level of promotion the NHL could never buy.

 

[FrozenJagrt]

Barkley calling Anthony Davis “street clothes” had me in tears the first time I heard it

That's a good one, but Anthony Day-To-Dayvis is the best I've ever heard.

 

[PensandCaps]

I find Biz and his lackeys annoying as hell

 

[antman12]

 

[dekelikekocur]

Thing is, Barkley and Shaq have the cred to get away with it. Barkley especially gets a lot of zingers in and commentary about how shitty some games are in the NBA, could you imagine Gretz piping off about an NHL playoff game being boring as hell and he's watching a dif sport? There would be a meltdown worse than Chernobyl and probably last just as long.