Beautiful story about Charles Barkley

[rthomas]

https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2018/...harles-barkley


Beautiful story about friendship.

[weezie]

Oh, I am definitely in tears...

[Indoor66]

Thank you for posting this.

[camion]

I heard this on NPR "It's Only a Game" this morning. It is a wonderful story.

[wilson]

Oh man. Barkley has always seemed like a warm and joyful person to me. Cool to see that it’s not an act.

[Ggallagher]

A beautiful story. I'm glad I got to hear it. Thanks for posting.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

Wow. Great story. Beautiful to see the human side of celebrities.

Sidebar... couldn’t help but think of this as the real life version of Big Fish.

[Rich]

Well, while we're telling Charles Barkley stories, I have my own fond memory of the Round Mound of Rebound. Before my current job I worked for the National Basketball Association for 5 years in their HQ Legal Department in Olympic Tower on Fifth Avenue in NYC. I practice IP law specializing in trademarks and copyrights. It wasn't uncommon to see players or retired players around the office, but there was an unspoken rule that we employees were not supposed to engage with the talent. It was quite frustrating the day I rode a crowded elevator with Jason Kidd and Grant Hill when they were awarded Co-Rookie of the Year honors and I had to keep my mouth shut. But I digress.

One morning I came to work like any other day and found a horde of press in the lobby of the building. Reporters and cameramen, loud, obnoxious, and completely clogging the pathway to the elevator with total disregard to people who worked there. Keep in mind that the NBA has a few floors, but there are other businesses in that building. I had no idea why the press was there, but I assumed it was either a famous model (there was a well known modeling agency in the building too and it wasn't uncommon to see the occasional model) or some NBA player was in trouble and doing the perp walk up to the 15th Floor, which is where Commissioner Stern's office was.

I fought my way through, annoyed at the morning hassle (before my cup of coffee) and quickly grabbed the elevator whose door was already open, only to find two people inside, Charles Barkley and some other guy I assumed was his agent or lawyer. Just the three of us. Charles was a big guy, but after having close encounters with other basketball players, and seeing Sir Charles play, I remember thinking he wasn't as tall as I thought he would be. But his width filled the elevator. I alternately looked at Charles and looked at the floor, unable to speak, not allowed to speak. But then Charles says to no one in particular, "You know what we do?...we get a big room...and a bunch of long tables...and we put all sorts of food on those tables...then we invite the press...and when they all come to eat, we blow that mother-fuc&er up!...that's what we do." I chuckled and a few seconds later the door opened up on the 14th floor, my floor, and I walked out of the elevator to start my day.

My Charles Barkley story.

[Edouble]

I fought my way through, annoyed at the morning hassle (before my cup of coffee) and quickly grabbed the elevator whose door was already open, only to find two people inside, Charles Barkley and some other guy I assumed was his agent or lawyer. Just the three of us. Charles was a big guy, but after having close encounters with other basketball players, and seeing Sir Charles play, I remember thinking he wasn't as tall as I thought he would be. But his width filled the elevator. I alternately looked at Charles and looked at the floor, unable to speak, not allowed to speak. But then Charles says to no one in particular, "You know what we do?...we get a big room...and a bunch of long tables...and we put all sorts of food on those tables...then we invite the press...and when they all come to eat, we blow that mother-fuc&er up!...that's what we do." I chuckled and a few seconds later the door opened up on the 14th floor, my floor, and I walked out of the elevator to start my day.

My Charles Barkley story.

I have lived in Atlanta most of my life. I keep thinking at some point, I will run into Charles Barkley.

It finally happened today. I am a freelancer and I was on a job at The Four Seasons Hotel in midtown. We walked by Charles as he was discussing something with two other (not famous) gentlemen. He said something to his colleagues about "I think it should be $30 to $35 million", and as we walked by looked at me and the person I was with and said "Hello! How y'all doing"!

He was really friendly and I just couldn't believe how short he was. I am 6'2" and felt like I was almost eye to eye with him. The 6'4", as advertised, is no joke. I am also happy to report that he didn't look as overweight as he has looked on television.

It made me feel more personally, if that makes sense, what an amazing athlete he was to play his style of game at 6'4".

[Rich]

I have lived in Atlanta most of my life. I keep thinking at some point, I will run into Charles Barkley.

It finally happened today. I am a freelancer and I was on a job at The Four Seasons Hotel in midtown. We walked by Charles as he was discussing something with two other (not famous) gentlemen. He said something to his colleagues about "I think it should be $30 to $35 million", and as we walked by looked at me and the person I was with and said "Hello! How y'all doing"!

He was really friendly and I just couldn't believe how short he was. I am 6'2" and felt like I was almost eye to eye with him. The 6'4", as advertised, is no joke. I am also happy to report that he didn't look as overweight as he has looked on television.

It made me feel more personally, if that makes sense, what an amazing athlete he was to play his style of game at 6'4".

Appreciate the corroboration! And always fun to see an old post quoted.

[WillJ]

Thanks so much for this...made my day.

[Edouble]

Appreciate the corroboration! And always fun to see an old post quoted.

I was happy that I found a thread with a post I could quote. I didn't want to start a new thread, but thought people might get a kick out of the story.

[Skydog]

I was happy that I found a thread with a post I could quote. I didn't want to start a new thread, but thought people might get a kick out of the story.

Glad you did. Got to hear not just your story but to read the amazing Barkley story that started this thread.

[snowdenscold]

It finally happened today. I am a freelancer and I was on a job at The Four Seasons Hotel in midtown. We walked by Charles as he was discussing something with two other (not famous) gentlemen. He said something to his colleagues about "I think it should be $30 to $35 million", and as we walked by looked at me and the person I was with and said "Hello! How y'all doing"!

Apparently he had dinner with Greg Norman last night in Atlanta to discuss being a broadcaster for the LIV tour. If that $$ quoted above is in relation to that, I wonder if that's for a single year (wow!) or multiple years...