The NFL is facing fierce opposition from some of the most powerful players in football, as they attempt to push through a new policy that will punish players who kneel during the National Anthem. Players are now boycotting games and refusing talk shows in an effort to put pressure on owners for their criminal activity against American citizens.,
The “barkley and jordan rift” is a rivalry that has been present for decades. The two players have never really gotten along, but in recent years the tension has increased.
Fans of TNT’s Inside the NBA program know that studio commentator Charles Barkley has no filter for his emotions on controversial matters, and he has plenty of them. The renowned “Round Mound of Rebound” hit the matter like an all-you-can-eat buffet at a Las Vegas casino on Thursday night when the conversation moved to the failing Los Angeles Lakers’ daily soap drama this season.
Barkley had a lot to say on who is to blame for the Lakers, how head coach Frank Vogel and point shooter Russell Westbrook are getting a lot of heat, and how LA management built the team’s roster shoddily. Barkley, being Barkley, was unreserved in his critique of the organization.
Coach Frank Vogel of the Los Angeles Lakers and player Russell Westbrook were defended by Sir Charles.
Russell Westbrook of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during a game against the Utah Jazz on Jan. 17. Getty Images/Katelyn Mulcahy
The Lakers are 22-23 and in ninth place in the Western Conference going into tonight’s game against the rebuilding Magic in Orlando. It’s the start of a six-game, 11-night journey that may decide the destiny of several Lakers players and the path the team takes before the NBA Trade Deadline on Feb. 10. On this possibly season-defining road trip, the Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, and Philadelphia 76ers are all scheduled to play.
Barkley joked, “They’ve got a chance against Orlando.”
Barkley is irritated because whispers have been circulating for weeks that head coach Frank Vogel’s job may be jeopardized if the Lakers keep losing. According to The Athletic, Vogel’s job was on the line after a 37-point loss in Denver last week, and he may have been fired if the Lakers hadn’t beaten the Utah Jazz two nights later.
Barkley also believes that struggling point guard Russell Westbrook, who was acquired in a deal with the Washington Wizards during the summer, has taken a lot of the responsibility for the Lakers’ difficulties. Instead of Vogel and Westbrook, Barkley believes that GM Rob Pelinka, who created one of the NBA’s oldest squads around 37-year-old star LeBron James, should be held accountable.
“The Lakers are such wussies,” Barkley added, “and I only say wussies because I can’t utter the term I want to use.” “I’m pretty pissed off at how they’re trying to put Russell Westbrook and Frank Vogel under the bus.”
“The Lakers still stink when we come back from this interview,” Barkley said after being interrupted by Inside the NBA presenter Ernie Johnson Jr. so that the network could bring on Phoenix backup point guard Cameron Payne for an interview.
When the conversation returned to the Lakers, it turned out that Barkley still had plenty of ammo in his arsenal. He threw his verbal bombs at Pelinka once again.
Barkley said, “I’m not going to sit here and be like these fools on other networks who have their heads up the Lakers butts.” “Frank Vogel and Russell Westbrook are being blamed.” Now, listen, the folks in charge (of the Lakers’ management) are fleeing and hiding like cowards, saying things like, ‘Oh, it’s Frank, it’s Russ.’ “You put all those old geezers out there,” says the narrator.
“Listen, other than LeBron, who has been the greatest player in the previous month?” “Howdy, Stanley Johnson!” Barkley replied to his own question. “Whoever is running that garbage out there is getting away with bringing in a guy off the street and making him your second-best player… “Man, it’s ridiculous.”
Shaquille O’Neal, a Lakers great, acknowledged that GM Rob Pelinka is to blame for the team’s problems.
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Shaquille O’Neal, another TNT commentator, has had his run-ins with Charles Barkley throughout the years. After Barkley flung a liquid at O’Neal during Thursday’s presentation, the Hall of Fame center subsequently filled Barkley’s car with plastic “popcorn,” which is used when packaging objects into boxes.
When asked where the blame for the Lakers’ difficulties should be placed, O’Neal — whose No. 34 is displayed in the rafters of Crypto.com Arena during Lakers games — ripped at Pelinka and his mistakes in assembling the squad around James.
“Everything Chuck said is correct,” Shall said. “Rob Pelinka assembled this squad, and he should probably accept responsibility or, you know, make some changes.” You want to grow younger when you have an older star (like James), and you don’t want to add a lot of elderly people.”
NBA TV commentator Channing Frye, a former Laker, recently ripped on the Lakers, stating, “It’s impossible to be that terrible.”
Since superstar power forward Anthony Davis has been sidelined with a damaged knee since December 17, O’Neal handed the Lakers an out. He also dismissed the importance of Vogel benching Westbrook for the last 3:52 of Wednesday’s defeat to the Indiana Pacers, claiming that he has been pulled out of games late many times before due to his poor free throw shooting.
“They’re in seventh place, and they’re not out of it yet,” O’Neal continued, “but I don’t believe (Vogel benching Westbrook) isn’t a huge deal.” “He’s the coach, and he has a duty to his players.” As he said, he intended to put in the men he felt would win, but it didn’t work out, and they still lost.”
TNT’s Charles Barkley had a lot more to say about LA’s aging squad than normal.
On Nov. 17, 2021, Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel reacts to an official call during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks. | Getty Images/Stacy Revere
TNT commentator Kenny Smith said that judging the Lakers was unfair since Anthony Davis has only played 27 games this season due to different ailments.
Barkley seemed unconcerned with such excuses, pointing out that if Pelinka had built the roster differently, the Lakers could have been able to handle Davis’ lengthy absence better. Pelinka made a huge mistake by signing elderly NBA players Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, and Avery Bradley in the summer, according to Barkley.
“Do you believe it’s okay for Stanley Johnson to be their second-best player right now?” Smith was confronted with a direct question from Barkley.
Barkley summarized his opinions by saying that Pelinka, not Vogel or Westbrook, should bear responsibility for the Lakers’ difficulties. Sir Charles, of course, couldn’t close the episode without making a joke at the Lakers’ elderly lineup.
“I’m not going to let this go on Frank – people know how much I like Frank, and I like Russ,” Barkley remarked. “Russ isn’t playing well, to be sure, but everyone in LA should be sucking up to these guys.”
“Who placed these old-ass geezers together?” says the narrator. Barkley went on to say. “They’d have been a fantastic squad in 2010.”
ESPN.com provided all of the data.
Russell Westbrook Responds to Lakers Trade Rumors Affecting His Performance: ‘I Never Worry,’ says the narrator.
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