TNT's Johnson, Smith Comment On Barkley's Leave Of Absence
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Johnson (l), Smith Remain Supportive Of
Barkley During His Leave Of Absence From TNT |
TNT’s NBA studio crew addressed the absence of Charles Barkley, who took a leave of absence from the net after being arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, prior to the start of Thursday night’s Cavaliers-Bulls game. TNT’s Ernie Johnson said, “You all have heard what went on, and Charles has some personal issues and some legal issues he’s got to take care of. … There are times that you’d like to rear back and give him a kick in the butt, which is one of those times right now, but also we support him every step of the way here. … At some point we will have Charles back here, until that, we just wish him the best.” TNT’s Kenny Smith: “I don’t know if the biblical term is correct but there’s a chaotic moment, or a chaos moment, when either you believe or you don’t believe because something happened in your life. I think Charles is at one of those moments. How is he going to be remembered? As someone for the ancillary things or the substance of who he really is? … When you go through these cycles, you can be remembered for something else. But he’s bigger than that, he’s bigger than this, and it’s a time now for him to get to this moment and grow and move on and be something better” (“TNT NBA Tip-Off,” TNT, 1/15).
KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE: In Cleveland, Bill Livingston wrote of the media response to Barkley's arrest, "There is no intent to excuse driving while intoxicated, a serious and dangerous offense. If guilty, Barkley should pay the same penalty as anyone else. It seems hypocritical, however, to rip his lack of inhibitions ... after celebrating them as indicators of his honesty" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 1/15). SI.com's Frank Deford wrote, "Yes, Charles Barkley is a very naughty boy, and sometimes, yes, he ought to have his mouth washed out with soap." Barkley’s leave of absence is fair, as DUI “is dangerous business, and he deserves to be punished.” Deford: “But, for goodness sake, have we reached a point where we take sports so seriously that chubby, chattering old ex-ballplayers are treated to the standard of preachers and presidents?" (SI.com, 1/14).
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