I know it is the Chuckster, but he seemed particularly obtuse during last night's broadcast.

He started out by saying that Horry's back screen was definitely a dirty play, and that there was no way that he would be setting that screen for any other reason than to hurt West.  Kenny pointed out that Manu could have easily driven in for a layup instead of passing, which would have made the screen serve a purpose.  C-Webb argued back that he had played against Horry many times and that he knew he wasn't dirty.  Charles persisted though, failing to see reason.  Though idiotic, his stance was understandable enough.  Being that Chuck is a "war eagle" chanting  Auburn Tiger, and Horry is a member of the Alabama Crimson Tide, I figured that his irrational stance could just be chalked up to that intense hatred that is reserved for an in-state collegiate rival.

The lunacy continued in a half-time segment where Ernie Johnson gave Barkley a softball interview about his much publicized financial and legal problems associated with gambling.  In this interview Barkley vowed to never gamble again.  Then he said that he wouldn't gamble for at least the next year or two, and that he wasn't sure he was giving it up for life.  Finally, he closed be saying that he would never gamble again.  Huh?  Why even make a public announcement that you are giving up gambling, when you sneak in the fact that it will just be for a year or two.  He really sounded like a junkie talking about that sweet black tar.  He's in total control.  Sure he is.

Finally, and this was the whopper, he said that he thought that the current Laker team was more talented than any other Kobe Laker team.  Wow!  OK, did he forget about Shaquille O'Neal in his hey day?  Shaq was an unstoppable force of nature back then.  O'Neal was the 2000 MVP and has 3 finals MVPs to his credit.  Everbody in the western conference was trying to gear their teams to slow him down.  7 footers who weighed over 260, made millions more just because GMs hoped that that they had a guy who might be able to stand in front of Shaq.  Gasol is good but Shaq in his prime is worth five Gasols. 

Fisher was on the old teams as well, so there is not much point in comparing him (though he is now somewhat over the hill at 33). 

Looking at the rest of the role players, I find it hard to see how: Odom, Walton, Radmanovic, Vujacic, Farmar, and Turiaf; are a much better crew than: Ron Harper, Rick Fox, Eddie Jones, Devean George, Glen Rice, Elden Campbell, and Nick Van Exel.  Of course not all of those guys were there for the same years, and there were other role players who ranged from mediocre to horrible (Medvedenko anyone?), but the point is there is no way that the role players today are so superior to previous ones (if they even are superior) that they could make up for the difference in talent and game impact between Shaq in his prime and Gasol in his prime.  No way.  It is just idiotic to claim otherwise, and it makes me question Barkley's mental state.