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Charles Barkley is many issues: A Basketball Corridor of Famer, a former NBA MVP, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and, as he reminded everybody on TNT on Wednesday night time, a large hockey fan.
Barkley has talked about his fandom for the game earlier than quite a few instances, which he says started within the 80s.
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As such, he was referred to as upon to assist christen TNT’s new hockey protection — and shortly had some enjoyable at Hockey Corridor of Famer and new studio analyst Wayne Gretzky’s expense. The duo talked about Barkley’s hockey fandom, as Chuck gave the staff a hearty welcome to the community.
When the dialog turned to physicality and combating of their respective sports activities, Barkley shortly modified tunes to take some good-natured photographs at Gretzky: “The Nice One” bought into solely two fights in his illustrious NHL profession, each of which had been over 30 years in the past. It wasn’t Gretzky’s combating capacity, or lack thereof, that Barkley poked enjoyable at. It wasn’t even essentially that Gretzky misplaced.
It was to whom he misplaced, and his hair type:
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Gretzky misplaced mentioned combat to Neal Broten in a 1982 recreation between Gretzky’s Oilers and Broten’s North Stars (then primarily based in Minnesota and now Dallas’ staff). Barkley was fast to level out Broten’s perm which, it being the ’80s, wasn’t an entirely unsurprising look. Gretzky was an excellent sport about it, acknowledging the humor of the scenario and even including some background info: He had simply been honored as Sports activities Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Yr earlier that day and, whereas within the penalty field, appeared over and did the very Canadian factor, apologizing to the American Broten.
To not fear although, as Gretzky ultimately bought the final phrase vs. Barkley through the first intermission of Wednesday’s Rangers-Capitals recreation on TNT.
It was teased through the pregame festivities, however as soon as the primary intermission hit, Barkley bought in web and needed to cease 5 photographs from Gretzky. He opted to not use any pads, and took an unconventional method that in the end paid off for Gretzky:
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The published was TNT’s first, and the tandem of Barkley and Gretzky bought rave evaluations. Given Barkley’s hockey fandom and the actual fact he is an integral a part of the community’s protection of the NBA, do not be shocked to see Barkley again within the NHL studios earlier than lengthy.
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