You'd Never Expect Charles Barkley to Make an Isiah-Suicide Joke, Would You?

Via The Sporting Blog, Newsday's Neil Best has a notable spit of the TNT conference call held Monday in which Charles Barkley (surprise surprise) popped off on a topic most avoid.

In discussing ways in which the Knicks should be improved this season, Barkley said, "I think they have a better coach. This coach probably won't try to kill himself."

Oof. While some would argue Barkley is underrating the depression-inducing power of this roster, I'll instead train my guns on anyone trying to convince Barkley to make that gubernatorial play in 2014, the one Brinson discussed earlier today. There's a line between straight talk and oral diarrhea. Barkley hasn't been on the safe side of that line in decades. A mouth like his is unelectable, even in a state that adores him.

Still ... basketball is so refreshing. Only in the NBA would a former player/top analyst be the first cat to make a prominent suicide joke after Isiah Thomas' ambulance ride last week. It's like having a blogger in charge of times. </self-slander>

Charles Barkleys Most Memorable Moments

Charles Barkley said even he crossed the line when he said new Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni "won't try to kill himself," refering to former coach Isiah Thomas' alleged overdose. Check out some of the former NBA star and current TNT analyst's most memorable incidents.

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Barkley told CNN in October he plans to run for Governor of Alabama in 2014. Asked if he was serious, Barkley responded, "I am, I can't screw up Alabama."

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Barkley recently decided to pay 28-year-old busboy Christian Abate's tuition so he could finish college. "He's a nice kid," Barkley said. "He was working with kids, I loved that he wanted to be a teacher, and I wanted to help him."

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

On the court, Barkley was frequently fined for fights with other players. In 1990, Barkley and Bill Laimbeer were each fined $20,000 (a record amount for the NBA at the time) for a fracas during a playoff game.

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While Barkley was beloved by fans, he gained fame for his anti-role model stance. "A million guys can dunk a basketball in jail; should they be role models?" Barkley said in 1993, which launched his famous "I am not a role model" Nike ad campaign.

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As a player, the fiery Barkley had a few run-ins with the law. He was once arrested for breaking a man's nose during a fight after a game with the Bucks, and he once famously threw a man through a plate-glass window after being hit with a glass of ice at a bar.

Orange County Sheriff's Office / AP

After retiring as a player, Barkley joined TNT's "Inside the NBA," where he has become the "butt" of many a joke. Literally. In one skit, Barkley was forced to kiss a donkey's posterior after losing a bet with Kenny Smith.

YouTube

During the 2007 All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas, Barkley famously took part in a foot race against 67-year-old referee Dick Bavetta. Barkley won the race, while Bavetta dove at the finish line and wound up bloodying his knee.

Nathaniel S. Butler, NBAE/Getty Images

Politics? Why not? In February 2008, Barkley announced he would run for Governor of Alabama in 2014. "I don't like the way the Republicans are taking this country. Every time I hear the word 'conservative,' it makes me sick to my stomach," he explained.

Nathaniel S. Butler, NBAE via Getty Images

Barkley recently made headlines after a Las Vegas district attorney said he could face criminal charges if he didn't repay a $400,000 debt owed to the Wynn casino. Sir Charles has since repaid the debt and stated he will quit gambling in the future.

Ethan Miller, Getty Images