On Monday, Charles Barkley had a strong stance on people blasting the Saudi-backed LIV Golf, calling their outrage of players and analysts joining ‘fake.’
“All this noise I hear about sportswashing and blood money — I think these people are so disingenuous with their fake outrage. Everybody in sports has taken blood money.”
Days later, he changed his tune just a bit.
The Basketball Hall of Famer and TNT broadcaster is flirting with making a move to the controversial golf league, but he wanted to acknowledge the 9/11 families protesting LIV Golf for it being a Saudi-backed golf league.
“Barkley said the 9/11 families that are protesting LIV Golf deserve to be heard but added he thinks LIV Golf is unfairly taking grief compared to companies such as Berkshire Hathaway and BofA that have also taken Saudi money,” tweeted Eric Fisher.
Barkley named his price to join the league as a broadcaster while acknowledging that it could mark the end of his TNT career. He then gave the tour an ultimatum.
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“If they offer me something crazy, I’m gonna take it too,” Barkley told Dan Patrick.
“Considering how much I make now, it would take a really huge number for me to give up my life right now,” Barkley continued. “I’m not gonna give up my life for … I don’t like to talk about how much money I make.”
“If they triple it, next time I’m on your show, the first question better be ‘Charles, where we celebrating at tonight?’ That should be your first question if they triple what I’m making now.”
Barkley then told Patrick that he needs to have an offer soon, or discussions are over.
“I’m gonna give him a deadline,” Barkley said of LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman. “The deadline’s gonna be Thursday. … I’m not gonna keep TNT in limbo, to be honest with you. I don’t think it’s fair to them. …
“They’ve gotten plenty of play out of me coming to play up there Thursday. I’m not just gonna be no show pony. I got y’all pub for a week. Don’t be wasting my time. I’m not gonna waste ya’ll time. But when I leave New Jersey Thursday night, if I don’t have an offer in hand, it’s over.”
