“DO I HAVE A GAMBLING PROBLEM? YEAH, I DO HAVE A GAMBLING PROBLEM, BUT I CAN AFFORD TO GAMBLE. IT’S JUST A STUPID HABIT THAT I’VE GOT TO GET UNDER CONTROL, BECAUSE IT’S JUST NOT A GOOD THING TO BE BROKE AFTER ALL OF THESE YEARS.”

-Charles Barkley 

 

When I heard Charles Barkley make the above statement, the only thing I could think of was former Washington DC Mayor Marion Barry: "I never did drugs, I don’t know anybody who does drugs" and a week later he’s caught on video camera doing drugs.

 

As sure as one comes before two, a Charles Barkley gambling story broke last month.

 

Reports surfaced that NBA legend SIR Charles Barkley is having trouble repaying a gambling debt of four hundred large to the Wynn Las Vegas Casino. After the news broke, Barkley used his position as a TV analyst with TNT to admit during a playoff game that the debt was his. He also said that he has the money to repay the debt; he just simply forgot. Because of Charles’s out spoken image, I wouldn’t have expected anything less than this quick response. However, I’m not buying his excuse.   
 

Barkley is known to be a high roller when it comes to casinos (or just gambling period). He has even admitted to losing around 10 million from gambling. If you have ever gambled before, you know that your winnings are always inflated and the losses are downplayed. The way I see it, if he is willing to admit 10 million, then its probably closer to 30.
 

I also have a problem with Barkley’s lame excuse that he has the money but he just forgot to pay the loan back. YEAH RIGHT, how do you forget that you owe somebody 400,000 dollars?

 

I know Charles is supposedly rich and money’s not a thang, but we're talking about $400,000. That’s not peanuts.  You telling me that eight months went by and he never thought about that money? I’m not saying Barkley doesn’t have 400 grand, but having it and having it to give is two different things... He would have been better off blaming it on his accountant. There have been times when I lost money and even if it was only a grand or two, I never forgot I owed that money (whether I had it or not). ” SO, YOU AINT GOT TO LIE CRAIG!”
 

Seriously, gambling is a dangerous habit to have, especially if you lack the funds to pay. I hope Barkley gets his act together because he really is a good guy and I don’t want to see him checking my receipt at WAL-MART.  AND I HOPE THE WYNN IS THE ONLY CASINO HE OWES MONEY TOO.