So sick of Charles...

[Guest War Eagle 29]

Charles has no credibility. He is nothing more than a clown and an entertainer. He could have been a wonderful ambassador for Auburn, like Bo Jackson for instance, but he chose the low road of race pimping. Too bad for Charles.

[stealthyfan 124]

I enjoy Barkley. He's comic relief with some very good ideas at times, and then some incredibly bad ideas as well. We all know someone who can be as weird as Barkley, it just that his stage is larger than that friend of yours.  But he's not here to impress anyone - he did that on the floor.

Here's a pot stirrer. Would I vote for him to be governor - why not? From the past governors in office, it doesn't require much talent, few morals, and no progressive ideas or anything considered even forward thinking to be the chief executive of the state. Barkley would be no worse and could be much better not having any PAC loyalty. A similar experiment in Minnesota wasn't that bad.

His statements are well made and shows he supports Auburn improving in basketball. All the best candidates are black. I like Smith and Mitchell - but whoever gets the ticket will be a winner.

[tbone4jc 2,241]

I would have to agree somewhat with Charles?

I lived in Alabama for 17 years, I lived in Ohio for 19, and there is a BIG difference in the way people feel about different races in the south and I have seen firsthand how the" good ole boy" system works. Now mind you it has gotten a lot better, but there is still along way to go. Now I am by no means defending Charles controversial opinions and his choice of words are in question, but to deny the existence the race of a candidate does or doesn't  apply is being naive. Personally, I don't care if our next B'Ball coach is White, Black. Asian, Latino etc.. as long as he wins at Auburn. I am not trying to cause any problems here guy's but I am just commenting on the article. War Eagle

[TheMayorOfChillville 31]

Mayor, if I may, in Sir Charles' defense... he said he liked Coach Chizik and he wished him well! I think he just meant that at the time of the coaching search, Turner Gill was the hotter name, and A LOT of people (including Chuck and myself) were hoping we would hire him! Now am I glad we didn't and do I think Charles feels the same way? Yes!!! And that's why JJ is the AD and not me or CB!

Now to your second beef with what he said about "white guys" getting hired all the time... well, I think he's got a point here, too! He just didn't articulate it very well (he does this quite often). I work in a major corporation (in the South), and I can tell you right now that racism still exists when it comes to hiring! Also, a lot of the time it's about hiring the guys you're most comfortable with... the guy most like yourself (for the one's doing the hiring). I know dang well that a lot of the "good ole' boy" big-money guys around here would MUCH rather have a white coach who could win, than a minority one! I know that sounds horrible, but it is the way it is! Charles is right... most AD's and Presidents of Universities (I'm sure especially in the South) are white, and like I said... in certain situations, b/c of pressure from boosters and being more comfortable with someone like themselves, these AD's and coaches will hire the white coach!

Now to the Shula situation... who didn't think at the time that the turds were stupid to hire him over Croom? When Croom was OBVIOUSLY the better candidate! And as to what Charles said, he was directing it toward Alabama, first of all, and NOT AU, but what was wrong with what he said? He said that there are a lot of rednecks in the South! Uh... last time I checked, HE'S RIGHT!! Did he say that EVERYONE in the South are rednecks? NO! I think all he's saying is, as I said before, that there are STILL a lot of racist people in the South, with redneck mentalities, making decisions about who gets hired and who doesn't! And to that extent... he's right! Like I said before, he just not very good at getting his point across some of the time... okay MOST of the time!

P.s. The best thing Chuck said (other than his multiple shots at the turds) was this... "I don't care who Auburn hires. I just want them to hire a good coach." I think we ALL can at least agree with Sir Charles on that statement!

I respect your opinion and agree with what you're saying in the business world. I used to work for AIG and was a hiring manager, so I know full well what you're talking about. I do think it has changed a lot over the last 10 years especially, in the better direction of people being more color blind. In college  coaching though, I know it's changed for the better in the last 10 years...And when you are the hiring person in a multi-multi-multi-million dollar hire like Jacobs or any other AD, if you're not color blind you're an idiot. These hires affect so much more monies than just their salaries, which are enormous. The trickle effect is uncalcuable. So, for a white AD let's say to not hire a black guy who is the best man for the job because he's more comfortable with a white guy because he's white....in this day and age, is just unfathomable. These AD's know how much is on the line and in my opinion for the most part, they are going to hire the best candidate. I just think there is a lot less racism in these hires than is being and has been alledged by Sir Charles. That's what has my drawers in a bunch.  War Eagle!

[Weegle777 78]

I have been following this thread awhile and I have to say that I have been, and always will be a Barkley fan. I followed his basketball career and pulled for whatever team he played for. I was a little too young when he was at Auburn but always loved to watch him play. That being said, if anybody really thinks that he can affect anything Auburn does, don't. Everybody knows that he is just entertainment and not too many people take anything he says seriously. Chuck is a soundbite and everybody including him knows it. I love Charles, but don't worry about what he says. People usually forget about what he says 10 minutes after he says it. War Eagle Charles!

[AUBuilderman 0]

I have lived in Alabama all my life up until this past year in which I have lived in Pennsylvania.  Let me say this, the south definately does not have the corner market on rednecks or racism.  I will also say that over the past 20 or so years, I have seen more racism against white males than almost any other race, except maybe muslims (I know muslim is a religion and not a race).  I beleive that Charles is more of a racist than anybody at Auburn that had or will have any input on who will be coaching at AU for either the Chizik hire or the one upcoming.  Just the way I see it.