Going back to the last two Mayors, I’ve asked them for the last ten years or more, I would like to invest $20 million in Birmingham and both of them said to me, “Let’s do it,” and my phone never rings…and my people live here. “I have been very frustrated with the City of Birmingham. Obviously I think we’ve been struggling.” The only thing they know about Alabama is Birmingham. They don’t talk about Montgomery, they don’t talk about Mobile. “The first thing when I tell people I’m from Alabama, Birmingham’s the first place they mention. It’s been embarrassing.”īarkley likes Mayor William Bell, but is upset with his predecessors. “Birmingham has such an historical reputation and to see what has happened here the past twenty years just makes me angry. “I am frustrated with Birmingham.” Barkley kept saying it over and over again. So what does Charles Barkley think about Birmingham? He did talk about those things, but he mostly wanted to talk about Leeds and Birmingham where he grew up. ![]() There was a huge crowd at Rotary to hear Barkley speak about the NBA, professional sports, Auburn and his career. Since retiring as a player, Barkley has had a successful career as a television NBA analyst with Turner Network Television. He was a competitor in the 19 Olympic Games and won two gold medals as a member of the United States’ Dream Team. In 1993, he was voted the league’s Most Valuable Player and during the NBA’s 50th anniversary, named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. He was selected to the All-NBA First Team five times earned eleven NBA All-Star Game appearances and was named the All-Star MVP in 1991. He said “his life sucked”-but he didn’t realize it at the time.īarkley played collegiate basketball at Auburn before being drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers. He was raised by his mother who was a maid and his grandmother who worked in a meat factory. Very few Birmingham natives have been as successful as Charles Barkley and few have maintained their success for so long.īarkley grew up in the projects in Leeds, Alabama with his two brothers. ![]() In the meantime I thought it was important for everyone to hear what he had to say…and he did have a lot to say–particularly about Birmingham. I invited him to be a guest blogger on ComebackTown, but have had no luck so far. So why did I wait so long to write about his talk? Charles Barkley spoke to the Rotary Club of Birmingham in August.
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