Charles Barkley Press Conference
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00:00Now people say, why do you live in Philadelphia?
00:03When you come here, you know, it's not easy, Sonny.
00:07This is not an easy city, but it's an amazing city to play in.
00:11Because if you bust your hump, they're going to give you nothing but love.
00:14Now if you don't bust your hump, you're going to think, Charles Barkley, you suck.
00:19You're going to think that's your middle name, my boy Matt.
00:23But I just want to say thank you, Bobby.
00:27Bobby, you, Doc, Moses, Maurice, Andrew, Tony, Clement Johnson, Clint Richardson, World B, Gerald.
00:37There's one person here who's probably the most important person in my basketball life, Moses Malone.
00:43You know, we lived in the same building when I first got to Philadelphia.
00:48And I said, Moses, why am I not getting to play?
00:52And Moses says, you're fat and you're lazy.
00:55I said, I don't understand it.
00:56He said, which part?
00:56The fat or the lazy part?
00:59And this guy, who's one of the best to ever do it, you guys know that.
01:05He said, Charles, you can't play basketball at 300 pounds.
01:11You got to get in shape.
01:12So this guy met with me every day before practice, after practice.
01:18He said, we're going to lose 10 pounds.
01:20I get to 290, lose 10 more, get to 280, 270, 260, 250.
01:26I actually got to 240, but I had no strength or energy.
01:28He got me down to 250 pounds, and the rest is history.
01:32And I will never forget Moses Malone.
01:36You know, when he passed away, it was tough for me.
01:39And one of the most bittersweet things I've ever did in my life when I had to do the eulogy at his funeral.
01:45It was amazing and sad at the same time.
01:50But I just want to say thank you.
01:53Man, it's been a great journey for me.
01:56When you grow up in Leeds, Alabama, and the projects, and all these 56 years later, you're standing in front of, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
02:06and you've had this amazing journey.
02:08All you can really say is thank you.
02:12You know, Billy said some things I think I hope today's players understand.
02:15Man, we are so lucky.
02:17We're so blessed to dribble a stupid basketball for a living.
02:22We are so lucky and blessed.
02:25Always sign autographs.
02:27Always take pictures.
02:30Just try to be cordial.
02:32Because the fans, they're the best thing about this whole dynamic.
02:35But just appreciate how lucky we are to dribble a stupid basketball.
02:41We're not like a teacher, fireman, a policeman, a doctor, or somebody like that.
02:45Somebody got a real job who's out there every single day battling.
02:50So, just feel so lucky and blessed.