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AMERICAN CENTURY CELEBRITY GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

July 15, 2005

Charles Barkley

STATELINE, NEVADA

Q. There's probably more than a few people out there that are a little concerned that had that minus 21 line with you at the casinos, with Chris head to head, are you just making it exciting right now and going to pull away the next couple of days?

CHARLES BARKLEY: Well, you know, the casino is trying to make money on us, is really unfortunate and unfair. They should have made the line even. But that's neither here nor there. I just think it's really unfair. We're trying to do something really cool for charity, but for them to make real people use their hard earned cash, that's unfortunate them trying to cash in on that.

Obviously, I don't think I'm going to beat him by 21, because a lot of people have showed me their ticket, which, I don't know what the hell they were thinking, betting on me anyway. So I guess I got no love for their ass anyway.

Q. You usually take some of their money when you leave here, don't you?

CHARLES BARKLEY: Been struggling a little bit the last couple nights. I'm down a little bit. You know, I think the casino is really I'm disappointed in the casino. The casino, I'm disappointed in them, because they lowered all the limits we can bet.

So what they are trying to do is keep us in the casino longer, because we can't win as much. So they lowered all the stakes on the table, and I think that's unfair and unfortunate, because obviously the longer you gamble, the more, the better chance for the house to win.

But the guys who gamble here, they can afford to bet. They just let them play for as much as they want to. They normally let you play $20,000 a hand, $25,000 a hand, but now they have got a $10,000 max for some reason, which I think, obviously, you know, they just trying to keep you there. It's unfortunate. And right now they are beating everybody's brains in because of that. But we gonna get their ass.

Q. Did you realize that your comments would get back to Chris and it would spark him to raise his level of game (laughter)?

CHARLES BARKLEY: Well, you know what, when I said it, I was joking. I'm glad we found a way to do some really good with this whole situation. It's going to be man, it's going to be great. Like I said, I'm a little disappointed the casino put it on the board and tried to make money off hard working people. At least we get to write it off.

But I'm hoping, I'm hoping we have fun. Like I said, it's going to go down to the wire. I think he's a great kid. I think he's a great player, and we're going to have some fun.

Q. How many people showed you betting stubs out there, tickets today? Did that happen quite a bit?

CHARLES BARKLEY: I think I probably seen 15 to 20. And the rest of them probably too embarrassed to say they bet with me or him, so you never know how many people actually bet. (Laughter).

Q. So will you go hit some more balls this afternoon to tune up for tomorrow?

CHARLES BARKLEY: I'm going to get a massage. I'm done for the day. I get a massage, go have me a good meal and then I'm going to gamble, hopefully win some money.

I'm really going to go about a bang some balls, right, on that damn massage table. (Laughter). I'm going to get a massage. What, you think I can work it out if I go out there now? (Laughter). Go out there on the range for another hour or so, that will get it smoothed out.

Q. Will you call Tiger at all while you're playing here and he's playing there?

CHARLES BARKLEY: He's busy. I can't wait.

Q. But you're friends.

CHARLES BARKLEY: I just can't wait. He's my brother, and I was fortunate to get to drink out of the U.S. Open thing and I told him I really would love to drink out of the Claret Jug. I want him to win. And I think it would be really cool to drink out of the Claret Jug.

Q. So you were at dinner the night that Webber finally got hold of you to make the wager?

CHARLES BARKLEY: Yeah, I was doing this deal for Coke in South Carolina, and a weird area code showed up on my phone. And I wasn't going to answer it, and I answered it and it was him. He was just we were both just dying laughing. I said, "Hey, man, it's a great cause, I would love to do it."

Q. Have you thought about who you would choose for some of the money?

CHARLES BARKLEY: Well, you know who I met today that I was really excited to meet, Don Cheadle. I saw Hotel Rwanda, he was also fantastic in Crash, and I told him that I would love to do something, because I know he does some things in Africa. I said, "I would love to do something for you, at some time." He says he's actually going back over there Monday, and I haven't decided what I'm going to do with the money, but I thought it was really cool to meet Don Cheadle. I think that Rwanda is, obviously, should be dear to the world. So I'm going to do (something) for him, but I don't know what I'm going to do.

I haven't thought about it too much. I'm really not overly confident right now. If could go either way. I don't have you know, I was just joking, you know, Tiger got a four shot lead and I got a four shot lead, they are not the same. (Laughter).

Q. If it comes down to the final hole, whose chances do you like? If it comes down to a final putt?

CHARLES BARKLEY: Oh, it's going to come down to the final hole. I'm pretty confident there. It's going to go down to the last day, let me say that. I don't think there's a chance either of us could run away with it. Neither one of us is going to have an insurmountable lead at any point.

Q. You sure about that?

CHARLES BARKLEY: Yeah, I'm pretty positive. I'm pretty positive neither one of us is ever going to have an insurmountable lead.

Q. Bruce Smith almost hit a boat, you've never hit a boat have you?

CHARLES BARKLEY: No, I just hit people. I don't hit boats.

Q. Did Bruce enjoy his round out there with you guys today? He's pretty quiet.

CHARLES BARKLEY: Bruce who? Bruce quiet? Bruce quiet to the press.

Bruce is one of my favorite, probably one of my favorite people. He's always been one of my favorite players, because I was a big Buffalo Bill fan. I thought you guys never gave him enough respect for making it to four straight Super Bowls, because they didn't one of them, you guys never gave them credit to get to go four straight. Teams that have won have never gotten to four straight.

Just for the record, they are not going to be any better if they had won one of those Super Bowls. They still are one of the great accomplishments. I put that right up there with Bobby Cox in Atlanta who has probably not got his credit. Those guys won like 12 straight divisions and you guys say, "Oh, yeah, but they have only won one world championship."

I do, I find some of the stuff that I have to listen to, it's just ridiculous. Making it to four straight Super Bowls. So I've known Bruce a long time, been to a couple of those Super Bowls, got to know him through my affiliation with Carnice Bennett (ph), an Alabama guy and I just think he's a fantastic guy, and arguably the greatest defensive player ever. I mean, it's between him, Lawrence Taylor and Reggie White.

End of FastScripts.

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