Charles Barkley Blasts 'Punk-A**' Critics of Patriots' Belichick
Charles Barkley considers himself a friend and a fan of Bill Belichick, and the basketball (and broadcasting) legend is speaking out in defense of the New England Patriots coach.
"I love Belichick. I consider him a good friend," Barkley said while appearing on The Bill Simmons Podcast. "I’m so disgusted with some of these punk-a** guys on television talking about Bill being on the hot seat and things like that. It shouldn’t even be close to the hot seat."
Barkley's personal relationship with the legendary coach is immaterial to us. But the TNT star is certainly correct when it comes to the volume of Belichick critics who think, as the coach enters his 24th season with the Pats, that his job is in jeopardy if New England falls short of owner Robert Kraft's expectations in 2023.
And, it should be noted, those critics are correct in noting that Kraft has put voice to those expectations, recently saying, “I still believe in Bill. I think Bill is exceptional at what he does and I’ve given him the freedom to make the choices and do the things that need to be done. His football intellect and knowledge is unparalleled from what I’ve seen. Just when you talk to him, the small things analytically he looks at.
“But, in the end, this is a business. You either execute and win or you don’t. That’s where we’re at.”
There are certainly signs of some conflict between the owner and the coach ... though it is debatable whether such friction is a) anything unusual in the NFL and b) so problematic that it could lead to a divorce between the two powerbrokers.
In the post-Tom Brady era - the time period that has Belichick detractors coming out of the woodwork - the Patriots are 25-25.
Belichick, 71, is the NFL's longest-tenured head coach, a three-time Coach of the Year, and the architect of a dynasty that has seen his Patriots win six Super Bowls. He is 30 wins behind Don Shula in the category of all-time victories.
To Barkley, all of that should earn Belichick some leeway as he preps his Patriots to open the season at home against the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday.
"They got to stop treating my guy Belichick bad,'' Barkley said.
