Charles Barkley playing poker: what could go wrong?
Posted on June 20th, 2008 – 11:29 AMBy Michael Rand
Two-three offsuit? Chuck’s going all in! Sure, it’s for charity. Sure, that charity is a very good cause. But still, after losing more money than most of us make in many years and pledging not to hit the tables for a “year or two,” maybe diving back into poker a month later isn’t the best idea. But that’s just us. We’re not Charles Barkley. From the AP:
Charles Barkley is headed back to the tables in Las Vegas to play in a poker tournament about a month after pledging not to gamble. He says it’s all for charity. The former NBA star is scheduled to play in a celebrity poker tournament at the 2008 World Series of Poker on July 2.
The “Ante Up for Africa” event is designed to raise money and awareness for the crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan. More than 300,000 people have died and 2.5 million have been displaced since ethnic warfare began in 2003, according to the U.S. presidential envoy to Sudan.
Players in the poker tournament put up $5,000 to play, and are asked to donate at least half their winnings. The event raised more than $500,000 last year and finished with the top two players agreeing to pool their winnings and donate the full $350,000 to the cause. Of the field of 167, 18 players won money.
Barkley, now an NBA analyst for Tuner Network Television, has pledged to donate all of his winnings to one of the two designated charities if he wins next month, said Sal Petruzzi, a TNT spokesman.
Barkley said on the air during the NBA playoffs he wasn’t going to gamble for “the next year or two” after he was sued by a Las Vegas Strip casino in May for failing to pay $400,000 in gambling markers, or loans.
The 45-year-old Barkley repaid his debt to the Wynn Las Vegas casino along with a $40,000 district attorney’s fee.
“For right now, the next year or two, I’m not going to gamble,” Barkley said afterward. “Just because I can afford to lose money doesn’t mean I should do it.”
Hmmm. Sounds a little like someone who had 11 vodka cranberries Saturday night, swore off the stuff Sunday and was very thirsty again by Friday. Then again, what do we know. We’ve never had enough money to make serious gambling losses inconsequential. We’re pretty sure it would not end well.
3 Responses to "Charles Barkley playing poker: what could go wrong?"
I don’t know jack squat about addiction (except for you, Liquid Paper, with your tantalizing odor, ohmigod just one sniff is all I–HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUFF–oh, yeah, I mean, wow…god, I’m so weak, so weak, WHO’S GOING TO LOVE YOU NOW, WHORE?), but I have to imagine this is comparable to the “one glass of wine with dinner” or “only smoke when I’m at the bar” reasoning. Granted, it’s the most altruistic possible way to reason yourself back to a bad habit, but couldn’t he just cut them a check?
As long as John Daly is still throwing money around Chuck won’t be the biggest loser in Vegas.
Charles Barkley: The Sidney Ponson of gambling?
