“Inside the NBA” is back… and – as always – the show is just as much about the funny stuff between the team, as it is analyzing the current night’s game. On a recent episode, Shaq and Sir Charles had quite the “educational” exchange.
We’re still trying to figure out exactly how it started. During the show, featuring host Ernie Johnson and the usual crew of Kenny – the Jet – Smith, Charles Barkley and of course our man Shaq, O’Neal challenged Sir Charles to spell the word “spectacular.”
Why? Don’t know. Like we said, that’s something for the research department here at the ShaqFu Radio blog. No matter how it started, it turned into quite the funny bit. Shaq even went as far as to offer Barkley $10,000 if he could get it right!
How did it work out for Sir Charles? Well, even at a price of (doing a little math) $909 per LETTER, Barkley missed out on making some easy pocket cash. Check out the Twitter video below for the full, action-packed moment. Kenny Smith’s reaction is priceless…
So how did it go? Well, Barkley tried it in his head but that didn’t seem to work. So he began to write it down on paper, right there on live TV. That drew an objection from Smith, who was sitting next to Charles, and watched him struggle to get the correct answer.
BTW… In the end Barkley appeared to get it right, although Smith claimed Barkley had originally written it down incorrectly.
Claiming victory, the Hall of Famer Barkley gave props to his alma mater. “That Auburn education pulled me through, America,” he said.
See the full video.. click here!
Perhaps here’s how it all started: The challenge was issued by Shaq during the regular “Inside the NBA” halftime program of the game between the reigning champion Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns. Looking back at a game earlier in the week, Barkley described the action as – you guess it – “spectacular.” What made Shaq think to challenge his friend’s spelling ability is unclear.
Of course fun like this is nothing new to the TNT crew… especially for Barkley. Last season he made a point to lick his eyeglasses to get them clean… much to the disgust of his colleagues. He’s also threatened to throw his coffee mug at hecklers who tossed stuff at him during appearances at the NBA playoffs.
Never a dull moment with Shaq and the Inside the NBA team…