'I Wish I Had A Job Next Year' - The Charles Barkley Free Agency Tour Started With The Stanley Cup And Steve Levy Basically Begging Him To Join ESPN

I know there's the story out there that TNT is trying one last bid for the scraps of the NBA. A little late, seems like they are going to get passed on and we're all fucked with no Inside the NBA. That's why we're witnessing the Charles Barkley free agency tour. The dude is the biggest free agent in all of sports! So we start with him popping up at game 2 of Panthers/Oilers. Not surprising, he loves hockey, has been doing stuff with TNT and hockey. Even less shocking is Steve Levy practically begging Charles Barkley to join ESPN: 

I love the idea of 1) Charles Barkley going on college recruiting visits but to different media stations and 2) Steve Levy being told to be the recruit host and make sure you openly beg him to join. I don't want Barkley on ESPN at all. I know they get the majority of the games and everything, but we really want to deal with Barkley and this? 

Actually, now that I think about it, them trying to keep Barkley talking for just 90 seconds during all of halftime might be worth it for the inevitable freakout. Imagine the reaction from Stephen A. or that dork Wilbon when they realize people are only watching for Chuck. Might become a one-man band real soon in there. Or just let him go to Canada and do interviews like last night: 

Love that you can see Barkley realize he probably should apologize. He was standard Chuck last night though, even making the LinkedIn play

All I know is we need Barkley popping up everywhere this summer. Go hop on FS1 and talk some Copa America and Euro. Go do a little US and British Open talk starting this weekend. I want Barkley to embrace this like the No. 1 transfer in college sports. Basically live out He Got Game all over again. Then the perfect ending will truly be him announcing he's hiring Inside the NBA to his own crew and selling the rights.