NBA legends Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley had been estranged for years. But they have an unlikely friend to thank for helping them bury the hatchet – former MLB All-Star Vince Coleman.
Barkley and Jordan were great friends during their playing days. However, the pair had a falling out in 2012 after comments the TNT analyst made on a radio appearance in Chicago in 2012 criticizing Jordan’s ownership of the Charlotte Bobcats. It turns out MJ is a much more successful NASCAR executive than he was in the NBA.
Sir Charles had expressed pessimism that the relationship could ever be repaired. However, last week he shocked the sports world by saying that he and Jordan were on speaking terms once again after more than a decade of silence. They even have plans to play golf after the basketball season is over.
And in an appearance on ESPN 1000 in Chicago with Waddle & Silvy, he shocked the sports world yet again by sharing who it was that was instrumental in getting the two titans of basketball back together – Vince Coleman.
Yes, that would be the former St. Louis Cardinals All-Star and legendary baserunner who played 13 seasons in the majors.
“I was just chilling at the house last week and one of my good friends is Vince Coleman, the great baseball player. When we answer the phone, we say some unkind words to each other. He says, ‘Yo, I’m down here at The Grove. I’m sick of you and MJ’s BS. He’s right here. Y’all need to talk.’ And we had a conversation, but Vince Coleman’s the person who’s responsible. We talked for a couple minutes. He said, ‘Man, let’s get together and play golf.’ And as soon as I get a break, we’re gonna fly down there and spend a couple days playing golf,” Barkley said.
The Grove is MJ’s personal, private golf course in Florida. I don’t know the exact number of people on planet earth that have their own private golf course, but Michael Jordan is probably one of very few.
As for what’s going to happen when Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan reunite, it’s something that Barkley is looking forward to because he says there was never any hatred or animosity between the pair, they were just each too stubborn to initiate a conversation with the other for all those years.
“I think we’ll be fine. I tell people it’s not like we’re Prince Harry and Prince William, who hate each other. Honestly, I think we both missed each other because we’ve had this conversation with other friends. And we’re both too stubborn to pick up the phone, to be honest with you. But I think both parties missed each other a great deal,” Barkley stated.
“Listen, man, I’m not one of those guys. I ain’t trying to prove no point, or I ain’t got no animosity, one thing we both said: I got a lot of love for you, and you got a lot of love for me. Like Vince said, ‘This thing has been silly and stupid, but both of y’all are too damn stubborn to pick up the phone, and y’all need to get y’all asses together and play golf and bury this thing.’”
It’s a great thing that Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley can reconcile and continue their friendship. But sometimes you just need someone who can talk some sense into you and make you stop acting like an idiot and reach out to your friend to set things right. Maybe we all need a Vince Coleman in our lives.
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