'I'd do anything to help Auburn' - Bruce, Barkley & Basketball Golf Classic

95214019521401

Oct. 24, 2016

By Jeff Shearer
AuburnTigers.com

OPELIKA, Ala. - The only thing missing from the inaugural Bruce, Barkley and Basketball Golf Classic presented by YellaWood was the iconic swing of the tournament's special guest.

Recovering from his second hip replacement surgery, Charles Barkley says he's about a month away from resuming his favorite pastime, with a golf swing so unique it was used for the event's logo.

"Most people know that I'd do anything to help Auburn," Barkley said Monday at Grand National, after taking pictures with the 30 teams that each paid $7,500 to benefit Auburn's men's basketball program through Tigers Unlimited.

Charles Barkley's iconic golf swing inspired the event's logo." style="width:100%; height:auto;" class="imported_image" legacy-link="http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/aub/sports/m-baskbl/auto_a_storywide/12193417.jpeg"> Charles Barkley's iconic golf swing inspired the event's logo.

"It doesn't happen without Charles agreeing to come back and help us celebrate Auburn basketball," coach Bruce Pearl said. "Celebrate the past. Celebrate the future."

The celebration began Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium, when Bo Jackson announced on the video board that a statue honoring Barkley will soon reside outside Auburn Arena.

"It's just another example of how amazing my life has been," Barkley said. "Being a kid from Alabama who goes to Auburn and has had an amazing life. I don't think there's pretty much anything that can beat that. To have success in life and to be honored by Auburn is just cool."

Barkley made one request regarding his statue.

"I just hope it's skinny," he joked. "Don't make it life-size. I hope they use a skinny picture."

Barkley used an illustration from his playing days that he says applies to Auburn's program.

"I have great faith in Coach Pearl," he said. "And everything I thought would happen is happening. If you remember, when I came to Auburn, we weren't good. It's a process. You have to learn how to win. You have to get good players. My third year is when it kicked in for us. He's got more good players than we had.

"They've got a much better attitude. Because when you lose, it has a psychological effect on your team. When I got here, the first time we lost, I started crying. My teammates said, `Dude, are you alright?' I said, `Yeah, we lost.' They said, `Are you going to cry every time we lose?' I said, `Dude, I lost like two games in high school. Every time we lost, of course I cried.' I remember the conversation. They said, `We're used to losing around here.' And I said, `That's going to change. We're going to the NCAA Tournament before I leave here.' And they looked at me like I was crazy."

In 1984, his final season at Auburn, Barkley delivered on his promise.

"One of the greatest accomplishments of my life was getting Auburn to the NCAA Tournament," he said. "When I got here, it was not good. When you take a team that's never been to the tournament to the tournament it's pretty special."

Bruce Pearl will soon begin his third season as Auburn's basketball coach." style="width:100%; height:auto;" class="imported_image" legacy-link="http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/aub/sports/m-baskbl/auto_a_storywide/12193397.jpeg"> Bruce Pearl will soon begin his third season as Auburn's basketball coach.

John Mengelt, who holds Auburn's single-season scoring average record of 28.3 in 1970-71, also believes Pearl has the Tigers on the verge of something special.

"He's made basketball relevant at Auburn," said Mengelt, who scored an Auburn record 60 points against Alabama in 1970. "He's done a wonderful job recruiting. The talent out there is much better. Next year's crew is also really good. I think people have to be a little patient. They're young. Freshmen and sophomores are going to do a lot of the playing. We're selling out games. It's just wonderful to be there during a basketball game now."

Auburn last went to the Big Dance in 2003.

"I do the same thing Charles Barkley does," Pearl said. "I've always been honest with our fans and I've always taken the accountability. I'm in a tough spot. I'm in my third year. We're supposed to get things going in my third year a little bit more. I thought we'd win more quickly. I'm not trying to lower expectations, because I have higher expectations than anybody does, but I also understand the reality.

"Our biggest issue is we're young. I've never, ever coached a team as a head coach or as an assistant that is as young as this team," Pearl said. "We're picked 11th for a reason. In my locker room, I'm using that as motivation, but I understand why we're picked 11th. We've had 10 times more visitors from the NBA this fall than we've had in the past, because they recognize the young talent that we have. But at the same time they all tell me, 'You are by far the smallest team I've seen in your league.'"

Mengelt, who played a decade in the NBA, has high hopes.

"We need to make basketball more of a part of Auburn, and Bruce will do the job," he said. "There's no doubt in my mind. He's got great support, and I'm ready to go to an NCAA Final Four. I go every year; I just want us in it."

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @jeff_shearer