Charles Barkley: 'Twenty Percent' Of NBA Fans Need To Be Shot

It's no secret that Charles Barkley loves to speak his mind. Whether he's talking about his hatred for Skip Bayless or his deal with Weight Watchers, whenever Sir Charles has the mic it's hard not to pay attention.

That was certainly the case on Wednesday when the NBA Hall of Famer went on Jim Rome's radio show and talked about his problem with some NBA fans.

"Fans man. They love their team and their player. They don't want to hear any criticisms," he said before going down a much more morbid road. "They just want you to be 100 percent for their team period. I think it's only a small faction. I think 80 percent are great. Twenty percent, I wish you could take them out back and just shoot them."

Rome then gave him an opportunity to downplay it, but Barkley was persistent.

"No, I meant that Jim. Eighty percent of the fans are fantastic. But 20 percent of them are so mean-spirited and say the most nasty things to you, because they know you can't grab them," said Barkley.

Fans of the Miami Heat, of course, already know that he's Barkley doesn't like them. At this point most NBA fans understand that a not insignificant portion of Barkley's outbursts need to be taken with several grains of salt. But has he gone too far in this rant?

WATCH: Outrageous Barkley Moments

• Trying Out A Shake Weight

• Calling Himself A Dumbass

• Calling His Producer A P***y

• Chris Webber Throws His Shoes At Sir Charles

• Giving Pregnancy Advice

• Trying To Beat David Blaine's Record

• Making It Rain For Salvation Army

• Mocking A Halftime Show

• Can't Pronounce Stefanski

• Getting Emotional

• Charles Freaks Out

• Wearing Whiteface

Comments

[ProfessorBIGWUN]

06:59 AM on 03/05/2012

Yeah. They needs to be...

[MMSpooner]

04:11 PM on 03/03/2012

Does this make Charles in the 20% then?

[barbiegonebad]

04:26 AM on 03/03/2012

Charles Barkley, "still crazy after all these years" -- with apologies to Paul Simon.

[I AM THAT]

09:05 PM on 03/02/2012

This pretender who never won a ring did not make a violent remark. He made an idiotic remark advocating violence.

[jubo]

11:25 AM on 03/02/2012

Charles, again, is right. I'll go further. Sport fans shouldn't breed.

[carmillivanilli]

08:32 AM on 03/02/2012

I love Chuck and the color he brings to his commentary. He's a smack talker - that's what he does, and I find it enjoyable.

[DaniFoxy]

08:26 AM on 03/02/2012

Ironically, 80% of NBA PLAYERS need to be shot. The rest need a dose of reality working some sh*tty fast food job.

[jubo]

11:25 AM on 03/02/2012

Strrrrrraight from the plantation....

[glenn brian]

08:15 AM on 03/02/2012

You all do know that what he said is just an expression, right? You do know he doesn't really want to, or wouldn't do that right, right? Its called hyperbole...get over it. Some people are overly hypersensitive! I was giving a talk once about churches, and said, "You can't swing a cat in this town without hitting a Baptist church," an old southern expression I heard from my grandmother. Someone (actually two someones) came up to me afterwards and asked why I would swing a cat, and let me know how offended they were. Not everything is meant to be taken seriously (said in my best Charles Barkley impression)

[Whoozthaboss]

07:09 AM on 03/02/2012

This can't be news.... Are Americans THAT sensitive?

[Chpach67]

07:05 AM on 03/02/2012

I think it's somewhat of a stretch to say it's a "violent threat". I don't blame him for his comments, some fans are way overboard. Does everything have to be exaggerated and sensationalized in the news?

[LLNYRN]

06:33 AM on 03/02/2012

Why is this a BIG DEAL???

Most of us say someone "should be shot" everyday.
That saying has been a figure of speech for how many decades???
That doesn't mean we're actually going to do it.

This is just beyond stupid here.

And who's going to mess with Sir Charles anyway?

[biskitdaddy]

04:04 PM on 03/02/2012

Mess with Sir Charles and get thrown through a window.

[Fredday]

05:28 AM on 03/02/2012

Sadly, he's right.

[Mark Redd]

04:52 AM on 03/02/2012

This from the man who while playing in the 92' Olympics elbowed an opponent from one of the African teams saying, "I was afraid he would pull a spear out on me". This tame by Charles's standards. : )

[BraveYusuf]

05:56 AM on 03/02/2012

lool as an African, that made me laugh.

Charles will say anything.

[Lechiffre]

07:15 AM on 03/02/2012

I actually remember this from way back then. I am totally suprised I am not the only one.

Yes charles has always been a coconut.Bet he'll be offended if he was being offered a watermelon and fried chicken at a state banquet.

[GlennFromMason]

12:36 PM on 03/02/2012

why would he be offended? What? White people dont eat those foods? Sounds to me like you are trying to express your inner Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh.

[Crisdean Wulver]

04:42 AM on 03/02/2012

Open mouth. Insert foot.

[Okeydoke]

04:39 AM on 03/02/2012

Hearing him speak, he actually sounds like he has a foot in his mouth.