Charles Barkley is an NBA legend known to current NBA fans for his antics and predictions as an NBA analyst. Barkley’s colleague, Kenny Smith, recently found himself on the wrong end of a correct prediction by Charles. Barkley predicted a win for the Kansas Jayhawks against the North Carolina Tar Heels.
After a stirring comeback, the Jayhawks won, validating Charles’s prediction. Smith, a former student from North Carolina, was disappointed by the result, and Barkley was on hand to rub it in his face. Barkley’s open celebrations and taunts must have annoyed Smith, who couldn’t bear to see the Chuckster dancing.
Barkley’s professional exploits are well documented, but he rarely discusses his personal life. This piece looks at Charles Barkley’s wife, Maureen Blumhardt.
Maureen and Barkley met in the 1980s and married in 1989.
Charles Barkley and Maureen Blumhardt met in the 1980s at a restaurant called City Avenue in Pennsylvania. Barkley played for the 76ers and Maureen was a paralegal.
Charles Barkley and Maureen Blumhardt at a Planet Hollywood branch, location unspecified, 1994. | Vinnie Zuffante/Michael Ochs Files/Getty Images
The couple reportedly faced backlash for pursuing an interracial relationship. Supposedly, Philadelphia had not accepted interracial relationships, let alone interracial marriages. Despite the controversy, Maureen and Charles married in 1989.
barkley said Sports Illustrated who hated the stereotypes associated with non-white people. He said:
“If you’re black on TV, you’re probably going to be some sort of thug, gangster, or portrayed in a negative light. If you’re some kind of Muslim, you’re going to blow things up. If you’re Hispanic, you’re going to be some kind of gang member. I’ve felt that way for years.”
Interracial marriages are now more common, but the racial climate in the United States remains hostile. Charles told former WWE presenter Renne Paquette that his marriage has lasted for more than three decades, thanks in large part to Maureen. Barkley said:
“Well no. 1, I’ve been away a lot, which always helps. I think the main reason is that she accepts my flaws and all that. She’s non-judgmental, she accepts me for who I am, she’s a great mother.”
Maureen’s secret to a happy marriage is apparently humor. She’s quite the comedian on Twitter, and some of her posts offer a glimpse into her life with Barkley.
“This quarantine!” Maureen tweeted in May 2020. “C told me that if I try to take control of the TV remote again…he will bury me alive. I told him it would be a serious mistake.”
He recently made fun of Charles’ affinity for swearing. through the following tweet:: “I finally found out the reason behind the coin shortage. My husband started a swear jar a year and a half ago, so…”
The couple welcomed their daughter in 1989 and named her after a shopping mall.
Barkley and Maureen welcomed their daughter, Christiana Barkley, in 1989. Charles said the the steam room podcast that the couple got their daughter’s name from a mall in Delaware.
“There’s a Christiana Mall in Delaware that I always used to drive by,” Barkley said. “That’s how she got her name, Christiana. I just liked the mall.” Christiana was born during Barkley’s time with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Christiana and her mother followed a similar higher education path. The couple attended Villanova University and then Columbia School of Journalism to study journalism. Charles has supported the Villanova basketball team since his wife and daughter graduated from school.
In April 2016, Barkley was seen fervently cheering on Villanova following the team’s win over North Carolina. Initially, people thought his celebrations were due to his strained relationship with Michael Jordan, a former student from North Carolina. However, Barkley said USA Today that he was happy for his daughter’s team:
“My daughter lived and died with every game for the last three weeks, so I was really more excited for her, to be honest with you. She has been going to a Villanova bar in New York City every game. She didn’t even want to come to the game because she didn’t want to curse the game.”
Maureen studied journalism but became a model and then a paralegal. Blumhardt currently focuses on philanthropy and women’s empowerment; she is an honorary member of a non-profit organization in Phoenix called ‘Fresh Start Women’s Foundation’.
Christiana is also a member of the Fresh Start Women’s Foundation. “Fresh Start Women’s Foundation provides education, resources, and support for women to positively transform their lives and strengthen our community,” she reads on the organization’s website.
Barkley said his reports linking him to Madonna contributed to Maureen’s mother’s heart attack.
In the early 1990s, Charles Barkley was linked to singer Madonna. The rumors arose after Charles moved to the Phoenix Suns, leaving Maureen and Christiana in Philadelphia.
Charles was linked to Madonna after the couple once met in Phoenix. He ignored the reports until they began to affect the health of his family. Carlos said The Chicago Tribune that bonding stress contributed to Maureen’s mother’s heart attack.
“She [his mother in law] He’s had a lot of stress from the jokes about me and Madonna [dating] and has been harassed with people calling the house,” Barkley said. “She’s not doing well right now and that’s a big concern.”
Barkley urged people to stop harassing his family and allow him to focus on the NBA Finals. He said:
“My wife and my daughter should be left alone. When my wife goes out, they play Madonna songs, they call my in-laws. This is ridiculous, unbelievable. Nothing happened. I’m trying to focus on the finals, but this is intimidating for me and my family.”
The NBA legend reiterated that he and Madonna were not in a relationship. “I only met [Madonna] once when she was in Phoenix,” he said. “We didn’t go out. We’re not in a relationship.”
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn