Charles Barkley has always worn his Auburn pride on his sleeve — and with good reason. Back in 1984, it was under Chuck’s leadership that the Tigers made their very first NCAA Tournament appearance. They didn’t bring home a national title back then, but Barkley helped lay the foundation. So, this season, when Auburn clawed its way back to the Final Four for the first time since 2019, Chuck was beaming with pride. And when Auburn fell down while almost grasping at its dreams, Chuck did not want to believe it.

His alma mater was on the brink of making history, and this time, it felt like maybe, just maybe, they’d finally break through. But as the game played out, that dream slowly seemed to be diminishing. Despite leading early, Auburn just couldn’t hold off the Florida Gators. Walter Clayton Jr. put on an absolute clinic, and when the final buzzer sounded, the Tigers had fallen 73-79. It was a gut punch, and it showed.

Just as everyone was thick in the coverage of March Madness and while Barkley was still healing from the loss, Skip Bayless did what he does best- stirring the pot with a shot aimed squarely at NBA legend and CBS analyst Charles Barkley. And true to form, Bayless didn’t pull any punches.

“As I watch Charles Barkley gush out-of-character PR quotes about how much he loves the Final Four,” Bayless said, “I can’t help wondering if he walks off camera and says, ‘I can’t wait till this sh— is over. If they didn’t pay me so damn much money…’”

Now, to be fair, Barkley did appear genuinely locked in during Auburn’s Final Four clash against the Florida Gators. When Auburn led by eight at halftime, Barkley was glowing with praise. “That was a perfect first half of basketball,” he told viewers with a grin. It felt authentic — like the guy was living and dying with every possession. But that joy soon disappeared when it was clear that all hopes were lost. Even then, Barkley kept it classy. When co-host Ernie Johnson praised Clayton with a simple, “Clayton is that guy,” Barkley didn’t argue. “Yes sir, Ernie. Say less,” he replied. But as per Bayless, that might be rehearsed too.

As I watch Charles Barkley gush out-of-character PR quotes about how much he loves the Final Four, I can’t help wondering if he walks off camera and says, “I can’t wait till this sh— is over. If they didn’t pay me so damn much money …”

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) April 8, 2025

In Barkley’s favor, one cannot expect a child to smile if he’s standing inside a candy shop and his parents refuse to get him any. One also cannot expect him to be all happy-go-lucky during the ride back home. So, it is understandable if Chuck has been looking a little out of it since Auburn lost. However, coming to Bayless, whose style is relentless, often personal, it is no surprise he would turn that critical lens on Barkley, especially during high-profile events.

But maybe it is just that as the end neared, Barkley felt worn off. As he had admitted once, “But when you’re trying to sit there and you’ve got four games on at a time and your head is on a swivel, like, ‘Charles, you’re going to talk about this game, Kenny, you’re going to talk about this game, Clark, you’re going to talk about this game. And thank God we’ve got a great research crew. But the first two days of March Madness, man, they are a lot of work. And Clark knows; 12 hours! Any time you go into a place and it is daylight you don’t come out until it’s dark, you know it’s been a long day.”

Or maybe, he was immersed in some other game, as was once the case. When asked about the first half of the Xavier-Illinois game in March this year, he sounded like a “high school student who forgot to do their homework,” as reported by SportsIllustrated. “Well, I think, that’s a good question,” Barkley said. He then honestly admitted that he was watching a different game (Bryant vs. Michigan State) and hence had no answers in his head. “You know, Ernie, I’m not going to lie I was paying attention to the Bryant score so give that to Clark or Kenneth, please.”

Now, Bayless’ jab seems to have some legs if you dig into it. In 2017, Barkley went off about accusations he receives about not having enough college basketball knowledge. “I watch Kansas, North Carolina, Duke, SMU, Oregon. I’ve watched all the teams play. It doesn’t mean I’m going to get most of my stuff right. Man, the criticism, hey, if they don’t like it they can talk to my boss and I can sit at home for two weeks. I can deal with golf and fishing for two weeks. It won’t hurt my feelings,” he reasoned.

However, in the same breath, he also said how it is a little different having to do your own homework. It’s not like college [at Auburn] where I had somebody doing it for me. It’s a lot of work. So, it could be a fair point when people say that Barkley does not know what he is talking about most time. And could actually be muttering off-camera about the gig’s toll. Pair it with the fact that March Madness is a ratings juggernaut, and it seems to make more sense. Saturday night’s Final Four games averaged 15.3 million viewers on CBS, and Barkley’s paycheck reflects that. In 2022, he signed a 10-year, 9-figure deal with TNT, part of which covers NCAA duties. Bayless, who left FS1 in 2024 after a reported $32 million annual salary, knows the game.

But wait, there’s something more too.

A unique reason behind Charles Barkley’s March Madness energy feeling off!

The Charles Barkley we’re used to seeing? He’s anything but disinterested. In fact, he’s often the heartbeat of any studio show — bringing a blend of unfiltered humor and unpredictable antics that fans can’t get enough of. Need a reminder? Who could forget the time he kissed a donkey on a segment of Inside the NBA — all because he lost a bet. That’s peak Chuck. And if there’s one thing he never lacks, it’s a comeback. His long-standing feud with Skip Bayless is a perfect example.

Bayless once said, “This 15-year onslaught has amazed me, it has amused me, but it has always confounded me because for the life of me, I have no idea why exactly Charles wants to [hurt] me. … I don’t know Charles Barkley. I’ve never had a single conversation with Charles Barkley.”

The thing is — Bayless isn’t exactly lying. Chuck has taken some real shots at him over the years, calling him a “j——” more than once. At one point, Barkley even admitted that if he knew he was dying in a few days, he’d prefer to kill Bayless before dying. That’s the unfiltered, unpredictable Barkley we’re all used to — and exactly what made his lukewarm energy during March Madness feel so strange.

So, what changed?

Turns out, Barkley’s attitude toward college basketball itself has shifted — and NIL is at the center of it. He’s not just annoyed. He’s flat-out furious.

“The college game is a travesty and disgrace,” Barkley said. “I’m so mad now about how we can mess up something so beautiful. We can’t pay all these players.”

To him, the purity of college hoops — the thing that made March Madness feel so magical — is fading. And he’s not quiet about why that worries him. “In the next three to five years, we’re going to have 25 schools that will dominate the sport because they can afford the players. And the schools that can’t afford or won’t pay the players are going to be irrelevant,” he said.

So maybe, just maybe, Barkley’s seeming disinterest wasn’t really about Auburn’s loss — or even about March Madness itself. It might’ve been about the game he once loved changing right in front of his eyes. But still, that begs the question — if he’s so frustrated, why’s he still doing the coverage? Paycheck or the thrill of basketball? Who knows!

So, in short, like it or not, Chuck can’t just walk away. Even if his heart’s no longer fully in it.