Chuck is fine as long as he’s better than Shaq. The Inside the NBA cat and mouse have stirred up a new fight. The one to blame this time is Ernie Johnson’s son. EJ said on the show his son thinks, “Shaq is the greatest of all time.” Shaquille O’Neal had reason to be chuffed but Ernie was rightfully wary that Charles Barkley wasn’t going to like that.

“Google me! Google me! You better Google me, little man!” Barkley yelled at Ernie’s kid through the cameras. But he got a taste of humble pie after they came back from the commercial as the TNT panel did Google Sir Charles. As anyone could predict, Chuck’s career is not comparable to 4x champion Shaq’s. O’Neal, too, will never miss a chance to point out he’s got four more rings than Barkley.

Seasoned Inside the NBA viewers recognize the running joke. The originator of the “Google me” tantrum is the Big Diesel and it happened in May 2018. That was a viral moment when Barkley commented about the Toronto Raptors benching DeMar DeRozan. He wanted the player and coach to get along whereas Shaq argued that there’s a strong season for DeRozan getting benched. The fierce debate escalated into a shouting match and O’Neal was determined to prove Chuck wrong.

“That’s not true. Me and Pat Riley never saw eye to eye, and what happened in Miami?” For context, Shaq helped the Miami Heat to the 2006 championship.

The argument shifted from DeRozan to championship experience, and Shaq told Chuck, “You got babied, that’s why you ain’t never win.” Barkley too revived his old claim that Shaq rode on Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade’s coattails. So an angry Shaq went for the jugular. “I’ve got three Finals MVPs, Chuck! Google me, Chuck! Google me!” 

The argument was resolved in the same hour as it always does. EJ’s son is in the clear. He didn’t offend Barkley. He just gave him the opportunity to use Shaq’s meanest jab on him.

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TNT loves Googling

It’s not only because Shaquille O’Neal once invested in the early incarnation of Google. In the same month in 2018, he dragged out the Googling debacle on another subject. While dissecting the Warriors and Celtics’ woes, O’Neal tried to use himself as an example. Barkley told him to spare himself the effort and, “Just tell them to Google you.”

‘Gram-savvy Shaq took advantage of the lack of Barkley’s lack of social media presence to reclaim ownership of the ‘Google Me’ tagline. He reposted a Dubsmash of their first ‘Google Me’ argument going around then. He’s letting Barkley keep it in 2024. After all, Ernie’s son just picked him as the GOAT.

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