Before Charles Barkley took over the main bar at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, he sat on the corner bar at the casino’s theater, riding Marcus Allen in a charity auction for the American Century Championship. As Allen bid - or more accurately Allen’s wife - bid on a Wimbledon trip, Barkley kept shouting insults and higher bids from his corner perch. Hoisting a drink the whole time of course.

“You’re in the wrong league, little fella,” Barkley screamed at the 6-foot-2 Allen at one point.

Auction emcee John O’Hurley - J. Peterman and Dancing With The Stars guy - pleaded with Allen at one point to raise his bid just 25 cents and cause Barkley to instinctively throw another $5,000 on. “I’ve got a 300 pound carp on the line here,’’ Hurley cried.

The Allen raised in $500 increments. Barkley always raised by at least three grand, John Daly style.

Barkley ended up blowing away the Allens’ bids with a $20,000 offer. He was the only athlete in the tournament field who purchased one of the four major packages auctioned off. Literally putting his money where his mouth is.

He wasn’t the only one who kidded Allen though. Cedric The Entertainer who gave a private show for the American Century crowd noted, “We’re in Tahoe, the little star in the sky … Where are all the hookers and drugs? Oh, they’re in Marcus Allen’s room. 1708.”

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