We are still laughing over NBA legend Charles Barkley’s recent defense of Wayne Gretzky, arguably the best hockey player of all time, against criticisms that he hasn’t been loyal to his home country of Canada.

A story about Barkley’s over-the-top assertions appeared on March 10 on Blaze Media’s website. 

“Gretzky has faced criticisms for his support for President Donald Trump, with the Great One having appeared at Trump’s inauguration and even in a photo wearing a ‘Make America Great Again’ hat,” Blaze Media noted.

“As the trade war between President Trump and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has raged on, Gretzky faced even more heat after the 4 Nations Face-Off hockey tournament, which had the United States and Canada reignite a decades’ old rivalry on the ice. When the two countries met in the tournament final, Gretzky was berated for not wearing a team Canada jersey during the opening ceremony,” Blaze Media stated.

“You got them fools up in Canada giving the Great One a hard time — I went off on them,” Barkley explained on an “NBA on TNT” segment. “I was in that mood.”

Blaze Media added, “Barkley and the TNT crew, which includes NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal, were discussing incredible sports records that seem impossible to break. These included Jerry Rice’s 22,895 total receiving yards in the NFL, Wilt Chamberlain’s 50.4 points per-game average in the NBA, and Gretzky’s career point total in the NHL of 2,857. The panel was astounded that Gretzky had over 1,000 points more than the second-highest point scorer in NHL history,” which is Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins (1,662).

“Wayne Gretzky is the greatest hockey player, and he’s the nicest person,” Barkley said about the 64-year-old. “The fools up in Canada give him a hard time because of the tariff with Trump and everything.”

To that, we offer a salute to both Barkley and Gretsky for their brave stances against “cancel culture” and world’s burgeoning “idiocracy.”