Charles Barkley Doesn’t Know What a Direct Message Is: TRAINA THOUGHTS

Kenny Smith had to explain how Instagram works to a confused Charles Barkley

1. “What did you call it? DM?”

That was Charles Barkley trying to figure out how Ben Simmons was able to message Shaquille O’Neal about criticisms Shaq recently unleashed on the Sixers guard.

The reason Inside the NBA is an iconic studio show is because you never know what you’re going to get from the cast. Thursday night, it was Kenny Smith trying to explain to Barkley how a direct message works.

At first, Smith was disgusted with Barkley, saying, “Come on. Stop. Don’t even show your ignorance with that,” when Barkley said he didn’t know what “direct message” means.

What made this truly great, though, was the deer-in-headlights look on Barkley’s face over not being familiar with the concept of a DM.

Like any of us who has had to educate someone who is technologically challenged, an exasperated Smith said, “I can’t believe I’m explaining this,” while trying to detail how someone is able to message another person on Instagram.

It was a touchy night all around for Barkley, who was later exposed for cheating on his diet.

We’ve all been there, Chuck. We’ve all been there.

2. Speaking of Inside the NBA, the Lakers' Dwight Howard had a hilarious reaction Thursday when he found out his team's game was airing on TNT.

3. If you're an Amazon Prime subscriber, you can thank, in part, Amazon's exclusive deal to air Thursday Night Football, for nearly $1 billion year, for your new yearly rate increase.

4. This compilation of Bengals fans celebrating the team's trip to the Super Bowl seconds after Evan McPherson drilled the game-winning field goal against the Chiefs in the AFC title game gets better and better as it goes on.

5. Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards couldn't start his postgame press conference last night until he finished ordering his McDonald's, and we learned that he's a no-ice guy. That's a bad move. Ice enhances the McDonald's Coke.

6. This week's SI Media Podcast features a conversation with Bryan Curtis of The Ringer.

We covered all the latest sports media news including the entire saga of Tom Brady's retirement announcement and news break, Tony Romo's rough day in the booth for the AFC title game between the Bengals and Chiefs, why Troy Aikman has become the best NFL analyst on television, Al Michaels’s future, the ridiculousness of Radio Row and much more.

You can listen to the podcast below or download it on Apple, Spotify and Stitcher.

You can also watch the SI Media Podcast on YouTube.

7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: This is 100% me and why going into a Home Depot is a top-five fear in my life.

Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Stitcher. You can also follow Jimmy on Twitter and Instagram.