The Haney Project: Can Haney Fix Barkley’s Swing?

[DiverDown]

i dont know if its mental or not but since he retired from the nba hes had several back surgeries... if that has anything to do with it

The first episode explained it a bit.

It was playing in celebrity tournaments in public. It was not an all of a sudden degeneration of his swing, but the guys commenting on it said it most likely after he hit a couple of people, he started to get tentative, and then all the eyes watching him made it worse, and then it just went downhill from there and got progressively worse. You can tell by the swing that his desperately trying to get the ball up in the air as opposed to worm burners, and imagine it's from beeming people.

[photoballmarker]

Haney is a professional teacher of golf and Barkley was once a great athlete. Seems like it should be a pretty easy thing to do.

[Quinn07]

Haney is a professional teacher of golf and Barkley was once a great athlete. Seems like it should be a pretty easy thing to do.

NOTHING IS EASY WITH THAT SWING!!!

Tiger made a funny comment about Haney risking his reputation with this Charles project...thought that was pretty funny.

[flopdarock]

if its all in his head... then haney will fix his swing... its up to charles to apply what he learns... from what ive seen of the show... charles can do it

[Grndslmhttr3]

According to Wikipedia, he is going to run for Governor of Alabama in 2014.

[xTsUnAmI]

that recent DUI might change that.

[JeffPogi]

sure he can, but i dont know if he can swing without his hitch....

[Awsi Dooger]

That show fell apart fast. The first episode was entertaining and informative, all the specifics like Barkley's head dipping and improper angles on the backswing, plus anecdotes like not getting the ball above his head in 10 years, and what a "Tiger Day" consists of.

Next two shows, basically garbage. There hasn't been an instructional insight since the first episode, other than the long stick to help flatten the swing. We were treated to filler fluff like Barkley's bartender and his boxing coach.

By the end of the second episode, Haney and Barkley were no longer in the same city. Barkley is practicing on his own, at least 10-15 sessions since he last worked with Haney, according to Barkley in episode three. That qualifies as a project?

Then Haney laughably contradicts himself on the most vital aspect. In episode one he repeatedly stresses that the hitch is overstated, that the key is shaft angles on the backswing. He goes out of his way to say that Tiger never mentions the hitch, it's all about getting Barkley's swing in the proper plane. Haney mockingly asks what would happen if Barkley didn't stop, given the horrid positioning.

So what does Haney emphasize last week? At least twice he said the goal was to get Barkley going through the ball without hesitating. I forget the exact phrasing he used but it was incredible. Haney can pretend all he wants. He's fixated on the hitch, just like the rest of us.

This situation reminds me somewhat of Uneven Fairways. People think they are supposed to like it so it receives undeserved hype, including in the media. Uneven Fairways warranted at least 3-6 programs instead of a disjointed hour. The Barkley show has disappointed at every turn since the opener. The clubfitting segment was inept. They shuffled it into the final few minutes and provided zero specifics on what Barkley needed as opposed to what he was using.

I haven't given up on the show but I can't remember a more senseless plummet.

Give Haney credit for one comment in the last two shows: "It's not in his head. It's the swing."

Exactly.

[David in FL]

Next two shows, basically garbage. There hasn't been an instructional insight since the first episode, other than the long stick to help flatten the swing. We were treated to filler fluff like Barkley's bartender and his boxing coach.

I agree. I'm not sure what I expected, but they lost me at the 2d episode.

[lumpuckeroo]

But it is amazing how far his swing has come, no doubt that was the ugliest swing know to man. Now he can actually get the ball in the air and while he still has a little hitch, his rythm has improved improved and he looks pretty fluid with his swing.

[iacas]

He's fixated on the hitch, just like the rest of us.

I don't think he's contradicted himself. The hitch is a symptom, and so long as the symptom appears, the cause - the thing he's fixated on (his swing plane and the head movement) - still exists.

They're not ignoring the head dip (it's a symptom, after all, or a sign), nor are they fixated on it. That's how it came off to me, though.

The clubfitting segment was inept. They shuffled it into the final few minutes and provided zero specifics on what Barkley needed as opposed to what he was using.

That I can agree with.

[apex53]

I suppose my expectations weren't as high as some others about The Haney Project... I have been entertained by every episode... I would have liked to have seen more of the clubfitting experience at Nike's facility too but I wouldn't classify it as garbage because they minimized that aspect of the show... The show is good for a few laughs, I'll keep watching

[TyCobb]

The show had potential, but the people behind the camera have made this show very amateur-esque.

[soloredd]

I've enjoyed the show so far but I feel like after the first episode everything has been rushed. Maybe it's because of the 30 minute block time they have but I was hoping to see more of Haney actually working with Charles instead of showing them doing the same drill - I know there was more going on than hitting thousands of balls off tees. The episode where Charles went out for that practice round was also pretty lame - they showed the same approach shot 3 times. Felt like I was watching porn.

[deen1515]

Saw the first 2 shows... Looks he's well on his way.

[gills]

I've enjoyed the show so far but I feel like after the first episode everything has been rushed. Maybe it's because of the 30 minute block time they have but I was hoping to see more of Haney actually working with Charles instead of showing them doing the same drill - I know there was more going on than hitting thousands of balls off tees. The episode where Charles went out for that practice round was also pretty lame - they showed the same approach shot 3 times.

haha! Couldn't have said it better myself. The production quality of that show is complete garbage. I could've created a better show with my Canon point-and-shoot camera.

[SteelDriver]

i think his swing is a publicity stunt. he gets more attention from that than anything else he's ever done post NBA playing days,aside from DUI's and Jail.

A hitch like that? c'mon. If he had a hitch in his free throw shot, i bet he's mentaly iron it out...fake

[shortstop20]

i think his swing is a publicity stunt.

You'd have to be nuts to purposely embarrass yourself in the celeb tournaments like he does. He obviously loves the game, I hope it works out for him.