I have very specific and enthusiastic feelings about Charles Barkley. Whether he’s agreeing with my politics, vehemently disagreeing with them, talking crazy, talking smack, or just hawking Right Guard, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again— the man is a national treasure.

Sir Charles is, at turns, hilarious, genuinely thoughtful, and unpredictable in his views. He had something to say about the Zimmerman trial, and what I like about it, is it clearly comes from a man who a) actually watched the trial closely and b) is willing to go out on a limb with a slightly different opinion than some might expect him to have.

NBA legend Charles Barkley appeared on CNBC’s Closing Bell with Maria Bartiromo Thursday afternoon and shared his incredibly diplomatic views on George Zimmerman‘s acquittal. “I agree with the verdict,” Barkley told Bartiromo. “I’m sorry that young kid got killed, but they didn’t have enough evidence to charge him.”

Barkley admitted that he did see some “racial profiling” in the case, but said “something happened that changed the dynamic that night.” He recognized what he was saying was “probably not a popular opinion among most people,” but “looking at the evidence” he said he agreed with the jury’s decision.

He goes on to critique the media, which he says does not have a “pure heart” on the issue of race, ignoring racism in some while punishing it in others. “I don’t think the media has clean hands.” Me neither, Charles. Click to watch the whole thing:

If I were a mogul, I’d hire Charles Barkley and Dolly Parton to host a daytime TV show. A beautiful, nutty explosion of charm, y’all.

Update: Also, the greatest commercial of all time. “An astoundingly clear gel!”