San Diego DUI criminal defense lawyers at and San Diego drunk driving criminal defense attorneys learned today that birthday boy, former NBA Star Charles Barkley called his DUI / drunken-driving arrest "unacceptable" as he appeared again his television job after a six-week leave of absence.

The former 76er had a blood-alcohol level of .149 percent, nearly twice the legal DUI limit of .08 percent in Arizona, after he was arrested Dec. 31 in Scottsdale, police said.

Barkley resumed his role as studio analyst for TNT last night, one day before his 46th birthday.

"This is just my bad, no excuses," Barkley said in an interview with TNT colleague Ernie Johnson posted on NBA.com yesterday.

Barkley came back to the TNT "Inside The NBA" show Thursday night for the first time in nearly two months and he was mostly just Charles, maybe biting his lip a little but also accepting blame for his arrest in December for driving under the influence.

"Let me start by saying something," Barkley said as TNT came on the air before the San Antonio at Detroit game.

"Clearly everybody knows I got a DUI. That's unacceptable, 100% my fault," he said. " . . . I screwed up, I made a mistake, I'm sorry, I apologize."

There it was, nothing awkward and also a little bit in your face, just as Barkley usually conducts his business, good or bad.

"Never get behind the wheel when I've been drinking," Barkley said to anchor Ernie Johnson who asked what lessons Barkley may have learned from his DUI episode in December that caused Barkley to be arrested.

"First of all, every person who's drunk thinks it's OK to drive . . . but, seriously, if you have a drink, seriously think about it. If I've had a glass of wine or a beer, that's different. But if I had something to drink, I'll seriously think and not get behind the wheel."

There was the Everyman in Barkley. No one will take his advice if he says everyone who has a glass of wine or a beer shouldn't drive. Maybe not the most well-considered words from someone whose drunk-driving arrest has been so notable, but Barkley-honest.

He also thanked TNT management, kind of. "As far as the bigwigs at TNT, I never trusted them 110%," Barkley said. "I've been here eight years and we don't spend a lot of time together . . . but I want to tell them it meant a great deal for them to stick by me through my screw-up."

Barkley had already done an interview with Johnson, posted on NBA.com, and said his legal case was still in the system, that it was possible he might face jail time and most certainly would have to undergo some sort of alcohol counseling. Johnson asked Barkley if that was necessary.

"Well," Barkley said, "I think it's going to be good for me, to be honest. I need to make sure drinking is not a problem for me. I just want some professionals to talk to me about it."

That was it. Back to basketball and to a better show. Barkley is what makes the show pop. And if Barkley's lessons aren't well-learned, as he said, the world will know. Those camera phones are everywhere.

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