>>> 17 YEARS AGO, THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT LAUNCHED A $100 MILLION PROJECT TO REVOLUTIONIZE PROSTHETIC LIMBS.
THE ROBOTICS THAT INVESTMENT INSPIRED IS AMAZING. BUT EVEN MORE REMARKABLE IS HOW THE FEELING OF FEELING --
>> SO IF I HOLD THIS RIGHT HERE -- >> IS RETURNING TO PEOPLE'S LIVES.
>> I FEEL IT HERE AND HERE. >>> YOU CALLED IT PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE. IT FELT LIKE CORPORATE TERRORISM
BECAUSE WE WERE TERRORIZED. AND IT WAS VERY CALCULATED. IT WAS VERY VICIOUS. >> WHY WOULD SENIOR MANAGEMENT
AT eBAY, THE POPULAR SILICON VALLEY E-COMMERCE GIANT, WANT TO, QUOTE, TERRORIZE A COUPLE FROM A TINY TOWN IN
MASSACHUSETTS WHO RAN A WEBSITE OUT OF THEIR HOME? THAT'S OUR STORY TONIGHT. >>> CHARLES BARKLEY IS AN NBA
HALL OF FAMER WHO, IN RETIREMENT -- >> YEAH, THEY THINK THAT BECAUSE THEY SUCK.
>> ENDED UP REBOUNDING INTO HIS JOB THAT HAS MADE HIM ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL AND COLORFUL SPORTS ANALYSTS EVER, YES, EVER.
WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE PEOPLE WANT TO LISTEN TO YOU? >> I THINK THEY KNOW THAT I'M GOING TO BE HONEST, I'M GOING TO
BE FAIR. I DON'T HAVE A HIDDEN AGENDA. NOT MANY PEOPLE ON TV THAT YOU CAN SAY THAT ABOUT.
>>> I'M LESLEY STAHL. >> I'M BILL WHITAKER. >> I'M ANDERSON COOPER. >> I'M SHARYN ALFONSI.
>> I'M JON WERTHEIM. >> I'M SCOTT PELLEY. THOSE STORIES AND MORE TONIGHT ON "60 MINUTES."
>>> WE DON'T OFTEN THINK ABOUT HOW THE SENSE OF TOUCH MAKES OUR LIVES POSSIBLE. WE GRIP A PAPER COFFEE CUP WITH
PERFECT FORCE TO HOLD IT BUT NOT CRUSH IT. OUR FEET ALWAYS FIND THE FLOOR. BUT FOR PEOPLE WITH ARTIFICIAL
LIMBS, OR THOSE WITH SPINAL INJURIES, THE LOSS OF TOUCH CAN PUT THE WORLD BEYOND THEIR GRASP.
17 YEARS AGO, THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT LAUNCHED A $100 MILLION PROJECT TO REVOLUTIONIZE PROSTHETIC LIMBS.
THE ROBOTICS YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE IS AMAZING. BUT EVEN MORE REMARKABLE IS HOW THE FEELING OF FEELING IS
RETURNING TO PEOPLE LIKE BRANDON PRESTWOOD. >> FOR ME, IT WAS IT'S A BATTLE IF I WANTED TO LIVE OR DIE.
>> YOU WEREN'T SURE YOU WANTED TO LIVE? >> NO. I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WANTED TO OR
NOT. >> BRANDON PRESTWOOD'S BATTLE BEGAN WITH THE LOSS OF HIS LEFT HAND.
IN 2012, HE WAS ON A MAINTENANCE CREW REASSEMBLING AN INDUSTRIAL CONVEYOR BELT WHEN SOMEONE TURNED IT ON.
>> MY ARM WAS DRAGGED IN PRETTY MUCH UP TO THE SHOULDER. IT CRUSHED MY BONES IN MY ARM AND FED MY ARM THROUGH A GAP OF
ABOUT ONE INCH. >> HOW DID THEY SAVE YOUR LIFE? >> THE OTHER MAINTENANCE GUYS JUMPED IN.
THEY STARTED BASICALLY TAKING THE MACHINE BACK APART. ONCE WE GOT IT BACK APART, I COULD LOOK IN AND SEE WHAT WAS
THERE. AND ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN WAS A VIETNAM VETERAN. >> AND THE VIETNAM VETERAN KNEW
WHAT TO DO. >> YEAH. >> THE VIETNAM VETERAN KNEW TOURNIQUETS.
BUT PRESTWOOD LOST HIS HAND AND COULDN'T RETURN TO HIS JOB. >> THAT SOUNDS GOOD. >> AFTER FOUR YEARS WITH A HOOK,
HE TOLD HIS WIFE, AMY, HE WANTED TO VOLUNTEER FOR EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH INVOLVING SURGERY AT THE V.A.
>> I WAS NOT 100% ON BOARD TO START WITH. BUT I KNEW HE HAD HIS MIND SET THAT HE WAS -- HE HAD TO DO
THIS. AND I COULDN'T HOLD HIM BACK. >> SIX YEARS LATER, THANKS TO DEFENSE DEPARTMENT AND V.A.
PROJECTS, PRESTWOOD CONTROLS THIS HAND WITH NOTHING BUT HIS THOUGHTS. >> EVERYTHING STILL FEEL GOOD?
>> PROBABLY, WHEN I GET HER TURNED AROUND HERE. >> ELECTRODES, IMPLANTED IN MUSCLES IN HIS ARM, PICK UP HIS
BRAIN'S ELECTRICAL SIGNALS FOR MOVEMENT. A COMPUTER TRANSLATES THOSE SIGNALS TO THE HAND.
>> HOW ABOUT THE MIDDLE FINGER NOW? SENSORS IN THE PLASTIC FINGERS ARE CONNECTED TO NERVES IN HIS
ARM TO RETURN A BASIC SENSE OF TOUCH, WHICH HE CAN DEMONSTRATE WITH HIS EYES CLOSED. >> PINKY, INDEX.
>> THAT'S NOT BAD. >> MIDDLE. >> IT STILL REQUIRES A LITTLE BIT BUT IT'S NOT BAD.
>> BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER DUSTIN TYLER LEADS THIS RESEARCH AT CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY AND THE CLEVELAND V.A.
>> TOUCH IS ABOUT CONNECTION. IT'S CONNECTION TO THE WORLD, CONNECTIONS TO OTHERS, AND IT'S CONNECTION TO YOURSELF.
I MEAN, WE NEVER EXPERIENCED NOT HAVING TOUCH. IT'S THE LARGEST SENSORY ORGAN ON OUR BODY.
>> TYLER FIRST ATTEMPTED AN ARTIFICIAL CONNECTION IN 2012. HE SWITCHED IT ON IN A VOLUNTEER AND WONDERED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.
>> SO I WAS CONCERNED, WOULD IT BE HIS WHOLE HAND? WOULD IT BE PAINFUL? WOULD IT NOT FEEL ANYTHING?
WE HAD NO IDEA. SO, ONE OF THOSE BIG MOMENTS IN MY CAREER WAS HE CAME IN, WE FIRST TURNED ON THE STIMULUS,
AND HE KINDA STOPPED FOR A SECOND, AND HE GOES, "THAT'S MY THUMB, THAT'S THE TIP OF MY THUMB."
>> THIS HAPPENED RIGHT AWAY? >> FIRST TIME. >> IT DIDN'T REQUIRE ANY TRAINING OF THE BRAIN.
>> NO. THAT WAS THE BEAUTY OF IT, "MY THUMB." >> BRANDON PRESTWOOD REMEMBERS
THE INSTANT IT HAPPENED TO HIM. >> "THAT'S MY FINGERS." I AM FEELING MY FINGERS THAT I DON'T HAVE ANYMORE.
I'M FEELING THEM. >> A DEFINITE FEELING, HE TOLD US, BUT DIFFERENT. >> IT DOESN'T FEEL EXACTLY LIKE
MY RIGHT HAND. IT'S A TINGLING SENSATION. IT'S NOT PAINFUL. IT'S KIND OF LIKE, IF YOUR
HAND'S BEEN ASLEEP, RIGHT AT THE END, RIGHT BEFORE IT WAKES UP, THAT VERY, FOR ME, IT'S PLEASANT, IT'S A PLEASANT
TINGLING. >> LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN DO IT ON A CHERRY HERE. >> A TINGLING THAT'S LIGHT WITH
A LIGHT TOUCH BUT GROWS STRONGER THE HARDER HE PRESSES. EYES CLOSED, HE CAN PINCH A CHERRY FIRMLY ENOUGH TO PULL IT
FROM ITS STEM BUT NOT CRUSH IT. >> YOU CAN FEEL THIS, IT'S LIGHT. >> I HAD TO USE MY LIGHTEST
TOUCH WITH AN EMPTY EGG SHELL. >> SO IF I HOLD THIS RIGHT HERE -- >> I CAN FEEL THAT.
I CAN FEEL IT HERE AND HERE. >> IT'S A FEELING MORE THAN A DECADE IN THE MAKING. >> AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS
RESEARCH, HOW DID YOU EVEN IMAGINE THAT THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE? >> I DIDN'T IMAGINE.
I IMAGINED IT WAS NOT GOING TO BE POSSIBLE. >> SLIMAN BENSMAIA, AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, IS AMONG
THE WORLD'S LEADING EXPERTS ON THE NEUROSCIENCE OF TOUCH. IN 2008, HE JOINED THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT'S PROJECT TO
REVOLUTIONIZE PROSTHETICS, BUT HE DIDN'T THINK THE PENTAGON KNEW WHAT IT WAS UP AGAINST. >> THERE ARE 100 BILLION NEURONS
IN THE BRAIN INTERCONNECTED WITH 100 TRILLION SYNAPSES. I MEAN, THE HUMAN BRAIN, IT'S LIKE THE MOST COMPLEX SYSTEM IN
THE KNOWN UNIVERSE. >> TOO COMPLEX, HE BELIEVED, TO TARGET ELECTRICAL STIMULATION TO EXACTLY THE RIGHT NEURONS.
>> AND WHEN WE ELECTRICALLY STIMULATE, WE ACTIVATE HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS OF THEM AT THE SAME TIME, IN WAYS THAT WOULD NEVER
HAPPEN NATURALLY. IT JUST SEEMED LIKE THAT VERY IMPOVERISHED INTERFACE WITH THIS NERVOUS SYSTEM WOULD NEVER DO
ANY -- BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL. AND IT TURNS OUT I WAS WRONG. >> HE WAS PROVED WRONG BY HIS
OWN RESEARCH... >> HOW YA DOIN', SCOTT? NICE TO MEET YOU. >> NICE TO MEET YOU, SCOTT.
>> ...WITH VOLUNTEERS INCLUDING SCOTT IMBRIE. >> AND YOU CAN FEEL THAT? >> I FEEL IT ON MY FINGERTIPS.
>> ...WHOSE MOVEMENT AND SENSE OF TOUCH ARE LIMITED BY A SPINAL INJURY FROM A CAR ACCIDENT. COMPUTER PORTS IN IMBRIE'S SKULL
ARE WIRED TO THE MOTOR AND SENSORY PARTS OF HIS BRAIN. ELECTRODES PICK UP THE BRAIN'S ELECTRICAL SIGNALS THAT WERE
INTENDED FOR THE MUSCLES. A COMPUTER TRANSLATES THOSE SIGNALS TO THE ROBOT ARM. WE FIRST SAW THIS BRAIN/MACHINE
INTERFACE TEN YEARS AGO AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH. BUT, BACK THEN, THERE WAS NO SENSATION.
>> INDEX FINGER... >> IN COLLABORATION WITH PITT, NEUROSCIENTIST SLIMAN BENSMAIA SHOWED THAT SIGNALS FOR TOUCH
COULD BE RETURNED TO THE BRAIN. >> HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY KNOW WHAT PART OF THE BRAIN IS THE TIP OF THE INDEX FINGER?
>> WE TOOK SCOTT AND WE PUT HIM IN A FUNCTIONAL MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING SCANNER. AND THEN WE HAD HIM IMAGINE
MOVING HIS THUMB, IMAGINE MOVING HIS INDEX, IMAGINE MOVING HIS DIGITS AS WE MONITORED HIS BRAIN ACTIVITY.
AND LO AND BEHOLD, THE SENSORY AND MOTOR PARTS OF THE BRAIN THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE HAND LIT UP.
>> MIDDLE...RING...INDEX... >> THERE ARE CHALLENGES. EVENTUALLY THE BRAIN BUILDS SCAR TISSUE AT THE IMPLANTS LIMITING
THE MOTOR ELECTRODES. BUT ONE PATIENT'S IMPLANTS HAVE LASTED SEVEN YEARS AND COUNTING. SCOTT IMBRIE'S HAVE BEEN WORKING
MORE THAN TWO YEARS. >> YOU HAVE BEEN A SUBJECT OF THIS WORK FOR YEARS NOW. AND I WONDER WHY.
>> I WANTED TO HAVE SOMEONE ELSE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME INDEPENDENT AGAIN. >> THE MOST MEANINGFUL WORK OF
YOUR LIFE? >> YES, SIR. 100%. >> THE GREATEST INDEPENDENCE
MIGHT BE NO PROSTHETIC AT ALL. AND WE SAW THIS ASTOUNDING POSSIBILITY WITH A PIONEER, AUSTIN BEGGIN.
HIS BRAIN IMPULSES ARE ROUTED, NOT TO A ROBOT, BUT TO IMPLANTS IN HIS OWN ARM THAT FIRE HIS MUSCLES.
>> WHAT FUNCTION DID YOU HAVE IN THIS HAND BEFORE THE IMPLANTS? >> OH, ABSOLUTELY NONE. >> NOTHING?
YOU COULDN'T MOVE IT AT ALL? >> NO. SO, THE ONLY THING I CAN DO REALLY IS SHRUG MY SHOULDERS AND
KINDA SHIFT THEM. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT WAS ALL THAT CAME BACK AFTER MY ACCIDENT. >> HIS ACCIDENT WAS ON A
VACATION CELEBRATING HIS COLLEGE GRADUATION. DIVING INTO A SUBMERGED SANDBAR LEFT HIM QUADRIPLEGIC.
NOW, MOTOR AND SENSORY IMPULSES FLOW THROUGH THE PORTS IN BEGGIN'S SKULL AND A COMPUTER, BYPASSING HIS DAMAGED SPINE.
>> RELAX...CLOSE. >> THE RESEARCH IS LED BY BOLU AJIBOYE, A BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER AT CASE WESTERN RESERVE
UNIVERSITY. >> OUR GOAL IS TO RESTORE COMPLETE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE UPPER ARM INCLUDING DEXTEROUS
HAND FUNCTION AND THE ABILITY TO REACH OUT SO THAT AUSTIN AND OTHERS WHO'VE SUFFERED, YOU KNOW, SEVERE SPINAL CORD INJURY
CAN REGAIN SOME LEVEL OF FUNCTIONAL INDEPENDENCE. >> THE CRADLE UNDER HIS ARM ONLY SUPPORTS THE WEIGHT - ALL OF THE
MOTION IS HIS OWN. IT TAKES EFFORT. H HAS TO CONCENTRATE. >> LITTLE BIT QUICKER.
OPEN HAND, RELAX HAND. CLOSE HAND, RELAX HAND. OPEN HAND, RELAX HAND. >> AND THE COMPUTER NEEDS
FREQUENT ADJUSTMENT. >> HOW'D THAT FEEL? >> GOOD. BUT HIS PARENTS SHELLY AND BRAD
SHOWED US WHERE THIS COULD LEAD. >> CARROT? OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A NICE GRANOLA BAR?
>> I'LL TAKE THE GRANOLA BAR. >> YEAH, I FIGURED. >> BEGGIN RETAINED LIMITED FEELING AFTER HIS INJURY WHICH
MAKES HIM IDEAL FOR EVALUATING THE ARTIFICIAL SENSE OF TOUCH. HIS MOTOR SKILLS CONTINUE TO GROW.
>> SO IF I CAN EXTEND FIRST. LET ME OPEN MY HAND FOR YA AND SQUEEZE AROUND IT. YOU'LL FEEL ME REALLY START TO
DIG IN RIGHT THERE. >> YOU GOT A GRIP. >> YEAH. [ LAUGHTER ]
IT REALLY IS. AND LET GO AND I'LL BRING THE ARM BACK UP. >> CONGRATULATIONS.
>> YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU -- >> AMAZING.
>> -- SO MUCH. >> AMAZING ADVANCES ARE COMING QUICKLY. DANNY WERNER LOST HIS FOOT IN
VIETNAM. BUT 47 YEARS LATER, HE WAS RECONNECTED TO TOUCH IN AN ARTIFICIAL FOOT, WHICH HELPS HIM
BALANCE, CLIMB STAIRS AND WALK ON UNEVEN GROUND. BRANDON PRESTWOOD'S NEXT DEVICE WILL REPLACE SOME WIRING WITH
BLUETOOTH CONNECTIONS. >> ESPECIALLY THE THUMB, THE THUMB'S SPOT ON. THE COST OF HIS EXPERIMENTAL RIG
AND SURGERY IS ESTIMATED AT ROUGHLY $200,000. BUT AN EVENTUAL COMMERCIAL SYSTEM MAY COST SIGNIFICANTLY
LESS WHILE DELIVERING MOMENTS THAT ARE PRICELESS. >> WHAT DID THAT MEAN TO YOU TO FEEL AMY'S HAND IN YOURS?
>> THE WORLD. I WAS A WHOLE PERSON AGAIN. I DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE DARK THOUGHTS CREEPING
BACK IN. >> IT'S JUST GIVEN ME BACK MY HUSBAND WHO MEANS THE WORLD TO ME.
HE'S HIMSELF AGAIN. >> 'HIMSELF' BECAUSE THE FEELING OF FEELING IS SO MUCH OF WHAT MAKES US HUMAN.
MAYBE THAT'S WHY WHEN WE SEE A TENDER MOMENT, IT IS SAID TO BE "TOUCHING." >> I LOVE YOU.
>>> THE ONLINE AUCTION SITE eBAY LAUNCHED THE E-COMMERCE REVOLUTION WHEN IT WAS FOUNDED MORE THAN 20 YEARS AGO.
OVER THE DECADES, IT'S DRAWN IN 134 MILLION USERS FROM MOM-AND-POP COLLECTORS ON THE HUNT FOR BARGAINS TO SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS. IN 2022, USERS SOLD ALMOST $74 BILLION WORTH OF GOODS THROUGH eBAY.
BUT LAST MONTH, BURIED IN AN OTHERWISE DULL ANNUAL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE - A NOTE ON PAGE 105 HINTED AT A SCANDAL INSIDE THE
SILICON VALLEY GIANT. IT REFERS TO AN INQUIRY FROM THE U.S. ATTORNEY ABOUT THE STALKING AND HARASSMENT OF THE EDITOR AND
PUBLISHER OF AN ONLINE NEWSLETTER AT THE HANDS OF eBAY EMPLOYEES. TONIGHT, WE WILL INTRODUCE YOU
TO THE COUPLE THAT WAS THE TARGET OF THAT STALKING. THEY LOVED eBAY SO MUCH, THEY STARTED A PUBLICATION TO HELP
PEOPLE WHO SELL STUFF ON THE AUCTION SITE, AND THEN FOUND THEMSELVES THE FOCUS OF A TERROR CAMPAIGN.
WE MET INA AND DAVID STEINER IN NATICK, MASSACHUSETTS. A QUAINT BOSTON SUBURB WHERE THE COUPLE HAD ENJOYED A QUIET LIFE
UNTIL THE SUMMER OF 2019. >> YOU CALLED IT PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE. >> IT -- IT -- IT FELT LIKE
CORPORATE TERRORISM BECAUSE WE WERE TERRORIZED. AND IT WAS VERY CALCULATED. IT WAS VERY VICIOUS.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALSO LEARNED WAS WHAT SADISTIC PLEASURE THESE PEOPLE TOOK IN TERRORIZING US.
>> THE STEINERS HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS AND WORKED TOGETHER, FROM THEIR HOME FOR MORE THAN 20.
THEY PUBLISH A NEWS WEBSITE CALLED E-COMMERCEBYTES. DAVID HANDLES THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THINGS, AND INA DOES THE
REPORTING. >> WHAT DO YOU COVER? WHO'S THE AUDIENCE? >> WE COVER INDUSTRY NEWS.
SO WHAT I DO IS I -- I FOLLOW WHAT'S HAPPENING AND HOW IT IMPACTS SELLERS. >> PEOPLE WOULD WRITE TO US.
AND THEY WOULD SAY, "HEY, I'M HAVING A PROBLEM WITH AMAZON," OR "I'M HAVING A PROBLEM WITH eBAY."
>> AND WE SAID, "WELL, LET'S PUT UP A SECTION WHERE WE CAN JUST BE A CONDUIT." THAT'S ALL WE EVER WANTED TO BE,
A CONDUIT FOR SELLERS TO TELL THEIR PROBLEMS, TELL THEIR ISSUES - SHARE INFORMATION. >> AND GIVE THEM A VOICE.
>> MOST OF THEIR 600,000 READERS ARE SELLERS ON eBAY, AMAZON, AND ETSY.
BUT THE STEINERS SAY E-COMMERCE EXECUTIVES ALSO READ INA'S ARTICLES CLOSELY. >> INDUSTRY OBSERVERS WOULD
CONTACT US WITH QUESTIONS, AS THERE WERE CERTAIN THINGS GOING ON. AND WALL STREET WAS VERY
INTERESTED, BECAUSE THESE WERE PUBLIC COMPANIES. AND THEY NEEDED TO KNOW. >> TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED WHEN
YOU OPENED YOUR EMAIL ON THE MORNING OF AUGUST 8th. >> WELL, WE WERE GETTING BOMBARDED WITH -- WITH SIGN-UPS
TO CRAZY NEWSLETTERS. >> NEWSLETTERS THE STEINERS NEVER SIGNED UP FOR...SIN CITY FETISH NIGHT, THE SATANIC
TEMPLE, THE COMMUNIST PARTY, AND DOZENS OF OTHERS. >> THEN SOMEBODY STARTED HARASSING US ON TWITTER, THROUGH
DIRECT MESSAGES. >> WHAT WERE YOU SEEING ON TWITTER? >> THREATS.
>> IT -- IT WAS BASICALLY, "SHUT UP, OR ELSE." AND IT WAS -- IT WAS AS BLATANT AS THAT.
>> BUT MUCH MORE THREATENING THAN THAT AND SO VULGAR WE CAN'T SHOW YOU MANY OF THE MESSAGES. THREE DAYS LATER, THE STEINERS
GOT A STRANGE CALL. >> SOMEBODY LEFT A VOICEMAIL FOR US SAYING THEY COULDN'T FULFILL THE ORDER FOR A WET SPECIMEN.
AND DAVID WAS THE ONE WHO CALLED. AND HE SAID, "WHAT IS A WET SPECIMEN?"
AND -- AND IT WAS A PIG FETUS. THAT'S WHEN I REALLY -- MY HEART SANK, BECAUSE I THOUGHT, WHO MIGHT BE ANGRY AT SOMETHING I
WROTE? AND I COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT. I MEAN, WE WERE -- WE WERE DESPERATELY TRYING TO THINK, WHO
COULD IT BE? >> IS THAT WHEN YOU CALLED THE POLICE? >> EVERY STEP ALONG THE WAY.
>> BUT THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME. >> WE -- WE -- WE WOULD REPORT IT. AND WHEN THE POLICE DROVE UP TO
THE FRONT DOOR, WE HAD TO PUT ON, YOU KNOW, A RATIONAL FACE. WE COULDN'T SHOW HOW TERRIFIED WE WERE.
>> AFTER THE POLICE OFFICER TOOK THE REPORT, HE STEPPED OUTSIDE AND SAID, "THERE'S A PACKAGE HERE."
SO, HE WAITED. AND WHEN I OPENED UP THE PACKAGE, IT LOOKED LIKE -- IT LOOKED LIKE FLESH AND HAIR.
AND I KIND OF YELLED, OR SHRIEKED. >> IT WAS A PIG MASK FROM THE HORROR MOVIE "SAW."
THE PLOT INVOLVES A PSYCHOPATH WHO TORTURES HIS VICTIMS, THE LAST THING THEY SEE IS THE MASK. >> I IMAGINE AS THIS IS
HAPPENING, YOU'RE NOT ONLY THINKING, WHO IS THIS PERSON, BUT WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO NEXT?
>> OH, THAT WAS THE -- THAT WAS THE QUESTION. WHAT WERE THEY GOING TO DO NEXT? >> OVER THE NEXT WEEK SOMEONE
SENT BOXES OF LIVE COCKROACHES AND SPIDERS TO THE STEINERS. PORNOGRAPHY WAS SENT TO THEIR NEIGHBORS BUT ADDRESSED TO
DAVID. ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THE STEINERS HOME WAS LISTED AS THE SITE OF YARD SALES AND SEX PARTIES.
AND THEN THIS BOOK ABOUT SURVIVING THE LOSS OF A SPOUSE ADDRESSED TO DAVID, ARRIVED AT THE STEINERS' DOORSTEP.
>> IT WAS A DEATH THREAT. AND TO BE FOLLOWED UP A FEW SHORT DAYS LATER WITH A FUNERAL WREATH, AN EXPENSIVE FUNERAL
WREATH, IT -- IT ONLY CONFIRMED THAT THESE PEOPLE WERE GOING TO HURT OR KILL INA. >> YOU WERE AFRAID FOR HER LIFE.
>> I -- I WAS TERRIFIED I WAS GOING TO LOSE HER. >> POLICE, AT FIRST, THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE A SMALL TOWN PRANK.
DAVID INSTALLED MORE SECURITY CAMERAS AT THEIR HOME. BUT FOR THREE WEEKS THE THREATS AND PACKAGES KEPT COMING.
>> AS THIS IS GOING ON, WHAT'S IT LIKE TO BE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE? >> WHEN IT WOULD GET DARK OUT AT NIGHT, THAT'S WHEN I WOULD
REALLY BE TERRIFIED. >> YOU GUYS STARTED SLEEPING IN SEPARATE ROOMS AT ONE POINT? >> WHAT WE -- WHAT WE WANTED TO
DO WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT IF SOMEONE DID BREAK IN, THAT AT LEAST ONE OF US COULD EITHER CALL THE POLICE OR ESCAPE.
>> THE STEINERS WERE AFRAID INSIDE THEIR HOUSE AND AFRAID TO LEAVE IT AFTER DAVID NOTICED A VAN AND LATER A CAR FOLLOWING
HIM. HE WAS TERRIFIED BUT MANAGED TO GET A PHOTO OF THE LICENSE PLATE.
THAT BROKE OPEN THE CASE. >> I'M A GUY WHO LIKES TO DIG UP THINGS. I SOMETIMES DON'T GET THE END
RESULT. AND THAT'S WHY I RELY ON SMART GUYS LIKE THIS. >> NATICK DETECTIVE JOHN HASWELL
WAS WORKING THE CASE WITH SERGEANT JASON SUTHERLAND. HE RAN THE LICENSE PLATE OF THE CAR THAT HAD BEEN FOLLOWING
DAVID. >> AND IT CAME BACK TO A RENTAL AGENCY. AND I CONTACTED THE RENTAL
AGENCY, AND GOT THE NAME OF THE RENTER. VERONICA ZEA. I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE
STEINERS AT THIS POINT, OTHER THAN WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THEM. SO I -- THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME
THAT I CALLED THEM. >> AND I SAID, "ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE NAME?" THEY WEREN'T.
AND WHILE I WAS SAYING THAT, I THINK -- MRS. STEINER DID THE -- HER OWN LITTLE SEARCH AND SAID, "OH, MY GOD, SHE WORKS FOR
eBAY." >> I -- I -- I DON'T KNOW, I CAN'T DESCRIBE HOW FLABBERGASTED WE WERE.
eBAY? I MEAN, WHAT WAS AN eBAY EMPLOYEE DOING IN A RENTAL VAN, FOLLOWING DAVID?
DID SHE -- >> IT BLEW OUR MINDS. >> -- SEND ALL THESE THINGS? WAS IT eBAY THAT DID THIS TO US?
I MEAN, IT WAS INCONCEIVABLE. >> SERGEANT SUTHERLAND TRACKED VERONICA ZEA'S RENTAL CAR TO THE BOSTON RITZ-CARLTON AND CALLED
HER FROM THE LOBBY. >> I FULLY EXPECTED HER TO COME DOWN AND SAY -- HAND ME A BUSINESS CARD AND SAY, "I'M FROM
eBAY AND WE'RE DOING AN INVESTIGATION AND, YEAH, I DROVE BY THE HOUSE." WE CALLED UP TO THE ROOM, AND
SHE SAID SHE'D BE DOWN AFTER SHE HAD A CONFERENCE CALL. SHE NEVER SHOWED UP. >> ZEA LEFT TOWN WITHOUT TALKING
TO POLICE. BUT DETECTIVE HASWELL HAD BEEN CHASING DOWN ANOTHER LEAD. HE LEARNED THE FUNERAL WREATH
SENT TO THE STEINERS WAS BOUGHT WITH A GIFT CARD FROM A GROCERY STORE IN SILICON VALLEY NOT FAR FROM THE eBAY HEADQUARTERS.
>> YEAH. THEY WERE LESS THAN EIGHT MILES AWAY. AND HE WAS ABLE TO GET
PHOTOGRAPHS OF THEM PURCHASING THE GIFT CARDS, AND IT WAS VERONICA ZEA AGAIN. >> THE FBI TOOK OVER.
TEN MONTHS LATER, THE U.S. ATTORNEY IN MASSACHUSETTS ANDREW LELLING ANNOUNCED THE INDICTMENTS OF SIX EMPLOYEES AND
CONTRACTORS FROM eBAY. >> THE COMPLAINT ALLEGES THAT THE VICTIMS WERE TARGETED BECAUSE eBAY EXECUTIVES WERE
UNHAPPY WITH THE COVERAGE OF eBAY ON THE COUPLES WEBSITE. >> IT DIDN'T TAKE US AN HOUR TO REALIZE THE RAMIFICATIONS OF A
PUBLIC COMPANY TRYING TO DESTROY A JOURNALIST, THEY WERE ATTACKING THE FIRST AMENDMENT, FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.
THEY WANTED TO DESTROY INA AND OUR PUBLICATION. >> FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR ANDREW LELLING SAYS THE PLAN TO
TARGET THE STEINERS WAS HATCHED AT eBAY. >> WHAT WAS UNIQUE ABOUT THIS CASE IS THAT YOU HAD RELATIVELY
SENIOR MANAGEMENT AT A FORTUNE 500 COMPANY WHO THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO LAUNCH WHAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS A CAMPAIGN
OF TERROR TARGETING A MIDDLE-AGED COUPLE IN NATICK. >> WHY? >> WELL, THE WHY IS ACTUALLY
HARDER THAN IT SEEMS. >> INVESTIGATORS LEARNED IN APRIL OF 2019, eBAY'S THEN CEO DEVIN WENIG SHARED A LINK TO
THIS POST INA HAD WRITTEN ABOUT HIS ANNUAL PAY. eBAY'S CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, STEVE WYMER, WROTE
BACK, "WE ARE GOING TO CRUSH THIS LADY" ABOUT A MONTH LATER WENIG, THE CEO OF eBAY TEXTED "TAKE HER DOWN."
PROSECUTORS SAY STEVE WYMER LATER TEXTED eBAY SECURITY DIRECTOR JIM BAUGH "I WANT TO SEE ASHES.
AS LONG AS IT TAKES. WHATEVER IT TAKES." JUST A FEW DAYS LATER, INVESTIGATORS SAY BAUGH SET UP A
MEETING WITH HIS SECURITY STAFF AT eBAY'S CALIFORNIA HEADQUARTERS, POSTED A MAP OF NATICK ON THE WALL, AND THEN
DISPATCHED A TEAM TO BOSTON. >> SEVEN PEOPLE WHO WORKED FOR eBAY'S SAFETY AND SECURITY UNIT, INCLUDING TWO FORMER COPS, AND A
FORMER NANNY ALL PLEAD GUILTY TO STALKING OR CYBERSTALKING CHARGES. >> SENIOR SECURITY DIRECTOR JIM
BAUGH WAS SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS IN PRISON. VERONICA ZEA WAS SENTENCED TO A YEAR OF HOME CONFINEMENT AND
PROBATION. BUT TO DATE eBAY HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED WITH ANY CRIMES. THE COMPANY SAID IN A STATEMENT
TO "60 MINUTES" THE CONDUCT OF THE FORMER EMPLOYEES WAS WRONG AND IT HAS COOPERATED FULLY WITH THE GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION.
>> THE PLAN WAS HATCHED IN eBAY'S HEADQUARTERS, IN A CONFERENCE ROOM. IT WAS PAID FOR, ULTIMATELY, BY
eBAY. DON'T THEY BEAR ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS? >> THEY MAY.
BUT CASES ARE COMMON WHERE AN EMPLOYEE INSIDE A COMPANY USES COMPANY RESOURCES TO DO WRONG. IN EVERY ONE OF THOSE CASES IT'S
NOT NECESSARILY TRUE THAT THE COMPANY ITSELF IS RESPONSIBLE. >> AND LELLING SAYS THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO FILE
CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST eBAY'S TOP EXECUTIVES DEVIN WENIG OR STEVE WYMER. >> BUT WHEN HE SAYS OR TEXTS, "I
WANNA SEE ASHES, WHATEVER IT TAKES"... >> PEOPLE SAY THINGS LIKE THAT ALL THE TIME.
ESPECIALLY SENIOR PEOPLE IN COMPANIES. IT'S NOT THE SAME AS I AM KNOWINGLY JOINING A CRIMINAL
CONSPIRACY TO CYBERSTALK A COUPLE IN NATICK. PEOPLE USE LOOSE TALK LIKE THAT ALL THE TIME.
>> LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING. IF YOU HAVE A DOG THAT IS TRAINED TO ATTACK AND THEN YOU GIVE THEM THE COMMAND, "TAKE HER
DOWN," AREN'T YOU AS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGE THAT HAPPENS? >> IT'S OBVIOUS THAT IT STARTED FROM THE TOP.
>> JILLISE McDONOUGH AND ROSEMARY SCAPICCHIO ARE REPRESENTING THE STEINERS IN A CIVIL CASE AGAINST eBAY, AND ITS
FORMER EXECUTIVES. >> IF YOU'RE IN THE C-SUITE, IT'S YOUR JOB TO KNOW WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE DOING.
HOW DID YOU SIT BACK AND SAY YOU DIDN'T KNOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN GOOD THINGS WERE HAPPENING AND -- AND, YOU KNOW, THE SHARE
PRICES WERE INCREASING? THEY WERE ALL, YOU KNOW, PATIN THEMSELVES ON THE BACK. THEY -- "WE DID THAT, WE DID
THAT, WE HAD" -- BUT THEN WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS, THEY TURN AROUND AND SAY, WE HAD NO IDEA, WE HAD
NO IDEA WHAT WAS HAPPENING. >> WE'VE SEEN THESE TEXT MESSAGES FROM WENIG AND FROM WYMER.
I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THEY TURNED OVER ALL THEIR TEXT MESSAGES. THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN?
>> NO. WYMER DELETED HIS TEXT MESSAGES. THERE WAS A NOTICE THAT WENT OUT TO EVERYONE TO SAY, THERE'S THIS
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, PRESERVE THE EVIDENCE. WYMER IMMEDIATELY DELETES EVERYTHING.
THAT'S OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE. IF I DID THAT, I'D BE SITTING IN A JAIL CELL SOMEWHERE RIGHT NOW. >> THE CURRENT U.S. ATTORNEY HAS
SAID THE INVESTIGATION INTO eBAY IS ONGOING. >> STEVE WYMER WAS FIRED FOR CAUSE BY eBAY AND NOW RUNS THE
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF SILICON VALLEY. HE HAS SAID HIS TEXTS WERE MISCHARACTERIZED AND THAT HE
LEARNED OF THE EMPLOYEES' CONDUCT ONLY AFTER THE FACT. THE FORMER CEO DEVIN WENIG SAID IN A STATEMENT TO "60 MINUTES"
THAT HE WAS APPALLED AT WHAT HAPPENED AND HAD HE BEEN AWARE OF IT AT THE TIME HE WOULD HAVE STOPPED IT.
WENIG RESIGNED FROM eBAY IN SEPTEMBER OF 2019 WITH A $57 MILLION EXIT PACKAGE.
>>> IN HIS HALL OF FAME NBA CAREER, CHARLES BARKLEY ACCUMULATED 12,546 REBOUNDS. BUT HE PULLED THE ULTIMATE
REBOUND WHEN HE FINISHED PLAYING, EQUALING - MAYBE EVEN ECLIPSING - HIS CONSIDERABLE SKILLS ON A BASKETBALL COURT,
WITH HIS SINGULAR TALENT IN A TV STUDIO. FOR THE LAST 23 YEARS, BARKLEY HAS BEEN DELIVERING WITTY,
BLUNT, PROVOCATIVE OPINIONS ON EVERY IMAGINABLE TOPIC, OFTEN IMPARTED WITH A SMILE, ALWAYS IMPARTED WITH
I-DON'T-GIVE-A-DAMN-IF-YOU-AGREE -WITH-ME CANDOR. IMAGINE MARK TWAIN WITH A LOW-POST GAME.
DESPITE HIS LACK OF A TONGUE EDITOR, MAYBE BECAUSE OF IT, BARKLEY, NOW 60, SEEMS CANCEL-PROOF, GRANTED LICENSE TO
GO RIGHT UP TO THAT MID-COURT LINE OF ACCEPTABILITY, EVEN TO STOMP OVER IT SOMETIMES. IT'S MADE HIM MORE RELEVANT THAN
EVER. IT'S MADE HIM MORE MONEY THAN HE EVER EARNED PLAYING BASKETBALL. IT'S MADE HIM - DARE WE SAY IT?
- AN AMERICAN TREASURE. >> WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE PEOPLE WANT TO LISTEN TO YOU? [ LAUGHTER ]
>> I THINK THEY KNOW THAT I'M GOING TO BE HONEST, I'M GOING TO BE FAIR, I DON'T HAVE A HIDDEN AGENDA.
NOT MANY PEOPLE ON TV THAT YOU CAN SAY THAT ABOUT. >> WHAT'S UP, EVERYBODY! >> WHAT'S UP, CHUCK?
>> YOU DON'T HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN EVERY YEAR, THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST LIES EVER TOLD. >> 60 NIGHTS A YEAR, CHARLES
BARKLEY IS THE GO-TO GUY ON TNT'S "INSIDE THE NBA." >> I LIKE THIS! >> PEOPLE ARE, LIKE, "YOU THINK
OUR TEAM SUCKS." I'M LIKE, "UH, YEAH, I ONLY THINK THAT CUZ THEY SUCK." >> A PATHBREAKING,
EMMY-DOMINATING SHOW THAT MAKES FOR RIVETING, UNSCRIPTED TV. >> YOU BIG DUMMY. [ LAUGHTER ]
>> YOU HAVE FUN UP THERE? >> IT'S JUST BASKETBALL! [ LAUGHTER ] WE'RE NOT SOLVIN INFLATION, WE
DIDN'T JUST GET BACK FROM AFGHANISTAN. >> BUT YOU'RE NOT A USED CAR SALESMAN EITHER.
I MEAN, IF A GAME'S NO GOOD, YOU'LL ADMIT IT, YOU'LL SAY IT... >> OH YEAH, BECAUSE THE FANS
AIN'T STUPID. THEY JUST SAW IT. IF I TELL THEM THAT WAS A GOOD GAME, THEY'RE GOING TO BE LIKE,
WHAT THE HELL IS CHARLES TALKING ABOUT? [ LAUGHTER ] >> YOU SAID SOMETIMES YOU'VE
EVEN FALLEN ASLEEP ON THE SET. >> OH, I FALL ASLEEP, LIKE, JUST SITTIN THERE WATCHING LIKE, YO, MAN, THIS IS JUST BAD
BASKETBALL. >> I'M GOING TO RAISE SOME HELL AROUND HERE. >> THIS IS WHAT AMERICA HAS COME
TO EXPECT FROM CHARLES BARKLEY. >> WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE LAKERS - THE LAKERS ARE AWFUL. >> FOR CHUCK, IT'S JUST, "I'M
GOING TO LET IT FLY. AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, TOUGH." >> FIVE, FOUR, THREE...
>> ERNIE JOHNSON IS THE LONGTIME HOST OF "INSIDE THE NBA." >> CHARLES IS DOWN THERE. >> HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU SAY,
"WHERE -- WHERE'S THIS GOIN'?" >> WE'LL START A SHOW AND CHARLES WILL LOOK AT ME AND SAY, "I GOTTA GET SOMETHIN' OFF MY
CHEST." IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT INVOLVES WORLD PEACE, OR THE BROOKLYN NETS, OR IT COULD BE
SOMETHING -- HE COULD BE UPSET THAT HIS PLUMBER SHOWED UP LATE. [ LAUGHTER ] AND HE JUST HAS TO GET IT OFF
HIS CHEST. >> WE GOTTA BE SERIOUS ON THIS SHOW SOMETIMES. >> BUT IF BARKLEY BRINGS LEVITY,
HE ALSO BRINGS GRAVITY. >> MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES STAR JA MORANT WAS SUSPENDED THIS MONTH AFTER THIS INSTAGRAM LIVE VIDEO
SHOWED HIM FLASHING A GUN AT A STRIP CLUB. BARKLEY USED IT TO MAKE A BROADER POINT.
>> GUNS, ESPECIALLY IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, THE WAY WE KILLING EACH OTHER IS JUST REALLY UNFORTUNATE AND SAD.
AND WE GOT TO -- IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM, BUT IT SEEM LIKE IT'S GOTTEN WORSE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS - BLACK ON BLACK CRIME
AND THE WAY WE'VE BEEN KILLING EACH OTHER. >> BARKLEY MAY BE AT HIS MOST VISIBLE IN THE STUDIO IN
ATLANTA... >> BUT FOR A FULLER SENSE OF THE MAN, HEAD TWO HOURS WEST TO HIS HOMETOWN IN LEEDS, ALABAMA.
>> I'M TELLING Y'ALL, I DID NOT NAME THE STREET AFTER MYSELF. >> YOU DIDN'T LOBBY FOR CHARLES BARKLEY AVENUE?
>> I DID NOT LOBBY FOR CHARLES BARKLEY AVENUE. >> WE INTERVIEWED BARKLEY IN THE HOME HE STILL KEEPS IN TOWN.
IT'S A FEW HUNDRED YARDS FROM WHERE HE GREW UP. >> YOU WERE ANGRY THAT YOUR DAD LEFT THE FAMILY WHEN YOU WERE 1
YEARS OLD. >> I WAS VERY ANGRY. AND I WAS EVEN ANGRIER BECAUSE HE KEPT SAYING HE WAS GOING TO
SEND US MONEY, AND HE DIDN'T DO IT. BECAUSE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, MY MOM AND GRANDMA WERE WORKING THEIR
BEHINDS OFF. AND THE THING THAT WAS REALLY BAD ABOUT IT, I WAS STANDING BY THE MAILBOX, LIKE, ONCE EVERY
THREE OR FOUR MONTHS. >> WAITING FOR THE CHECKS. >> YES, BUT THEY NEVER CAME. >> HIS INDOMITABLE GRANDMA,
JOHNNIE MAE, WHO HELPED RAISE HIM, STILL INSPIRES STORIES WHEN CHARLES AND HIS BUDDIES GET TOGETHER IN LEEDS.
>> SHOOT, GRANNY WAS THE REAL DEAL. [ LAUGHTER ] >> ACTUALLY, CHARLES IS THE
SPITTIN' IMAGE OF GRANNY, REALLY. >> YEAH, HE GOT THAT MOUTH... >> HE GOT THAT MOUTH LIKE
GRANNY. YES. >> ...AND SHE HAD ONE, TOO. >> SO, WE WERE REALLY POOR.
WE DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME. SO TO MAKE ENDS MEET, SHE SOLD ALCOHOL. [ LAUGHTER ]
>> WHERE? >> IN, IN, IN THE HOUSE. >> CALLED THE SHOT HOUSE. >> OUT OF YOUR HOUSE?
>> YEAH. SO PEOPLE WOULD COME OVER FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AND PLAY CARDS. EVERYBODY STARTS DRINKIN.
ONCE SOMEBODY LOSE THEIR MONEY, THERE'S GOING TO BE A FIGHT. [ LAUGHTER ] SO MY GRANDMOTHER, THIS LITTLE
OLD LADY, SHE'S WALKING AROUND WITH A SIX-SHOOTER. [ LAUGHTER ] AND SHE'S KEEPING THE PEACE.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ANY BETTER, JON. I THOUGHT THIS WAS NORMAL STUFF. >> WHOA...
>> YEAH. THINK IT'S TIME FOR A NEW FLOOR. [ LAUGHTER ] >> BARKLEY ALSO TOOK US TO HIS
OLD JUNIOR HIGH GYM. IT STANDS, BARELY, AS A SYMBOL OF HOW FAR HE'S COME... >> 14, 15-YEAR-OLD CHARLES
BARKLEY WALKING IN HERE. WHO'S THAT KID? >> HE'S A 5'9", 5'10" BIG-BONED, NOT FAT, BIG-BONED, CHUBBY,
WHATEVER WORD YOU WANNA USE. I'M A 5'10" BACKUP POINT GUARD. >> YOU REMEMBER SPECIFIC PLAYS AND SHOTS FROM PLAYING HERE?
TIE GAME. WE GOT YOU ON THE WING. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, IF IT WAS TIE GAME, I'M NOT GOING TO BE IN
THE GAME. LET'S GET THAT OUT THE WAY. >> A SIX-INCH GROWTH SPURT HELPED TURN BARKLEY INTO A HIGH
SCHOOL BASKETBALL STAR. BUT HIS FORMATIVE TEENAGE EXPERIENCE CAME AT THE SCHOOL FOOTBALL STADIUM.
>> WOW. >> THIS IS WHERE HE STOOD ALONE, AT A DISTANCE, WATCHING HIS CLASSMATES GRADUATE.
>> I FLUNKED SPANISH, SO I DIDN'T GRADUATE. I WAS AT HOME ALL BY MYSELF, DEVASTATED.
AND I DROVE AROUND THE BACKSIDE HERE, AND I STOOD HERE FOR TWO HOURS AND WATCHED THE GRADUATION.
AND I CRIED THE WHOLE TIME. EVEN NOW, IT'S KINDA HITTIN' ME IN A -- IN THE HEART A LITTLE BIT.
MAN, WHAT A TRAUMATIC NIGHT THAT WAS. >> YOU REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE TEACHER?
>> MS. GOMEZ. I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT. AND MS. GOMEZ, WHEN I GO BACK AND THINK, WAS ONE OF THE
SWEETEST, KINDEST PEOPLE I'D EVER MET IN MY LIFE. BUT IN THAT MOMENT, I WAS SO MAD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO
THROW MY HAT IN THE AIR TOO. >> HE GRADUATED, THANKS TO SUMMER SCHOOL... >> AT AUBURN, HE WAS A STAR,
YES, FOR HIS SKILLS, BUT ALSO FOR HIS HEROIC APPETITE. HE EMBRACED HIS NICKNAME: THE ROUND MOUND OF REBOUND.
>> CHARLES BARKLEY! WOW! >> DRAFTED IN 1984, HE BECAME A CHARISMATIC NBA STAR FOR THE
PHILADELPHIA 76ers. >> HE'S THE SHORTEST MAN EVER TO LEAD THE NBA IN REBOUNDING, PROOF THAT - FOR ALL BARKLEY'S
YUKS - HE PLAYED WITH FURY. >> I WAS PLAYING TO STICK IT TO MY DAD, MS. GOMEZ, AND SOME OF THE KIDS WHO HAD MADE FUN OF ME,
INSTEAD OF JUST WANTING TO BE GREAT AT BASKETBALL. >> WHAT'S FIRING UP THIS FURNACE IS THE ANGER YOU HAVE FOR YOUR
SPANISH TEACHER THAT FLUNKED YOU. >> YES. >> AND YOUR DAD.
>> YES, 100%. >> WHAT CAUSED YOU TO FLUSH OUT THIS ANGER AND GET MOTIVATED FOR A DIFFERENT REASON?
>> THE SPITTIN' INCIDENT IN NEW JERSEY. >> IN 1991, HE SPAT AT A HECKLER AND INADVERTENTLY HIT A YOUNG
GIRL. HE CALLS IT THE LOW POINT OF HIS CAREER. >> I GOT SUSPENDED, RIGHTFULLY
SO. I WAS SITTING IN MY HOTEL ROOM, AND I WAS, LIKE, "YOU ARE THE BIGGEST LOSER IN THE WORLD."
I REMEMBER SAYING, "THIS IS IT TONIGHT." >> MEANING WHAT? >> I AM ONLY GOING TO PLAY
BASKETBALL BECAUSE I'M GREAT AT IT, AND I LOVE TO PLAY. I'M GETTING ALL THE DIRT OFF MY SHOULDERS.
MS. GOMEZ, BYE! DAD, BYE! THAT WAS REALLY THE TURNING POINT FOR ME.
>> BY SIR CHARLES! >> BARKLEY WAS THE NBA'S MVP IN 1993 FOR THE PHOENIX SUNS, AND THEN, MONTHS AFTER RETIRING IN
2000, HE EMBARKED ON A BROADCASTING CAREER. >> NUMBER ONE, THERE'S NO DOMINANT TEAM.
>> FULL DISCLOSURE, YOU MAY HAVE JUST SEEN HIM ON THIS NETWORK WORKING MARCH MADNESS. >> WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE
COLLEGE GAME TODAY? >> IT'S A TRAVESTY AND A DISGRACE. I'M SO MAD NOW HOW WE CAN MESS
UP SOMETHING THAT'S SO BEAUTIFUL. >> HOW'D WE MESS IT UP? >> WE CAN'T PAY ALL THESE
PLAYERS. >> TRANSLATION: BARKLEY HATES THE NEW, WILD WEST OF COLLEGE SPORTS WHERE PLAYERS GO TO THE
SCHOOLS THAT CAN BID THE HIGHEST... >> IN THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 25
SCHOOLS THAT'S GOING TO DOMINATE THE SPORTS BECAUSE THEY CAN AFFORD PLAYERS, AND THESE SCHOOLS WHO CAN'T AFFORD OR
WON'T PAY PLAYERS ARE GOING TO BE IRRELEVANT. >> ALMOST A QUARTER CENTURY SINCE BARKLEY LAST PLAYED.
>> AND NOW, FOR MY OPINION... HIS OPINIONS, FREE OF VARNISH, STILL MATTER. >> IS KEVIN DURANT A GREAT,
GREAT PLAYER? >> IF YOU AIN'T DRIVING THE BUS, DON'T WALK AROUND TALKING ABOUT YOU A CHAMPION.
>> HIS TAKES DON'T ALWAYS GO OVER WELL. KEVIN DURANT, A PERENNIAL ALL-STAR, ONCE SAID OF BARKLEY,
"I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY STILL ASK FOR THIS IDIOT'S OPINION." >> KEVIN DURANT. >> HE'S VERY SENSITIVE.
GREAT PLAYER. HE'S PART OF THAT GENERATION WHO THINK HE CAN'T BE CRITICIZED. HE'S NEVER LOOKED IN THE MIRROR
AND SAID, "MAN, WAS THAT A FAIR CRITICISM?" >> WE'RE IN AGREEMENT TODAY'S PLAYERS ARE A LITTLE MORE
SENSITIVE TO CRITICISM THAN YOUR GENERATION... >> THAT WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
>> TODAY'S PLAYERS TAKE OFFENSE, BUT SO HAVE PLAYERS FROM YOUR GENERATION. IT'S BEEN, BEEN A WHILE SINCE
YOU AND MICHAEL JORDAN SPOKE. >> MICHAEL DISAGREED WITH SOMETHING I SAID, AND HE BROKE OFF THE FRIENDSHIP.
>> BORN THREE DAYS APART, BARKLEY AND JORDAN WERE ONCE THE BST OF FRIENDS, BUT AS JORDAN STRUGGLED AS OWNER OF THE
CHARLOTTE HORNETS, BARKLEY MINCED NO WORDS. >> AND WHAT I SAID. I THINK THAT HE DON'T HAVE
ENOUGH PEOPLE AROUND HIM THAT ARE GOING TO TELL HIM "NO." AND HE GOT REALLY OFFENDED, AND WE HAVEN'T SPOKEN.
BUT, JON, I REALLY -- I'M GOING TO DO MY JOB. BECAUSE I HAVE ZERO CREDIBILITY IF I CRITICIZE OTHER PEOPLE IN
THE SAME BOAT AND NOT CRITICIZE MY BEST FRIEND. >> EVEN IF YOU HAVE NOTHING TO APOLOGIZE FOR, YOU THINK OF JUST
PICKING UP THE PHONE AND TRYING TO REPAIR THIS THING WITH MICHAEL? >> I GOT AN EGO, TOO, JON.
[ LAUGHTER ] YOU CAN'T BE GREAT AT SOMETHING, LIKE THAT DOESN'T GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO BE A JERK.
>> YOU THINK YOU'LL RESOLVE THIS EVENTUALLY? >> HE GOT MY NUMBER. >> IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET
BARKLEY GOING ON DISAPPOINTMENT, ASK HIM ABOUT HIS DAUGHTER CHRISTINA'S BASKETBALL SKILLS. >> YOUR DAUGHTER'S NOT A
BASKETBALL PLAYER. >> THAT WAS -- THAT WAS BRUTAL. SHE WAS SIX FEET TALL FROM BIRTH.
[ LAUGHTER ] I'M GOING TO HAVE THE BEST FEMALE BASKETBALL PLAYER IN THE WORLD.
I CAN'T WAIT TILL SHE'S OLD ENOUGH. I'M GOING TO TEACH HER EVERYTHING.
AND THEN WE START PLAYING, AND I'M SITTING IN THE STANDS AND I'M SAYING TO MYSELF, OH, MAN, SHE IS NOT AGGRESSIVE AT ALL.
[ LAUGHTER ] SO I ASK HER ONE DAY, I SAYS, YOU DON'T LIKE BASKETBALL, DO YOU?
SHE SAYS, OH, DAD, I HATE BASKETBALL. AND I SAID, OH, OKAY. [ LAUGHTER ]
AND IT TOOK ME A LITTLE WHILE TO GET OVER THAT, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID... >> YOU'RE BEING SERIOUS NOW?
>> YEAH. BUT SHE'S A GREAT PERSON AND A STRAIGHT-A STUDENT. SO I HAVE TO BRAG ABOUT THAT.
>> I GUARANTEE THAT MAKES YOU FEEL EVERY BIT AS GOOD AS HER HITTIN A GAME-WINNING JUMPER. >> NOT QUITE.
BUT [ LAUGHTER ] IT IS CLOSE ENOUGH. >> HI, DAD! >> CHRISTINA, NOW 33, RECENTLY
HAD A SON, HENRY. THE NEW GRANDPA SAYS HE'S NEVER FELT JOY LIKE THIS. WHEN WE ARRIVED, HE BROKE OUT
THIS VIDEO. >> IT IS BY FAR AND AWAY THE GREATEST THING THAT'S EVER HAPPENED TO ME IN MY LIFE.
>> LIVES UP TO THE HYPE? >> IT LIVES UP TO THE HYPE. I WANT TO SPEND TIME WITH HIM, BECAUSE I'M NOT MORBID, I'M NOT
UPSET, I'M ON THE BACK NINE. I HOPE I'M ON HOLE 10 OR 11, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW. I COULD BE ON 17 AND 18.
SO I WANT TO SPEND AS MUCH TIME WITH HIM AS POSSIBLE. AND THEN WHEN HE GETS OLDER, I WANT HIM TO GOOGLE ME.
>> GOOGLE ME, KID... >> YEAH, HEY, YEAH... >> DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? >> I HOPE HE DOES SOME RESEARCH
ON ME. I'LL BE LONG GONE, BUT I WOULD LIKE HIM TO KNOW THAT I ACCOMPLISHED SOME THINGS IN MY
LIFE.
I GOT TO LIVE MY DREAM. >> CHARLES BARKLEY ON GRATITUDE. >> IF YOU THINK I'M BETTER OR I WORK HARDER, YOU'RE JUST
>>> "THE LAST MINUTE" OF "60 MINUTES" IS SPONSORED BY UNITED HEALTH CARE. GET MEDICARE WITH MORE.
>> THIS PAST WEEK HAS BEEN ONE FILLED WITH UNCERTAINTY. WOULD EVEN MORE BRACKETS BE BUSTED IN A MARCH MADNESS FULL
OF UPSETS? FOR THAT MATTER, WOULD EVEN MORE BANKS FAIL? WOULD A FORMER PRESIDENT BE
INDICTED AND HAULED INTO COURT FOR ARRAIGNMENT? WOULD INTEREST RATES RISE, AND BY HOW MUCH?
WOULD THE WEATHER PHENOMENA CALLED "ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS" CONTINUE TO FLOOD THE WEST? THE WEEK WORE ON.
AMERICANS WERE WORN OUT. BUT THE PAST WEEK HAD AT LEAST ONE SOLID GLIMMER OF CERTAINTY. THE VERNAL EQUINOX ARRIVED.
SPRING BEGAN. IN SOME PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, BUDS BEGAN TO BLOOM. IN OTHERS, DAFFODIL AND CROCUS
SHOOTS PUSHED THROUGH FORMERLY FROZEN EARTH. AND, IN SPITE OF THE ATHLETIC UPSETS, AND FLOODS, IN SPITE OF
POLITICS AND ECONOMICS, IN SPITE OF GRAND JURIES, SPRING HAS ARRIVED. HOW BAD CAN THINGS REALLY BE?
I'M SHARYN ALFONSI. WE'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH ANOTHER EDITION OF "60 MINUTES.