Burden of leading Grambling program no longer falls on Robinson's shoulder
By MARY FOSTER
AP SoorU Writer
NEW ORLEANS (AP)- For
the First time since 1941, Eddie
\ Robinson could sleep late with
out worrying about his players
missing class, reviewing film or
recruiting.
The man who won 408 games
at Grambling State - more victo
ries than any other coach in col
lege football history - and built a
nationally known program at a
tiny school tucked away in the
piney hills of north Louisiana,
has retired.
"It's hard for me to believe it's
over," Robinson said. "I guess
I'll get used to it eventually, but
it'll take a while."
It will take a while for every
one to get used to Robinson not
being on the sidelines.
On Nov. 28, he retired amid
tributes and tears after spending,
as he puts it, "57 years with the
same wife and same job."
Robinson was saluted by the
famous - President Clinton
called - and the ordinary - fans
chanted his name and wept along
when the 78-year-old coach
broke down in sobs.
"You can't imagine the impact
Coach Rob had," said Roosevelt
fTaylor, one of many former play
rers on hand for Robinson's last
Pgame. "He was the ultimate role
E model."
| Taylor, who played in the NFL
i for 14 years, was one of 210 play
Jers Robinson sent to the pros.
'They include four NFL Hall of
^Famers and a former Super Bowl
^quarterback.
r Robinson finished with a
frecord of 408-165-15 in 55 sea
rsons. His teams won all or part of
(17 Southwestern Athletic
(Conference titles and eight black
[college national championships.
? When Robinson began at
(Grambling, civil rights was but a
[dream and opportunity was lim
r
r
ited for even the most git ted
black athletes.
Opportunities have grown
tremendously since I played,"
said James Harris, a Grambling
quarterback in the late 1960s and
now an executive with the
Baltimore Ravens. When 1
played, I could not have gone to
other schools in the state. Now,
black athletes are at every school
in the country."
Robinson's final three seasons
were all losing ones. Grambling
lost its fifth straight Bayou
Classic on Saturday, 30-7 to
Southern University, and fin
ished the year 3-8.
"Eddie never has to apologize
for anything." said former player
and Hall of Earner Willie Davis.
"His record speaks for itself."
Robinson's impact on football
was great, but it was not his only
contribution.
"He took a program that
nobody even heard about and
made it internationally known,"
said former Grambling sports -
information director Collie
Nicholson. "He created a pro
gram that had greater implica
tions for black America than
football. He demonstrated that
opportunities exist for those who ]
understand the process and learn
how to make it work."
As important as winning was
to Robinson, it was never his only
goal. He never lost sight of
Grambling's main mission.
He arrived at the athletic '
dorm every morning at 6 a.m.,
ringing a bell and forcing sleepy
players to get ready for class.
Even if they went on to pro
fessional careers, former players
remember how Robinson nagged
those without degrees. And those
who never played another down
after college also benefited from
their time on the team.
"He never stopped preaching
education," said Virgil Robinson,
president and chief executive
officer or Dryades Savings in
New Orleans.
"I remember we had 28
seniors on the 1970 team that
went 9-2. Of the 28, 21 graduated
and among the 21, you wound up
with doctors, lawyers, ana cauca
tors.
It may sound corny, but
Coach made sure you left school
realizing football could be used
as a lesson in life."
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! ty to a victory In thoir toaton-oponor. The Demons improved to
[ 3-0 with two victories loaf woofc.
Demons freshmen get
win in season-opener
By SAM DAVIS
The Cheonkle Sport* Editor
Coach Chris Pinnix had no
idea what to expect when the
Reynolds ninth graders opened
their season last Wednesday night
at Herman Bryson Gym.
Pinnix, in his first season at the
helm, had no experience as the
Demons' head coach and obvious
ly none of his kids had played on
the high school level.
Reynolds' pressure defense
helped solve the team's nerves.
Reynolds opened the game with
an 18-6 first-quarter run to take
control of the game and held on
for a 58-31 victory over North
Surry.
The Demons stretched their
lead to 26-6 midway through the
second quarter before North
Surry got on the scoreboard in the
period.
Reynolds' defense caused the
Greyhounds all kinds of problems
early in the game. North Surry
solved it temporarily in the latter
stages of the second quarter and
at the start of the third quarter,
but had problems after that.
Pinnix said the key to the game
was his team's quick start.
"I thought the guys really start
ed strong," he said. "We started
the game in a full-court pressure
defense and they had trouble
adjusting to it. The press gave
them fits and by the time they
solved it, we had a big lead."
After falling behind 26-6 with
3:29 to play in the first quarter, j
North Surry rallied behind the j
play of Chris Umstead to close the j
gap to 26-10 at the half.
North Surry continued to fight "
from behind at the start of the
third quarter The Greyhounds cut
the lead to six, 28-22 with 3:24 to
play in the quarter, but Reynolds
went on a 15-2 run to take a 43-24
lead at fhe end of the period.
Again, Pinnix said pressure
defense gave his team a boost.
"We changed up our defense a
little," he said. "I think we caught
them off guard again.
"I have to give them credit,"
Pinnix added. "They made a nice
run at us and cut the lead down.
But we came back at them again
and that allowed us to get the
win."
Overall, Pinnix said his team J
did relatively well.
"For a first game we weren't
bad," Pinnix said "Our defense
had a lot of breakdowns.
"I'm proud of the effort they
gave us. I'm just glad to get the
win. It was good for us to go
against someone different. After
all the practices, it was good to see
someone in different color jerseys.
"I thought one key for us was
the fact that we were focused.
After school we went to study hall
and then pre-game meal. The kids
handled all of that well. They
weren't too emotional, they played
with a level head."
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