A tragedy waiting to happen?
One of the more shocking pieces of news to emerge this week was the decision by a Dade County (Fla.) Circuit judge to sentence former Raiders center Barret Robbins to five years' probation for attempted murder, battery and three other charges. The charges stem from a wild brawl in Miami Beach on Jan. 15, 2005, when Robbins injured three police officers - he rammed one cop's head into a wall - after they responded to a burglary call.
Releasing Robbins back into the free world is like rolling a grenade into a shopping mall and hoping that it doesn't explode.
I covered Robbins for only a few months. It was 2003, and he was still living down the humiliation of having abandoned his teammates in the throes of an alcohol-induced bipolar episode on the eve of Super Bowl XXXVII. Robbins had much to prove to teammates and fans (not the least of which was a rapidly deteriorating knee), and he did not back down. Time after time, he stood before reporters and answered the same questions, describing the pain and embarrassment he had felt over the previous few months.
Not all of Robbins' teammates were fond of him. He had a swagger about him, and some grew tired of having to cover for him every time he fell off the wagon. But I came to admire his honesty and his determination that year. And that's exactly why I don't want to see Robbins out of custody.
This is a huge man with an extreme chemical imbalance. His football career, and his life afterward, have been a jerking downward spiral. He could have killed someone during that fight with Miami police, and he almost died himself, taking bullets in the heart and lung.
That episode seemed like the final major chapter. But even later, he was picked up for possession of marijuana in Texas, having been released to the care of relatives. I'm sure Robbins would prefer any form of freedom to incarceration, and his wife, children, friends and family members probably feel the same way. I just can't picture him finding the right mix of medications, then sticking to it religiously. He needs constant supervision.
Up to this point, Robbins' life has been a sad tale. I fear that one day it will go from sad to tragic, and he may not be the only person hurt.
Phil Barber
