Robinson's legs say 'whoa' at first practice

Robinson's legs say 'whoa' at first practice
But receiver is ready to fly for Seahawks again
By GREG JOHNS
P-I REPORTER

RENTON -- Koren Robinson was saying all the right things Wednesday as he began the latest chapter of his Seahawks saga. But his weary legs weren't quite as eloquent.


The former first-round draft pick rejoined the Hawks for the first time since being released after a drunken-driving arrest in May 2005, in what figured to be his final strike in a tumultuous four-year career.

Yet there he was Wednesday, running a crossing route and laying out for a nice diving catch of a Matt Hasselbeck pass 20 yards downfield. And there he was moments later, gingerly stretching his not-quite-ready calves before sitting out the second half of his first practice session since being released by Green Bay in May.

"You get out here in front of your teammates and coaches and your competitive nature picks up, but your body is going, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa, what's going on?' " Robinson said later while sitting under his nameplate in the Seahawks expansive new locker room. "That's all it is. Just being cautious. I don't have to come in today and do everything. I don't want to hurt myself or anything like that."

The Seahawks must be careful with Robinson's return, just as they were careful about the whole idea of bringing him back for another shot.

Robinson said if the Seahawks had a game tomorrow, he could play at least a limited role. He slid comfortably back into Mike Holmgren's familiar playbook, but said he'll need to listen to his body as he works himself back into football shape. Holmgren and his new/old teammates were just happy to have the receiving reinforcements of Robinson and Keary Colbert, a fifth-year pro acquired by trade from Denver this week.

"He's a little ways away from playing a full football game and things like that," Holmgren said before Wednesday's workout. "My hope is he can contribute and give us a little lift. I'm also talking about Keary. He's been in camp and with a team, so his stamina and ability to play is better than Koren's. But it's nice to have some guys who have played. Let's start there. I'm kind of encouraged by it, actually."

Given the only healthy holdover receivers are Billy McMullen, Courtney Taylor and Michael Bumpus, there's no question the new duo will get every opportunity to contribute as soon as Sunday against the St. Louis Rams.

"I think both those guys can help us," Hasselbeck said. "It's not a situation where they're going to come in and save the day, necessarily, but it's obviously a position where we don't have a lot of depth or experience right now, so I'm sure they'll get used."

Robinson was a Pro Bowl kick-return specialist with Minnesota in 2005, and he could be used in that role immediately, as Holmgren told both players they'd be pushed into action quickly, whether fair or not.

"It's numbers," Holmgren said of his depleted receiving situation. "We didn't have enough guys to suit up. They have to play."

Robinson is back largely because Holmgren pushed for the return of the man he went to bat for many times during his previous Seattle stint. Robinson said he's been sober since his last DUI arrest in August 2006 and is committed to a new lifestyle.

Serving jail time forced Robinson to say, "This isn't me." He wants now to repay Holmgren for his continued faith.

"I just feel like I have unfinished business," he said. "I want to have Coach Holmgren go out with a bang and not disappoint and let him down. I know he put his neck out for me a lot of times, and I just kept getting it chopped off. I want to show him I'm appreciative of him always being behind me."

Hasselbeck said Robinson is "a totally different guy" from the youngster who had his own agenda his first four years in Seattle.

"I'm happy with all off-the-field stuff for his current situation, being sober for so long and being a role model and kind of a feel-good story," the quarterback said. "I feel good about that part of it. The football part, it was just one day, but it was nice to see him out there with some familiar routes he used to run for us. You can think of some big plays he had on some of those throughout the years. Hopefully, we can do that again."

The athlete who caught 78 passes for 1,240 yards in 2002 is buried somewhere within Robinson, who still is just 28. But he totaled just 50 receptions over his past three seasons in Minnesota and Green Bay as he lost a full year to an NFL suspension and missed considerable time with his off-field troubles.

Nobody invited him to camp this summer, a fact Robinson attributes to his bad reputation.

"I still can play," he said. "Let's not get that twisted. But I know I'm not where I'm going to be. I'm not coming in here to be the savior or anything like that. I'm just coming in here hoping I can be that spark we need."

Holmgren said that he was pleased the former North Carolina State star appears to have turned his life around and that he felt bad he'd never been able to "push the right buttons" during Robinson's first tenure in town.

"He's a good man who had some issues that were personal and physical," Holmgren said.

The Seahawks hope this full-circle return represents more than just another chapter in a troubled football tale.

"To me, it's more the story of his life," Hasselbeck said. "It's what he's going to be remembered for and who he's going to become. He came in as a very talented but very young kid who got a lot of money right away and was given a starting job right away and had a lot on his shoulders.

"He was far from home, far from friends and family, and it's a tough situation. I know that he's learned a lot the hard way, and he's fortunate for the opportunity that he's had."

Robinson said his pregnant wife and two children will join him later this week. He has enjoyed spending time with them at home in North Carolina the past few months, but is anxious to prove his doubters wrong.

"My perspective on life is different," he said. "It's not all about football. It's about being the best person I can be. Whether that involves football in the future or not, I'm cool with it."




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