ILS1
08-01-2005, 09:35 PM
Finally realizing he has a problem with alcohol, former Seahawks wide receiver Koren Robinson has checked himself into a 30-day treatment center in South Carolina and plans to be ready for the NFL regular season as a new person.
"I've realized I've got a problem," Robinson said. "I know the path I was going down wouldn't enable me to be a successful person in life and a successful football player on the field. I had to be proactive before I got too bad."
Robinson's career and life have been spiraling out of control for the past eight months. Because of his drinking, he missed meetings late in the 2004 season and had to make a promise to seek alcohol treatment to stay on the active roster. That didn't work. Robinson finished the season on the active roster but was charged with a DUI on May 6 in Kirkland, Wa.
After pleading guilty, he ended up receiving a 365-day jail sentence in which 364 days were suspended. When he showed up for his one-day jail sentence, alcohol was allegedly detected on his breath by two detectives, a violation of his probation from the plea bargain.
That incident was the final straw. Robinson had been in denial about his problems. Last week, he checked himself into a rehab center.
"I will get out at the end of August," Robinson said. "I just know I had a problem. I was in denial for a while. Stuff had to happen to me for me to realize it before anything bad happened. I'm not ashamed of what I've done. I'm thankful it wasn't worse. But I have to put this problem in the past."
Robinson wouldn't discuss his pending legal issue. He has an Aug. 4 hearing to determine any penalty for violating his probation. Because he's at a South Carolina treatment center, he will have to postpone that hearing until late August or early September.
His plan is to sober up and be available for the 2005 season. From what Robinson has heard from the league office, he won't be subject to a year suspension even though he had a four-week suspension last year for violation of the substance policy.
"I won't be suspended, that's what I understand," Robinson said. "I will keep working out and keeping my fingers crossed someone will want to sign me. I can still play. My agent [Alvin Keels] has talked to the league and that's what they've said. There were some teams that we had been talking to and I hope they are still interested in my. First, I have to handle my business because I know I have a problem."
Robinson received treatment for his alcohol problems twice during the offseason, but until last week, Robinson hadn't entered into a 12-step program to stop his problems with alcohol.
Mike Holmgren, his former coach, made him seek help for his problems, but Robinson was in denial, which is why those other treatments failed.
"I only went into treatment then because I was pressured," Robinson said. "The first one was after the season. It was a 28-day program. It was like a detox program as opposed to a 12-step. The one I'm in now is a 30-day in-patient to get me to stay clean and sober. After the DUI, I had a five-day treatment for assessment and evaluation."
The recent incident at the Kirkland jail was his wake-up call.
"Everybody was seeing myself going down the hill, and it was like the hill just never stopped, it never flattened out," Robinson said. "This woke me up. I'm not really that type of person. The whole situation makes you see what you really have. I have a great opportunity being an NFL player. A lot of people would give an arm and a leg to be in my position. Those people go to work from eight until five just to be able to financially be able to afford a house.
"I get to play football and do something that I love to do. I've been taking it for granted. This has really humbled me. I can see that I'm not Superman and that I can't run through a wall if I want to."
Robinson almost signed with the 49ers after the Seahawks released him in early June. But the 49ers backed out of a possible deal because of timing. His availability came at a time in which the 49ers were under organizational criticism because of the public release of an inappropriate public relations tape.
"I hope teams are still interested in me," Robinson said. "I must show I can handle my business. I know I have a problem. This time, I checked myself in because I wanted to get help. Nobody was telling me to do this. I came to the realization that, 'Koren, you need help.' I've got to do what I had to do. I feel like I can be a living testimony by being able to stop this."
Robinson is a talented 26-year-old former first-round choice with the potential to be a No. 1 receiver on a team. But first, Koren Robinson had to take care of Koren Robinson.
The process started last week.
John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com.
WR Robinson Checks Into Rehab (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=2121462)
"I've realized I've got a problem," Robinson said. "I know the path I was going down wouldn't enable me to be a successful person in life and a successful football player on the field. I had to be proactive before I got too bad."
Robinson's career and life have been spiraling out of control for the past eight months. Because of his drinking, he missed meetings late in the 2004 season and had to make a promise to seek alcohol treatment to stay on the active roster. That didn't work. Robinson finished the season on the active roster but was charged with a DUI on May 6 in Kirkland, Wa.
After pleading guilty, he ended up receiving a 365-day jail sentence in which 364 days were suspended. When he showed up for his one-day jail sentence, alcohol was allegedly detected on his breath by two detectives, a violation of his probation from the plea bargain.
That incident was the final straw. Robinson had been in denial about his problems. Last week, he checked himself into a rehab center.
"I will get out at the end of August," Robinson said. "I just know I had a problem. I was in denial for a while. Stuff had to happen to me for me to realize it before anything bad happened. I'm not ashamed of what I've done. I'm thankful it wasn't worse. But I have to put this problem in the past."
Robinson wouldn't discuss his pending legal issue. He has an Aug. 4 hearing to determine any penalty for violating his probation. Because he's at a South Carolina treatment center, he will have to postpone that hearing until late August or early September.
His plan is to sober up and be available for the 2005 season. From what Robinson has heard from the league office, he won't be subject to a year suspension even though he had a four-week suspension last year for violation of the substance policy.
"I won't be suspended, that's what I understand," Robinson said. "I will keep working out and keeping my fingers crossed someone will want to sign me. I can still play. My agent [Alvin Keels] has talked to the league and that's what they've said. There were some teams that we had been talking to and I hope they are still interested in my. First, I have to handle my business because I know I have a problem."
Robinson received treatment for his alcohol problems twice during the offseason, but until last week, Robinson hadn't entered into a 12-step program to stop his problems with alcohol.
Mike Holmgren, his former coach, made him seek help for his problems, but Robinson was in denial, which is why those other treatments failed.
"I only went into treatment then because I was pressured," Robinson said. "The first one was after the season. It was a 28-day program. It was like a detox program as opposed to a 12-step. The one I'm in now is a 30-day in-patient to get me to stay clean and sober. After the DUI, I had a five-day treatment for assessment and evaluation."
The recent incident at the Kirkland jail was his wake-up call.
"Everybody was seeing myself going down the hill, and it was like the hill just never stopped, it never flattened out," Robinson said. "This woke me up. I'm not really that type of person. The whole situation makes you see what you really have. I have a great opportunity being an NFL player. A lot of people would give an arm and a leg to be in my position. Those people go to work from eight until five just to be able to financially be able to afford a house.
"I get to play football and do something that I love to do. I've been taking it for granted. This has really humbled me. I can see that I'm not Superman and that I can't run through a wall if I want to."
Robinson almost signed with the 49ers after the Seahawks released him in early June. But the 49ers backed out of a possible deal because of timing. His availability came at a time in which the 49ers were under organizational criticism because of the public release of an inappropriate public relations tape.
"I hope teams are still interested in me," Robinson said. "I must show I can handle my business. I know I have a problem. This time, I checked myself in because I wanted to get help. Nobody was telling me to do this. I came to the realization that, 'Koren, you need help.' I've got to do what I had to do. I feel like I can be a living testimony by being able to stop this."
Robinson is a talented 26-year-old former first-round choice with the potential to be a No. 1 receiver on a team. But first, Koren Robinson had to take care of Koren Robinson.
The process started last week.
John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com.
WR Robinson Checks Into Rehab (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=2121462)