Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson knows competition is the name of the game

By Jim Moore

If I’m Michael Robinson, I’m wondering why the Seahawks would sign Derrick Coleman last December and choose Spencer Ware in the sixth round of the draft in April.

I’m thinking, “I’m the guy at fullback. I’m the guy who blocks for Marshawn Lynch. I’m the glue guy in the locker room. I’m one of the team leaders who can also be an emergency quarterback if needed.”

But he has no problems at all with increased competition, understanding that it’s the nature of football in Seattle under Pete Carroll.

Michael Robinson is trying to fend off two younger players who hope to supplant him as Seattle’s starting fullback. (AP)

“It’s fun,” Robinson said Thursday. “It gets your blood goin’ a little bit. It gets you fired up to go to practice every day.

“Ronnie Lott told me when he played for Bill Walsh (in San Francisco), nothing was peaches and cream. Every day you’re on edge because you might lose your job. That’s the environment Pete has here – you’re constantly competing to keep your job.”

Ware played well in the Seahawks’ preseason opener at San Diego. Coleman has been praised by Carroll for his special-teams play.

According to Danny O’Neil’s research, the Seahawks have kept an average of 4.7 running backs under Carroll. The locks this year are Lynch, Robert Turbin and second-round draft choice Christine Michael. O’Neil lists Robinson in the category of “almost certainly safe.”

Ware and Coleman aren’t longshots, but only one figures to make the roster if Carroll keeps five running backs. There’s a chance that both could make it if Robinson is cut for salary-cap reasons. The 30-year-old is scheduled to earn $2.5 million this year.

As you no doubt know, Robinson is the man behind “The Real Rob Report,” which is a series of videos that take fans behind the scenes, most frequently to the Seahawks’ locker room.

In the latest video, we see Michael, the rookie running back, as a rapper. We also see a lot of Robinson’s teammates giving each other a hard time. And we get to see a lot of Lynch’s back; he doesn’t like to see Robinson’s camera at his locker.

Robinson had an exclusive interview with Buccaneers cornerback Darrelle Revis earlier this year and said that “The Real Rob Report” is about to expand to other NFL locker rooms with other players helping him out.

“Guys come to me and want to talk,” Robinson said. “They all know I’m coming from a good place. I’m not looking for anything bad. I’m looking for guys to show their personalities. They feel comfortable talking to me.”

When his career ends, Robinson wants to get into coaching or broadcasting as an NFL analyst.
He said Troy Aikman is his favorite NFL analyst because “he’s short and to the point. He’s really, really good, like John Madden. He lets the game tell the story.”

Asked to name the worst analyst, Robinson didn’t hesitate.

“Mel Kiper,” Robinson said. “He really gets on my nerves. To my knowledge, he didn’t play. What makes him an expert in a game he never played?”

“He’s got good hair, though,” I said.

“In some people’s opinion,” Robinson responded, not sharing that thought at all.

For the next two weeks before final cuts are made on Aug. 31, Robinson will focus on helping his younger teammates while trying to maintain his spot as the starting fullback. Asked if he felt confident that he would keep his job, Robinson said: “You’ve got to feel confident in your abilities. I know exactly what I can do. I let the coaches worry about the roster spots.”

The Go 2 Guy also writes for his website, jimmoorethego2guy.com, and kitsapsun.com every Monday. You can reach Jim at jimmoorethego2guy@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @cougsgo.