I had gotten Eddie way, way back as a kid through the Houston Oilers, and I also believe at training camp one year. There was still 2-3 cards I still wanted to get signed by him, and I stocked a few years prior thinking I could add him during the Houston Oilers 1993 25th Anniversary party, but I am not sure if he was there.
Eddie has two cases of mistaken identity working against him. One, people think that he’s related to former Grambling HC Eddie Robinson Sr. – He is not. And two, where Eddie went to college and recently got hired as HC is at Alabama State University- not Alabama.
Although the Skybox was not my favorite card, his Oilers uniform looks beautiful on the gray canvas. It seemed to make sense to add this one to the collection alongside his Classic 92.
Alabama has a great and wonderful legacy of linebackers and Eddie Robinson, well he went to Alabama State so he played under the shadow of this colossus. Undeterred, Robinson would excel playing for the Hornets and parlay his tremendous career there into a second round choice by the Oilers. The Oilers were looking for new blood at linebacker and Robinson was a competent and versatile fit for the team. The 1992 draft was not a strong draft by any regards outside of the first round, but the team made the most of their selections- especially with Eddie, who was a shrewd selection by the team. Although never making the ProBowl during his tenure, Robinson was consistent and his longevity would allow him also to endure for 11 seasons at linebacker. He was also adequate in coverage, replacing the venerable Johnny Meads at linebacker. Robinson would sign with the Jaguars in 1996. He’d start on defense for the Jaguars when they’d make their first two playoff runs in the then AFC Central. Eddie would soon thereafter resign with the Oilers- who were then the Tennessee Oilers under defensive coordinator and now head coach Jeff Fisher. He’d play for the team as it changed its name to the Tennessee Titans and made a SuperBowl run in 1999 and through 2001. Robinson would play one final season for the Bills in 2002 and retire. The GameDay card here is a really superior card as it really frames his figure well in the long portrait style. Its a shame that the football card market imploded the way it did because the Action Packed and GameDay cards were really a unique foray into trading cards.
G/Gs 175/164 Tac 805 Sac 23 Fum 6 Int 6 Yds 94 Avg 15.6 Td 1 Lg 49t
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
