A day after Eddie Robinson Jr. became involved in a postgame spat with Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders, the first-year coach attempted to clarify what transpired at midfield and in the press conference that followed.
“I acknowledged Coach Sanders by shaking his hand after the game,” Robinson, the Alabama State coach, said in a statement on Sunday. “I chose not to embrace him for reasons stated in my post-game presser. In my attempt to avoid the embrace, I extended my hand to discourage the contact, and Coach Sanders responded by pushing my arm away.”
Robinson on Saturday explained that he was displeased with pregame comments Sanders made suggesting the matchup between the schools was “a money game,” how the Jackson State coach conducted himself during the pregame warm-ups and alleged the Tigers tried to run up the score with the contest already decided in the final seconds of what as 26-12 Jackson State win.
Robinson also alleged in the postgame rant that Sanders “ain’t SWAC” — taking a jab at the Pro Football Hall of Famer’s previous disassociation with the conference prior to being hired by Jackson State.
Those comments, among others, are what Robinson apologized for.
“As it relates to the post-game press conference, I would like to apologize to Alabama State University President Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr., our alumni, faculty, staff, students, and supporters for my choice of language,” he said.
“I will use this as a teachable moment for myself, our staff, and our players.”
You shouldn’t have never went there. If you had a problem why go out there to shake the man’s hand. Some of your players alone with your action put a bad disposition on your school. This was awful.
He shook his hand, he wasn’t gonna hug someone who tried embarass his kids on Homecoming!! Y’all upset? Trust me if JSU has scored again, leading 26-12 like JC Smith scored on us (WSSU HC 1973) leading 49-35 pushing the score to 55-35 it would really gotten ugly cause THAT one ended in a bench clearing brawl!! Remember these schools have been playing each other since the early 1900’s!! Football is a Gladiator Sport played AFTER 16-20 hour days 4 days a week! I KNOW for a fact, that Satuday was the ONE day a week I got to have fun!! This is nothing more than a good old fashioned HBCU rivalry!! In fact I NEVER got the chance to partipate in the I-40 Rumble because things had gotten so heated between us (WSSU) and NCA&T that the 2 presidents, agreed on a 5 year cooling off period!! We’ re so exited by what we saw Saturday that me, my son (BCU) and my Bro (Tougaloo) have ALREADY decided to make the drive from South Florida to Jackson next year to seem them get it on!!!
Just admit it Robinson, Sanders out coached you and his team outplayed yours, it’s that simple. All of the other stuff was totally uncalled for and you basically made yourself look like a sore loser. Get over it and move on because as long as Sanders is the coach at JSU they will be a powerhouse in the SWAC.💯
I’m sooo disappointed in my school right now. Eddie you disappointed and embarrassed ALL of us‼️
You should be terminated. You are not setting a positive example for the young men on your team as evidenced by the harsh profane language tolerated by you and your coaches. This is not about Deion and JSU. These are impressionable men who you are grooming to be thugs, if they are not already. You are not a positive role model, sir. I am a parent of an Alabama A&M MBA graduate. Your behavior is unacceptable and it says something about your administration if they condone it. A forced apology is not accepted.
Dude, your issue with Deion is personal!! As a coach, you set the example in winning and in losing. Deion hyped that game up, and you couldn’t!Out of every so call swac player’s to go into the league, none haven’t done 5% of what that man has done for the schools in Mississippi swac. Your issue personal, career was as recognized as his, God gave us our own path. But Saturday, you crossed over
The profanity from the ASU players and the crowd was stocking.