Losing a legend

I never met Coach Eddie Robinson, but growing up in northwest Louisiana, I had ample opportunities to read and hear about the legend.

So many times sports figures, coaches and athletes are defined by numbers and it would be easy to lump Robinson into that category. 408 wins, 17 conference championships and 1 worldwide legacy is what he brought to Grambling.

But Robinson was much more than a winning machine. He was, by all accounts, someone who cared more about what his players did after they left Grambling regardless of whether they played professional football.

Compare that with the situation coming out of Georgetown in which legendary Hoyas basketball coach John Thompson is being raked over the coals for his relationships, or lack thereof, with former players who did not become household names in the NBA and you'll see just one example of how Robinson's legacy spreads well beyond the 20,000-seat football stadium in Lincoln Parish that bears his name.