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Quote:Robinson Shares Fond Memories
DOUG CARLSON
Tampa Tribune
Published: Jan 22, 2004

TALLAHASSEE - There's no telling how Florida State fans will react tonight when former coach Steve Robinson returns to the Leon County Civic Center for the first time since being fired two years ago. But there's no reason the reception shouldn't be a warm one for Robinson, now an assistant to North Carolina coach Roy Williams.

Though Robinson was unsuccessful in five seasons of trying to make FSU a consistently competitive program in the Atlantic Coast Conference, he left no doubt about the effort he gave.

"I tried hard,'' Robinson said.  "Sometimes things don't work out. ... I had a great experience [at FSU] and I wouldn't change that experience. I learned a lot and I gave a lot. I gave everything I had to that program to try to make it work.''

Robinson said the surprise departure of junior forward Randell Jackson (for a brief NBA opportunity), followed by the December 1998 exit of starting center Karim Shabazz put his program behind and created recruiting challenges.

While trying to get caught up, Robinson didn't have the benefit of the current state-of-the-art practice facility to impress recruits, who no doubt were comparing what they saw from FSU's off-campus home in the civic center to far more alluring venues elsewhere in the ACC.

The practice facility was under construction when Robinson left. The program remains under construction today, but appears to finally be on the way up under Leonard Hamilton.

Before the season, Robinson wrote encouraging letters to some of the current FSU players he recruited, including Michael Joiner, Anthony Richardson and Andrew Wilson. Though they aren't expecting an emotional reunion with their former coach, they share fond memories.

"He's a smart coach, he just didn't have a great situation down here,'' Joiner said.

"I was joking with my mom and dad, thinking, `Man, even though he's not here right now, it's like he's getting a better end of the deal, the better end of the stick.' ... It's funny how things play out.''

Robinson, after all, coached in a Final Four last year and now is aiding Williams on the way to restoring North Carolina's basketball glory.

Weeks after being fired at FSU in March of 2002, a dejected Robinson went to the Final Four to visit Williams, whose Kansas team had reached the national semifinal. That's when Williams offered Robinson a chance to come back and rejoin his staff.

"I told him when I asked him to come back, I said, `Maybe if we can get this thing going we can go back again,' '' Williams said.

Robinson said yes and the Jayhawks did return to the Final Four a year later (last April), coming within a few seconds of winning a national title. Williams was excited to see the effect it had on Robinson.

"He enjoyed the heck out of it because it had been a little difficult for him toward the end of his time in Tallahassee,'' Williams said.

"From a basketball standpoint I couldn't be happier,'' Robinson said of his experience since leaving FSU. ``To coach in a Final Four, one possession away from winning a national championship - that's what we live for as coaches, to be involved with those situations.''
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