MIAMI – Falcons defensive back Eugene Robinson, was arrested last night on a sex solicitation charge, less than 24 hours before the start of the Super Bowl.
Robinson, 36, was arrested at 9 p.m. EST and charged with soliciting an undercover police officer for oral sex on Biscayne Boulevard, a busy street frequented by prostitutes and drug dealers.
“We did arrest a Falcon player this evening, Eugene Robinson, for soliciting prostitution from one of our undercover officers,” police spokesman Angel Calzadilla said.
Robinson was driving a car when he offered the officer $40 for oral sex, Calzadilla said. He was alone at the time.
Robinson was released from Miami Police headquarters around 11 p.m. to a Falcons team official. He promised to return for a court appearance, which is usually scheduled within 21 to 30 days.
Robinson, who played in the last two Super Bowls with Green Bay, is the NFL’s career active leader in interceptions with 53. *Bob Whitfield was in the mood to have fun, which was fortunate, because it would have been unwise to anger this 6-5, 310-pound LT.
Whitfield is blind in his right eye and has recently been growing a scraggly beard that makes him look more imposing than usual. The Falcons’ best offensive lineman did his best to enjoy himself in the days leading up to Super Bowl XXXIII, even though never far from his thoughts there is a personal tragedy that continues to affect him.
“You can’t be all serious and straight up-and-down,” Whitfield said to a group of reporters. “I’ll brighten up your guys’ morning. Brighten up my morning. Because when I make you laugh, it makes me laugh inside. I just have fun with it. Just being a little different.”
This is the crowning achievement for Whitfield, a seven-year veteran who is a staggering success story. He grew up in Carson, Calif. amid drugs and gangs and was able to escape. He was an economics major at Stanford, a first-round draft pick of the Falcons and owns a recording studio in Atlanta. The mean streets did not get the best of the 27-year old Whitfield. His older brother Paris, 30, is in California State Prison-Sacramento, in the fifth year of a 26-years-to-life sentence for first degree murder.
Bob Whitfield has a contract that averages $3 million per year and today plays in the biggest game of his career. Paris Whitfield will not be a free man for quite some time, if ever again.
“We all were vulnerable,” Bob Whitfield said. “Among my cronies, one became a dancer, one went to college, another guy got killed and another dude got strung out on drugs. Some of them had motivation to distance themselves from that place, and some said the hell with it.” In today’s game, Whitfield will play a key role in protecting Chris Chandler and opening holes for Jamal Anderson. Whitfield goes against DE Maa Tanuvasa, who had 8.5 sacks for the Broncos this season. “When I see them on film I see a team that can be beat,” Whitfield said. “Denver’s a great team, much kudos to Denver, but they can the be had. They can be beat.”
*One proud tradition is no more. Dan Reeves no longer wears the coat and tie on the sideline that easily made him the league’s best-dressed coach. Reeves always eschewed the team colors for his own natty attire. No longer. He now sports the black and red of the Falcons.
Reeves recent bypass surgery prompted the change in clothing.
“It had become difficult for me to dress,” he said …
Cher will sing the National Anthem tonight.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
