By Kyle Klingman, W.I.N. Columnist
As I pulled into the parking lot of the Bierman Building on the campus of the University of Minnesota this past summer, I didn’t know what to expect.
My mission that morning was simple: Spend an entire day with head wrestling coach J Robinson in an attempt to understand one of the more interesting and enigmatic people the sport of wrestling has ever known. By the end of the day, Robinson only added to his mystique.
The first person I saw when I got out of my car was Robinson himself. He had just pulled into a handicap spot (he did have a handicap tag) and was walking toward his office. We eventually made our way back to his jeep for some J Robinson Intensive Camp hopping. (Robinson has Intensive Camps for wrestling, basketball and hockey around the country.)
When he turned on the ignition an unexpected song came blaring through the speakers. Somewhat startled, I looked over at Robinson for an explanation. Sensing what I was thinking, he responded immediately.
“I like Britney Spears,” said Robinson. “Everyone has expectations of how you’re supposed to act. I say let loose and have fun. I like Britney Spears so I’m going to listen to her music.”
Donning a pair of Coors Light flip-flops and sunglasses, the current head wrestling coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers cranked up the volume and began singing the lyrics to Spears’s song “Stronger” as we drove off to his first intensive camp of the day. I knew then that Robinson was a different person than I had made him out to be.
First on the agenda was a talk to a group of hockey players in a classroom setting. Robinson knows nothing about hockey but is firm in his belief that the core principles of hard work, dedication, sacrifice and
discipline can apply to any endeavor. Insisting that everyone call him J because of his belief that everyone is on the same level, he delivered a 20-minute talk about life.
“The key is this,” he told the students. “The way you look at life is the most important thing. You can have a positive mental attitude or a negative one. You get to choose what glasses you put on in the morning when you wake up. You will find in life what you look for. If you want to be at the top you have to make that choice.
“You’re not born with attitude. Most Americans want to buy everything, but your attitude is something you can never buy. Life is about making choices and it’s not easy. Life is about the pursuit of excellence.”
Several of Robinson’s life lessons included thoughts from others.
“I love quotes,” said Robinson. “I have hundreds of them.”
This was certainly true. By the end of the day Robinson had used quotes from at least 25 different people. His list of notables included Dan Gable (“You can always do more.”), George Patton (“All the major battles have been fought, the only thing that changes is technology.”), and Jesus (“When you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.”).
To me, Robinson was akin to a wise Jedi master and I was his student in training for the day. Robinson challenged me on a variety of levels. Most of his ideas I agreed with, some I didn’t, but he forced me come up with the answers on my own. However, on more than one occasion, I fell prey to his Jedi mind tricks.
For example, I would ask him a question. He would answer with a question. I would answer his question and then he’d say, “There you go, you just answered your own question.” It was brilliant sleight of hand trickery.
But there is much debate over what type of Jedi Knight Robinson is. To some, he is on the dark side. A vocal critic of what’s wrong with wrestling, Robinson is never bashful about sharing his thoughts. Yet to others, he is the one who has brought balance to the force, challenging traditional authority which in turn has taken wrestling to a new level.
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