Happy Birthday Eddie Robinson

It is fitting that Day 1 of the Playoffs coincides with E-Rob's birthday in that it was essentially a handful of performances in the '01 Playoffs that would convince the Bulls to pay him handsomely the next season.

Eddie Robinson around Jeff Hornacek
(March 3, 2000)

Most importantly however (and as far as we can tell), it was E-Rob, in his rookie year, who brought the headband to Charlotte. We're talking even before Baron made it his favorite item of apparel to remove in celebration.

Baron Davis sans-headband dunk

(March 3, 2000)

This is probably a stretch, but so influential was E-Rob's accessories wardrobe, that the entire Hornets team would go on to wear headbands, and look ridiculous, through the 2001 Playoffs. P.J. BROWN AND ELDEN CAMPBELL!

Want more? E-ROB WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ANNOUNCERS WEARING HEADBANDS!

On the subject of the Hornets, the caliber of dunkers on that '99-00 squad was probably second only to the Raptors. With Eddie Jones as the Elder Statesman of Dunk, the young legs of Baron Davis, Ricky Davis and E-Rob provided a number of highlights throughout that season.

After the '01 Playoffs, the Bulls (Krause) paid E-Rob top dollar to sign as a free agent.  He didn't pan out (aside from some entertaining self-oops) and after a couple of seasons the Bulls opted to buy out the remainder of his contract.
This brought to a close Robinson's NBA career, but he did make a brief appearance in the D-League, eventually taking his talents to Canada.

This post goes out to The Grand Archives.

BONUS: P.J. Brown and guy.