Cornerback Dunta Robinson issued an apology for the headline-making message on the back of his shoes on Monday
Cornerback Dunta Robinson addressed the media on Monday about a message that was displayed on his shoes during the New York Jets game. On one shoe were the words "Pay me," while "Rick", as in Texans general manager Rick Smith, was written on the other.
Following is a transcript of what he said.
CB Dunta Robinson(on the message "Pay Me, Rick" written on his shoes yesterday) "It was all fun and games. I don't think (general manager) Rick (Smith) took it personal. It wasn't meant to be personal. Originally, when I got them, that was like three months ago and me and Rick weren't really seeing eye to eye. Now, it was just one of those situations where if I thought that it would bring some negativity in here, then I wouldn't have put them on. Like I said, Rick didn't take it personal at all and the guys laughed a lot. I guess it proved its point."
(on the fans being mad at what he said that they play for money) "It was regrettable, but when the guy was asking me, I thought him and myself, we were kind of joking about the situation. I didn't put that much thought into it. It didn't mean that much to me. It was just something that I did a long time ago and I wore them to the first game. But, like I said, Rick didn't take it personal. If it offended anybody, I apologize, but it wasn't that serious at all."
(on if he will wear the shoes again) "I won't wear them again. That's a situation where I guess it can rub some people the wrong way so I don't want that situation to happen again."
{QUOTE}(on fans wanting him to work hard not talk about money) "No doubt about it and that's what I do. I come to work every day. I think if it was a situation where, if I was one of those locker room cancers, I don't think the guys in this locker room wouldn't have taken it like a joke. I think they would've been like, 'Man, get this guy out of here.' But they know I come to work every day. They know how hard I work. They know the type of person I am so guys have been laughing about this situation all day long and that's how you want it. It lets me know that they know it wasn't that serious."
(on if it hurt his role as a team leader) "I don't think so. But that's a question you have to ask the guys in the locker room. To this point, I don't think it has because like I said, they didn't take it serious. It wasn't a means of trying to tick anybody off. It was all fun and that's what we got out of it. We've been laughing about it all day."
(on if he got a call from upstairs and what did management say) "Actually, we addressed it earlier and that was about it. Like I said, I can let you know that it wasn't a huge issue. That's the way it should be."
(on what was addressed) That's between us—myself, (head coach Gary) Kubiak and my teammates. That was something that we took care of in the meeting and we're going to leave it at that.
(on if he was fined) "No. No fines."
(on if people would've thought it was funny if the team had won) "No doubt about it. But you need a scapegoat when things go bad. I don't mind being it in certain situations. If the tables were turned and we won 24-7, everybody would be a lot like, the guys in this locker room were laughing but everybody would be laughing and joking about it. Like I said, Rick didn't take the situation personal because it wasn't meant personal. He knows the kind of person I am. If, like I said, if it offended anybody, I apologize for it. But it was something that wasn't serious at all. People in this locker room didn't take it serious."
(on if his shoes were being used as a scapegoat) "Next question."
