Raiders’ Robbins Acted Suicidal

Barret Robbins, the Oakland Raider center who was kept out of Super Bowl XXXVII in San Diego because of his behavior, was suicidal and disoriented in the hours leading to the game, according to those around him.

Raider Coach Bill Callahan, making his first public statements on Robbins Wednesday, said the 6-foot, 320-pound lineman “was incoherent and he was not capable of knowing where he was,” when he returned to the team Saturday night after disappearing for nearly 24 hours.

“I was fearful something wrong was occurring,” Callahan said.

Robbins, who has a history of depression, was reported missing from the team hotel in La Jolla Friday night. He was absent from two meetings and a walk-through practice Saturday before reappearing in the evening.

Cartier Dise, a 25-year-old San Leandro auto customizer, told the San Francisco Chronicle that he was in a group that spent part of Saturday drinking with Robbins.

“[Robbins] would be [happy] one minute and the next, he was crying and talking about how much all that Super Bowl stuff was getting to him,” Dise told the newspaper. “This guy was messed up. All he could think about was his family, his two daughters.

“He was talking about killing himself, saying he was disappointing people and he had a lot of people to support financially and he was letting them all down.

“Everybody was doing shots of tequila. B-Robb was buying rounds for everybody and it was pretty crazy.

“The man just needed a hug and I gave him one. He’s got a heart of gold, the biggest heart in the world, and he was really in a lot of pain.”

Dise wouldn’t comment on the claim by several players that Robbins had gone across the border to Tijuana to drink.

Dise is a familiar figure around the Raiders, supplying rims and wheels to the vehicles of several players.

When he saw Robbins’ condition, Callahan at first benched his starting center, then decided to send him home.

“There’s a point in time you can only do so much as a coach and as an organization,” Callahan said. “His situation didn’t mandate personal bodyguards around the clock.”

Robbins spent Sunday in a San Diego hospital. He had trouble getting a flight to Oakland because he could not locate his wallet, which contained his identification.

Said Tampa Bay Coach Jon Gruden, who coached Robbins for four seasons in Oakland: “I pray that everything works out OK for him. It’s a tragedy, and that’s all I can say at this time.”

The Raiders lost the Super Bowl, 48-21, as their offensive line, without its Pro Bowl center, was overwhelmed by the Buccaneers’ league-leading defense.

Callahan declined Wednesday to reveal where Robbins was. He shot down speculation that a decision has been made to get rid of Robbins, who finished his eighth season with the team.

Robbins is “absolutely” still a Raider, Callahan said, adding there is a “viable” chance he will remain on the team.