F
Page 10-Thursday, March 4, 1982-The Michigan Daily
Robinson faces uncertain future
after leaving Iowa State post
By PAUL HELGREN
For ex-Michigan basketball star John Robinson,
leaving his sport was not easy. Leaving something
you love never is. Robinson's desire to stay in basket-
ball after an outstanding career at Michigan was cut
short by a financial reality; there just isn't a whole
lot of money to be made as a part-time assistant
coach.
"Johnny Rob" worked at Iowa State for one year as
a part-time assistant to his former coach Johnny Orr
before resigning prior to this season. He had
previously worked one year as an assistant coach at
Central Michigan, also on a part-time basis.
THE 6-5 BACHELOR cited personal as well as
financial reasons for leaving Iowa State. "I was en-
tering my third year as an assistant and I didn't see
myself going anywhere from where I was." The
education school graduate added, "I figured it was
time to start earning a living. And I wanted to get
back to Chicago."
Robinson, a prep basketball standout at Hirsh
High, now sells insurance in Chicago. The one-time
team captain still doesn't rule out a return to
coaching, but thinks the chances are "doubtful."
A starting forward for three years, Robinson had
an 11.2 career scoring average in 93 games. Ranked
15th among all-time Wolverine scoring leaders,
Robinson still holds school records in career field
goal percentage (.549) and field goal percentage in a
season (.585 in 1974-75).
Robinson's greatest game as a Wolverine probably
came in his sophomore year against Ohio State when
he hit 12 of 13 shots from the floor in a 85-73 Michigan
victory. That same year he won the first ever Rudy
Tomjanovich award as the team's most improved
player.
ALL THREE Michigan teams Robinson played on
reached the NCAA playoffs. Complimenting All-
shooting a paltry .509 from the field. He was drafted
by the L.A. Lakers in the sixth round of the NBA
draft, but never made it past the rookie camp. After a
brief stint with the semi-pro Rochester team, John
ended up at Central Michigan.
When he learned that Johnny Orr was leaving
Michigan to coach at. Iowa State he contacted his
former coach. "I talked to Johnny and asked if he
could take me as an assistant. He said he only had a
part-time job left so I took it."
ROBINSON STATED flatly that his leaving Iowa
State had nothing to do with Orr. He added that the
pressure on Orr to produce a winner just doesn't
seem to exist. "Johnny has that lucrative, secure
contract. And the fans are surprisingly patient. They
didn't expect a winner overnight.
"They know it takes three to five years to turn a
program around. (The basketball program) will get
better." The Cyclones are currently 5-9 in the Big
Eight, 10-16 overall.
Robinson described his years at Michigan as a
"positive experience." He said he still keeps in touch
with his old teammates, especially Green and Hub-
bard, who often call when they are in town to play the
Chicago Bulls. Hubbard recently called John "to tell
me something (a trade) was coming up soon."
Robinson plans to make his permanent home in
Chicago and has begun a life without basketball.
Americans Rickey Green and Phil Hubbard with his
gritty inside play, Robinson helped the Wolverines
reach the finals in 1976. Michigan lost to Indiana, 86-
68, in the only NCAA final that has seen two teams
from the same league meet. The following year
Michigan won the Big Ten title, but was eliminated
by North Carolina-Charlotte in the Mideast Regional
finals.
Robinson had a somewhat disappointing senior
year in which he averaged 10.9 points a game, while
FORMER CAGER CAPTAIN John Robinson scores against Ohio State.
Robinson held an impressive 11.2 career scoring average while starting
three years (1974-77) for the Wolverines.
featuring
Food for
Thought
~iie Mribelbrn4l
The sign outside the Heidelberg
Restaurant says "eat, drink and be
merry" and inside one does just that.
Located at 215 North Main St. in
downtown Ann Arbor, The
Heidelberg offers a taste of Bavaria
not to be found this side of
tic. Built on three levels,
the Atlan-
one may
choose to first enjoy cocktails in the
Rathskellar and then proceed upstairs
for an authentic German dinner. On
the third level is the banquet room,
also used on Saturday night for the
German Dance Polka band.
Before dining, patrons may wish to
have a few drinks in the Rathskellar.
A Rathskellar was originally in the
basement of the city hall in Germany.
After meetings, the heads of gover-
nment would go downstairs, enjoy a
few drinks and make important
decisions governing the city. The
Rathskellar at the Heidelberg is warm
and on Thursday nights, a soloist is
there to entertain.
Moving upstairs for dinner one fin-
ds himself in a dining room decorated
in Old Bavarian Chalet style. Original
paintings of Bavarian landscape, old
beer steins, and the Heidelberg crest
instil visions of German landscape.
The service is excellent and the
waitresses are eager for you to try
new dishes. For an appetizer the
assorted German sausages served
with either horseradish or mustard in-
troduce one to what will be a
delicious and hearty German meal.
To fully enjoy the sausages in Ger-
man style a mug of dark imported
Dortmunder beer is the perfect ac-
companiment.
For the main course one can choose
from a multitude of authentic German
dishes such as Saurbraten, a roast
beef marinated in wine, vinegar and
spices with a brown tangy sauce;
Knackwurst or Bratwurst, sausages
served with sauerkraut; or one can
get adventurous and try such
delicious specialties such as Rouladen
and Red Cabbage or Jaeger Schnitzel.
The 'Rouladen is roast beef rolled
around bacon, swiss cheese and
spices, lightly sauteed and baked. The
Jaeger Schnitzel is tender veal
breaded and covered in a tangy
sauce. Both are hearty meals. With
the dinner comes your choice of two
side dishes. Spatzle (German.
noodles), German Potato Salad,
German Fried Potatoes, Potato Pan-
cakes and Sauerkraut are all ex-
cellent choices. The Heidelberg also
has many American specialties
ranging from thick steaks and spicy
barbequed ribs to fresh seafood, all
reasonably priced.
Even though the portions are more
than ample, diners try to find room
for deserts. The Heidelberg features
cheesecake topped with fruit and hot
apple strudel a la mode baked fresh
on the premises. Those who can't
finish their meal can always take
home any leftovers in a doggie bag.
After dinner one can move back
downstairs to the Rathskellar for
drinks and entertainment. Friday
through Saturday 9 pm til 1 am a
guitarist plays and sings and Sunday
is amateur night when local talent
can perform. Or if you are lucky
enough to come on Saturday night,
diners can dance upstairs in the
banquet room to a German Dance
Polka Band.
The Heidelberg features many
specials throughout the week.
Besides the banquet room, which
holds up to 250 people, Monday
through Friday there is a buffet lunch
from 11 am til 1:30 pm. All you can
eat for $2.95. Come in out of the cold
for some hot thick German lentil
soup. Also Monday through Friday
from.4 pm til 7 pm is the'Heidelberg
.Happy Hour with buffet. And for
those looking for a great Sunday
brunch from 11 am til 3 pi $4.50 in-
cludes coffee, juice, 2 entrees and
apple tortes.
The Heidelberg is not just a
restaurant, but an entertainmerit cen
ter recalling the flavor of German
life.
Photo by BRIAN MASCK
Photo by BRIAN MASCK
.C,
For a Course in Fine Dining
Read the Restaurant Page
Each Thursday
*11
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Open
II am-8:30 pm Mon-Wed,
Sun 11-8
Fri & Sat til 9:00 pm
120 W. Washington
Downtown Ann Arbo
Phone: 662-0737
SPECIALS
Monday thru Saturday:
Fresh Stuffed Flounder .............. $7.50
Sunday:
Southern Pan Fried Chicken Dinner ..... $5.95
a t
5tjoo r o ~MI&$
G s .a
AT ITS BEST
208 ------ - -
20 e4rj -995-0505
W. Huron ---
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