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May 17, 2018

Trying to Create his own Legacy

It was during the memorial service in Indianapolis that Tre Roberson got a nostalgic, eye-opening look at a legend.

Included in the tributes were flickering images of a knife-blade-thin DB/kick returner, resplendent in green-and-gold, wearing No. 13, stepping in to audaciously swipe a pass or run roughshod on some poor kick-coverage unit.

“Man,’’ mused the 25-year-old Roberson, standing in a steady drizzle out at McMahon Stadium Thursday, “you could tell, just watching film, he was fast.

“Even before he passed, you know, he looked good. Looked like he could still fly.

“Speed runs in the family, I guess. I’m blessed with the genes.”

Maybe, but grandfathers aren’t supposed to be fast. Not Larry Highbaugh fast, anyway.

In a nice twist of fate, the grandson of the late star from the Edmonton Eskimos’ dynastic title run of the late ’70s to early ’80s, is here, in what was once considered hostile territory, looking to leave his own imprint on the Canadian game.

Inducted into the CFL Hall of Fame in 2004, Highbaugh ranks among the last of the three-down game’s dynamic two-way threats, pencilled in at 38th in the TSN vote of greatest modern-day players. His name appears on the Eskimos’ Wall of Honour surrounding Commonwealth Stadium and over the length of his career he stockpiled 4,966 kickoff-return yards for an average of 35.2 per tote-back.

Astounding, in any era.

Imbued with swagger and sass, he once lamented: “They never throw my way. They don’t throw long on me. They don’t throw short on me. How can I make the all-star team?”

Highbaugh died, age 67, in Snellville, Ga., 14 months ago while undergoing heart surgery and battling prostate cancer. He’d spent the last two decades working at South Gwinnett High School, coaching and refereeing sports and teaching autistic students.

Today, his daughter Monica’s son hopes to continue the family’s northern football legacy.

A standout QB at Lawrence Central High in Indianapolis (where he wore No. 13, in honour of his grandfather, and was selected Indiana’s Mr. Football in 2010), followed by Indiana and Illinois State universities, Roberson made the switch to corner after signing as a free agent with the Minnesota Vikings following the 2016 NFL draft.

And now the often unpredictable pro sports road has brought him to Calgary, and a date with his family’s football past.

“Yeah, it is weird,’’ he acknowledged following the morning session on Day One of Stamps’ rookie camp. “Life’s full of changes. I wasn’t even expecting to be playing corner. Or playing corner up in Canada. This is my first time in Canada.

“And then to be here, on the field where my grandfather played so many games …

“He told me about the league, about the game. I just listened and tried to learn. Just taking things one day at a time.”

The ties to his late grandfather are everywhere.

The switch from quarterback to corner, the position where Highbaugh held sway for a dozen seasons up north, for starters. And the fact that he’s wearing jersey 31, Highbaugh’s signature number inverted.

“He’d show up after games, surprise me, tell me what he’s seen,’’ recalls Roberson. “Mostly, though, he let me find my own way. He felt that was important. But when I started playing DB, he became more vocal, started to give me more advice.

“Which was great.

“Going from QB to DB, I had to change my body. My body’s a lot different than it used to be. That initially caused a lot of pain in my knees but my grandfather told me I had to change the way I moved because there was a lot more cutting involved in the position change.”

The colour scheme of choice may now be (horrors!) red-and-white, not Highbaugh’s beloved green-and-gold, but Roberson doesn’t think his grandfather would mind in the slightest.

“Oh, of course I heard about the rivalry,’’ he says. “The cities are, what, 180 miles apart? Calgary and Edmonton are two of the most famous organizations in the league.

“(The Eskimos) actually owned my CFL rights coming out of college so I worked out for them before I signed with Minnesota.

“Well, the tables have turned.

“I’ve still got to take it one day at a time, claw my way to the top, make this team. That’s my goal. There are a lot of good DBs here. I’m trying to soak it all in, learning a lot from coach Bell and coach Claybrooks.

“My grandfather accomplished a lot in the league. What did he have, 66 interceptions? I did some checking, and I think that’s No. 2 all-time.”

A small smile.

“Well, I’m gonna come get him. I’m gonna chase after him. I think he’d like that.

“He had an amazing career, wound up winning six Grey Cups.

“I’d be happy to start with one.”