As the football gods would incredibly have it, two Robert Griffin's were in two separate hospitals in two different parts of Texas on the same day.
On Tuesday morning, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin had successful surgery in a Houston hospital to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. A few hours later, Robert Griffin Hoskins was born to Jason and Chelse Hoskins over at Baylor All Saints Medical Center in Fort Worth.
"It's been some day,'' Jason said. "It seemed like we were in the hospital and they threw some scrubs at me, and we were in and out in an hour-and-a-half. It went very quick.''
You remember this very touching story that made the rounds across Texas.
Jason and Chelse are rabid Baylor fans with very strong ties to Waco. Jason graduated from Waco High School in 1993, Chelse graduated from Baylor in 1995, and they both met and fell madly in love while working at Sears department store in Waco.
On Sept. 1, the couple announced they had decided to name their then unborn son, Robert Griffin, after the Baylor quarterback. They also came up with the name to honor family member.
Chelse's father is named Robert, and the maiden name of Jason's grandmother is Griffin.
So, naturally. . .
When he heard someone was going to name their baby after him, Robert Griffin said: "It's not weird or anything. I'm in college, but hey, if that's what they want to do, then I'm fine with that.''
Robert Griffin Hoskins entered the world at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. He weighed 5 pounds and 13 ounces, and was 17 3/4 inches long.
No word yet on if he has any football skills.
Mom and baby _ and that other Robert Griffin _ are doing AOK.
"They're not putting him in NICU or anything like that,'' Jason said. "So I would say everyone is healthy.''
Here's the irony of all ironies.
When he was injured Sept. 26 against Northwestern State, Baylor's Robert Griffin wasn't sure whether he was going to have surgery, or just try and rehab his right knee and perhaps return to the gridiron later this season.
Meanwhile, the Hoskins' Robert Griffin wasn't due to make his arrival in this world until next month.
You don't think the Hoskins' Robert Griffin subconsciously knew his namesake was having surgery in a Houston hospital Tuesday, and he just decided to take their obvious connection up a notch or two? Sure makes for a heart-warming story.
"I saw (Griffin's) Facebook and I thought it was kind of funny that both of them were in the hospital today,'' said Jason, a designer and agate editor for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "That is some coincidence.
"We were supposed to go in the hospital on Nov. 2nd and the due date was Nov. 10th. But my wife called me around 2 and said she was having contractions, and at 6:30 he was out.''
Now that Robert Griffin has made a surprisingly early arrival, the Hoskins have some new challenges on their plate.
"The house is still not 100 percent (baby ready), and we're going to have to get that going,'' Jason said. "And I still haven't gotten that (Robert Griffin) No. 10 little jersey yet. So I'm going to have to find one of those somewhere.''
Perhaps Baylor's Robert Griffin has one of those No. 10 little jerseys somewhere. After all, it's not every day that someone names a baby after you.
-- Dwain Price
Comments