Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Terrorism Hits Close to Home For Roberts
02/25/2002 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
February, 2002
By Seth Whitehead, Southern Illinois University Media Services
Fortunately for most folks in the southern Illinois area, the impact of terrorism on U.S. soil hasn't hit close to home.
That isn't the case for Southern Illinois University basketball player Rolan Roberts, however. Roberts is a native of Woodbridge, Va., a suburb of Washington D.C., where the Pentagon was attacked by terrorists on Sept. 11.
"My mom works in the government, and she goes to the Pentagon sometimes to do her work,'' said Roberts. "I was praying she wasn't over there when it happened. She said that she was over there the day before it happened. She was really shaken up. She knew some people in the building, and a couple of people in my church died. That day was a scary day."
So it is easy to understand Robert's response in the SIU basketball game program to a word association question about terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.
He simply stated, "I want to hurt him.''
The bluntness of that statement may rub some anti-war types on campus the wrong way, but Roberts stands behind it.
"We were talking about it in class, and some people said (the U.S.) shouldn't take any drastic measures," Roberts said. "But I said, 'if one of your relatives was in those buildings, you would have a totally different view of it.'''
Roberts comes from a military background. His mother, Bettie, is a veteran of the Navy. Her profession took young Rolan to many different places, including a three-year stay in Germany during his grade school years when his mother was based there.
"It was fun and really different,'' said Roberts of his time living overseas. "I am really glad mom took us over there.''
Robert's mother has had a profound influence on his life, so much in fact that he lists her as his personal hero in the Saluki media guide.
"She raised me," Roberts said. "My dad didn't have much to do with me growing up, so everything I have been through and everything I have put her through, she is still with me. I appreciate it more as I get older.''
Roberts' life has been a whirlwind since arriving at SIU from Virginia Tech, where he was a force in the paint for three seasons, averaging 13.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He had to adjust to new teammates, new friends, a new school and a small midwestern town unlike the area where he grew up.
"Carbondale is totally different," he said. "The people are so much different. They act different, dress different. Everything is just different."
But he said he has enjoyed the experience of living in Carbondale, as well as the many opportunities to travel.
"I went three places over the summer, Utah, the Micheal Jordan camp in Chicago, and then Australia," Roberts said. "That was really fun, because I got to play with Jordan." That's Jordan, as in Michael.
Looking back on his decision to transfer, Roberts said he wouldn't change a thing, even though sitting out a year was difficult.
"I didn't think it was going to be that hard coming to practice everyday, but it was, because there was no motivation," he said. "I wasn't playing in a game. I love playing the game, so it was tough last year. But I learned a lot, a lot about this school, the area, and myself too.''
