CHENEY, Wash. -- Veteran center Robbie Tobeck mans the
middle of the Seattle Seahawks' offensive line -- and can usually be
found in the middle of any training camp mischief.
"He's someone who lifts you up, who makes you smile," backup
center Joey Hollenbeck said Thursday.
"He's kinda the club joker," coach Mike Holmgren said with a
smile.
Tobeck, in his 11th NFL season, said he's serious about not
taking football too seriously all the time.
"Practice goes by a lot quicker if you're having fun doing
it," Tobeck said. "Obviously, there's work to be done. It's not
all fun and games.
"But if you can have fun while you're practicing and enjoy it,
yet get your work done, that's the best way to do it."
Tobeck's upbeat personality and hard work have helped him stick
in the NFL long after he was expected to fade away after signing
out of Washington State as an undrafted free agent with Atlanta in
1993.
He didn't make it onto the field until 1994, but he's been a
starter since 1995.
"I enjoy playing football," Tobeck said. "I enjoy being a
football player. It is fun.
"Sometimes, you sit back, and you're humbled. You think, 'Oh my
gosh, this is my 12th year of doing this."
He adds, "I can remember thinking back when I was first in the
league: 'Man, if I could just make the team!'
"I appreciate the career I've had."
Tobeck, nicknamed "the Hobbit," admits to being 1½ inches
shorter than his listed 6-foot-4. He packs nearly 300 pounds on his
stocky frame, but he's small for an NFL center.
"Some people say he's not as big as you'd like, but he has a
great work ethic," offensive line coach Bill Laveroni said. "He's
a tremendous competitor, he loves his job, and he's good at his
job."
Tobeck, 34, intends to keep playing "as long as they want me."
His contract is up at the end of this season.
Tobeck would like to cap his career by winning a Super Bowl. He
was close once, helping Atlanta reach the Super Bowl after the 1998
season, but Denver defeated the Falcons.
He sees a lot of similarities between the 1998 Falcons and the
2004 Seahawks.
"I think this team perhaps has more talent," he said. "But
you need a couple bounces to go your way, and you need to stay
healthy, and you need to continue to work to improve.
"That's one thing I like about this team; everyone is pretty
competitive. We compete hard in practice, yet we get along off the
field."
Recovered from a minor calf injury, Tobeck is expected to play
Saturday night when the Seahawks face Denver in an exhibition game
in Seattle.
^Notes: Holmgren said starting OT Chris Terry won't play against
the Broncos because of a lingering shoulder injury. Terry played in
Monday night's exhibition victory over Green Bay.